Subsea Pile Driver Underpressure Pump System
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Solution Overview
Problem
At extreme depths, such as 1500 meters and deeper, existing subsea pile driving systems face challenges with high pressure requirements, making it difficult to fill accumulators from pre-filled gas cylinders and necessitating high-pressure compressors, while also experiencing amplified pressure variations that complicate maintaining consistent striking energy.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates underpressure in the hydraulic cylinder using a pump, positioned at significant depths, reduces the pressure required for accelerating the impact weight, allowing for reduced operating pressures and increased efficiency by using a 'closed loop' configuration with a single pump for both underpressure and high pressure, and optionally omitting the high pressure accumulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If high pressure accumulators are used to accelerate the impact weight, then the impact force is sufficient, but the system complexity and pressure requirements increase significantly at extreme depths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of the high-pressure accumulator and the pump into a single integrated system. The pump is positioned to directly accelerate the impact weight, eliminating the need for a separate high-pressure accumulator system. This merging reduces system complexity while maintaining the necessary impact force for driving foundation elements at extreme depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the high-pressure accumulator from the traditional pile driver system and replaces it with a pump-based acceleration system. By removing the accumulator component, the system becomes simpler and more suitable for extreme depth operations where high pressure requirements and amplified pressure variations are problematic.
2Device complexity
If pre-filled gas cylinders are used to fill accumulators, then the system is simpler, but it becomes difficult to operate at extreme depths due to high pressure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical compression system (pre-filled gas cylinders and compressors) with a pump-based hydraulic system. The pump directly generates the necessary pressure to accelerate the impact weight, eliminating the need for complex gas compression and storage systems. This substitution maintains operational simplicity while enabling effective operation at extreme depths where traditional gas-based systems fail.
3Power
If high pressure is used to accelerate the impact weight, then the striking energy is sufficient, but pressure variations are amplified making it difficult to maintain consistent energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-controlled pump system that monitors and adjusts the pressure applied to accelerate the impact weight. This feedback mechanism compensates for pressure variations inherent in deep-sea environments, maintaining consistent striking energy by dynamically adjusting pump operation based on real-time pressure conditions.
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 underpressure generation system effectively reduces the pressure needed for impact weight acceleration, maintaining consistent striking energy and simplifying operations at extreme depths by using a single pump for both underpressure and high pressure, thereby addressing the challenges of high pressure requirements and pressure variations.
Implementation Method 1
a pump for generating an underpressure in the hydraulic cylinder such as to lift and/or accelerate the impact weight by means of this underpressure
Implementation Method 2
the impact weight is accelerated by means of an underpressure above or beneath the piston respectively
Implementation Method 3
by alternately lifting and accelerating the impact weight respectively away from and towards the element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for installing or removing foundation elements, such as piles, anchors, and conductors, in a subsea ground formation, comprising an impact weight, an hydraulic circuit in turn comprising an hydraulic cylinder for lifting and/or accelerating the impact weight respectively away from and towards the element, the cylinder comprising a piston connected to the impact weight, and wherein a pump for generating an underpressure in the hydraulic cylinder such as to lift and/or accelerate the impact weight by means of this underpressure.