HYDRAULIC HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR INSTALLING ULTRA-HEAVY STRUCTURE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hydraulic height adjusting device for installing a heavy-weight structure to secure stable horizontal bearing power against a horizontal load of a heavy-weight upper structure. The present invention includes a lower frame which is installed on a top surface of the carrier and is provided with a plurality of receiving portions formed in an upwardly opened shape; and a hydraulic cylinder which is disposed in and engaged to the respective receiving portions of the lower frame, the hydraulic cylinder being moved in a vertical direction to adjust the height of the upper structure, in a state in which an upper end thereof supports the upper structure. The receiving portion is provided with a support guide which is interposed between an inner wall of the receiving portion and the hydraulic cylinder to annually enclose the hydraulic cylinder and thus prevent the hydraulic cylinder from being tilted.

Claims

1. A hydraulic height adjusting device for installing a heavy-weight structure to adjust a height of an upper structure by supporting the upper structure, the hydraulic height adjusting device comprising: a lower frame which is provided with a plurality of receiving portions formed in an upwardly opened shape; and a hydraulic cylinder which is disposed in and engaged to the respective receiving portions of the lower frame, the hydraulic cylinder being moved in a vertical direction to adjust the height of the upper structure, in a state in which an upper end thereof supports the upper structure, wherein the receiving portion is provided with a support guide which is interposed between an inner wall of the receiving portion and the hydraulic cylinder to annually enclose the hydraulic cylinder and thus prevent the hydraulic cylinder from being tilted.

2. The hydraulic height adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic cylinder includes a hydraulic cylinder body positioned at an upper portion, and a hydraulic cylinder rod positioned at a lower portion and being moved in the vertical direction; a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod is engaged to a bottom surface of the receiving portion by a lower end engaging portion; the hydraulic cylinder rod is provided therein with a pair of fluid channels along a longitudinal direction; the pair of fluid channels have inlet/outlet ports at a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod, respectively, so that operating oil flows through the pair of fluid channels, and the hydraulic cylinder body moves along the hydraulic cylinder rod in the vertical direction; and the lower end engaging portion has a bottom fixing member fixed to a bottom of the receiving portion, a lower head portion of the hydraulic cylinder rod which comes into surface contact with the bottom fixing member to allow the hydraulic cylinder rod to move against the bottom fixing member, and a restrain member for restraining the lower head portion to prevent the lower head portion from being released from the bottom fixing member.

3. The hydraulic height adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein a top surface of the bottom fixing member has a concave surface which is a spherical surface, and a bottom surface of the lower head portion of the hydraulic cylinder rod which comes into contact with the bottom fixing member is a convex surface which is a spherical surface, so that the convex surface and the concave surface come into surface contact with each other to allow the movement.

4. The hydraulic height adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein four outer sides of the support guide are respectively provided with a lateral support part to support the support guide from a lateral direction, and the lateral support part includes a support cylinder body installed to the lower frame, a support cylinder rod disposed in the support cylinder body and horizontally moving toward or away from the receiving portion to apply bearing power to the support guide, an opening/closing valve for controlling flow of the operating oil into or from the support cylinder body, and a controller for controlling operation of the opening/closing valve.

5. An apparatus for installing a heavy-weight offshore structure to place an upper structure on a lower structure installed to a seabed, the apparatus comprising: a carrier; and a hydraulic height adjusting device installed to an upper portion of the carrier at plural positions to support the upper structure and adjust a height thereof, the hydraulic height adjusting device including a lower frame which is installed on a top surface of the carrier and is provided with a plurality of receiving portions formed in an upwardly opened shape; and a hydraulic cylinder which is disposed in and engaged to the respective receiving portions of the lower frame, the hydraulic cylinder being moved in a vertical direction to adjust the height of the upper structure, in a state in which an upper end thereof supports the upper structure, wherein the receiving portion is provided with a support guide which is interposed between an inner wall of the receiving portion and the hydraulic cylinder to annually enclose the hydraulic cylinder and thus prevent the hydraulic cylinder from being tilted.

