Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances

Abstract

Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances having a primary, secondary and tertiary buoyancy systems, a buoyancy system of devices and operation and maintenance plants, a set of submersible pumps, a console for controlling and automating the immersion operations and a set of programmable valves. This superfluous system allows any appliance or platform to be able of easily being towed to its final location at sea, ocean, lake . . . regardless of the size, shape or weight thereof, and weather conditions. Similarly, this system enables the immersion at a controlled rate once the platform is in its final location.

1 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, which allows towing it to the final location, regardless of size, shape, weight thereof and weather conditions, and which allows its immersion at a controlled rate characterized in that it comprises the following units:
 Primary sealing system consisting of a set of floats ( 1 ) centrally and radially located on the foundation of the floating appliance.   Secondary sealing system consisting of a set of floats ( 2 ) located on the perimeter of the foundation of floating appliance and attached to a board made of two steel sheets, between said sheets there is a panel with a sandwich-type structure ( 4 ) to which a high-strength geotextile ( 3 ) is attached.   Tertiary sealing and security system consisting of a geotextile material ( 11 ) with a sandwich-type structure.   Buoyancy system of devices and operation and maintenance plants consisting of floats ( 5 ) arranged in both a perimeter and radial manner between the beam holes of the floating cover.   Plugs for closing the holes of the cover for flooding the watertight compartments.   A set of submersible pumps ( 8 ).   A console for controlling and automating the immersion operations.   A set of programmable valves ( 7 ).   
     
     
         2 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the floats of the primary, secondary system, and those of the buoyancy system of the devices and operation and maintenance plants are in turn composed of a set of individual floats ( 6 ) each of which has its inflation and vacuum valve ( 7 ), and which are connected together by a device that allows simultaneous inflation and vacuum. 
     
     
         3 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the floats of each of the systems are connected together by a steel cable for ease its recovery. 
     
     
         4 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the floats of the primary, secondary system, and those of the buoyancy system of the devices and operation and maintenance plants are protected by a sheath consisting of a geotextile material and a lightweight and waterproof material. 
     
     
         5 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 4 , characterized in that lightweight and waterproof material surrounding the floats is expansive clay, expanded polystyrene or polyurethane. 
     
     
         6 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the floats of the primary, secondary system are fixed to the foundation of the floating appliance either by inserting beams stiffening it into the holes or by holes especially created with steel bridges embedded into the foundation slab, when this has the edge stiffness. 
     
     
         7 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances, according to  claim 1  characterized in that the high strength geotextile ( 3 ) of the secondary system is built with two permeable geotextile blankets making up from outside to inside a protective material consisting of expanded clay or expanded polystyrene or polyurethane pellets and a waterproof sheet. 
     
     
         8 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances according to  claim 1  characterized in that the secondary system retains in the closed space between the sandwich panel ( 4 ) and the high strength geotextile ( 3 ) coupled therewith, the rockfill, which, once released, protects the foundation of the floating appliance from erosion when foundation is laid on the seabed. 
     
     
         9 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances according to  claim 1  characterized in that the geotextile with sandwich-type structure of the tertiary system ( 11 ) is formed by a geotextile sheet on which some steel radial wheels ( 10 ), an expansive clay layer, an impermeable material layer and a inner geotextile sheet have been glued. 
     
     
         10 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances according to  claim 1  characterized in that the tertiary system is embedded under the foundation slab and continuously around the entire floating appliance, reaching the cover or operation and maintenance plant wherein the tertiary system is fixed. 
     
     
         11 . Superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system for floating appliances according to  claim 1  characterized in that pumps ( 8 ) are placed on hinged seats ( 9 ) provided with rotating actuators that allow immersing and lifting the pumps. 
     
     
         12 . Method for controllably immersing the foundation of a floating appliance making use of the superfluous sealing, buoyancy and immersion controlling system described in preceding claims, characterized in that water is introduced into the watertight compartments ( 12 ) by using the pumps ( 8 ), previously removing the plugs, so that this water presses the floats of the primary and secondary systems and these deflates, always in a controlled manner through a console for controlling and automating the immersion operations, as well as the presence of programmable valves ( 7 ) in the floats which allows controlling air outflow rate and, once that foundation rests on the seabed, the geotextile of the tertiary system ( 11 ) is released and falls extending around the entire perimeter of said foundation, likewise, the rockfill contained between the floats ( 2 ) and the geotextile material ( 3 ) of the secondary buoyancy system are released, so that it is scattered around the foundation and on the extended geotextile of the tertiary system ( 3 ), protecting the foundation from erosion. 
     
     
         13 . Method for controllably immersing the foundation of a floating appliance according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the floats of the secondary and primary systems are recovered in surface once the immersion is performed.