Patent Application
20140299196
The invention relates to a water lifting system, especially a fire extinguishing plant for offshore installations, such as oil and/or gas production platforms, or ships, or the like, with a pump having a suction port and a discharge port, a pump-turbine assembly having a pump unit and a turbine unit, wherein pump unit and turbine unit have in each case a suction or inlet port and a discharge port, and with a line connecting the discharge port of the pump unit of the pump-turbine assembly and the suction port of the pump, and conducting a volume flow, and also relates a method using such a system.
A device for the starting of pumps for fire extinguishing purposes and similar purposes, in which it is necessary to overcome large suction heads, is known from German patent publication no. DE 643 151 A. Since the pump used for fire extinguishing purposes cannot draw up the required water alone in the case of large suction heads, the pump is connected via a line to an auxiliary pump which is arranged in an extinguishant reservoir or the like and is driven by means of a liquid or air turbine, the propellant of which is delivered by a special propellant pump. The turbine is connected to the propellant pump via two lines. In this case, it is disadvantageous that provisions have to be made, which provisions can compensate again the possible leakage losses in the propellant circuit. Since the propellant is pumped in a closed circuit from the propellant pump to the turbine and back again, the propellant is continuously heated up more and has to be cooled since otherwise parts of the plant can suffer damage.
The object of the invention is to create a reliable water lifting system, which economizes in installation space, is to be installed at lower cost and at the same time is afflicted with lower losses, and to create a method for operating such a water lifting system.
The object is achieved by the volume flow comprising a first partial volume flow and a second partial volume flow, wherein a line conducting the first partial volume flow is connected to at least one water extraction point and a line conducting the second partial volume flow is connected to an inlet port of the turbine unit of the pump-turbine assembly.
Consequently, the pump-turbine assembly needs to be connected to only two lines, which lead from the platform or from the ship into the sea. Moreover, a hydraulic circuit, which is operated by a fluid, especially hydraulic oil, for driving the pump-turbine assembly, a tank filled with the fluid, and a cooling device with heat exchangers or the like for cooling the fluid, can be dispensed with.
According to one embodiment, the turbine unit has a discharge port which is connected to a water reservoir or leads to the water reservoir.
In order to increase the operational reliability during starting of the water lifting system, provision is made on the offshore installation or the ship for a water supply which is accommodated in a tank.
According to the invention, an outlet opening of the tank is connected to the suction port of the pump.
According to a further embodiment, the line conducting the volume flow is connected to an inlet opening of the tank.
Also, the line conducting the volume flow can be connected to the outlet opening of the tank.
The discharge port of the pump is expediently connected to the at least one water extraction point via the line conducting the first partial volume flow.
According to a further embodiment, it is provided that the discharge port of the pump is connected to the inlet port of the turbine unit of the pump-turbine assembly via the line conducting the second partial volume flow.
In an alternative embodiment, the discharge port of the pump unit is connected to a suction port of an additional pump device, preferably a high-pressure pump.
A further advantageous embodiment ensues if the discharge port of the additional pump is connected to the inlet port of the turbine unit of the pump-turbine assembly via the line conducting the second partial volume flow.
In order to protect the pump-turbine assembly, which permanently resides in the salty seawater, against seizures and blockages, an electric motor is expediently attached to the pump-turbine assembly.
The object of the invention is also achieved by a first partial volume flow of a volume flow, which is extracted from a water reservoir and delivered via a line, being delivered to at least one water extraction point by means of a line conducting the first partial volume flow, and by a second partial volume flow being delivered back to the water reservoir by means of a line conducting the second partial volume flow.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The pump unit 4 has a suction port—not shown in more detail—which lies below the sea level, preferably in a region with little swell. A discharge port of the pump unit 4 is connected to a suction port of the pump 3 via a first line 7, preferably a pipe or a hose, which conducts a volume flow QS. A second line 8 leads from a discharge port of the pump 3 to an inlet opening of a first distribution device 9. A first outlet opening of the distribution device 9 is connected to at least one water extraction point, especially a fire extinguishing device, for example a sprinkler system, hydrant or the like—not shown in the drawings—which is arranged on the offshore installation 1, via a third line 10 conducting a first partial volume flow QF. A second outlet opening of the distribution device 9 is connected to an inlet port of the turbine unit 5 of the pump-turbine assembly 6 via a fourth line 11 conducting a second partial volume flow QT. Therefore, the volume flow QS comprises a first partial volume flow QF and a second partial volume flow QT, wherein a line 10 conducting the first partial volume flow QF is connected to at least one water extraction point and a line 11 conducting the second partial volume flow QT is connected to the inlet port of the turbine unit 5 of the pump-turbine assembly 6. The turbine unit 5 in turn has a discharge port which leads to a water reservoir, especially the sea, or is at least connected to the water reservoir, and which lies beneath the water level and via which the water which is delivered to the turbine unit 5 is ejected into the water reservoir.
The motor 2, which is preferably designed as an internal combustion engine or turbine, drives the pump 3 which is located on the platform. The pump-turbine assembly 6, which is located underwater, is driven via the second partial volume flow QT which is conducted through the line 11. The pump-turbine assembly 6 serves as a forwarding pump for the pump 3 and ensures lifting of the water level to the level of the pump 3.
Used as an extinguishing pump, the pump 3, in the case of a fire, has to provide the first partial volume flow QF, which is conducted via the line 10 and required for firefighting, the required pressure head HD and also the second partial volume flow QT, which is conducted via the line 11 and drives the turbine. In this case, the second partial volume flow QT is significantly lower than the first partial volume flow QF for firefighting. The pump unit 4 has to produce the suction head HS and also the two partial volume flows QF and QT.
