Truss Cage Pile Cleaner with Caterpillar Traction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning marine debris from piles, such as those submerged in ocean water, are hazardous and inefficient, particularly in the splash zone where currents and turbulence make it difficult for divers to effectively use high-pressure water jets, leading to incomplete cleaning and potential injuries.
Innovation Solution
An automatic pile cleaner apparatus that uses a spheroidal truss system with traction motors and caterpillar treads to maintain a stable position on the pile, combined with high-pressure water jets or other cleaning techniques, allowing for controlled and thorough cleaning above and below the waterline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If divers use high-pressure water jets to clean piles, then marine debris can be removed, but the diver is exposed to dangerous currents and turbulence that make positioning difficult and increase injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the diver from the hazardous environment by automating the cleaning process. A robotic system with water jets and cleaning mechanisms is deployed to clean piles without human divers, eliminating the safety risks associated with current exposure while maintaining debris removal effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic cleaning system operates autonomously or with minimal human intervention, using onboard navigation and control systems to position itself on piles and execute cleaning tasks without requiring divers to manually control high-pressure water jets in turbulent conditions
2Force
If high-pressure water jets are used to blast marine debris, then cleaning power is increased, but the backward thrust pushes the diver backward making it hard to stay in one place
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system removes the diver from the equation, allowing high-pressure water jets to be used without the operator being subjected to backward thrust. The robot's stable mounting system on the pile provides a fixed platform for deploying water jets with full cleaning power
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system employs counterbalancing mechanisms and stable mounting systems that anchor the water jet apparatus to the pile structure, preventing the backward thrust from displacing the operator. The system absorbs and counteracts the reaction forces generated by high-pressure water discharge
3Object-affected harmful factors
If water is very murky reducing visibility, then diver cannot see more than a foot and a half, but the cleaning task requires precise positioning and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces human visual-based positioning with electronic navigation and sensing systems. The robotic system uses sensors, cameras, and navigation algorithms to detect pile location, maintain proper orientation, and execute cleaning tasks without relying on human vision in murky water
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system acts as an intermediary between the cleaning task and the murky environment, using electronic sensors and communication systems to bridge the gap created by poor visibility. The system can receive commands from surface operators and execute precise cleaning maneuvers without direct human presence in the dark water
4Reliability
If work shifts are made brief due to cold water and arduous conditions, then diver safety is maintained, but cleaning efficiency and thoroughness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system operates autonomously without the physiological limitations of human divers. It can work continuously for extended periods, performing multiple cleaning cycles on each pile without requiring brief shifts for safety, thereby significantly increasing overall cleaning efficiency while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic cleaning system enables continuous operation without the intermittent breaks required by human divers. The system can maintain steady cleaning operations across multiple piles and extended time periods, maximizing productivity while eliminating the safety risks associated with prolonged exposure to cold, turbulent water
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 apparatus provides predictable and thorough cleaning of piles, reducing the risk of injury and improving efficiency by maintaining a stable position and controlling the cleaning process, enabling effective removal of debris above and below the waterline.
Implementation Method 1
high-pressure water jetting from a number of high-pressure water jets
Implementation Method 2
Other cleaning techniques, such as rotating brushes, cavitation jets and the like may also be employed
Implementation Method 3
traction motors mounted onto the truss system and having caterpillar treads that bear against the pile
Data Source
AI summary
A truss cage formed of two symmetrical halves is fastened together around a pile. Traction motors having caterpillar treads oriented for vertical movement are pressed against the pile by springs. A trolley ride along the tracks formed by the truss cage on the outside of the cage and carries one or more water jets or other cleaning tools. The trolley oscillates along the outside of the truss cage as the water jet sprays the pile with high pressure water. The traction motors carry the entire apparatus up and down the pile. The entire pile can thus be cleaned of marine debris.