6. The apparatus for installing the heavy-weight offshore structure according to claim 5, wherein the hydraulic cylinder includes a hydraulic cylinder body positioned at an upper portion, and a hydraulic cylinder rod positioned at a lower portion and being moved in the vertical direction; a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod is engaged to a bottom surface of the receiving portion by a lower end engaging portion; the hydraulic cylinder rod is provided therein with a pair of fluid channels along a longitudinal direction; the pair of fluid channels have inlet/outlet ports at a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod, respectively, so that operating oil flows through the pair of fluid channels, and the hydraulic cylinder body moves along the hydraulic cylinder rod in the vertical direction; and the lower end engaging portion has a bottom fixing member fixed to a bottom of the receiving portion, a lower head portion of the hydraulic cylinder rod which comes into surface contact with the bottom fixing member to allow the hydraulic cylinder rod to move against the bottom fixing member, and a restrain member for restraining the lower head portion to prevent the lower head portion from being released from the bottom fixing member.

7. The apparatus for installing the heavy-weight offshore structure according to claim 6, wherein a top surface of the bottom fixing member has a concave surface which is a spherical surface, and a bottom surface of the lower head portion of the hydraulic cylinder rod which comes into contact with the bottom fixing member is a convex surface which is a spherical surface, so that the convex surface and the concave surface come into surface contact with each other to allow the movement, four outer sides of the support guide are respectively provided with a lateral support part to support the support guide from a lateral direction, and the lateral support part includes a support cylinder body installed to the lower frame, a support cylinder rod disposed in the support cylinder body and horizontally moving toward or away from the receiving portion to apply bearing power to the support guide, an opening/closing valve for controlling flow of the operating oil into or from the support cylinder body, and a controller for controlling operation of the opening/closing valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is view illustrating a process of installing a structure on the sea according to the related art.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a height adjusting device for supporting an upper structure according to the related art, when the upper structure is installed to a lower structure.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a process of placing an upper structure onto a lower structure for the purpose of installing a structure on the sea according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an engaged state of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a state in which the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed to a lower frame.

[0040] FIGS. 10a and 10b are views illustrating an operating state of the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lower structure of the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an installed state of a lateral support part of a hydraulic height adjusting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the lateral support part of a hydraulic height adjusting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an installed portion of the lateral support part of a hydraulic height adjusting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 15 is a view illustrating an operation of the lateral support part of a hydraulic height adjusting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 16 is a view illustrating cooperation of the lateral support part and the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic height adjusting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the state in which a heavy-weight upper structure 30 is installed to a lower structure 20 which is fixed to a seabed, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to show a process of placing the heavy-weight upper structure 30 carried by a marine carrier 10 onto the lower structure 10.

[0049] An apparatus for installing the heavy-weight offshore structure is to place the upper structure 30 onto the lower structure 20 fixed to a seabed, and includes the carrier 10 and a hydraulic height adjusting device 40 installed to an upper portion of the carrier 10 at plural positions to support the upper structure 30 and adjust a height thereof.

[0050] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the engaged state of the hydraulic height adjusting device 40.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 includes a lower frame 50 which is installed to a top surface of the carrier 10 and is provided with a plurality of receiving portions 52 formed in an upwardly opened shape, and a hydraulic cylinder 60 disposed in and engaged to the respective receiving portions 52 of the lower frame 50, the hydraulic cylinder 60 being moved in a vertical direction to adjust the height of the upper structure 30, in a state in which an upper end thereof supports the upper structure 30.

[0052] A base platform 12 is installed on the upper portion of the carrier 10, and the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 and the heavy-weight upper structure 30 are disposed on the base platform 12. After the heavy-weight upper structure 30 is manufactured on the ground, the heavy-weight upper structure 30 is transported to the sea by the carrier 10, with it being supported by the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 built with the hydraulic cylinder 60.

[0053] The receiving portion 52 of the lower frame 50 is a hole to receive the hydraulic cylinder 60 of the upper structure 30, and a load of the heavy-weight upper structure 30 is supported by a lower support 53 when the hydraulic cylinder 60 drives.

[0054] A shock absorption plate 51 is installed onto the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 to prevent the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 from being broken due to shock when the heavy-weight upper structure 30 is transported.