The turbine unit 5 has to therefore produce a second partial volume flow QT and also the pressure head HD plus the suction head HS. Especially suitable for this, as previously mentioned, is a multistage underwater pump, driven as a turbine, which can convert the high pressure into a rotational movement for driving the pump unit 4. As the pump unit 4, circulating pumps, designed as single-stage scroll casing pumps which overcome the suction head HS with the high volume flow QS or the partial volume flows QF and QT which form the volume flow QS, for example for firefighting, are particularly well suited.
Therefore, a first partial volume flow QF of the volume flow QS, which is extracted from the water reservoir and delivered via the line 7, is thus delivered to at least one water extraction point by means of the line 10 conducting the first partial volume flow QF and the second partial volume flow QT is delivered back to the water reservoir by means of the line 11 conducting the second partial volume flow QT.
The embodiment shown in
For starting the system, the valve 14 on the tank 12 is opened and the pump 3 is started. The vent valve 13 which is attached to the tank 12 lets air flow into the tank 12. Therefore, the water can flow out of the tank 12, via the lines 7a and 7b, into the pump 3. The valve 15 is initially closed during starting of the pump 3 so the water flows via the lines 8 and 11 and the turbine unit 5 into the sea and in the process drives the pump-turbine assembly 6. The pump unit 4 of the pump-turbine assembly 6 draws in seawater as a result and delivers it into the tank 12. If the tank 12 has reached the required filling level for restarting the system by means of feed through the turbine unit 5, the valve 15 is opened and the vent valve 13 is closed. At the water extraction point, or points, the maximum amount of water delivered by the pump unit 4 and the pump 3 is now available. The vent valve 13 has to be designed so that during starting of the pump 3 it prevents a vacuum in the tank 12 and in the case of a pressure increase during operation of the system closes off the tank 12 in a pressure-tight manner.
Alternatively, the vent valve 13 can be omitted. For this, it is to be ensured that the water level in the tank 12 does not lie above the level in the pump 3. Consequently, the water cannot flow out of the tank 12 through the pump 3 and the turbine unit 5 into the open air or the sea. Therefore, it is ensured that sufficient water is available for repeated starting of the system after a shutdown.
A further embodiment for starting the system is shown in
For starting the system with the open tank 12, first of all the valves 15, 17, 19 have to be closed and valve 14 and vent valve 20 opened. The closed valve 17 prevents an escape of water from the tank 12, which is contingent upon level differences of the tank 12 and the pump unit 4. Via the lines 7a, 7b and 7e, the water flows into the pump 3 and from there flows into the sea via the lines 8 and 11 and also via the pump unit 5. The pump unit 4 of the pump-turbine assembly 6 delivers water into the line 7 until the air which is present in this can escape from the vent valve 20. As soon as water reaches the vent valve 20, the vent valve 20 is closed and the valve 17 opened. The water which is delivered by the pump unit 4 is delivered into the tank 12 via the lines 7, 7c and 7d. If the tank 12 has reached the defined filling level for restarting the system, the valves 14 and 17 are closed and the valves 15 and 19 opened. The valve 14 prevents the escape of water from the tank 12 and the valve 19 enables the feed of the pump 3 by means of the pump unit 4 of the pump-turbine assembly 6.
If, as shown in
For starting the system, that is to say when the pump 3 is started, the valves 15 and 19 are closed. The valve 14 is opened and via the lines 7a, 7b and 7e the water flows out of the tank 12 into the pump 3, which is connected to the distribution device 18, and from the pump 3 flows into the sea via the lines 8 and 11 and also the turbine unit 5. The pump unit 4 of the pump-turbine assembly 6 delivers the water extracted from the sea via the lines 7, 7c and 7d into the tank 12. If the tank 12 has again reached its defined filling level for restarting the system, the valve 14 is closed in order to keep the water in the tank 12, and the valves 15 and 19 are opened in order to feed the pump 3, via the pump unit 4 and the lines 7, 7g, 7f and 7e, with the water extracted from the sea by the pump unit 4 and to supply one or more water extraction points with the delivered amount of water.
If, as shown in
During the starting of the pump 3, the valves 15 and 19 are closed and the valve 14 is opened. Via the lines 7a, 7b and 7e, the water flows out of the tank 12 into the pump 3, which is connected to the distribution device 18, and from there flows into the sea via the lines 8 and 11 and also the turbine unit 5. The pump unit 4 of the pump-turbine assembly 6 delivers water via the lines 7 and 7c into the tank 12 until this has reached the defined filling state for restarting the system. After this, the valve 14 is closed so that water can no longer be delivered from the tank. The valves 15 and 19 are opened in order to feed the pump 3, via the pump unit 4 and the lines 7, 7g, 7f and 7e, with the water extracted by the pump unit 4 from the sea so that the necessary first partial volume flow QF is available at the water extraction points.
In the case of the embodiment of the invention shown in
The embodiment of the water lifting system according to
Since the pump-turbine assembly 6 resides permanently in seawater with high salt content, it has to be protected against seizure of the rotor. To this end, by way of example, as shown in
Alternatively to this, the entire system could also be started at regular intervals. In this way, the function could be checked and seizing up of the assembly prevented.
The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2011 088 246.4 | Dec 2011 | DE | national |
This application is a National Phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2012/073301, filed Nov. 22, 2012, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from German Patent Application No. 10 2011 088 246.4, filed Dec. 12, 2011, the entire disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2012/073301 | 11/22/2012 | WO | 00 | 6/11/2014 |
