System and a method for handling, storing and transportation

Abstract

A system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element, the system includes a basket suitable for rotation about a central vertical axis. The basket includes an interior upright wall surrounding the central vertical axis, an exterior upright wall spaced from and exterior to the interior upright wall. The interior and exterior upright walls are connected to a floor, thereby defining an open-topped chamber for receiving the elongated element. The system further includes a plurality of pedestals and a transportable drive unit. The basket, on a surface of the floor facing the plurality of pedestals and the transportable drive unit, is provided with interfaces which cooperate with corresponding interfaces provided in the plurality of pedestals and the transportable drive unit.

Claims

1. A system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element, the system comprising: a basket suitable for rotation about a central vertical axis, the basket comprising: an interior vertically upright wall surrounding the central vertical axis, and an exterior vertically upright wall spaced from and exterior to the interior upright wall, wherein a distance from the exterior vertically upright wall to the central vertical axis is greater than a distance from the interior vertically upright wall to the central vertical axis, the interior and exterior vertically upright walls being connected to a floor, thereby defining a chamber open in a vertically upward direction for receiving the elongated element, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of pedestals and a transportable drive unit, wherein the basket, on a surface of the floor facing the plurality of pedestals and the transportable drive unit, is provided with interfaces which cooperate with corresponding interfaces provided in the plurality of pedestals and the transportable drive unit, and wherein neither the interior vertically upright wall nor the exterior vertically upright wall comprises the elongated element.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pedestals is provided with at least one guide bracket.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of deflectors that cooperate with the at least one guide bracket to guide and center the transportable drive unit when the transportable drive unit is positioned under the basket.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transportable drive unit comprises one or more drive motors.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of the drive motors cooperate with a sleeve bearing connected to an upper surface of the transportable drive unit.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the transportable drive unit comprises a plurality of wheel packages.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of jacking cylinders.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transportable drive unit comprises a plurality of wheel packages.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of wheel packages is releasably connected to the transportable drive unit.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of jacking cylinders.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of kingpins.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of deflectors.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein each of the wheel packages comprises a spring device.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of jacking cylinders.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of jacking cylinders.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of kingpins.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transportable drive unit further comprises a plurality of deflectors.

18. A method for handling, storing, and transportation of an elongated element, the method comprising: supporting a basket by a plurality of pedestals above a surface, inserting a transportable drive unit between the basket and the surface, jacking up the basket through use of a plurality of jacking cylinders arranged around a periphery of the transportable drive unit, such that the pedestals can be removed or retracted, jacking down the jacking cylinders to bring the basket into contact with the transportable drive unit, and when the basket is into abutment with the transportable drive unit, starting one or more drive motors of the transportable drive unit to spool the elongated element on or off the basket.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the transportable drive unit comprises the plurality of jacking cylinders.

Description

(1) Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the appended drawings and the following claims, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 shows a system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to a first embodiment of the present invention in an assembled position,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to FIG. 1, but where a transportable drive unit of the system is removed,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to FIG. 1, but where pedestals of the system according to FIGS. 1-2 are removed,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of a transportable drive unit in greater detail,

(6) FIGS. 5A-5C show another embodiment of the transportable drive unit according to FIG. 4, seen in a perspective view, in a side view and from above,

(7) FIGS. 6A-6C show a basket of the system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to the present invention, where FIGS. 6A-6B show the basket in a side view and from above, while FIG. 6C shows a detail of the basket,

(8) FIGS. 7A-7B show another embodiment of a basket and pedestals of the system for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to the present invention, seen from beneath and in a side view,

(9) FIGS. 8A-8B show a pedestal according to FIGS. 7A-7B in greater detail, and

(10) FIGS. 9A-9B show an alternative configuration of the system for handling, storing and transportation of one or more elongated element(s) according to FIG. 1, seen in a side view and from beneath.

(11) The present invention relates to a system S for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element (not shown), such as a cable, flexible pipe, control umbilicals including electrical cables or the like, where the system S comprises a basket 1, a plurality of pedestals 2 and a transportable drive unit 3.

