Patent Publication Number: US-2011061581-A1

Title: Floating Structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a floating structure which is used in the river and the ocean. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The oil tanker and the oil barge of the single hull have the cargo oil tanks directly facing to the outside by a partitioned steel wall at its bottom and side. (Hereafter, it is said “single hull”). However, the loaded cargo oil flows out from the damage part of cargo tank when damage to which single hull tears in some causes of the collision, grounding, corrosion, and breakage, etc. is received, and oil will pollute the river and the ocean. 
     Therefore, cargo oil is obligated to be loaded inside of double skin of the oil tanker and the oil barge when transporting at sea (Hereafter, it is said “double hull”) by the international agreement (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 and Protocol of 1978). 
     On the other hand, it is internationally opened the riding type ship floating dock that can dock the jet ski and the small craft. (For instance, refer to WO2005/076926). Here, it has the upper surface, bottom surface and the front side, the back side and the side that extends between the upper surface and the bottom. It provides for the volume and this may be filled with the buoyant material with the upper surface, the bottom, the front side, the back, and the side, though the volume is preferably filled with air. The dock has the receiving part of ship formed on the upper surface. The receiving part of ship opens in the back of the dock, and has the entrance part that extends to forward from the back of the dock and the center part at forward of the entrance part. The center part in the receiving part of ship has the bottom and the sidewall. 
     The above mentioned riding type ship floating dock can only dock the extremely small scale ships such as jet ski and small craft. That is, it is not the one to attempt a double hull change of a large-scale ship named the oil tanker and the oil barge to observe the international agreement because the height of the sidewall is set extremely low compared with the height of jet ski and small craft, though the receiving part of ship of the riding type ship floating dock has the bottom and the sidewall. 
     In order to use to transport the oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull in the ocean and the river, the remodeling construction work from single hull to double hull (Hereinafter it is said “double hull change”) is needed for the observance of the said international agreement. However, double hull change takes long working period and its construction expense often becomes large amount of money. 
     It is necessary to clean up the cargo oil of the oil tanker and the oil barge completely because it is usual in this remodeling construction work to use the fire for cutting and welding of steel. However, during long engagement of the service, cargo oil soaks into rusted steel part in cargo oil tank surface, and it is difficult to clean up the oil thoroughly from the hull structure. 
     Therefore, the period of remodeling construction work tends to become long because the use of the fire is limited, and the stopping period of the service of the oil tanker and the oil barge of shingle hull also tends to become long. Thus the remodeling construction work expends large amount of money and it requires long period leading to large economic loss. This enforces to abandon to use a lot of oil tanker and oil barge of single hull physically still in usable state. 
     This invention is the one performed considering this circumstances, and is for the place in which it is assumed the purpose to have in the simple structure, to offer the floating structure which oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull can be changed into double hull. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a floating structure that has the central tank, the wing tank on right and left both sides of central tank, and the concave portion formed between the central tank and the wing tank characterized by being able to change the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull to double hull by leading-in and fixing the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull to the floating structure. 
     According to this invention, the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull can be changed to double hull. Therefore, it comes to be able to use the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull for the transportation in the ocean and the river by observing the said international agreement even if the expensive remodeling construction work of the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull is not done. 
     Moreover, the economic profit when applying this invention is large because the floating structure of this invention is an easy composition only of the provision with the central tank, the wing tank on right and left both sides of central tank and the concave portion, and the extraction work of the cargo oil from the oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull becomes unnecessary and the stopping period of the service of the oil tanker and the oil barge can be shorten. 
     It is desirable that the height of the side wall of the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull doesn&#39;t exceed the height of wing tank above central tank at the condition of the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull being led into the said concave portion. 
     According to the invention, because the height of the side wall of the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull doesn&#39;t exceed the height of the wing tank, cargo oil tank is enclosed entirely by the floating structure which has double hull. Of course the entrance of the floating structure has a gate. Therefore the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull led into the floating structure becomes the oil tanker or oil barge of double hull. 
