Assembly comprising an object having a surface which is intended to be exposed to water and an anti-fouling protector arrangement

Abstract

An assembly comprises an object (2, 101, 102, 103) having a surface which is intended to be exposed to water during at least a part of the lifetime thereof. In order to be capable of avoiding biofouling of the surface in a first stage of the lifetime of the assembly, without needing to have a supply of power in order to achieve the anti-fouling effect as desired in that first stage, the assembly furthermore comprises an anti-fouling protector arrangement (30) which is adapted to initially prevent the surface from being contacted by water, and which comprises degradable material. Also, the assembly comprises at least one energy source (20) which is adapted to emit energy for causing the protector arrangement (30) to disintegrate.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising: a cooling unit having a surface, wherein the cooling unit transfers heat to water via the surface, a foil, wherein the foil is comprised at least in part of degradable material, wherein the foil is arranged to enwrap the cooling unit in a watertight fashion, and at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source emits energy that causes the degradable material of the foil to disintegrate, thereby exposing the surface to the water.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the energy source is arranged to prevent biofouling of the surface of the cooling unit using the energy emitted by the energy source.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the energy source is operated at a first power level to cause the degradable material of the foil to disintegrate, wherein the energy source is operated at a second power level to prevent the biofouling of the surface of the object, and wherein the first power level is significantly higher than the second power level.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the foil comprises a combination of a first part and a second part, wherein the first part comprises the degradable material, and wherein the second part comprises material that remains intact when exposed to the energy emitted by the enemy source.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a compartment, wherein the compartment is provided with at least one entry opening, and wherein the surface of the cooling unit is disposed within the compartment.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a water sensor, wherein the water sensor is disposed within the compartment, and wherein the energy source is activated when water is detected by the water sensor.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the energy emitted by the energy source comprises ultraviolet light.

8. A vessel, comprising: an assembly according to claim 1, an engine, wherein the engine is arranged to drive the vessel; and an engine cooling system, wherein the engine cooling system comprises the cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit is arranged to cool a cooling fluid of the engine cooling system, wherein the cooling unit comprises a plurality of tubes, wherein the plurality of tubes is arranged to contain and transport the cooling fluid, and wherein the vessel comprises a compartment for accommodating the cooling unit.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the foil comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part comprises the degradable material, wherein the second part comprises water soluble material, and wherein the second part is covered by the first part.

10. A vessel comprising: an engine; an engine cooling system, wherein the engine cooling system comprises a cooling unit, and wherein the cooling unit transfers heat from the engine to water via a surface of the cooling unit; a protective material, and wherein at least a portion of the protective material comprises degradable material, and wherein the protective material isolates the surface of the cooling unit from the water; an energy source, wherein the energy source emits energy that disintegrates the degradable material, thereby exposing the surface of the cooling unit to the water.

11. The vessel of claim 10, comprising a compartment, wherein the cooling unit is situated in the compartment, and wherein the compartment includes openings that enable the water to enter the compartment.

12. The vessel of claim 10, wherein the energy emitted by the energy source inhibits biofouling of the cooling unit.

13. The vessel of claim 12, wherein the energy source emits the energy at a first energy level that disintegrates the degradable material, wherein the energy source emits the energy at a second energy level that inhibits the biofouling of the cooling unit, and wherein the first energy level is significantly higher than the second energy level.

14. The vessel of claim 10, wherein the protective material comprises the degradable material and an other material, wherein the other material is water-soluble, and wherein the degradable material isolates the other material from the water.

15. The vessel of claim 10, comprising a water sensor, wherein the energy sensor emits the energy when the water sensor detects the water.

16. A vessel comprising: a compartment, wherein the compartment includes openings that allow water to enter the compartment; an object, wherein the object is situated in the compartment, and wherein the object has a surface, a protective material, and wherein at least a part of the protective material comprises degradable material, and wherein the protective material isolates the surface of the object from the water; an energy source, wherein the energy source emits energy that disintegrates the degradable material, thereby exposing the surface of the object to the water.

