Rotatable Pile Frame with Rail Trolley for Offshore Upending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pile upending systems face challenges in flexibility during offshore operations, prone to excessive bending stresses, and pose safety risks due to the need for stabilizing cylinders and limited positioning options, especially when handling large, thin-walled tubular elements like offshore foundation piles or turbine masts.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable and detachable pile frame system that allows for flexible positioning on a vessel or offshore structure, eliminating the need for stabilizing cylinders by providing a compact construction with a short distance between the pile and the axis of rotation, and includes a support structure with a rail and hook mechanism for enhanced stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a ball bearing is used for rotation, then the pile frame can rotate during upending, but stabilizing cylinders are needed which increase device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the ball bearing component from the system and replaces it with a rail-based support structure. The pile frame rotates along a rail using a trolley mechanism, eliminating the need for ball bearings and their associated stabilizing cylinders. This extraction of the problematic component directly reduces device complexity while maintaining rotation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rail acts as an intermediary element between the pile frame and the support structure. Instead of using a ball bearing as the rotation mechanism, the rail provides a guided path for the trolley to move along, enabling rotation while the trolley maintains stability through its engagement with the rail. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for stabilizing cylinders.
2Stability of the object's composition
If stabilizing cylinders are used, then the pile remains stable during upending, but the distance between the pile and rotation axis increases reducing stability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using stabilizing cylinders that push outward from the rotation axis to maintain stability, the invention inverts the approach by using a rail that the pile frame follows closely. The trolley engages with the rail in a way that maintains the pile frame's stability through direct engagement rather than through outward-pushing cylinders, thereby minimizing the distance to the rotation axis.
3Ease of manufacture
If the pile frame is fixed to the support structure, then positioning is simple, but flexibility during offshore operations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pile frame is made dynamically positionable along the rail through the trolley mechanism. The trolley can move to different positions along the rail and be secured at desired locations, providing both simplicity in positioning (through the guided rail system) and flexibility (through adjustable positioning). This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements while maintaining ease of positioning.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a compact construction is used, then the distance to rotation axis is short improving stability, but the system may not accommodate varying pile lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The rail and trolley system provides universal applicability for piles of varying lengths. The rail can be positioned at different locations, and the trolley can travel to different positions along the rail, allowing the same compact construction to accommodate different pile lengths while maintaining the short distance to the rotation axis. This multi-functionality ensures both stability and adaptability.
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 system enhances stability and safety during upending by allowing precise positioning and rotation of the pile frame, reducing bending stresses and operational risks, while accommodating piles of varying lengths without the need for expensive stabilizing cylinders.
Implementation Method 1
the coupling section is rotatably supported by the support structure to allow rotation of the pile frame with respect to the support structure
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an upending system for an elongated tubular element like an offshore foundation pile or a turbine mast, the system comprising; a pile frame for supporting a elongated tubular element, the pile frame comprising a pile support member for engaging a pile wall in order to avoid movement of the elongated tubular element with respect to the pile frame, and a coupling section, a support structure for supporting the pile frame, wherein the coupling section is rotatably supported by the support structure to allow rotation of the pile frame with respect to the support structure, wherein the support structure and the coupling section of the pile frame are configured such that the pile frame is detachably coupled to the support structure.