     The said central tank and the wing tank are used as ballast tank. Pouring water into or discharging water from the said ballast tank is done by pumping and or gravity utilizing the water-level difference between surface of the waters in the outside water line and that of the ballast tank. 
     As the water is able to be poured into or discharged from the said central tank and the wing tank, the floating structure is able to be made submerged (in deeper draft) or emerged (in shallower draft). At the submerged condition, the oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull can be led into the concave portion formed between the central tank and the wing tank. 
     By the way, it is often towed by the tugboat for the oil barge. According to this invention, the length, the width and the depth of oil barge increase by providing double hull and it enlarges. Accordingly, the maneuverability towed by the tugboat will decrease and the towing speed will decrease from the original tugboat and oil barge of single hull. By the adoption of pushing method instead of towing method by the tugboat, attempting is desirable for the improvement of maneuverability and the speed improvement. In order to realize the pushing method, it is necessary to have the connecting coupler at the gate. Connecting coupler can connect between tugboat and the floating structure which can make possible to sail pushing the floating structure by tugboat. The gate is provided behind the concave portion formed between the central tank and the wing tank and can be opened and shut. The gate with a connecting coupler like the invention is necessary. 
     As it is made to possible to sail pushing the floating structure at the gate by tugboat with connecting coupler, the improvement of maneuverability and the speed improvement can be aimed at. As a result, it becomes easy to sail the floating structure including oil tanker or oil barge of single hull according to the invention. 
     It is desirable to put the oil tanker or the oil barge of the said single hull on the said central tank directly like the invention and to fix the wing tank and the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull with fixing materials. 
     Because the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull is put on the central tank and the wing tank, the oil tanker or the oil barge of the single hull is fixed with fixing materials, the oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull can be changed into those of double hull without using the fire. Therefore safety can be secured, and the construction period can be shortened according to the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a diagonal plan of the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a plan of the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a longitudinal section of the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  illustrates a cross sectional side view of the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a plan where the state to draw in the oil tanker or the oil barge to the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a longitudinal section that shows the state to draw in the oil tanker or the oil barge to the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates a cross sectional side view where the state to draw in the oil tanker or the oil barge to the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a longitudinal section that shows the state while the oil tanker or the oil barge is drawn into the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a conceptual diagram that shows the note drainage of the ballast tank. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention,  FIG. 2A  illustrates a plan of the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention,  FIG. 2B  illustrates a longitudinal section of the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2C  illustrates a cross sectional side view of the floating structure that lies in  FIG. 2A . Floating structure  1  that lies this invention as shown in FIGS.  1 , 2 A, 2 B, 2 C, possesses the hull structure made of steel that can endure hydraulic pressure under the water line, and gives necessary rust prevention painting, etc. This floating structure  1  has central tank  10  where a front wall and the bottom of a structure are composed, wing tank  20  where a left wall is composed, wing tank  30  where a right wall is composed, and gate  40  that composes a rear wall. 
     Central tank  10  has the floating body of the abbreviation box shape of the size of extent in which the oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  can be accommodated. The fore end of this central tank  10  is steeply inclined upward and the after part is dully inclined upward. The purpose is to reduce the water resistance generated when pushing the floating structure  1  (or towing it) by tugboat  60  and to improve the propulsive efficiency. 
     Wing tank  20  has the shape of nearly box shape of the size of extent in which the side wall of the oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  can be covered. This wing tank  20  has the shape that responds to the shape of central tank  10  and shape of gate  40 . Wing tank  30  and wing tank  20  are symmetric. 
     Gate  40  has the floating body of nearly box shape of the size of extent of which width is sufficient to pass through the oil tanker and the oil barge of single hull  80 . This gate  40  can be detached or fixed to the rear end part in the central tank  10  by surfacing and submerging when the floating structure  1  is submerged. 