17. The vessel of claim 16, wherein the energy of the energy source inhibits biofouling of the object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of a box cooler and a portion of walls delimiting a compartment of a ship in which an entirety of tubes of the box cooler is arranged, and furthermore shows a number of lamps for casting anti-fouling light over the exterior of the tubes of the box cooler;

(3) FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the compartment of the ship, the box cooler, and a number of lamps for casting anti-fouling light over the exterior of the tubes of the box cooler;

(4) FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows the compartment of the ship, the box cooler, and the lamps as shown in FIG. 2, the entirety of the tubes of the box cooler and the lamps as present in the area of the entirety of the tubes being enwrapped in a protective foil;

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates disintegration of the foil as shown in FIG. 3; and

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates an application of two pieces of degradable foil for initially closing openings of the compartment of the ship.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows a box cooler 1, which comprises a plurality of tubes 10 for containing and transporting a fluid to be cooled in their interior. The box cooler 1 is intended to be used in an engine-driven ship, wherein the fluid to be cooled is fluid from an engine cooling system of the ship, and wherein the box cooler 1 is enabled to perform its function of cooling the fluid by exposing the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 to water from the immediate outside environment of the ship, which will hereinafter be referred to as seawater. In particular, the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 are accommodated inside a compartment 100 of the ship, the compartment 100 being delimited by a portion of the ship's hull 101 and a number of partition plates 102, 103. In the ship's hull 101, a number of entry openings 104 are arranged for allowing seawater to enter the compartment 100 from the outside, and a number of exit openings 105 are arranged in the ship's hull 101 as well, for allowing seawater to exit the compartment 100 and to flow to the outside of the ship. Typically, the entry openings 104 and the exit openings 105 are arranged at different levels, wherein the level of the entry openings 104 is lower than the level of the exit openings 105, assuming a normal, upright orientation of the ship, the compartment 100 and the box cooler 1 in conformity with FIG. 1. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that indications of directions, both explicit and implicit, as used in the following description are to be understood such as to have the normal, upright orientation of the ship, the compartment 100 and the box cooler 1 as mentioned as underlying assumption.

(8) The tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 have a curved shape, particularly a U shape, comprising a curved bottom portion 11 and two substantially straight leg portions 12 extending substantially parallel to each other, in an upward direction with respect to the bottom portion 11. During operation of the box cooler 1, fluid to be cooled, i.e. hot fluid, flows through the tubes 10, while seawater enters the compartment 100 through the entry openings 104. On the basis of the interaction of the seawater with the tubes 10 containing the hot fluid, it happens that the tubes 10 and the fluid are cooled, and that the seawater heats up. On the basis of the latter effect, a natural flow of rising seawater is obtained in the compartment 100, wherein cold seawater enters the compartment 100 through the entry openings 104, and wherein seawater at a higher temperature exits the compartment 100 through the exit openings 105. Also, motion of the ship may contribute to the flow of seawater through the compartment 100. Advantageously, the tubes 10 are made of a material having good heat transferring capabilities, such as copper.

(9) The tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 are arranged in similar, substantially parallel tube layers 5, each of those tube layers 5 comprising a number of tubes 10 of different size arranged in a bundle, wherein a smaller tube 10 is arranged inside of the curved shape of a larger tube 10, so as to be encompassed by a larger tube 10 at a certain distance for leaving space between the tubes 10 in the tube layer 5 where seawater can flow. Hence, each tube layer comprises a number of hairpin-type tubes 10 comprising two straight leg portions 12 and one curved portion 11. The tubes 10 are disposed with their curved portions 11 in substantially concentric arrangement and their leg portions 12 in substantially parallel arrangement, so that the innermost curved portions 11 are of relatively small radius of curvature and the outermost curved portions 11 are of relatively large radius of curvature, with at least one remaining intermediate curved portion 11 disposed therebetween. In case there are at least two intermediate curved portions 11, those portions 11 are of progressively graduated radius of curvature.

(10) Top sides of the leg portions 12 of the tubes 10 are at a similar level in view of the fact that the top sides of the leg portions 12 of the tubes 10 are connected to a common tube plate 13. The tube plate 13 is covered by a fluid header 14 comprising at least one inlet stub 15 and at least one outlet stub 16 for the entry and the exit of fluid to and from the tubes 10, respectively. Hence, the leg portions 12 of the tubes 10 which are at the side of the inlet stub 15 are at the highest temperature, while the leg portions 12 of the tubes 10 which are at the side of the outlet stub 16 are at a lower temperature, and the same is applicable to the fluid flowing through the tubes 10.

(11) During the continuous cooling process of the tubes 10 and the fluid as present in the tubes 10, any microorganisms being present in the seawater tend to attach to the tubes 10, especially the portions of the tubes 10 which are at an ideal temperature for providing a suitable environment for the microorganisms to live in, the phenomenon being known as biofouling. In order to prevent this phenomenon, a suitable anti-fouling arrangement is provided, which, in the shown example, comes in the form of a plurality of lamps 20 arranged in the compartment 100 for casting anti-fouling light on the tubes 10. For example, the light may be UVC light, which is known to be effective for realizing anti-fouling.