(12) The elongated element is spooled on or off the basket 1 and the basket 1 can be used to store and/or transport the elongated element.

(13) The basket 1 is suitable for rotation about a central vertical axis A extending through a center of the basket 1 and comprises an interior upright wall 1A surrounding the central vertical axis A, and an exterior upright wall 1B spaced from and exterior to the interior upright wall 1A. The interior and exterior upright walls 1A, 1B are connected to a floor 1C, such that the interior upright wall 1A, the exterior upright wall 1B and the floor 1C define an open-topped chamber for receiving the elongated element.

(14) A surface of the floor 1C of the basket 1 that faces the pedestals 2 and the transportable drive unit 3 is provided with interfaces (not shown in figures) which cooperates with corresponding interfaces provided in the pedestals 2 and the transportable drive unit 3.

(15) The floor 1C of the basket 1 is also provided with a locking mechanism (not shown in figures) such that the basket 1 can be secured and locked to the transportable drive unit 3.

(16) FIG. 6C show a detail of the basket 1, where a lifting yoke 1D is arranged in a center of the basket 1 and in appropriate ways connected to the floor 1C of the basket 1. A crane (not shown) can then be connected to the lifting yoke 1D in order to lift the basket 1. The basket 1 is designed to be lifted both empty and with full payload.

(17) The exterior upright wall 1B comprises a plurality of dismountable stanchions S suitable connected to each other in order to accommodate different types of cable infeed systems. The interior upright wall 1A is a reinforced plated structure designed to withstand forces of vessel motion during voyage when the basket 1 is transported offshore. However, a person skilled in the art would know that the interior upright wall 1A also can be made from a plurality of dismountable stanchions S, that the exterior upright wall 1B can be made as a reinforced plated structure etc.

(18) Each of the pedestals 2 is also provided with an interface (not shown) which cooperates with the corresponding interface provided in the floor 1C of the basket 1, such that the basket 1 can be supported by the pedestals 2 when the basket 1 is arranged on a plurality of pedestals 2. Furthermore, each pedestal 2 is also provided with guide brackets 2A extending towards the transportable drive unit 3 when the transportable drive unit 3 is arranged under the basket 1 and between two or more of the pedestals 2, as seen in FIG. 1, where the guide brackets 2A are used to guide and hold the transportable drive unit 3 into a required position underneath the basket 1.

(19) In FIGS. 1 and 2, the pedestals 2 are separate units that must be removed in order to allow the basket 1 to rotate when the elongated element is spooled on or off the basket 1.

(20) However, the pedestals 2 may also be collapsible fixed to the basket 1, as seen in FIGS. 7A-7B and 8A-8B, such that the pedestals 2 will follow the basket 1 when the basket 1 is relocated by the transportable drive unit 3. When the elongated element is to be spooled on or off the basket 1, the pedestals 2 must be retracted to an inactive position underneath the basket 1 in order to allow the basket 1 to rotate.

(21) The pedestals 2 may also be arranged and fixed to the basket 1 in a collapsible way, such that the pedestals 2 can be brought from a supportive position supporting the basket 1 and to a retracted position underneath the basket 1 in order to allow the basket 1 to rotate.

(22) In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B and 8A-8B, the pedestals 2 comprise a raising and lowering system in order to be able to raise and lower the basket 1.

(23) FIG. 4 shows the transportable drive unit 3 in greater detail, where it can be seen that the transportable drive unit 3 comprises a frame structure 3A, to which frame structure a drive motor 3.3 is connected to. Although only one drive motor 3.3 is shown, a person skilled in the art would understand that the transportable drive unit 3 could also comprise more than one drive motor 3.3. The drive motors 3.3 would then be arranged spaced apart around a periphery of the frame structure 3A. If, for instance, three drive motors 3.3 are used, then the drive motors 3.3 could be arranged at an angle of 120 degrees between each other or any other suitable angle.

(24) A slew ring bearing 3.6 with a tooth rack is also arranged and fixed within the frame structure 3A of the transportable drive unit 3, where the slew ring bearing 3.6 will cooperate with a pinion (not shown) of the drive motor 3.3 in order to rotate the basket 1 when the basket 1 is in abutment with the transportable drive unit 3 and the elongated element is to be spooled on or off the basket 1.