     To push the floating structure  1  by tugboat  60 , rear extension part  15  is formed at gate  40 . Connecting coupler  70  is fitted at the right and left of rear extension part  15 . Connecting coupler can connect the floating structure  1  and tugboat  60  by engaging at two points. In addition, connecting coupler  75  may be provided at the front side of rear extension part  15  of gate  40  as the floating structure  1  can be engaged with tugboat  60  at three points. 
     Connecting couplers  70  and  75  have the connecting part which can expand and contract by the hydraulically operated cylinder not shown in the figure and installed on the tugboat  60 . Tugboat can connect or disconnect the floating structure  1  at the right and left places of gate  40  at the aft of central tank  10 , (or three places where connecting coupler  75  was added forward). 
       FIG. 5  is a conceptual diagram that shows the pouring into or discharging from the ballast tank. It is formed as shown in  FIG. 5  with central tank  10  and right and left wing tanks  20  and  30  as one body. And, these are divided into two by the divisional wall right and left respectively, and it is divided into a suitable number. It explains in this execution form in the case of division into five. As a result, central tank  10  and right and left wing tanks  20  and  30  consist of ten ballast tanks  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R, in total. Moreover, gate  40  consists of the ballast tank  6  that has the pouring and discharging device not shown in the figure besides these. 
     Floating structure  1  has ballast pouring and discharging device  100 . This ballast pouring and discharging device  100  provides with bell mouse BM, valve V, pump P, water suction box SB, outlet DC, and those connecting pipes because of the pouring into and discharging from the said ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R. 
     Valve V on the inlet side of the pump P concerned is opened, when ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R is poured. As a result, using gravity due to water-level difference between water line side (WL in  FIG. 4 ) and the surface of the waters (Do not show in the figure) in ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R, water flows from water suction box SB into the ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R, respectively and it is possible to make floating structure  1  subside. 
     Valve Von the inlet side and outlet side of the pump P concerned is opened, when ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R is discharged, and pump P is driven. As a result, it is possible to make floating structure  1  emerge by drawing up water in ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R, and discharge overboard. 
     The pouring or discharging of ballast tank  6  is done with the portable pump or fixed pump not shown in the figure. 
     The schematic procedure to change oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  to double hull by using this floating structure  1  is explained as follows. 
       FIG. 3B  is a drawing of longitudinal section that shows the state while the oil tanker or the oil barge is led into the floating structure  1  and  FIG. 3C  is a drawing of transverse section and  FIG. 3A  is a drawing of plan.  FIG. 4  is a drawing of longitudinal section that shows the state while the oil tanker or the oil barge is being led into the floating structure that lies in one execution form of this invention. 
     In the  FIG. 5 , Procedure to submerge or to emerge the floating structure  1  is explained  1  as follows. First of all, this floating structure  1  is made to subside as it is by pouring water into the ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R. Water also enter into the concave portion  50  formed between the central tank and the wing tank through valves not shown in the drawing. Pump P can adjust the amount of pouring water to the ballast tanks in order to make posture be horizontal. 
     After the floating structure  1  submerged down to the level of draft where the oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  can be led into, gate  40  is detached and moved from floating structure  1  by pouring water into ballast tank  6  suitably so as to keep afloat alone. 
     Next, oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  are led into concave portion  50  formed between central tank  10  and right and left wing tanks  20  and  30  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The oil tanker and oil barge  80  are led into concave part  50  by the winch not shown in the figure of the floating structure  1  through the wire not shown in the figure. 
     Next, gate  40  is moved to a prescribed position of floating structure  1  and gate  40  is made to subside by pouring water into ballast tank  6  at gate  40  and the concave part  50  is closed by gate  40 . 
     Next, floating structure  1  is made to emerge with the gate  40  closed. For this, water is discharged from the said ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R and  6 . Water also flow out from the concave portion  50  through valves not shown in the drawing. 