(12) In the shown example, the lamps 20 are tubular lamps having a generally elongated shape. The lamps 20 are arranged in a three-dimensional pattern intersecting the pattern of various tubes 10. In other words, the lamps 20 are arranged in the same area as the tubes 10. The lamps 20 may extend both inside and outside of the U shape of the tubes 10, as shown in FIG. 1. In fact, any positioning of the lamps 20 with respect to the tubes 10 is possible within the framework of the invention, wherein the lamps 20 may have any possible orientation with respect to the tubes 10. In any case, it is practical to have a positioning in which it is possible to irradiate all portions of all tubes 10 with ultraviolet light to a sufficient extent, such as to guarantee effective anti-fouling of the entirety of tubes 10 of the box cooler 1. In that respect, it is advantageous if the light sources 20 are spaced equally throughout and alongside the entirety of the tubes 10, but such arrangement of the light sources 20 is not essential within the framework of the invention.

(13) In order for the lamps 20 to perform the function of casting ultraviolet light on the exterior of the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 and to thereby prevent biofouling of the tubes 10, a supply of power to the lamps 20 is needed. On the basis of this fact, the anti-fouling system which is constituted by the lamps 20 is not very well suitable to be used during a period prior to the first real use of the ship in which the box cooler 1 and the anti-fouling system are installed, i.e. prior to the maiden voyage of the ship, starting from a water area where the ship has been kept in stock until that time, such as a water area near a shipyard where the ship was built. According to the invention, in order to prevent the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 from fouling during the period as mentioned, additional anti-fouling measures are taken, aimed at protecting the tubes 10 against contact with water without needing a supply of power in order to be effective.

(14) FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate one possible example of an anti-fouling system which is adapted to prevent the box cooler 1 in the compartment 100 from being contacted by water as long as it is not possible/desirable to activate the anti-fouling system comprising the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 20. In the shown example, the first anti-fouling system comprises a piece of foil 30 which is wrapped around the entirety 2 of the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 and at least a number of the lamps 20 of the anti-fouling system in a watertight fashion. In particular, the piece of foil 30 may be shaped like a sleeve which is closed at a bottom side and which is open at a top side, wherein the shape and the dimensions of the sleeve are adapted to the shape and the dimensions of the entirety 2 of the tubes 10. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the same view of the box cooler 1, the anti-fouling system, and the compartment 100, wherein FIG. 3 shows the piece of foil 30, whereas FIG. 2 does not show the piece of foil 30 and is therefore suitable to be used for understanding what is inside the piece of foil 30.

(15) In the manufacturing process of the ship, it is practical if an assembly 3 of the entirety 2 of the tubes 10 and the piece of foil 30 is made first and is then installed in the ship, contrary to enwrapping the entirety 2 of the tubes 10 in the piece of foil 30 while already being put in place in the compartment 100 (or, as the case may be, in the compartment 100 to be). The assembly 3 which is made prior to installation in the ship may furthermore comprise at least a number of the lamps 20, but it may also be practical for the lamps 20 to be installed at the enwrapped area later, provided that this is possible, which, in the shown example, may particularly be the case if the lamps 20 to be positioned inside the U shape of the tubes 10 can be installed from the top side.

(16) As long as the piece of foil 30 is present, it is achieved that fouling of the tubes 10 is prevented, as the piece of foil 30 constitutes a physical barrier between the tubes 10 and water in the compartment 100. However, as soon as it is desired to use the tubes 10 for cooling a fluid, it is necessary to expose the tubes 10 to the water. Hence, at that point, there is a need for at least partially removing the protective piece of foil 30. This is done in a very practical way, namely by applying the anti-fouling system having the lamps 20, and providing the piece of foil 30 with material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light. In this respect, the foil 30 may be entirely made of such material, so that when the lamps 20 are activated, all of the foil 30 disintegrates under the influence of the ultraviolet light emitted by the lamps 20. The disintegration of the foil 30 is illustrated in FIG. 4. Once the foil 30 is at least partially gone, the water flowing through the compartment 100 is allowed to reach the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1, so that the box cooler 1 is allowed to perform its cooling function. Until the time that the foil 30 is removed from the tubes 10, biofouling of the tubes 10 is prevented in a passive way, namely by means of the foil 30, while after that time, bio fouling of the tubes 10 is prevented in an active way, namely by means of the lamps 20. The lamps 20 may be controlled such as to operate at maximum power or near maximum power as soon as they are activated for the first time, so that disintegration of the foil 30 takes place in a most effective way. Furthermore, one or more water sensors arranged in a space inside the piece of foil 30 may be used for activating the lamps 20 and/or issuing a warning signal in case of leakage prior to an intended first activation of the lamps 20.

