Ship Stability Recovery via Void Space Ballasting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ship stability measures, such as water traps and ballast systems, are inefficient for car carriers as they require additional bulkheads, increase material and weight costs, and limit vehicle storage capacity, while alternative solutions like submerged tank auxiliary hulls also reduce vehicle loading capacity.
Innovation Solution
A ship stability recovery system utilizing a remotely openable seawater inlet mechanism in a void space near the ship's bottom, coupled with a flooding detection and control system, allows seawater to enter the void space to function as a ballast tank, enhancing stability without the need for additional bulkheads or weight, and includes a stability monitoring and control system to automatically manage the seawater inlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If water trap or ballast systems are used to secure ship stability, then stability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stability function from complex bulkhead structures and relocates it to the void space below the hull. By removing the need for multiple bulkheads and water traps, the system achieves stability through a simpler mechanism of allowing seawater into the existing void space, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The void space below the hull, which originally served no specific function, is repurposed as a ballast tank for stability. This multi-functional use of existing space eliminates the need for separate stability devices, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the stability function.
2Stability of the object's composition
If bulkheads and watertight doors are provided to secure stability, then stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the weight-intensive bulkhead and watertight door structures from the stability system. Instead, it uses the existing void space below the hull as a ballast tank, eliminating the need for additional heavy structural elements while achieving stability through the natural weight distribution of seawater in the void space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the conventional heavy stability structures (bulkheads, watertight doors) and recovers the stability function through the existing void space. This approach eliminates unnecessary weight while maintaining the stability function through a lighter, more efficient design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If vehicle stowage compartment is partitioned to secure stability, then stability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stability function from the vehicle stowage compartment partitioning and relocates it to the void space below the hull. This eliminates the need for complex partitioning work in the vehicle stowage area, thereby improving construction productivity while maintaining stability through the void space ballast system.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of segmenting the vehicle stowage compartment into multiple watertight sections, the system uses a single void space below the hull as the ballast tank. This segmentation approach simplifies construction by avoiding the need for multiple partitioning operations while achieving the same stability function.
4Stability of the object's composition
If submerged tank auxiliary hull is added to prevent capsize, then stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stability function from the submerged tank auxiliary hull concept and applies it to the existing void space below the hull. This eliminates the need for additional submerged tank structures, thereby reducing weight while maintaining stability through the utilization of the pre-existing void space as a ballast tank.
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 effectively recovers ship stability by utilizing the void space as a seawater ballast tank, improving metacentric height and reducing the impact of flooding, while maintaining vehicle storage capacity and reducing construction and operational inefficiencies.
Implementation Method 1
a void space (pipe space) or the like, which provides a huge auxiliary buoyancy
Data Source
AI summary
[Object] Conventionally, measures for securing stability of a ship when it is damaged are required.[Solution] The invention is characterized by having a remotely openable seawater inlet means provided to a lowermost watertight deck that forms a void space at the bottom of the ship. Thereby, when a side shell plate or the like of the ship is damaged and seawater enters the ship, the seawater that has entered the ship can be introduced into the void space by opening the seawater inlet means provided to the lowermost watertight deck, so that the void space, which usually provides a huge auxiliary buoyancy, can be made to function as a sort of a seawater ballast tank, whereby the ship's stability can be recovered.