Removable Keel Ship Transforming to Trimaran
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motorized, wave-piercing ships with ballasted keels face instability and risk of capsizing when navigating shallow waters due to the need to lift the keel, which compromises load capacity and draught reduction.
Innovation Solution
A motorized, wave-piercing ship with a removable ballasted keel and an anti-roll stabilization system that transforms the ship into a trimaran by attaching an elongated connection arm with floats, providing additional buoyancy and stability without the need for a deep draught.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the ballasted keel is lowered to stabilise the ship, then the ship's centre of gravity is lowered and stability is improved, but the draught increases to around two metres or more making the ship unable to sail in shallow waters
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilisation system is divided into separate components: the ballasted keel that can be independently lowered or removed, and the anti-roll stabilisation system with floats and connection arms that can be independently attached or detached. This allows the ship to use only the necessary stabilisation method for each operational condition, avoiding the need for deep draught when operating in shallow waters.
Solution Approach 2:
The ship's configuration is made dynamically adjustable through removable components. The ballasted keel can be lowered or removed based on water depth requirements, and the anti-roll stabilisation system can be attached or detached to provide stabilisation without increasing draught. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the ship to adapt to different operational environments.
2Length of moving object
If the ballasted keel is lifted up to allow sailing in shallow waters, then the draught is reduced, but the ship experiences instability and risk of capsizing
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-roll stabilisation system acts as an intermediary solution when the ballasted keel is lifted or removed. The system with its connection arms and floats provides the necessary stabilisation function without requiring the keel to remain in the lowered position, enabling shallow water operation while maintaining ship stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-roll stabilisation system with floats provides counterbalancing forces to compensate for the loss of stabilisation when the ballasted keel is lifted. The buoyant forces from the floats create counteracting moments that prevent heel and capsizing, allowing the ship to operate in shallow waters without the keel extended.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the ballast weight is increased at the lower end of the keel to maintain stability when the keel is lifted up, then stability is improved, but the load capacity of the ship is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilisation function is segmented into two independent systems: the ballasted keel for deep water operation and the anti-roll stabilisation system for shallow water operation. This segmentation eliminates the need to increase ballast weight, as the anti-roll system provides stabilisation through buoyant forces from the floats rather than through increased weight at the keel end.
4Device complexity
If the ship is designed as a monohull for simplicity, then device complexity is reduced, but the ship cannot operate in shallow waters without risking capsizing
Solution Approach 1:
The monohull ship is made dynamically adaptable through removable stabilisation components. The ballasted keel and anti-roll stabilisation system can be configured based on operational requirements, transforming the simple monohull design into a versatile platform that can operate in both deep and shallow waters while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monohull ship is equipped with multi-functional stabilisation components that serve different purposes in different conditions. The ballasted keel provides stabilisation for deep water operation, while the anti-roll stabilisation system with floats provides stabilisation for shallow water operation. This multi-functionality allows a single monohull design to operate across diverse environmental conditions.
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
Enables the ship to sail in shallow waters while maintaining stability and allowing for remote-controlled operation, including emergency recovery of broken-down vessels, by compensating weight increase with buoyancy and using propulsion and steering systems for the anti-roll stabilization system.
Implementation Method 1
a ballasted keel intended to lower the ship's centre of gravity to stabilise the ship at least with respect to the roll
Implementation Method 2
an anti-roll stabilisation system including an elongated connection arm terminated at its two lateral ends by two floats
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a motorised wave-piercing ship with hull with a deck, the ship including a conning tower and, under the hull, a weighted keel, the keel being removable and being able to be placed in a low position and a high or extracted position. According to the invention, the ship can sail as a monohull or as a trimaran, the hull including a device for removable attachment of an anti-roll stabilisation system including an elongated connection arm terminated at its two lateral ends by two floats, the connection arm including an attachment member, the attachment member being configured to be removably attached on the attachment device in order to transform the ship into a trimaran, and the ship is monohull in the absence of the anti-roll stabilisation system.