(25) Furthermore, a plurality of wheel packages 3.1 are also arranged around the periphery of the frame structure 3A (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4), where the wheel packages 3.1 are arranged in such a way that they will stabilize the transportable drive unit 3 when it is in use. If, for instance, three wheel packages 3.1 are arranged around the periphery of the frame structure 3A, then the wheel packages 3.1 are arranged at an angle of 120 degrees between them. If four wheel packages 3.1 are arranged around the periphery of the frame structure 3A, then the wheel packages 3.1 are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees between them.

(26) The wheel packages 3.1 are connected to brackets 3B connected to the frame structure 3A of the transportable drive unit 3, and can be disassembled from the brackets 3B if the transportable drive unit 3 is to be permanently fixed to the ground. The transportable drive unit 3 may, for instance, be permanently fixed in a seagoing vessel when the system according to the present invention is used offshore.

(27) A first embodiment of the system S for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element according to the present invention will be explained in view of FIGS. 1-4.

(28) FIG. 2 shows the system S for handling, storing and transportation of the elongated element according to the present invention in an initial setup, where the basket 1 has been placed on top of a plurality of pedestals 2 (only two can be seen), such that the basket 1 is supported by the pedestals 2.

(29) One or more winches (not shown) will then be used to pull the transportable drive unit 3 underneath the basket 1, where the guide brackets 2A of the pedestals 2 and the deflectors 3.5 of the transportable drive unit 3 will aid in guiding and centering the transportable drive unit 3 into a correct position underneath the basket 1, as seen in FIG. 2.

(30) As the basket 1, due to the height of the pedestals 2, is positioned a distance above the transportable drive unit 3, the plurality of jacking cylinders 3.2 are operated in order to lift the basket 1 out of abutment with the pedestals 2, such that the pedestals 2 can be removed away from the basket 1.

(31) When the pedestals 2 are removed, as shown in FIG. 3, the jacking cylinders 3.2 are retracted and the basket 1 is lowered into abutment with the transportable drive unit 3. A plurality of kingpins 3.4 provided around the slew ring bearing 3.6 will then enter corresponding interfaces provided in the floor of the basket 1. A locking mechanism (not shown) provided in the basket 1 is then released in order to lock or secure the basket 1 to the transportable drive unit 3 or to a vessel which is used to transport the basket 1. However, a person skilled in the art would know that the basket 1 and transportable drive unit 3 can be connected and/or secured to each other in other ways than by use of kingpins 3.4, such as bolts, male and female connectors or the like.

(32) The elongated element can now be spooled on or off the basket 1.

(33) When the elongated element is spooled on or off the basket 1, an opposite procedure will be used to release the transportable drive unit 3 from the basket 1, whereby the transportable drive unit 3 can be moved or transported to another basket 1 to which the elongated element is to be spooled on or off.

(34) FIGS. 5A-5C show an alternative embodiment of a transportable drive unit 3 of the system according to the present invention, where the transportable drive unit 3 in this embodiment is self-propelled. The transportable drive unit 3 comprises a frame structure 3A, to which frame structure 3A two drive motors 3.3 are connected to.

(35) A slew ring bearing 3.6 with a tooth rack is arranged and fixed within the frame structure 3A of the transportable drive unit 3, where the slew ring bearing 3.6 will cooperate with pinions (not shown) of the drive motors 3.3 in order to rotate the basket 1 when the basket 1 is in abutment with the transportable drive unit 3 and the elongated element is to be spooled on or off the basket 1.

(36) Two crossing beams 3C extend through the frame structure 3A and a distance out from the frame structure 3A, where a self-propelled wheel package 3.1 is arranged at each and opposite end of each beam 3C.

(37) A plurality of jacking cylinders 3.2 are arranged around the frame structure 3A, where each jacking cylinder 3.2 is arranged in a housing 3.8 fixed to the frame structure 3A. Furthermore, four kingpins 3.4 are arranged spaced apart around the circumference of the slew ring bearing 3.6.

