An apparatus design and testing of a flexible pipe-laying in submarine context

Abstract A flexible pipe-laying apparatus is the actuating machine in pipe-laying ship to build flexible pipe in submarine environment. After investigating the basic principle of flexible pipe-laying mechanism, a new design is developed on its layout scheme and detail structure, including the tower support and its angle-adjusting device, the curvature adjustment wheel, the straightener, the hang-off clamp, and the tensioner selection. The main structure׳s strength is check and verified with the finite element method, the dynamic simulation is conducted on the hydraulic cylinder of the angle-adjusting device with ADMS software, and the kinematic simulation is also carried out on the pipe-laying system. The prototype is established and the key parameters in the system are measured and analyzed on the constant tension discharge, straightener, and pause. The results of calculation, simulation and testing show that the design alternative reaches the design requirements.