Nested Bulk Bag Receptacle for Offshore Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transporting bulk chemicals to remote offshore oil and gas drilling platforms is costly and space-constrained, requiring an efficient and space-saving solution for material transfer.
Innovation Solution
A bulk bag transport apparatus featuring a receptacle with inclined side walls, a bottom wall, and an open top, reinforced with beams and lifting eyes, allowing for stacking and efficient loading/unloading of bulk bags using a lifting harness and slings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional transport methods are used for bulk chemicals to offshore platforms, then materials can be transported, but the cost and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle design allows multiple units to be stacked vertically with one receptacle nested within another, maximizing space utilization. The inner receptacle fits inside the outer receptacle when empty, and multiple receptacles can be stacked to transport bulk bags efficiently, reducing the total storage area needed compared to conventional side-by-side arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional horizontal storage arrangement to vertical stacking arrangement. By utilizing the vertical dimension through nested receptacles, the system increases transport capacity without proportionally increasing horizontal footprint, thereby improving productivity while reducing storage space requirements
2Area of stationary object
If bulk bags are stacked vertically to save space, then storage efficiency improves, but handling and loading becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is divided into multiple bulk bag holding sectors using transverse beams that segment the interior. This segmentation allows individual bulk bags to be accessed and handled separately while maintaining vertical stacking, improving ease of operation by enabling selective loading and unloading of specific sectors without moving entire stacks
Solution Approach 2:
Lifting eyes are provided on the outer surface of the receptacle at strategic locations to serve as intermediaries for lifting operations. These lifting eyes connect to lifting harnesses and slings, providing a safe and efficient mechanism for hoisting and positioning bulk bags and receptacles during loading and unloading operations
3Strength
If the receptacle structure is reinforced with multiple beams, then structural strength improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple structural functions are merged into the beam system. The same beams that provide structural reinforcement also serve as support structures for bulk bag sectors, as attachment points for lifting eyes, and as structural elements for the receptacle walls. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The beams are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they reinforce the receptacle structure, define bulk bag holding sectors, provide attachment points for lifting eyes, and maintain structural integrity during stacking. This multi-functionality reduces overall structural complexity while achieving the required strength
Data Source
AI summary
A bulk bag transport apparatus employs a receptacle that is divided into a plurality of bulk bag holding sectors. The receptacle provides a base that is constructed of a plurality of beams such as eye beams including peripheral beams and transverse beams. Each side wall is reinforced with a plurality of inclined beams that preferably join to the transverse bottom beams, one inclined beam attaching to a transverse bottom beam. A plurality of other beams are attached to the upper edge of the receptacle and each inclined beam is structurally joined to a peripheral beam. Lifting eyes are provided along each side of the receptacle, each lifting eye performs an acute angle with an inclined beam and is preferably mounted to an inclined beam. A lifting harness includes slings that can be connected to the lifting eyes. Each side wall has an horizontal flange or a member that enables one of the receptacles to be stacked upon the other of the receptacles wherein the upper peripheral beam of one receptacle engages and supports the horizontal flange or member of another receptacle.