Submarine Generator Anchoring System with Variable Buoyancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anchoring systems for submarine electric power generators are difficult to position and recover, especially in deep seabed environments, requiring significant efforts and economic investments due to their design as non-floating heavy blocks.
Innovation Solution
An anchoring system with a semi-floating body and a first tank that can be filled with water for immersion and compressed air for surfacing, using a second tank to feed compressed air directly into the first tank, allowing for controlled positioning and recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the anchoring system is designed as a non-floating heavy block, then it can ensure stable positioning of the generator on the seabed, but it becomes difficult and costly to position and recover
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system transitions from a static heavy block to a dynamic system with variable buoyancy. By controlling the amount of water in the ballast tank, the system can change its overall density and buoyancy, enabling easy deployment and recovery operations while maintaining stable positioning when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic principles by incorporating a ballast tank that can be filled with or emptied of water. This hydraulic mechanism allows the anchoring system to control its weight and buoyancy, facilitating easy positioning and recovery without requiring heavy lifting equipment.
2Reliability
If the anchoring system uses a heavy non-floating block, then it can anchor the generator effectively, but significant economic investments are required for positioning and recovery operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic buoyancy control through a ballast tank, transforming the anchoring system from a permanently heavy structure to one that can adjust its weight characteristics. This reduces the need for expensive heavy-lift equipment during deployment and recovery, significantly lowering operational costs while maintaining anchoring effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of density by controlling water content in the ballast tank. By adjusting this parameter, the anchoring system can transition between sinking and floating states, enabling cost-effective deployment and recovery operations without compromising anchoring performance.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the anchoring system is positioned at deep seabed, then it can access greater current energy, but recovery becomes increasingly complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The ballast tank system uses hydraulic principles to control the anchoring system's descent and ascent. By filling the tank with water, the system sinks to deep seabed positions to access stronger currents. For recovery, water is emptied from the tank, providing buoyancy to bring the system back to the surface, making deep-sea recovery as easy as shallow-sea recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The ballast tank acts as a counterweight system that can be adjusted to balance the anchoring system's weight. When deployed, the tank is filled with water to provide the necessary weight for sinking. When recovery is needed, the water is removed, providing an upward buoyant force that counteracts the system's weight, enabling easy retrieval from any depth.
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 anchoring system simplifies the positioning and recovery of the generator by enabling easy access and adjustment of depth, reducing operational and economic burdens through controlled filling and emptying of the first tank with water or compressed air.
Implementation Method 1
a first tank (5), whose filling with water allows the immersion of such an anchoring system
Implementation Method 2
whose filling with compressed air (with the consequent expulsion of water) allows its surfacing
Implementation Method 3
whose filling with compressed air (with the consequent expulsion of water) allows its surfacing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An anchoring system (1) for a submarine electric power generator comprises a semi-floating body (2) and an anchoring cable (3) which is associated with the body (2) and is apt to connect the anchoring system (1) to the generator, such an anchoring system (1) comprising at least one first tank (5) which extends along a longitudinal axis (H-H) and is housed in the body (2), the at least one first tank (5) being provided with at least one first opening (5') apt to enable the feeding of water into the at least one first tank (5) and with at least one second opening apt to enable the feeding of compressed air into such an at least one first tank (5) by means of a compressed air feeding system. Conveniently, the compressed air feeding system comprises at least one second tank (6) containing compressed air, the at least one second tank (6) being connected to the at least one first tank (5) and being apt to feed compressed air directly into such an at least one first tank (5), wherein the at least one second tank (6) is arranged around the first tank (5).