Submerged Ballast Stabilizer for Floating Platform Motion Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating offshore vessels face significant oscillation movements due to waves, winds, and currents, leading to decreased efficiency and increased risk of accidents, particularly in offshore oil and gas drilling and wind power generation, with current stabilization solutions being costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight high inertia stabilizer device using submerged water tanks or lowerable columns to increase stability by adding inertial mass, reducing oscillations through physics principles, with controlled water ballast management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional stabilization solutions (heavy ballasts, tension leg platforms, spar type platforms) are used to reduce oscillation movements, then stability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer is divided into multiple independent tanks (first tank, second tank, third tank) that can be controlled separately. Each tank serves a specific function: the first tank provides primary stabilization, the second tank adjusts longitudinal stability, and the third tank adjusts transverse stability. This segmentation allows for fine-tuned control of platform stability without requiring a single complex heavy structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic ballast management where water can be transferred between tanks to actively adjust stability characteristics. The ballast tanks can be filled or emptied based on real-time platform orientation and sea conditions, allowing the stabilizer to adapt dynamically rather than relying on fixed heavy structures.
2Stability of the object's composition
If heavy ballasts are used to minimize movements of floating vessels, then stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses hydraulic ballast tanks that can be filled with or emptied of water to adjust stability. Instead of permanently adding heavy ballast, the system uses controllable water filling in the first ballast tank (and optionally second and third tanks) to provide the necessary weight for stabilization, allowing the platform to achieve stability without permanent heavy additions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and distribution of ballast water to achieve stability. By controlling the volume and distribution of water in different tanks, the platform can adjust its center of gravity and moment of inertia to achieve stable operation without requiring maximum heavy ballast at all times.
3Stability of the object's composition
If tall spar type units are used to provide stability in deep sea, then stability is improved, but adaptability decreases due to niche geographical applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-tank ballast system serves multiple functions: the first tank provides primary stabilization, the second tank adjusts longitudinal stability, and the third tank adjusts transverse stability. This universal system can handle various sea conditions and platform configurations, making it adaptable to different geographical locations and operational requirements rather than being limited to deep-sea applications only.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic ballast management system allows the platform to adapt to different environmental conditions by adjusting water distribution in real-time. This makes the system versatile for various water depths and sea states, unlike fixed spar designs that are optimized for specific deep-sea conditions only.
4Stability of the object's composition
If very large vessels with heavy ballasts are used to reduce oscillations, then stability is improved, but productivity decreases due to decreased efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial ballasting where only the necessary amount of water is added to the first tank (and selectively to second and third tanks) to achieve adequate stability. This avoids the excessive weight and reduced efficiency associated with fully ballasted heavy vessels, providing just enough stabilization to maintain operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
By dynamically adjusting ballast parameters (water volume and distribution), the system optimizes the balance between stability and efficiency. The platform can operate with minimal ballast when conditions permit, improving fuel efficiency and productivity, while still maintaining adequate stability when needed.
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
Significantly reduces heave, pitch, and roll movements, enhancing stability and reducing maintenance costs while allowing safer operations and longer equipment lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
Increasing the water ballast in the tank ballast cavity yields a high inertia mass to decrease accelerations caused by the wave and wind forces acting on the host floating vessel
Implementation Method 2
the tank injection tube may be configured to alternatively inject a compressed gas and water from the water body into the tank ballast cavity
Implementation Method 3
decreasing the water ballast in the tank ballast cavity may result in the midwater stabilizer tank being moved upward by a buoyancy force
Data Source
AI summary
A lightweight high inertia stabilizer device is provided that may be coupled to any floating vessel to increase its stability against forces of waves and winds acting on its exposed surfaces. Optionally, the device may include a midwater stabilizer tank coupled to a host vessel that may have a tank ballast cavity that may be filled or emptied with water ballast thereby lowering the position of the midwater stabilizer tank in a waterbody. Optionally, the device may include a lightweight high inertia stabilizer lowerable column that may be coupled to a host floating vessel. The lowerable column may have a column ballast cavity that may be filled or emptied with water ballast thereby lowering the position of the lowerable column in a waterbody. The device significantly reduces the undesired heave, pitch and roll movements of floating platforms or foundations, with small impact on their load capacity.