Offshore Floating Island Compartment Sinking Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The construction of offshore floating islands using sea reclamation damages marine ecology and makes it difficult to move the structures once built, as existing technologies lack sustainable and stable solutions for assembly, disassembly, and relocation.

Innovation Solution

An offshore floating island design featuring a compartment-sinking structure with liquid-filled compartments that can be locked onto a supporting structure, allowing for detachable connection and easy relocation, along with fender walls and piers for stability and arc-shaped buffer planes to mitigate wave impact, enabling flexible movement and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If sea reclamation is used to build offshore floating islands, then the islands can be constructed with stable foundations, but the marine ecology is damaged and the structures become difficult to move once built

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoundation stabilityVSAvoidecological damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The offshore floating island is divided into multiple detachable modules that can be assembled and disassembled independently. Each module has standardized connection interfaces that allow for stable assembly without permanent foundation construction, enabling ecological preservation while maintaining structural stability through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs dynamic connection mechanisms that allow the island structure to be reconfigured or relocated. The detachable modules with standardized interfaces provide stable connections during operation but enable easy disassembly and relocation, transforming the structure from static to dynamic while preserving both stability and ecological integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Strength

If traditional fixed construction methods are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but the island cannot be easily relocated or reconfigured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidrelocation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The island structure is segmented into modular units with standardized connection interfaces. These interfaces maintain structural integrity when connected through robust coupling mechanisms, while allowing complete disassembly for relocation. The segmentation enables both strong connections during operation and easy separation when movement is required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection system transitions from static permanent fixtures to dynamic detachable joints. The standardized interfaces provide sufficient structural integrity during normal operation but can be quickly released and reconfigured, enabling the structure to adapt to different locations and configurations while maintaining strength throughout its operational life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If modular detachable structures are used, then relocation becomes possible, but construction complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelocation capabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The modular modules are designed with universal standardized connection interfaces that can be used across all module types. This universality simplifies the assembly process by reducing the number of different connection types that workers need to learn and master, thereby reducing construction complexity despite the modular detachable nature of the structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The modules are pre-assembled and pre-positioned at fabrication locations before being transported to the final site. This preliminary action reduces on-site assembly complexity by minimizing the number of connections that need to be made in the field, allowing workers to focus on simple attachment operations rather than complex construction tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 design provides a stable and ecologically friendly offshore platform that can be easily assembled, disassembled, and relocated without sea reclamation, maintaining structural integrity and reducing environmental impact while allowing for flexible movement and reconfiguration.

Implementation Method 1

a filler is injected into the compartment body till the compartment body sinks

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

arc-shaped buffer planes to mitigate wave impact

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWave impact mitigation:

Data Source

PatentEP4079620B1Offshore floating island
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 DU TONG
  • EP4079620B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4079620B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4079620B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an offshore floating island, and relates to the technical field of offshore buildings, solving the technical problem that construction of an offshore floating island needs sea reclamation, which destroys the marine ecology, and is hard to move once the offshore floating island is built. The offshore floating island includes a supporting structure and an island main body. The bottom of the supporting structure is fixed at the seabed, and the island main body includes one or two or more compartment bodies; the upper part of the supporting structure is provided with a carrying part; the bottom of each compartment body is provided with a mounting part; the compartment body is of a cavity structure, and a filler is injected to the compartment body till the compartment body sinks to cause the mounting part to be in lock type clamping with the carrying part, so that the compartment body and the supporting structure are detachably connected; and each compartment body is at least partially higher than the sea surface after the compartment body and the supporting structure are assembled in place. The island main body is of a compartment-sinking type structure; the filler is poured into the compartment bodies to cause the compartment bodies to sink; the mounting parts and the carrying part cooperate to realize detachable connection between the supporting structure and the compartment bodies; the connection structure is stable, and no sea reclamation is required; furthermore, the structures are detachable; movement of the island main body is realized according to a specific plan; and the arrangement is more flexible.