(17) It is not necessary for all of the foil 30 to disappear when it is intended to operate the box cooler 1 for the very first time. The fact is that it is possible for the foil 30 to comprise parts which are made of material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light, and parts which are made of another material. In such a case, it is possible to think of a design of the foil 30 in which the first foil parts are arranged such that the latter foil parts sink to the bottom of the compartment 100 when the first foil parts disintegrate. In order to ensure fast disintegration of the first foil parts, it may be so that those parts are made such as to be relatively thin. According to another possibility existing within the framework of the invention, the piece of foil 30 comprises parts which are entirely made of material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light, and parts which are made of water soluble material covered with a layer of material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light, at least at the exterior side thereof, i.e. the side facing the water in the compartment 100. When the lamps 20 are switched on, the first foil parts disappear under the influence of the ultraviolet light emitted by the lamps, and the latter foil parts disappear in two steps, namely under the influence of the ultraviolet light in a first instance, and under the influence of the water in a second instance. In another embodiment, the piece of foil 30 can be entirely made of water soluble material covered with material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light.

(18) In respect of the material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light, it is noted that examples of such material are known per se, and that such material may particularly comprise a polymer.

(19) The invention is applicable to all possible types of apparatus to be exposed to water during operation, which may be used as functional units in larger devices, as is the case with the entirety 2 of tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 as described in the foregoing. In order for the anti-fouling system of the invention to be effective, it is not necessary that another anti-fouling system is arranged with the apparatus for continuing the anti-fouling function of the first anti-fouling system as soon as this has been made ineffective, although this is preferred in practical cases for obvious reasons and non-obvious reasons, where the latter reasons include the possibility of applying the latter anti-fouling system in the process of eliminating the first anti-fouling system. Having sources 20 for emitting ultraviolet light in the latter anti-fouling system and material that is degradable under the influence of ultraviolet light in the first anti-fouling system is just one of the examples existing within the framework of the invention in that respect.

(20) In another possible example of an anti-fouling system which is adapted to prevent the box cooler 1 in the compartment 100 from being contacted by water as long as it is not possible/desirable to activate the anti-fouling system comprising the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 20, the first anti-fouling system may particularly be associated with at least the entry openings 104 of the compartment 100. In particular, such anti-fouling system may comprise at least one degradable shutter element which is arranged so as to initially block the openings 104 of the compartment 100, such that it is not possible for water to enter the compartment 100 through the openings 104. FIG. 5 serves to illustrate the possibility of using at least one degradable shutter element for closing at least the entry openings 104 of the compartment 100. In the shown example, one piece 106 of degradable foil is arranged such as to cover the entry openings 104 of the compartment 100 at the inside of the compartment 100, and another piece 107 of degradable foil is arranged such as to cover the exit openings 105 of the compartment 100 at the inside of the compartment 100. All options as mentioned in the foregoing with respect to the degradable foil 30 which is associated with the tubes 10 of the box cooler 1 are equally applicable if the foil 106, 107 is associated with the openings 104, 105 of the compartment 100. In particular, it is also very practical to use the anti-fouling lamps 20 for causing disintegration of the foil 106, 107 as soon as there is a need for terminating the protective function of the foil 106, 107.

(21) It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

(22) Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The phrase a plurality of as used in this text should be understood such as to mean at least two.

(23) Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

(24) The term substantially as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as being applicable to situations in which a certain effect is intended which can be fully realized in theory but which involves practical margins for its factual implementation. Examples of such an effect include a parallel arrangement of objects and a perpendicular arrangement of objects. Where applicable, the term substantially may be understood such as to be an adjective which is indicative of a percentage of 90% or higher, such as 95% or higher, especially 99% or higher, even more especially 99.5% or higher, including 100%.

(25) The term comprise as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term consist of. Hence, the term comprise may in respect of an embodiment mean consist of, but may in another embodiment mean contain/include at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species.

