Subsea Tubular Connection With Movable Landing Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea connection technologies face challenges in achieving precise and tolerant-free alignment of tubular members due to rigid guide systems, which can lead to inaccuracies and increased demands on mating part tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A subsea arrangement featuring a base structure, a landing structure with limited horizontal movability, and holding structures guided by co-operating guide members, allowing for accurate positioning without stringent tolerances between mating parts by using sleeve-shaped and female-like guide members to facilitate horizontal displacement and engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If rigid guide systems are used to guide structures into position, then alignment precision is improved, but demands on mating part tolerances increase
Solution Approach 1:
The landing structure is designed with limited horizontal movability in relation to the base structure, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically during the lowering process. This movement capability enables the structure to self-align with the holding structure without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances on the mating parts, while still achieving accurate final positioning through the interaction of guide members.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide members are provided on both the landing structure and the holding structure to facilitate controlled interaction between them. These guide members act as intermediaries that manage the engagement process, allowing the movable landing structure to be guided into the correct position relative to the holding structure while accommodating variations in manufacturing tolerances.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed positioning systems are used, then structural stability is improved, but positioning accuracy under varying forces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting members provide limited horizontal movability to the landing structure, creating a semi-rigid connection that combines stability with adaptability. This allows the structure to maintain structural integrity while accommodating force variations and achieving accurate positioning through controlled movement during the engagement process.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide members on both structures provide a feedback mechanism during the lowering and engagement process. As the movable landing structure approaches the holding structure, the guide members interact to guide and correct the position, ensuring accurate final positioning while maintaining structural stability once engaged.
Data Source
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AI summary
A subsea arrangement for connecting an end of a first tubular member to an end of a second tubular member, comprising: - a base structure (10); - a landing structure (20), which rests on and is fixed to the base structure by means of connecting members (3a, 3b); - a holding structure (30), to which the end of a tubular member (1) is to be fixed and which is connectable to the landing structure by being lowered downwards onto the landing structure. The connecting members (3a, 3b) are configured to give the landing structure a limited movability in a horizontal plane in relation to the base structure so as to thereby allow the landing structure to move horizontally in relation to the base structure and the holding structure when the landing structure and the holding structure are guided into a correct position in relation to each other.