Ships – Building – Freighters
Patent
1992-12-17
1995-03-28
Avila, Stephen P.
Ships
Building
Freighters
B63B 2500
Patent
active
054007321
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a process and system for guiding and submerging a pump aggregate in a tank fluid in a tank.
As is known, various types of arrangements have been employed for deploying pump aggregates into a tank such as a cargo tank of an oil tanker or the like.
For example, published Swedish patent application 8405461 describes a system which employs a mobile pump aggregate in combination with a mobile sluice arrangement. As described, the sluice arrangement is constructed so as to be placed over a hatch of a tanker while the pump aggregate is separately mounted over the sluice arrangement. The purpose of the construction is to introduce the pump aggregate into the hatch in a pressure-sealed and gas-sealed manner. However, as described, the pump aggregate is suspended by means of a hoisting rope which passes through a wall of the pump aggregate. In addition, various hydraulic medium stumps are required in the housing surrounding the pump aggregate in order to deliver hydraulic fluid to and from the pump aggregate in order to drive a motor therein. As a result, expensive seals are required in order to allow the stumps and the hoisting rope to be passed through the walls of the pump aggregate housing in order to separate the atmospheric pressure externally of the sluice arrangement from the non-atmospheric pressure existing internally of the sluice arrangement.
It is also known from Swedish Patent 432,397 to utilize a mobile sluice arrangement with a bellows-formed guide member received in the same sluice housing. The guide member is fastened in place in the sluice arrangement and is sluiced into the tank in a gas-sealed manner and forms a provisional, "water lock"-forming sluice extension submerged in the cargo. After the sluice housing is removed, the pump can be lowered in open air via the sluice extension down in the cargo.
From NO 123,631 a sluice arrangement is known having an associated sluice valve permanently fastened at a hatch opening, the sluice valve replacing the usual hatch cover. A hoisting winch is arranged on the outside of the housing member of the sluice arrangement.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a simplified arrangement of mobile sluice arrangement and pump aggregate for tanks.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simplified arrangement for deploying a pump aggregate in a hatch of a cargo tanker.
It is another object of the invention to be able to readily submerge a pump aggregate in a hatch under pressure.
Briefly, the invention provides a mobile pump aggregate in combination with a mobile sluice arrangement, where the pump aggregate can be introduced into cargo in a pressure-sealed and gas-sealed, accurately controlled manner. In most cases, the tank in question has a pressure which differs from atmospheric pressure. In other words, the tank shall normally have a certain excess pressure, specifically in order to counteract air from penetrating into the tank space, by pressurizing the tank neutral gas with a certain excess (total pressure of about 1.15 bar). In particular instances, for example in connection with a ship's tank on leakage of tank fluid via holes at the bottom or lower side portions of the tank, for example as a consequence of running aground, there can arise however momentarily a diminished pressure in the tank.
Accordingly, to the invention the aim is a process with which the pump aggregate can be guided down in the fluid of the tank without affecting to an essential degree the pressure which prevails in the tank. In particular, the aim is to be able to guide the pump aggregate down in the tank in a situation with significantly diminished pressure occurring which is produced as a result of leakage in the tank and especially a momentary leakage.
On lowering the pump aggregate in the residual tank fluid, there is the possibility of transferring the tank fluid from the damaged tank to for example an available ballast tank, without risking additional leakage of the tank fluid. If necessary, such amount of tank fluid will b
REFERENCES:
patent: 3859944 (1975-01-01), Warner
patent: 5095836 (1992-03-01), Gallagher
patent: 5119749 (1992-06-01), Velleca et al.
patent: 5203828 (1993-04-01), Strain
Avila Stephen P.
Framo Development A/S
Hand Francis C.
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