Tower Packer Sealing Ring Structure for Deepwater Cement Slurry Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine underwater packers for offshore jacket installation face challenges such as complex systems, high costs, and limited water depth applicability, particularly in deep sea operations where cement slurry flow and seabed mud pose issues for cement solidification and pollution prevention.
Innovation Solution
A tower packer system comprising a supporting ring, sealing rings, and a limiting ring, with sealing rings arranged symmetrically and slidably connected to adapt radially, ensuring effective sealing and anti-destructive capabilities across varying pile positions and depths, and equipped with waterproof skins for enhanced performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an inflatable packer is used, then sealing capability and adaptability to pile movement are improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to power station, hydraulic line, and underwater robot requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex power system, hydraulic lines, and control systems from the packer design. The invention uses a purely mechanical passive packer that relies on the natural weight and movement of the pile to activate the sealing function, eliminating all active components and their associated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive packer is designed to activate automatically through the natural weight and movement of the pile during installation. The pile's own motion drives the packer's sealing mechanism without requiring external power sources, hydraulic systems, or underwater robot intervention, making the system self-sufficient.
2Device complexity
If a passive mechanical packer is used, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but application water depth is limited and the packer may be damaged by rapid pile falling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates energy absorption elements and cushioning mechanisms within the passive packer design. These elements are pre-positioned to absorb the impact energy from rapid pile falling, protecting the sealing components from damage while maintaining the mechanical simplicity of the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The packer design incorporates adjustable or adaptive parameters such as variable stiffness elements or configurable sealing pressures that can accommodate different water depths and pile falling speeds. This allows the same simple mechanical structure to reliably function across a broader range of operating conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the packer is designed for deep sea operations, then water depth applicability is improved, but the packer structure becomes more complex to withstand higher pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The passive packer is designed with a universal structure that can operate across a wide range of water depths. The same basic mechanical design handles both shallow and deep sea applications by relying on the pile's weight and movement to activate the sealing function, eliminating the need for depth-specific active systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A tower packer for packing cement slurry of a jacket is disposed between a steel pile and an inner sleeve. It includes a supporting ring, sealing rings and a limiting ring. The supporting ring and the limiting ring are respectively installed on an outer surface of the inner sleeve in the steel pile. A plurality of sealing rings stacked from top to bottom along the sleeving direction of the inner sleeve are arranged between the supporting ring and the limiting ring. Each sealing ring is hermetically and slidably connected along a radial direction. The sealing ring at the bottom is always supported by the supporting ring. The sealing ring at the top abuts a lower surface of the limiting ring. When the inner sleeve is sleeved into the steel pile, the outer surface of the sealing ring with maximum outer diameter hermetically abuts the inner surface of the steel pile.