US 4,276,849 A · Ballast control system for submersible vessel

Abstract

A submersible vessel, such as a barge, has a plurality of ballast compartments, each of which communicates with the exterior of the vessel through a separate riser, each terminating in an elongate vertical opening in the hull of the vessel. A vertically movable gate is positioned over said openings. At its uppermost limit of travel, the gate provides a conduit into the bottom portion of said openings so that water may be drawn into the ballast compartments through the risers in response to suction applied to the ballast compartments, thereby submerging the vessel. To raise the vessel, the gate is lowered to uncover the uppermost portion of said openings. Positive air pressure is applied to the ballast compartments to move the water upwardly through the risers and out of the vessel over the top of the gate. The gate is lowered as the ballast compartments are emptied, thereby effectively reducing the heights of the risers as the water level in the ballast compartments descends, so that a constant, low pressure can be used for de-watering. With such a riser and gate system at each corner of the vessel, self leveling during the raising process can be achieved by proper positioning of the gates.

Claims18

Dependent claims

In a submersible vessel, of the type having a hull and plural ballast compartments therein, and means for filling said compartments with water and evacuating water from said compartments by the application of predetermined negative and positive air pressure, respectively, the improvement comprising:

first means for conducting water from said ballast compartments to the exterior of said vessel through an outlet in response to said positive air pressure;
and
second means for maintaining said outlet at a constant height above the level of water in said ballast compartments as said ballast compartments are evacuated, so that said predetermined positive air pressure can be held constant at a value sufficient to lift water to a height equal to or slightly greater than said constant height.

In a submersible vessel, of the type having a hull containing plural ballast compartments, a system for controlling the flow of water into and out of said ballast compartments in response to predetermined negative and positive air pressures, respectively, to submerge and raise said vessel, wherein said system comprises:

first means for selectively applying said predetermined negative and positive air pressures equally to all of said compartments;
second means, in fluid communication with each of said compartments, for conducting water therefrom to the exterior of said vessel in response to said predetermined positive air pressure, said second means including risers located on opposite sides of each end of said hull, each of said compartments being in fluid communication with the nearest of said risers, each of said risers terminating in an outlet opening located above the loaded water line of said vessel;
a water inlet opening in said hull below each of said outlet openings, each of said compartments being in fluid communication with the nearest of said inlet openings;
plural gating assemblies movable vertically on the exterior of said hull, one of said gating assemblies located at each of said opposite sides of said hull at each end thereof, said gating assemblies each being movable to an upper position to seal said outlet openings and open said inlet openings, and movable downwardly from said upper position to seal said inlet openings and open said outlet openings;
and
conduit means in said gating assemblies for fluid communication between said inlet openings and the water external to said vessel when said gating assemblies are in said upward position;
and
said gating assemblies thereby providing a path for water to enter said compartments through said conduit means and said inlet openings in response to the applications of a negative pressure to said compartments when said gating assemblies are in said upward position, and a path for water to be evacuated from said compartments through said outlet openings in response to the application of a positive pressure to said compartments when said gating assemblies are moved downwardly from said upper position.

5 more elements

A method of operating a submersible vessel, of the type having a deck and a plurality of ballast compartments in the hull thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) drawing water into said ballast compartments from the exterior of said vessel through inlet ports in said hull in response to the application of a negative air pressure to said ballast compartments to submerge the deck of said vessel;
(2) sealing said inlet ports and ceasing the application of said negative air pressure;
(3) opening a plurality of outlet ports located at a specified height in said hull;
(4) applying a constant value positive air pressure equally to all of said ballast compartments to evacuate water therefrom through said outlet ports, said positive air pressure being approximately equal to, or slightly greater than the pressure needed to lift a column of water a height equal to the height of said outlet ports above the mean water level in said compartments;
and
(5) as said compartments are evacuated, lowering the height of said outlet ports to maintain said outlet ports at a substantially constant height above the mean water level in said compartments, so that said positive air pressure can be maintained at said constant value to continue the evacuation of said compartments and thereby raise said vessel.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ballast control system for submersible vessel

Life of this patent

Ballast control system for submersible vessel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18