Abstract:
Semi-submersibles are subjected to loading from waves, causing racking, longitudinal shear and parallelogramming, or differential movement of the pontoons. The cyclic wave loading makes the various connections, where stress concentrations occur, susceptible to fatigue damage throughout the hull structure. This is most evident at the connections between the braces and the main hull structure. A revised brace to main hull connection with reduced bending stiffness is employed to reduce the moment being transferred from the brace to the hull, thereby reducing the bending stress and susceptibility to fatigue damage. This improved connection employs an internal member to transfer the loads between the brace and hull structure mainly as tension and compression. As a consequence of the improved fatigue performance, the structural weight of the connection can be greatly reduced, thus increasing the capacity with which the semi-submersible hull can operate.
Abstract:
A skeg mounts from the stern of a towing vessel and extends below the waterline. A channel in the skeg protects cables for steamers and a source of a seismic system deployed from the vessel. Tow points on the skeg lie below the water's surface and connect to towlines to support the steamers and source. A floatation device supports the source and tows below the water's surface to avoid ice floes. The streamers can have vehicles deployed thereon for controlling a position on the streamer. To facilitate locating the streamers, these vehicles on the streamers can be brought to the surface when clear of ice floes so that GPS readings can be obtained and communicated to a control system. After obtaining readings, the vehicles can be floated back under the surface. Deploying, using, and retrieving the system accounts for ice at the surface in icy regions. In addition, handling the seismic record can account for noise generated by ice impact events.
Abstract:
A tanker (1) is converted to a floating production ship by a vertical opening (1) being cut out in the hull (1) and a cassette-like plate structure (7) inserted in the opening. The cassette (7) is composed of plate elements (12, 13) which are designed to fit and connect with the cut elements in the hull's opening. The cassette (7) will thereby form part of the ship's hull strength. The cassette has a vertical shaft (8) for mounting a turret (14) in/near the ship's bottom area. The turret (14) is wet-mounted in the shaft.
Abstract:
There are disclosed systems and methods for supporting cargo tanks within the hold of a liquefied gas carrier by establishing a series of spaced-apart pedestals along the longitudinal axis of a tank, said pedestals positioned in conjunction with the ship's structural components. These pedestals are of wood or other suitable thermal insulating and load bearing material fixed to the tank below its circumferential diameter along both the starboard and port tank sides. The pedestals rest on structural longitudinal stringers laying port and starboard in the horizontal plane and fixed and supported by the ship's hull structure. Longitudinal and transverse pedestal movement is controlled by stops attached to the stringers at one or more of the pedestals. The stops contact the pedestals via bearing pads which constrain the pedestal in one direction but permit its movement in another.
Abstract:
Providing a mounting structure for an internal combustion engine on a small planing boat on which an internal combustion engine for driving a jet propulsion pump is mounted, in a boat body between a hull and a deck, with a crankshaft thereof oriented in a front-rear direction of the boat body and on which a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is slantly disposed to one of left and right sides of the boat body, the mounting structure taking a weight balance of the internal combustion engine into account. A distance between an axis of the crankshaft and one mounting bracket arranged on a side where the cylinder of the internal combustion engine is slantly disposed, is longer than a distance between the axis of the crankshaft and the other mounting bracket arranged on the opposite side thereof.
Abstract:
A support structure for auxiliary machinery in a seagoing vessel, the support structure comprising a trussed frame supporting a mounting plate at an elevated height above the bottom or deck of the vessel, the mounting plate being adapted to support auxiliary machinery, the trussed frame comprising beams arranged in triangles along the sides and ends of the frame, whereby the frame elevates the machinery and provides ready access to the underside of the machinery.
Abstract:
A watercraft floating in water including a deck and a motor isolated from the deck. In an embodiment of the invention, the watercraft includes a frame comprising cross-members for supporting the deck. The watercraft further includes a dampening assembly connecting the motor to the components of the watercraft floating in the water while isolating the motor from the deck of the watercraft. The dampening assembly allows the vibrations generated by the motor to be transferred into the water in order to reduce the overall vibration in the deck.