The present disclosure relates generally to an intermodal cargo container carrier for travel by waterways, and more particularly to a shallow draft container carrier that operates with a water draft of about twelve feet or less.
Container carriers, which may also be referred to as container ships, are cargo ships that carry their load using standardized containers. The approach of carrying cargo within a standardized container may be referred to as containerization. Containerization is a system of intermodal cargo transport using standardized containers that may be accommodated by container carriers, railroad cars, and trucks. The capacity of a container carrier may be measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). It is to be appreciated that container carriers are a popular mode for transporting non-bulk cargo. In fact, a majority of non-bulk cargo is transported by container carriers.
Some factors that may hinder the travel of a vessel along inland waterways currently available include, but are not limited to, shoals and sand bars, low water stand, ice flow, and locks and dams. For example, the controlling depth to gain access to the main channel of the Mississippi River is presently about forty-five feet. There are currently plans to dredge the Southwest Pass, which is one of the channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River, to a depth of about fifty-five feet. However, even if the controlling depth of the Southwest Pass is increased, navigation may still be restricted. Specifically, the controlling depth of the entire Mississippi River inland waterway system is twelve feet. This depth becomes more critical during periods of low water runoff such as, for example, the annual seasonal variation in water runoff during late summer and early fall, or during a draught, at which times the Army Corp of Engineers has a mandate to maintain the main channel at 12 feet. It should be appreciated that the channel depth of the Mississippi River above Baton Rouge shallows considerably. Thus, ocean-going vessels typically do not navigate above this point along the Mississippi River System.
There is an ever-growing demand for container-based cargo transport considering the increases in fuel costs, the advances in intermodal containerization technology, the efficiency of water transport, and the convenience and security of segregated point to point containerized cargo delivery. However, legacy barge and tow assets do not adapt well to the speed and efficiency required of the ever-changing intermodal container system of commerce. Furthermore, many vessels currently available may not be able to provide the volume capacity, speed, efficiency, and reliability required for a dedicated container distribution network. Thus, there is a need for a container carrier that includes enhanced volume capacity, is more fuel and labor efficient than competing modes of transportation, and can navigate shallow waterways at speed.
The following detailed description will illustrate the general principles of the invention, examples of which are additionally illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
Such a Shallow Draft Container Carrier or “SDCC” may embody dimensions between 700 feet-1750 feet in length, and 100 feet-250 feet in beam. In illustrated exemplary embodiment, the container carrier 10 may include an overall length L of 1,500 feet and may be 200 feet in beam. In one embodiment, the container carrier 10 may operate with a water draft of about twelve feet (+/−10%), and an air draft of about 50 feet (+/−10%), thereby allowing for year-round navigation and transport operation on waterways as shallow as the Mississippi River inland waterway system.
The container carrier 10 may include a full beam stern 20. That is, the stern 20 of the container carrier, where the aft propulsion is housed, may have a width that is about equal to the midship beam of the container carrier 10 cargo hold area. As seen in
It is to be appreciated that the disclosed container carrier 10 may include a length over all (LOA) to beam aspect ratio of between 5:1 and 8:1. Preferably, the aspect ratio is about 7:1 (+/−10%), which may produce a relatively high hull speed, with low drag and good fuel efficiency. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the container carrier 10 includes the following dimensions: Bow: 200′×200′; Stern: 200′×200′; and Mid-ship: 1100′×200′. In other embodiments, these exemplary dimensions may be scaled base upon length over all and/or beam. In the exemplary embodiment, the container carrier 10 has a displacement of about 100,000 dead weight tons, and may have a transit speed ranging from twelve to about eighteen knots while transporting up to twelve hundred 40′ standardized containers, or 2400 TEU.
It is to be appreciated that the container carrier 10 may not be built using conventional techniques employing a keel, ribs, stringer, and cladding. Instead, the container carrier 10 may utilize a semi-monocoque shell for cladding an internal truss space frame. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the space frame structure comprises a diamond lattice octet truss space frame structure. An example of the diamond lattice octet truss is illustrated in
The container carrier 10 may experience horizontal impact loads and yaw bending forces (i.e., lateral movements along a vertical axis) imparted by the container carrier's own power when turning against a current. Thus, the container carrier 10 may include dimensions that combined with the lattice truss space frame structure may be strongest in this direction. Moreover, the bulkhead walls between the cargo holds, the cladding wrapping an exterior of the container carrier 10, and the cargo hold cavities, may act as a unit at the macro hull form level, and augment the strength and rigidity at the micro truss space frame level. In other words, the hull form and truss space frame combine to provide compressive strength and rigidity. It is to be appreciated that any load that is imparted upon the outer surface of the container carrier 10 may be distributed, absorbed, and dissipated throughout the entire vessel by the members of the diamond lattice truss space frame structure.
The individual truss members of the diamond lattice structure may be constructed of heavy wall sections of drill pipe (COTS), and the nodes connecting and aligning the truss members may be solid steel ball bearings (COTS), with pins drilled, screwed, and welded into place to insert into the drill pipes for alignment and assembly. The container carrier 10 may be fabricated using modular blocks. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, 14 100 foot×200 foot blocks may comprise the components of the bow, stern, and mid-ship. This approach of modular blocks may facilitate the speed of construction of the container carrier 10, and may also provide quality control. The truss space frame structure provides an exceptionally light, rigid, and strong form while maintaining a low profile which reduces wind load while operating in narrow passage.
In one embodiment the container carrier 10 may include four generator sets, twelve electric drive motors, and two power transformers. One commercial example of the generators that may be used are the 12V38 Generator Sets (nominally 8000 Kilowatts each) available from the Wärtsilä Corporation of Finland. One commercial example of the electric drive motors that may be used is the Invertex 360T available from GE Transportation of Chicago, Ill. The traction motors and electric drive motors used within the container carrier 10 may be originally intended for mining applications.
Referring to
Referring generally to the figures, the disclosed container carrier 10 may provide various technical effects and benefits. Specifically, the disclosed container carrier 10 may include a octet truss space frame structure, a forward bridge and superstructure, a full beam stern, and bow and stern thrusters that may enhance speed, efficiency, maneuverability, and safety. The container carrier 10 may be less labor intensive, thereby requiring a small crew. Furthermore, the combination of double radius ogive bow 14 with a forward bridge may enhance visibility, speed and control. Finally, the mono-hull and aspect ratio of the disclosed container carrier 10 may be more fuel efficient than the conventional legacy barge and tow assets and other competing modes of transportation currently available.
While the forms of apparatus and methods herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus and methods, and the changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/345,253, filed Apr. 26, 2019 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,001,350), which is the national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/US2017/058781, filed Oct. 27, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/413,480, filed Oct. 27, 2016, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62413480 | Oct 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16345253 | Apr 2019 | US |
Child | 17317166 | US |