Device for Connecting a Ship to a Shore-Based Power Supply Network

The invention relates to a device for connecting a ship to a shore-based power supply network according to the features of patent claim.

A shore power supply for ships should be suitable for supplying shore power to ships of different sizes and types and with different mooring points on the quay. The ship-based connection points for the shore power supply are often in different positions, both in terms of height above sea level and the position alongside the quay wall. In addition, a device for shore power supply along the quay wall cannot be moved unrestrictedly and unhindered, since mooring apparatuses, in particular bollards, are arranged on the quay wall.

The invention is based on the object of showing a device for connecting a ship to a shore-based power supply network which saves space, is easy to move during construction and also along quay walls on which upwardly projecting mooring apparatuses are arranged.

The object is achieved by a device having the features of patent claim. The dependent claims relate to advantageous developments and inventions.

The device according to the invention is used for connecting a ship to a shore-based power supply network, in particular for supplying shore power to the ship. The device has a shore-based coupling unit for receiving a cable-bound ship-based plug connector. A ship-based plug connector of this kind is lowered from above so that the shore-based coupling unit must be moved to this connector according to the position of the ship-based plug connector. For this reason, the shore-based coupling unit is arranged so as to be movable.

It is arranged on a travelling mechanism whose wheels, in particular at least 4, are arranged in two parallel tracks. One of the tracks is rail-bound with respect to a rail which is arranged on a waterway side facing the waterway of the quay wall and preferably does not protrude upwards beyond the quay wall.

The travelling mechanism is configured so that it overlaps the top side of the mooring apparatuses arranged at the top of the quay wall or near the top of the quay wall on the shore side, such that the second track is arranged on a side of the mooring apparatuses remote from the waterway. The mooring apparatus is, in particular, a bollard.

The overlapping of the top side of the mooring apparatuses enables the shore-based coupling unit to move in the longitudinal direction of the quay wall and very close to the ship without being obstructed by the bollards or mooring apparatuses. The shore-based coupling unit may already be pre-positioned before the ship is moored. Once the ship has moored, the shore power supply can be connected. For this purpose, the shore-based coupling unit will only move a relatively small distance along the rail.

After unmooring and before a new vessel moors, the shore-based coupling unit can be moved back to the desired position. During this period, the mooring apparatuses are freely passable and do not constitute an obstacle to the relocation of the coupling unit along the quay wall.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the second track is non-rail-bound. This greatly simplifies the design, as no rail has to be arranged on the top side of the quay wall. There are no tripping hazards. Smaller obstacles can even be traversed.

In an advantageous development, at least one channel which is open at the top is arranged next to the rail, wherein the power supply line is arranged in the channel. The expression “next to the rail” means parallel to the rail and close to the rail, in particular horizontally or vertically adjacent to the rail. The at least one channel is in particular so high that the power supply line lies below the mouth of the open channel in order to protect the power supply line. Even if it were possible to cover such a channel, it is intended that the channel remains open at the top. The supply lines embedded there are in any case protected laterally by the flanks of the channel after they have been placed in the channel. Since the flanks of the channel protrude upwards over the internal power supply line, the power supply line is also partially protected, at least when objects fall onto the channel that have a width larger than the overhead mouth of the channel. The channel which is open at the top does not provide 100% protection, but offers very good protection downwards and to the longitudinal sides. The advantages of an open channel are the simple and robust construction and the cost-effective manufacture and assembly, since there is no need for intervention in the top of the quay side. There is the possibility to retrofit existing quay sides.

In an advantageous development, the rail on which the shore-based coupling is movable is arranged at a top end of the channel which is open at the top, wherein the power supply line can be laid in the channel and can be driven over by a rail-bound wheel of the coupling unit on the rail side.

