Ballast System
AssigneeGVA Consultants AB
InventorLars-Olof Liberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present embodiments relate to ballast systems for marine structures. The ballast system comprises a ballast tank and a pump. The pump comprises a low side and a high side and the ballast system comprises a first inlet conduit assembly adapted to provide a fluid communication between the ballast tank and the low side. The ballast system is adapted to provide a first operating condition in which first operating condition a fluid is pumped from the low side to the high side.
Claims21
A ballast system for a marine structure, said ballast system comprising:
- a ballast tank;
- a pump comprising a low side and a high side,
- said ballast system being adapted to provide a first operating condition, in which first operating condition a fluid is pumped from said low side to said high side,
- a first inlet conduit assembly adapted to provide a fluid communication between said ballast tank and said low side,
- a recirculation conduit assembly adapted to provide a fluid transport from said high side to said low side during at least a part of said first operating condition,
- a second inlet conduit assembly adapted to be in fluid communication with an auxiliary system, preferably a bilge water system, of said marine structure,
- said ballasts stem being adapted to provide a fluid communication between said second inlet conduit assembly and said low side during at least a part of said first operating condition.
A method for transporting fluid from a ballast tank of a ballast system to the environment ambient of said ballast system, said ballast system further comprising a pump, which in turn comprises a low side and a high side,
- said ballast system comprising a first inlet conduit assembly adapted to provide a fluid communication between said ballast tank and said low side,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a fluid communication between a second inlet conduit assembly adapted to be in fluid communication with an auxiliary system, preferably a bilge water system of said marine structure and said low side:
- providing a fluid communication between said high side and said ambient environment;
- providing that said pump is in an operating condition, such that fluid is pumped from said low side to said high side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.