FLOATING FACILITY MOUNTED WITH POWER PLANT

This invention relates to a floating facility mounted with a power plant. The floating facility mounted with a power plant includes: at least one power generator room disposed in one side within a hull of the floating facility; and at least one fuel tank disposed in the other side within the hull.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the disclosure, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings and embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2is a schematic view of a floating facility F mounted with a power plant according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 2, a floating facility F mounted with a power plant according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one power generator room100disposed in one side within a hull of the floating facility F, and at least one fuel tank200disposed in the other side within the hull.

The term “floating facility F” as used herein collectively refers to all floating offshore platform that floats on the sea. The floating facility F includes not only any floating offshore platform with self propulsion device but also any one that is towed to the offshore by a tugboat without propellers. For example, the floating facility F may be a barge.

In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the floating facility F may be lowered by disposing the power generator room100and the fuel tank200within the hull.

In the power generator room100, heavy power generating units, such as a main engine and a power generator, are installed. Since the power generator room100is provided within the hull, not above the deck D, and the heavy power generating units are installed within the power generator room100, the center of gravity of the floating facility F can be lowered to the lower portion of the hull, thereby enhancing stability and easily balancing the hull.

Ballast tanks300may be provided in both ends of the floating facility F.

The balance of the floating facility F can be maintained by adjusting water levels of the respective ballast tanks300according to the weight reduced as the fuel stored in the fuel tank200is consumed while a power generator provided in the power generator room100is driven.

For example, the ballast tank300provided in the end of the floating facility F in the direction of the power generator room100is first filled with seawater, and fuel of the fuel tank200is supplied to the power generator room100to generate power. Then, the balance of the floating facility F is maintained by discharging the seawater according to the weight of fuel reduced during the power generation. After the seawater is completely discharged, the ballast tank300provided in the end of the floating facility F in the direction of the fuel tank200is gradually filled with seawater to thereby balance the floating facility F.

In order to balance the floating facility F in consideration of the weight of the fuel tank200, the capacity of the ballast tanks300provided in the end of the floating facility F in the direction of the fuel tank200may be adjusted to be greater than that of the ballast tank300provided in the end of the floating facility F in the direction of the power generator room100.

As in the conventional floating marine facility or ship, a hull sidewall ballast tank (not shown) or a lower ballast tank (not shown) may also be provided. For example, ballast tanks may be provided in outside of sidewall and lower side of the fuel tank200within the hull.

At least one transmission tower400for transmitting electricity produced in the power generator room100to the exterior of the floating facility F may be provided on the upper deck D of the power generator room100.

The transmission tower400may be provided in consideration of power capacity. Since the transmission tower400is disposed right on the upper deck D of the power generator room100, a main cable of the transmission tower400may be directly connected to the power generator room100. Therefore, a distance for transmission of produced electricity can be reduced, and a high-voltage power transmission line provided in the floating facility F can be minimized.

The fuel used for power generation in the power generator room100may be LNG.

A vaporizer for vaporizing LNG stored in the fuel tank200and supplying the vaporized LNG to the power generator room100as power generation fuel may be provided on the upper deck D of the floating facility F.

A space ratio of at least one power generator room100to at least one fuel tank200within the hull of the floating facility F may be 30:70% to 50:50%, and more preferably, 40:60%.

The power generator room100may generate power by using a ME-GI engine as a main engine110.

The ME-GI engine is an engine that can be used in a vessel. The ME-GI engine is a high pressure natural gas injection engine for an LNG carrier, which has been developed and used for reducing emission of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx). The ME-GI engine may be installed in a marine facility, such as an LNG carrier, which carries LNG in a state that LNG is stored in a storage tank capable of withstanding an extremely low temperature. The ME-GI engine may use natural gas as fuel. The ME-GI engine requires a high gas supply pressure of about 150 to 400 bara (absolute pressure) according to a load thereof.

Even the marine facility equipped with the high pressure natural gas injection engine such as the ME-GI engine still requires a re-liquefaction facility in order to process a boil off gas (BOG) generated from the LNG storage tank. When compared with a diesel engine having the same output power, the ME-GI engine has attracted much attention as a next-generation environmentally-friendly engine that can reduce 23% of carbon dioxide, 80% of nitrogen compound, and 95% or more of sulfur compounds.