[0055] The hydraulic cylinder 60 quickly moves the heavy-weight upper structure 30 in the vertical direction according to working conditions, thereby safely and quickly installing the heavy-weight upper structure 30 on the sea.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 6, the hydraulic cylinder 60 includes a hydraulic cylinder body 62 positioned at an upper portion, and a hydraulic cylinder rod 65 positioned at a lower portion and being moved in the vertical direction. a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is engaged to a bottom surface of the receiving portion 52 by a lower end engaging portion 66.

[0057] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the hydraulic cylinder 60, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the hydraulic cylinder 60, and FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the installed state of the hydraulic cylinder 60.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, a shock absorption plate 61 is installed to an upper end of the hydraulic cylinder body 62 of the hydraulic height adjusting device 40 to prevent the hydraulic cylinder body 62 from being broken due to the contact of the heavy-weight upper structure 30 and the hydraulic cylinder body 62.

[0059] The hydraulic cylinder body 62 is plated with any material for the purpose of smooth contact between the outer surface of the hydraulic cylinder body 62 and a bearing pad 68 when the heavy-weight upper structure 30 moves up and down.

[0060] The receiving portion 52 is provided with a support guide 63 which is interposed between an inner wall of the receiving portion 52 and the hydraulic cylinder 60 to annually enclose the hydraulic cylinder 60 and thus prevent the hydraulic cylinder 60 from being tilted.

[0061] The support guide 63 encloses the outer surface of the hydraulic cylinder body 62, and supports the tilting of the hydraulic cylinder body 62 from a lateral side to support a horizontal load of the heavy-weight upper structure 30 which is placed on the hydraulic cylinder body 62, together with the hydraulic cylinder body 62.

[0062] A support guide base platform 64 is to set an installation position and support the load when the hydraulic cylinder 60 is installed in the receiving portion 52 of the lower frame 50.

[0063] The support guide base platform 64 has a plurality of brackets 64a welded to the inner wall of the receiving portion 52 to support the load by bearing the support guide 63 from the lower side. Since the support guide base platform 64 should not come into contact with the outer surface of the hydraulic cylinder body 62, a center hole, in which the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is positioned, is formed to be wider than a center hole of the support guide 63.

[0064] The bearing pad 68 is installed to the support guide 63 in the receiving portion 52 of the lower frame 50, and is in frictional contact with the hydraulic cylinder body 62 when the hydraulic cylinder body 62 moves up and down. The bearing pad 68 is made of special high-strength brass alloy.

[0065] The hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is provided therein with a pair of fluid channels 69a and 69b along a longitudinal direction, and the pair of fluid channels 69a and 69b have inlet/outlet ports 69c and 69d at a lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65, respectively, so that operating oil flows through the pair of fluid channels 69a and 69b. As illustrated in FIGS. 10a and 10b, the hydraulic cylinder body 62 moves along the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 in the vertical direction.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 11, the lower end engaging portion 66 installed to the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 has a bottom fixing member 67 fixed to the bottom of the receiving portion 52, a lower head portion 65a of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 which comes into surface contact with the bottom fixing member 67 to allow the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 to move against the bottom fixing member 67, and a restrain member 67c for restraining the lower head portion 65a to prevent the lower head portion 65a from being released from the bottom fixing member 67.

[0067] The top surface of the bottom fixing member 67 has a concave surface 67b, and the bottom surface of the lower head portion 65a of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 which comes into contact with the bottom fixing member 67 is a convex surface 65b, so that the convex surface 65b and the concave surface 67b come into surface contact with each other.

[0068] Also, there is a certain gap between the lower head portion 65a of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 and the restrain member 67c, and the distal end of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is machined to have a rounded surface. As the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 comes into surface contact with the bottom fixing member 67, as illustrated by the dotted line in FIG. 11, the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is allowed to be moved slightly. This movement allows the hydraulic cylinder part 60 to move very little when the horizontal load is applied to the carrier 10 or the upper structure 30, thereby preventing the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder part 60 engaged to the lower support 53 from becoming more and more fatigued.

[0069] With the above configuration, the bottom fixing member 67 is fixed to the bottom of the receiving portion 52, and thus supports the vertical load transmitted from the hydraulic cylinder rod 65, while being engaged to the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 with the contact to provide the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 with a free end.

