Ship Pipeline System Damage Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipeline systems on ships fail to effectively minimize fluid loss and maintain functionality in the event of damage, posing risks to buoyancy and safety due to uncontrolled leakage of fluids.
Innovation Solution
A ship with a pipeline system featuring shut-off devices and sensors that automatically isolate damaged sections upon detecting leaks, using main and secondary sensors to control shut-off devices and limit fluid escape, and a method to refill affected sections to restore operational readiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shut-off devices are installed between adjacent sections to isolate damaged areas, then fluid loss is minimized and ship safety is improved, but the device complexity and cost of the piping system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piping system is divided into multiple separable sections with shut-off devices installed between adjacent sections. This segmentation allows the system to isolate damaged areas while maintaining functionality in undamaged sections, directly resolving the contradiction by enabling safety improvements through structural division rather than requiring a completely redundant system.
Solution Approach 2:
Shut-off devices are pre-installed in the piping system between sections before any damage occurs. These devices remain in standby position during normal operation and are activated only when damage is detected, allowing the system to be prepared for potential failures without requiring continuous complex control mechanisms.
2Loss of substance
If all shut-off devices are closed upon detecting a leak to minimize fluid loss, then fluid loss and buoyancy risks are reduced, but the functionality of undamaged sections is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The piping system is divided into separable sections with individual shut-off devices between each section. When a leak is detected in one section, only the shut-off devices adjacent to the damaged section are activated, isolating the problem area while maintaining fluid flow and functionality in all other undamaged sections of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors are installed to detect leaks in real-time and provide feedback signals to the control system. The control system processes this information and selectively activates only the necessary shut-off devices adjacent to the detected leak, rather than closing all shut-off devices system-wide, thus maintaining productivity in undamaged areas.
3Device complexity
If manual isolation of damaged sections is performed, then the system structure can remain simple, but the response time is delayed and fluid loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors continuously monitor the piping system for leaks and automatically trigger the control system when damage is detected. This feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual inspection and enables immediate automated response, significantly reducing response time and fluid loss while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through the use of basic sensor-control-actuator loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The piping system is equipped with automated leak detection and isolation capabilities that operate without human intervention. When a leak is detected, the system automatically activates the appropriate shut-off devices to isolate the damaged section, enabling the system to service itself and respond immediately to failures without waiting for manual detection and response.
4Reliability
If the piping system is divided into multiple separable sections, then damage containment is improved, but the manufacturing and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piping system is divided into multiple separable sections that can be manufactured and tested independently before assembly. Each section includes standardized connection points for shut-off devices, allowing for modular construction that simplifies the overall manufacturing process despite the increased number of components, as each module can be produced using the same standardized procedures.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a ship (70), comprising a pipeline system (30) and a control system, wherein the pipeline system (30) serves to supply at least a first load, wherein the pipeline system (30) has at least a first segment (10-19), a second segment (10-19), and a third segment (10-19), wherein adjacent segments (10-19) are connected to each other in such a way that the adjacent segments can be disconnected by means of shut-off devices (40-51), wherein the pipeline system (30) has a first main sensor (20, 21, 22), wherein the control system is designed to read out a first main signal from the first main sensor (20, 21, 22) and to control the shut-off devices (40-51), wherein the control system is designed to close all the shut-off devices (40-51) as soon as the first main signal reaches or exceeds a threshold value.