Hybrid winch with controlled release and torque impulse generation control for anchor handling offshore

• US 9,802,679 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Power Design, Inc
• Original Assignee: Electronic Power Design, Inc
• Inventors: Janik, John Bradford
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/159,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20160347421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2021/505 Methods for installation or mooring of floating offshore platforms on site
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/50 Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/12 incorporating electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/485 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/505 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/60 adapted for special purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 2700/0141 Electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/18 by master control with auxiliary power

Abstract

A hybrid winch system is disclosed, including but not limited to an electric winch; an electric generator for providing generator power to the electric winch; a battery for providing stored power to the electric winch; an anchor cable wound around a roller drum for the electric winch; an anchor attached to a distal end of the anchor cable; and a controller for applying the generator power and the stored power to the electric winch. A method for controlling the hybrid winch is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A hybrid winch system, the system comprising:

an electric winch;

an electric generator for providing generator power to the electric winch;

a battery for providing stored power to the electric winch;

an anchor cable wound around a roller drum for the electric winch;

an anchor attached to a distal end of the anchor cable; and

a controller for applying the generator power and the stored power to the electric winch;

a controller processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium in data communication with the controller processor; and

a computer program stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

instructions to determine if generator power failed;

instructions to exit the program if the generator power has not failed;

and

instructions to, when the generator power has failed, measure tension on an anchor cable attached to the winch and an anchor and instructions to adjust torque of the winch pulling the anchor cable in a controlled release.

2. The system of claim 1, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to determine if the tension on the anchor cable is greater than a buoyancy of the vessel and instructions to lower the torque on the until the tension on the cable is less than the buoyancy of the vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising:

a controller processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium in data communication with the controller processor; and

a computer program stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising

instructions to determine if an set anchor mode is turned on;

instructions to exit if the set anchor mode is not turned on;

instructions to, when the anchor mode is turned on, add controlled torque from the battery back up to the hybrid winch, and

(a) instructions to measure tension on the anchor cable;

instructions to determine if the anchor is set; and

instructions to, if the anchor is set, to exit the program; and

instructions to the anchor is not set, return to step (a).

4. A method for controlling a hybrid winch, the method comprising:

determining at a winch controller processor if generator power failed;

exiting the program if the generator power has not failed;

and

measuring tension on an anchor cable attached to the winch and an anchor and instructions to adjust torque of the winch pulling the anchor cable in a controlled release, when the generator power has failed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining at the winch controller processor if the tension on the anchor cable is greater than a buoyancy of the vessel and instructions to lower the torque on the until the tension on the cable is less than the buoyancy of the vessel.

6. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

determining at the controller processor if an set anchor mode is turned on;

adding controlled torque from the battery back up to the hybrid winch when the anchor mode is turned on; and

(a) measuring tension on the anchor cable;

determining if the anchor is set; and

if the anchor is not set, return to step (a).