Anti-sloshing Moon Pool Structure with Segmented Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drill ships experience increased resistance, reduced velocity, higher fuel consumption, and safety issues due to sloshing and overflowing seawater in the moon pool, which affects their stability and working efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An anti-sloshing moon pool structure with perpendicularly arranged plates and a bottom block that absorb and disperse kinetic energy, minimizing vortex generation and optimizing the working area for drilling equipment, while preventing fluid overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional moon pool structure is used, then the drill ship can maintain its basic drilling function, but sloshing phenomenon occurs causing increased resistance, reduced velocity, and higher fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The moon pool structure is segmented into multiple components: moon pool plates arranged vertically along the walls, a moon pool bottom block, and upper/lower steps. These segments work together to break the continuous sloshing motion into smaller, controlled movements, reducing overall energy loss while maintaining drilling functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The moon pool plates and bottom block act as intermediary structures between the seawater and the ship hull. These intermediaries absorb and dissipate the kinetic energy of sloshing water through controlled flow paths and step structures, preventing direct impact on the hull while reducing resistance and fuel consumption.
2Reliability
If a conventional moon pool structure is used, then the drilling function is maintained, but seawater may overflow onto the ship reducing safety and work efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The moon pool plates and bottom block serve as intermediary barriers that control seawater movement. These structures prevent direct overflow onto the ship while maintaining controlled access for drilling operations, thereby improving safety without significantly impacting work efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The sloshing phenomenon, which is normally harmful, is converted into a beneficial effect by using the moon pool plates and steps to guide and control water flow. The kinetic energy that would cause overflow is instead harnessed to create controlled circulation patterns that prevent spillage while maintaining drilling functionality.
3Reliability
If the moon pool plates protrude further to reduce sloshing, then anti-sloshing performance improves, but the working area for drilling equipment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The moon pool plates have different protruding lengths at different locations: longer plates at the bow-side and shorter plates at the stern-side. The upper and lower steps are positioned to provide anti-sloshing protection only where needed, preserving maximum working area in critical drilling zones while maintaining effectiveness in preventing sloshing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anti-sloshing moon pool structure enhances ship velocity, reduces power consumption, and improves safety and work efficiency by mitigating sloshing and overflowing phenomena, thereby increasing the potential velocity of the ship.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of moon pool plates perpendicularly provided on a bow-side wall, a stern-side wall and opposite sidewalls of inner walls of a moon pool; and a moon pool bottom block provided on a bow-side lower edge of the inner walls of the moon pool
Implementation Method 2
when a ship is in a working position, the upper steps are lower than the free surface of the seawater, and when the ship runs, the lower steps are lower than the free surface of the seawater
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-sloshing moon pool structure is disclosed. The anti-sloshing moon pool structure of the present invention includes moon pool plates (112, 114 and 116), which are provided on a bow-side wall (401), a stern-side wall (403) and opposite sidewalls (405) of a moon pool (100), and a moon pool bottom block (130), which is provided on a bow-side lower edge (407) of the moon pool (100). The moon pool plates and the moon pool bottom block have protruding lengths within which they do not interfere with a maximum working area. Upper steps (112a, 112b, 114a, 114b, 116a, 116a-1, 116b and 116b-1) of the moon pool plates are disposed such that, when a ship is in a working position, they are lower than the free surface of the seawater, and lower steps (112c, 112d, 116c and 116d) of the moon pool plates are disposed such that, when the ship runs, they are lower than the free surface of the seawater.