In this concept, the channel is, in a sense, the supporting component of the rail arranged above it. The rail-bound wheel has a contact surface wider than the mouth of the canal. The wheel therefore cannot slip into the channel and damage the power supply line. The wheel can be guided laterally via flanks of the rails that are on the outside in the axial direction. The wheel is guided outside the channel in which the power supply line is located.

The channel and the rail are preferably a component in which the channel has flanks facing outward in the opposite direction at its mouth, which serve as contact surface and in this sense act as a running surface of a rail. The wheel rolls over the above-mentioned, outwardly facing flanges. For lateral guidance, an inner guide bar is arranged on one flange and an outer guide bar is arranged on the other flange. The travelling mechanism is placed on the rail from above and can be easily removed.

An advantageous development of the invention makes provision for a line drum to be arranged on the travelling mechanism, wherein the line drum has an axis of rotation which, when viewed from above, runs transversely to the rail, in particular at a 90° angle to the rail. The line drum is arranged vertically above the rail and takes up the power supply line or releases it when the travelling mechanism moves. The line drum has a drive which is actuated depending on the winding direction. The line drum is aligned flush with the channel which is open at the top and in particular with the rail, such that the power supply line can be placed precisely from above through the rail into a channel under the rail or else in a channel in the horizontal direction alongside the rail. Multiple power supply lines can be arranged on the line drum at the same time and can be picked up by the line drum and unwound from it.

The device according to the invention has, in particular, a centre connection for the power supply. The power supply line is connected to the centre connection by way of one end and to the line drum by way of another end. The power supply line is routed from the shore-based connection point through a line diverter on the quay wall, such that the power supply line can be relocated in opposite directions depending on the position of the travelling mechanism on the quay. The line diverter is preferably open at the top and has large radii at the opening at which the power supply line is placed depending on its orientation. The radii are at least as large as a permissible minimum bending radius of the power supply line. The line diverter ensures that the power supply line can be unwound from the quay-based connection point in opposite directions from the line drum without being damaged when crossing the connection point and changing the bending direction.

The advantage of the centre connection over an end connection point is that the line drums only have to accommodate half of the line length. This makes the entire device lighter and more compact. Another advantage is that the channel which is open at the top is always provided with the power supply line only on one side. Should a ship hit the quay wall and damage the channel which is open at the top, the power supply line could only be damaged if it is located in said section of the open channel. If the device according to the invention is moved back to a centre position after the ship has been moored, the connection point or the line diverter is preferably located below the parked device. In this case, the power supply line can barely be damaged because it is not located in the open channel, but almost completely on the line drum.

The channel or channels are preferably located vertically below the line drum with single or multiple spiral winding, such that the power supply line or the power supply lines are free and can be wound and unwound without hindrance. No relocation of the power supply lines from the respective winding plane is required. The channels are located in the respective winding planes of the line drum.

In order to protect the rail and the channels which are open at the top, an impact protection system can also be arranged vertically below the rail and horizontally next to the rail on the waterway side. In this case, the expression “waterway side” means at a distance from the quay wall, such that the area below the rail or channels are protected by the impact protection system and the area of the rail and channels remote from the quay wall is also protected by the impact protection system.

The impact protection system may be arranged at a horizontal distance, which is at least 250 mm from the centre of the rail, in order to form a free buffer zone.

Larger fenders have lengths or diameters from 1,000 mm to 1,500 mm. Even with high compression of the fenders, there is no contact with the impact protection system. If the impact protection system is damaged, the buffer zone creates enough space to protect the rail and thus also the supply line and ultimately the entire system for shore power supply.

shows a devicefor connecting a ship, not illustrated in any more detail, to a shore-based power supply network. An essential component of the deviceis a shore-based coupling unit, which is movable along a quay wallin a rail-guided manner. For this purpose, the coupling unithas a travelling mechanismwith wheels,which run parallel to one another and which are arranged in two tracks,at a horizontal distance from one another. In this case, there are 2 wheels,per track,. One trackis located above the quay wallor on the quay. This trackis non-rail-guided. The second trackis located on the waterway side of quay wall. Specifically, the second trackis located above the waterway, that is to say on the side of the quay wall remote from the shore. The second trackis not located on, but spatially in front of the quay wallas viewed in the horizontal direction from the waterway. For this purpose, a railis arranged on the waterway side of the quay wall. In particular, the raildoes not protrude or protrudes only slightly above the top sideof the quay wall. The tracks,are preferably at the same height. The railis arranged at the upper end of the waterway side of the quay wall.