(38) Furthermore, the jacking cylinders 3.2 may also be used as shock absorbing elements when the basket 1 is lifted on and off the transportable drive unit 3.

(39) The self-propelled wheel packages 3.1 are connected to an electrical power unit 3.9 for the wheel packages 3.1, where the electrical power unit 3.9 may comprise a diesel driven power generator. The transportable drive unit 3 may also be connected to an external power source. A person skilled in the art would know that the transportable drive unit could be driven in other ways, for instance by any source of fuel, an electric battery system or the like, whereby this is not described any further herein.

(40) FIGS. 7A-7B and 8A-8B show another embodiment of a basket 1 of the system according to the present invention, where the basket 1 in this embodiment is provided with two collapsible pedestals 2 comprising a rising and lowering system L.

(41) Each collapsible pedestal 2 comprises an upper frame structure 2A and a lower frame structure 2B, where each of the upper and lower frame structures 2A, 2B comprises two longitudinal beam elements connected by a plurality of transverse beams extending between the longitudinal beams. Furthermore, the upper and lower frame structures 2A, 2B are connected to each other through a plurality of telescopic elements 2C. Each telescopic element 2C comprises an outer element and an inner element arranged within the outer element, where the outer element of the telescopic element 2C will extend from the lower frame structure 2B and towards the upper frame structure 2A, while the inner element of the telescopic element 2C will extend from the upper frame structure 2A and towards the lower frame structure 2B.

(42) A plurality of hydraulic jacks 2D are arranged between the upper and lower frame structures 2A, 2B, thereby connecting the upper and lower frame structure 2A, 2B. However, it should be understood that the hydraulic jacks 2D can also be connected to the telescopic elements 2C, where one end of each hydraulic jack 2D then is connected to the outer element of each telescopic element 2C and an opposite end of the hydraulic jack 2D then is connected to the inner element of the telescopic element 2C.

(43) The upper frame structure 2A of the pedestal 2 is provided with connection means (not shown), such that the pedestal 2 can be connected to an underside of the floor 1C of the basket 1. The lower frame structure 2B of the pedestal 2 forms the support towards a surface.

(44) The pedestals 2 will then, through the rising and lowering system L, be brought between an inactive and retracted position underneath the floor 1C of the basket 1 and an active and extended position where the pedestals 2 will support the basket 1. Through this arrangement, the pedestals 2 must not have to be removed during spooling operations of the basket 1, as the pedestals 2 can be brought to the inactive and retracted position. Such an arrangement will also cause that the pedestals 2 can be transported together with the basket 1 when the basket 1 is to be transported or relocated to another location.

(45) The rising and lowering system L, i.e. the hydraulic jacks 2D, is connected to a monitoring and control system (not shown), where the monitoring and control system may monitor and control each pedestal 2 and/or each hydraulic jack 2D individually and/or together.

(46) FIG. 7B shows the system S for handling, storing and transportation of the elongated element according to the present invention in an initial setup, where the basket 1 is placed on top of a pair of pedestals 2, such that the basket 1 is supported by the pair of pedestals 2.

(47) The pedestals 2 are, through the rising and lowering system, elevated to such a height that the transportable and self-propelled drive unit 3 can be manoeuvred into a position beneath the basket 1.

(48) In FIGS. 9A-9B is seen that the transportable and self-propelled drive unit 3 is positioned in a correct position underneath the basket 1. The basket 1 will in this position be arranged at a distance above the transportable and self-propelled drive unit 3, whereby the rising and lowering system is used to lower the basket 1 into abutment with the transportable and self-propelled drive unit 3.

(49) A plurality of kingpins 3.4 provided around the sleeve bearing 3.6 will then enter corresponding interfaces provided in the floor of the basket 1. A locking mechanism (not shown) provided in the basket 1 is then released in order to lock or secure the basket 1 to the transportable drive unit 3.

(50) The elongated element can now be spooled on or off the basket 1.

(51) The invention has now been explained with the aid of several non-limiting exemplary embodiments. A person of skill in the art will understand that a number of variations and modifications can be made to the system and method for handling, storing and transportation of an elongated element as described within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.