In this embodiment, the ME-GI engine is disposed in the power generator room100of the floating facility F and is used as a main engine110to generate power. In the power generator room100, a generator employing an alternator generating an AC current by using electromagnetic induction may be provided in a shaft of the main engine110.

On the other hand, as shown inFIG. 3, the power generator room100may be partitioned into a plurality of sub power generator rooms105, and firewalls120are provided between the sub power generator rooms105. The firewalls120may be installed with watertight bulkheads, and the watertight bulkheads may be A-60 bulkheads that can prevent penetration of smoke and flame for about sixty minutes.

A plurality of main engines110may be installed within the power generator room100. If a fire occurs in the power generator room un-partitioned, all the main engines may be burned down, resulting in discontinuation of power generation. According to the embodiment, in order to solve these problems, a power generator room100is partitioned into sub power generator rooms105, and firewalls120are formed between the sub power generator rooms105. The firewalls120can prevent the spread of fire, and prevent the discontinuation of power generation caused by the burning down of all the main power engines110. In addition, due to a watertight property, the firewalls120can prevent the sinking of a hull even when a part of the power generator room100is damaged. Due to the partition into the sub power generator rooms105, fire suppression is facilitated.

On the other hand, as shown inFIG. 3, the plurality of main engines110provided within the power generator room100may be arranged such that the adjacent main engines face each other in opposite directions. For example, when an alternator part of one main engine is arranged in the portside direction, an alternator part of another adjacent main engine is arranged to face the starboard direction.

If the plurality of main engines is arranged in the same direction, excitation forces by rotation during the driving of the main engines face the same direction. Thus, while the excitation forces increase, severe vibration may be caused in the plant. On the contrary, according to the embodiment, since the adjacent main engines are arranged to face the opposite directions, the excitation forces of the adjacent main engines are generated in the opposite directions. Therefore, the excitation forces generated by rotation during the driving of the main engines may be cancelled to reduce the vibration of the plant.

In an arrangement method of floating facility F mounted with a power plant according to another embodiment of the present invention, at least one power generator room100and at least one fuel tank200are disposed under a deck D of the floating facility F. Specifically, the power generator room100is disposed in one side under the deck D, and the fuel tank200is disposed in the other side under the deck D. A space ratio of the power generator room100to the fuel tank200ranges from 30:70% to 50:50%.

A transmission tower400for transmitting electricity produced in the power generator room100may be disposed right on the upper deck D of the power generator room100.

Ballast tanks300may be provided in both ends of the floating facility F. The balance of the floating facility F can be maintained by adjusting water levels of the respective ballast tanks300according to the weight reduced as the fuel stored in the fuel tank200is consumed while a power generator provided in the power generator room100is driven.

As described above, in the floating facility F mounted with the power plant according to the embodiment, since at least one power generator room100is disposed in one side within the hull and at least one fuel tank200is disposed in the other side within the hull, the center of gravity can be lowered and a space can be secured in the upper portion of the deck D of the floating facility F.

In addition, the ballast tanks300are provided in both ends of the floating facility F, and the balance of the floating facility F can be maintained by adjusting water levels of the respective ballast tanks300according to the weight reduced as the fuel stored in the fuel tank200is consumed while a power generator is driven.

Since the power generator room100is disposed within the hull to lower the center of gravity, large power generating units can be mounted to generate a great deal of power, without concern causing matters about the structure of the floating facility F or balance of the floating facility F.

Also, there are sufficient spaces in the upper portion of the deck D. Therefore, when other facilities are disposed in the upper portion of the deck D, a space may be allocated in consideration of working efficiency, without restriction of the spatial arrangement due to the power generating units and various pipes or lines for power generation.

In addition, since a sufficient working space is secured in the upper portion of the deck D, a working environment of operators can be significantly improved. Therefore, a safety accident while working can be reduced.

As described above, in the floating facility mounted with the power plant according to the embodiments of the present invention, since at least one power generator room is disposed in one side within the hull of the floating facility and at least one fuel tank is disposed in the other side within the hull, the center of gravity of the floating facility can be lowered and a space can be secured in the upper portion of the deck of the floating facility. Also, since the ballast tanks are provided in at both ends of the floating facility, the balance of the floating facility can be maintained by adjusting water levels of the respective ballast tanks according to the weight reduced as the fuel stored in the fuel tank is consumed while a power generator is driven.