(26) The invention is not restricted to a context of a particular type of water such as seawater, as bio fouling may occur in other types of water as well, including river water and lake water. In fact, the term water as used in this text should be understood such as to cover a wide range of fluids, including mixtures containing water, water-based solutions, etc.

(27) In case the invention is applied to a cooling apparatus such as a box cooler 1 comprising a plurality of tubes 10 and the protector arrangement comprises a piece of foil 30 to be associated with the tubes 10, the piece of foil 30 may be used to enwrap the entirety 2 of the tubes 10 and every other possible element which is present in the area of the entirety 2 of the tubes 10. Such element may be a lamp 20 for emitting ultraviolet light as is the case in the shown example, but other examples of such element are feasible as well, including a plate arranged transversely to the tubes 10, having holes for allowing the tubes 10 to pass through, and having a function in fixing the tubes 10 in an appropriate positioning. Furthermore, it is noted that within the scope of the invention, an alternative option exists according to which every tube 10 of a box cooler 1 is separately enwrapped in a piece of degradable foil instead of the entirety 2 of the tubes 10 being enwrapped.

(28) In respect of the possible application of the invention in the context of a box cooler 1, it is noted that the invention is in no way restricted to the layout of the box cooler 1 as described in the foregoing and illustrated in the figures as an example. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that the features of the invention are not dependent on any feature of the surface to be initially protected against the fouling effect of water. Also, the application of ultraviolet light sources 20 for disintegrating the anti-fouling protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 and possibly also for realizing anti-fouling effects after the protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 has been put to a condition of allowing water to contact a surface to be initially protected, is just one of the many possibilities existing within the framework of the invention.

(29) It is not essential for the assembly according to the invention to comprise a compartment 100, as the concept of applying a combination of a protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 comprising degradable material for preventing exposure of a surface of an object 2, 101, 102, 103 to water during a first period and allowing such exposure during a subsequent second period does not necessarily involve an arrangement of the surface in a compartment 100. In case a compartment 100 is included in the assembly according to the invention, such compartment 100 may be used for accommodating the tubes 10 of a box cooler 1 and/or one or more other objects/units, but may also be empty, i.e. does not need to contain any objects/units. For example, in case the assembly is applied in a ship, the compartment 100 may be a so-called sea chest for containing ballast water, fire extinguishing water, or drink water. In respect of the possible application of the assembly in a ship, it is noted that the invention is similarly useful in a context of other vessel types. Hence, the term ship as used in this text should not be understood such as to imply that the scope of the invention is restricted to one particular type of vessel as normally indicated by means of this term. In general, the invention is suitable to be used in the context of marine objects, wherein oilrigs, or other types of buildings in or next to the ocean are mentioned as being practical examples of such objects besides vessels. Furthermore, it is noted that the invention may also be applicable in the context of a domestic appliance in which water is used during operation thereof, for example, such as a coffee maker or a water disinfector, or another context which may be totally different from the context of marine objects.

(30) In the shown embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, the compartment 100 is provided with at least one entry opening 104 for allowing water to enter the compartment 100 and at least one exit opening 105 for allowing water to exit the compartment 100. That does not alter the fact that the option of only a single opening being present, wherein the opening has a combined function of being an entry opening and an exit opening, is also covered by the invention. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that it is not essential to have at least one exit opening 105, on the basis of the fact that practical cases exist in which there is no need for emptying the compartment 100 through one or more exit openings 105 after initial filling.

(31) In short, the invention relates to an assembly comprising an object 2, 101, 102, 103 having a surface which is intended to be exposed to water during at least a part of the lifetime thereof. In order to be capable of avoiding bio fouling of the surface in a first stage of the lifetime of the assembly, without needing to have a supply of power in order to achieve the anti-fouling effect as desired in that first stage, the assembly furthermore comprises an anti-fouling protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 which is adapted to initially prevent the surface from being contacted by water, and which comprises degradable material. Also, the assembly comprises at least one energy source 20 which is adapted to emit energy for causing the protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 to disintegrate. Such an energy source may be an energy source having a primary function in preventing bio fouling of the surface.

(32) Examples of the surface of the object 2, 101, 102, 103 which is initially prevented by the protector arrangement 30, 106, 107 from being contacted by water include an exterior surface of a functional unit such as the entirety 2 of tubes 10 of a cooling apparatus 1, in which case the assembly may comprise a compartment 100 for accommodating the functional unit 2, and an interior surface of at least one wall 101, 102, 103 delimiting such compartment 100.