[0070] The gap between the lower head portion 65a of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 and the restrain member 67c controls a tilting angle of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 within a range of 5.

[0071] According to the configuration of this embodiment described above, the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is installed at the upper side, while the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is installed at the lower side, so that the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder body 62 supports the upper structure 30.

[0072] The structural factor of the cross section maximizes structural stability against the action of the force caused by the horizontal load by positioning the hydraulic cylinder body 62 on the hydraulic cylinder rod 65, as well as supporting the horizontal load by the support guide 63.

[0073] Also, the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is designed to have the rounded lower end which satisfies the condition of the free end, thereby supporting the vertical load while allowing slight tilting against the horizontal load.

[0074] The hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is provided with at least two fluid channels 69a and 69b and the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is provided with the inlet/outlet ports 69c and 69d, so that the operating oil flows through the fluid channels 69a and 69b.

[0075] The channel for the operating oil to be fed to the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is not provided in the hydraulic cylinder body 62, but the hydraulic cylinder rod 65 is served as the channel for the operating oil. In the configuration of this embodiment in which the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is positioned at the upper side, the configuration through which the operating oil flows does not interrupt the vertical movement of the hydraulic cylinder body 62.

[0076] The configuration of the hydraulic cylinder 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0077] FIGS. 12 to 14 are views illustrating the configuration of the hydraulic cylinder 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] A lateral support part 70 is designed to prevent the hydraulic cylinder body 62 from being tilted when the carrier 10 is relatively rolled side by side by the waves or wind.

[0079] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 16, since the hydraulic cylinder body 62 and the support guide 63 which are the huge structure are installed in the receiving portion 52 of the lower frame 50, there is an installation clearance, for example, a gap b, between the side wall of the receiving portion 52 and the support guide 63.

[0080] The lateral support part 70 is installed to prevent the hydraulic cylinder body 62 from being tilted, so that the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is maintained in the vertical standing state at the center portion of the receiving portion 52, in spite of the installation clearance.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 3, when the upper structure 30 is placed on the lower structure 20 on the sea, the horizontal rolling of the carrier 10 or the upper structure 30 should be suppressed until the complete placement is finished in the state in which both leg engaging portions 25 and 35 come close to each other in a predetermined range. The lateral support part 70 temporarily pushes and supports the hydraulic cylinder body 62 and the support guide 63 so that the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is maintained in the vertically standing state at the center portion of the receiving portion 52 during the placement.

[0082] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the lateral support part 70, in which four lateral support parts 70 are installed in left and right directions and back and forth directions to prevent the hydraulic cylinder body 62 from being tilted above a certain level.

[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 15, the lateral support part 70 includes a support cylinder body 71 installed to the lower frame 50, a support cylinder rod 72 disposed in the support cylinder body 71 and horizontally moving toward or away from the receiving portion 52 to apply the bearing power to the support guide 63, an opening/closing valve 75 for controlling the flow of the operating oil into or from the support cylinder body 71, and a controller for controlling operation of the opening/closing valve 75.

[0084] If the opening/closing valve 75 is closed by a control signal of the controller, the operating oil does not come out from the support cylinder body, thereby resisting the tilting of the hydraulic cylinder body 62.

[0085] The controller detects the horizontal movement by an acceleration sensor or the like, and controls the operation of the opening/closing valve 75 so that the lateral support parts 70 installed in all directions can support the hydraulic cylinder body 62.

[0086] Specifically, when the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is vertically stood, if the controller closes the opening/closing valve 75 according to the detection of the sensor, in the state in which a contact plate 74 of the lateral support part 70 comes into close contact with the support guide 63, the hydraulic cylinder body 62 is temporarily maintained in the vertical state, without being tilted slightly.

[0087] The present invention can be used as a hydraulic height adjusting device to be installed in a vessel, so as to safely place a heavy-weight structure, which is transported by the vessel, on a stationary structure on the sea. Also, the present invention can be used to adjust a height of the heavy-weight structure by lifting the heavy-weight structure, while supporting the heavy-weight structure on the vessel from a lower side.