The travelling mechanism, which carries the wheels,, is configured so that mooring apparatusesin the form of bollards projecting from the top sideof the quay wallcan overlap the top side and thus also be driven over. To this end, the wheels,are arranged at a greater distance from a platform, underneath which the travelling mechanismis located. The travelling mechanismcomprises stilt-like struts so that the platformcan be guided with sufficient ground clearance between the tracks,and at a sufficient vertical distance over the mooring apparatuses.

The platformhas at least one drive. A drive is provided for moving the coupling unitin the longitudinal direction of the rail. A further drive is used to drive a line drumwith double spiral winding. Two electrical power supply lines,are arranged parallel to one another on the line drum.

The power supply lines,are used to supply shore power to the ship, which is not illustrated in any more detail. The line drumis not located physically perpendicular above the quay wall, but next to the quay walljust like the railon the waterway side. The drive for the line drumand the travelling mechanism serve as a counterweight. The line drumprotrudes downwards between the wheelsof the rail-side track.

The power supply lines,are placed by unwinding from the line drumin annular channels,which are open at the top. One of the channelsis located below the rail. This channeland the railform one component. The wheelis wider than the channelwhich is open at the top. The wheelrolls, on the mouth side of the channelwhich is open at the top, over laterally outwardly oriented and horizontally oriented flanges,, which form the contact surface for the wheel. Inner and outer guide bars,which project upwards in the plane of the image are arranged on the flanges,for the lateral guidance of the wheel. The shore-based coupling unithas multiple consecutive wheels per track in the track direction, such that the coupling unitis movable only in the longitudinal direction of the track.

shows the position of a sectional plane I-I, which illustrates the direction of view of. The power supply lineis connected at a connection pointto a shore-based end. A second connection pointis provided for the second power supply line(). The connection points,are located below the channels,, as can be seen in. The two power supply lines,are routed, starting from their connection point-side ends,coming from below through a line diverter. The line diverterhas rounded cheeks on the top side, such that the power supply lines,can be moved to the left and right in the image plane ofwith a large bending radius without kinking.

According to the illustration of, the shore-based coupling unitcan be moved in the direction of the arrowalong the quay walluntil an end position is reached. The power supply lines,are placed in channels,so as to be protected. If another ship which has moored in the image plane of, to the right of the connection point,, is to be supplied with power, the shore-based coupling unitcan be moved in the opposite direction, that is to say in the direction of the arrowof. The shore-based connection point is then located on the left in the image plane of. In this case, too, the power supply lines,can be routed so as to be protected in the channels,which are open at the top. The mooring apparatusescan be traversed by the travelling mechanismand the platformof the shore-based coupling unitdue to the adapted large ground clearance, as can be seen in.

show additional protective apparatuses for protecting the railand channels,arranged on the waterway side and for protecting the connection points,. The protective apparatuses include an impact protection system. Several of the impact protection systemsare arranged at a distance from one another along the quay wall. They are essentially configured in an L-shaped manner, as can be seen from the sectional illustration of. They engage under the railsand the connection points,towards the water level of the waterway and have a vertically upwardly projecting limb, which overhangs the railsand connection points in the upward direction. The vertical limbmay be offset at its upper end towards the shore in order to improve the protective effect. The vertical limbextends at a horizontal distance Afrom the centre railor the connection points,in order to create a sufficient crumple zone of at least 250 mm, even in the event of an accident.