     Then, it comes to put the oil tanker and the oil barge of the said single hull  80  on central tank  10  directly. At this time, the height of side wall of the oil tanker or the oil barge  80  of single hull doesn&#39;t exceed the height of wing tank  20  above central tank  10 . As a result, it is possible to give double hull completely to all height of the side wall of the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull. 
     And, both are fixed by proper wedged shape bodies  90  that can be put into the space between the side wall of the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull  80  and floating structure  1 . Thus, it can be changed oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  to double hull without using the fire, and safe and prompt double hull changing work becomes possible. Normal remodeling construction work (double hull change) is not necessary. Although four (4) wedged shape bodies  90  are shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, necessary numbers are fitted as required. 
     It is obtained the form shown in  FIG. 1  by having the oil tanker or the oil barge of single hull  80  inside the floating structure  1  and by being connected by tugboat  60  at the rear extension part  15  of the gate  40  in the back of central tank  10  floating structure  1  with connecting coupler  70 . As a result, oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  can be used as with—double hull construction by utilizing the floating structure  1 . 
     As a result, the remodeling construction work of oil tanker and oil barge  80  becomes unnecessary because it can be changed oil tanker or oil barge of the single hull  80  to double hull by adopting this invention. Therefore, it conies to be able to use oil tanker and oil barge of single hull  80  for transportation in the ocean and the river continuously. 
     This floating structure  1  is an easy composition only of the provision with wing tanks  20  and  30  on right and left both sides of central tank  10  and gate  40 . Moreover, the extraction work of the cargo oil from oil barge of single hull  80  becomes unnecessary and the stopping service period of the oil tanker and oil barge  80  becomes shorten when the floating structure  1  is built before hand. 
     In the said execution form, it independently provides with the ballast pouring or discharging device to make gate  40  submerge and surface and ballast pouring or discharging device  100  to make floating structure  1  submerge and surface. On the other hand, it is good as using both combined. Moreover, it may be provided with two or more pumps though one pump is shown in ballast pouring or discharging device  100 . 
     Moreover, in the said execution, it explains the pouring water into ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R of floating structure  1  and the discharging water from ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R of floating structure  1 , are respectively done at the same time. On the other hand, with each valve V operation, the pouring or discharging of ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R can be controlled. As a result, the heel and trim adjustment of floating structure  1  can be easily done. 
     Moreover, in the said execution, it explains when floating structure  1  is made to subside by pouring water with pump P into the ballast tank  1 L,  1 R,  2 L,  2 R, . . .  5 L, 5 R. 
     On the other hand, making floating structure  1  subside by pouring water using the water-level difference between the water level of ballast tanks and outside water level and gravity. 
     Moreover, it is assumed that gate  40  is submerged and surfaced by pouring water into or discharging water from the ballast tank  6  with the pouring- or discharging device not shown in the figure. On the other hand, it is good as the opening and shutting of the gate  40  by hydraulically operated cylinder. In this case, the gate  40  is hinged to wing tank  20  or wing tank  30 . 
     Moreover, it is assumed that oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  led into concave part  50  is put directly on the central tank  10  and is fixed to wing tanks  20  and  30  by wedged shape body  90  in the said execution form. On the other hand, the other method such as wire ropes, eye plates and bolts or other mechanics may be used as the fixation of oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  with wing tanks  20  and  30 . 
     Moreover, oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  led into concave part  50  is put directly on the central tank  10  in the said execution form. On the other hand, oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  may be put on the docking blocks temporary placed on the central tank  10  that give the clearance height of about 2 m for instance. In this case it is possible to paint the outer surface of oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  before remodeling work. After painting work is finished, oil tanker or oil barge of single hull  80  is drawn out from concave part  50 , and the docking blocks temporary placed on the central tank  10  are removed, and the remodeling work starts as mentioned above. 
     As a result, the oil tanker or of oil barge of single hull  80  becomes possible to paint the outer surface before remodeling work starts, and the remodeling period can be reduced by eliminating docking at shipyard for painting of outer surface.