The domestically produced full-ocean-depth geological winch system successfully completed its first deep-sea survey mission

Image: Full-ocean-depth geological winch system
 

The "13th Five-Year Plan" national key research and development plan project of the Ministry of Science and Technology, "Research and Development of a Full-Ocean-Depth Geological Winch System," undertaken jointly by Dalian Maritime University and Nantong Liwei Machinery Co., Ltd., recently completed its first deep-sea survey mission in international waters aboard the "Xiangyang Hong 06" vessel of the Natural Resources Ministry's Beihai Bureau.

All core components of the winch system are domestically produced. During this voyage, geological sampling operations reached a water depth of 7762 meters, and the biological trawl cable length reached more than 11,000 meters. Samples were obtained from multiple stations, fully verifying the operational capabilities of the domestically produced deep-sea winch system.

Research vessels, as the basic carriers for marine investigation and research, represent a nation's comprehensive national strength. Deep-sea geological winch systems are used for the deployment and recovery of deep-sea geological sampling instruments and are essential equipment for oceanographic research vessels. Currently, almost all geological winch systems used on domestic deep-sea research vessels are imported from developed countries such as Norway, which has restricted the development of supporting equipment for China's research vessels. The project was undertaken by Dalian Maritime University, Nantong Liwei Machinery Co., Ltd., and other units undertook the national key research and development plan, "Key Technologies and Equipment for Deep Sea," key project, "Research and Development of a Full-Ocean-Depth Geological Winch System" The full-ocean-depth geological winch system developed by the project achieved 100% domestic production of key core components.
 

Geological Winch System for Deep-Sea Research Vessels
 

Almost entirely imported, urgently in need of domestic production

Project leader, Professor Li Wenhua, Dalian Maritime University, School of Marine Engineering introduced that the geological winch system is used on research vessels for geological sampling, seabed biological trawl sampling, and instrument deployment, and is indispensable equipment in the process of deep-sea resource exploration and development. As marine scientific research gradually moves from nearshore to the open ocean, the operating depth of research vessels is also becoming increasingly deeper, and the corresponding cables of the geological winch system are becoming longer, with a drum capacity exceeding 13,000 meters. This places more stringent requirements on the high-load traction winch, cable laying mechanism, and cable release and control system of the deep-sea geological winch system.

However, almost all geological winch systems used on domestic deep-sea research vessels are imported from developed countries such as Norway, so it is urgently necessary to carry out independent research and development of domestically produced full-ocean-depth geological winch systems, to provide technological support for China's deep-sea resource development and utilization, and the construction of a strong transportation and maritime nation.

In August 2018, recommended by the Ministry of Transport, the national key research and development plan project "Key Technologies and Equipment for Deep Sea," key project "Research and Development of a Full-Ocean-Depth Geological Winch System," led by Nantong Liwei Machinery Co., Ltd., was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The project has a total of 6 sub-projects with a total budget of 20.63 million yuan. Professor Li Wenhua's team from Dalian Maritime University participated in the research work of this project. Relying on the Ministry of Science and Technology's "International Joint Research Center for Underwater Engineering Technology and Equipment," the Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Ship Electromechanical Integration, and the Dalian Municipal Engineering Technology Research Center for Marine Equipment, as well as the existing technological foundation of Nantong Liwei Machinery Co., Ltd., they jointly carried out technological breakthroughs with the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation No. 708 Research Institute, Harbin Engineering University, China Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Corporation No. 710 Research Institute, Shanghai Rainbowfish Ocean Technology Co., Ltd., Jully Rigging Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Sishi Rope Industry Co., Ltd.

Overcoming core technologies mastered by only a few countries
Fully achieving independent control
 

Professor Li Wenhua introduced that the project addresses problems such as excessive self-weight of traditional steel cables in deep-sea scientific research operations, cable wear and tear, and cable tangling in large-capacity cable laying and carried out research on the domestic production of full-ocean-depth geological winch systems, breaking through the structural design and optimization technology of full-ocean-depth geological winch systems, high-performance high-load traction winch tension reduction technology, rapid compensation response technology of cable slack compensators, adaptive multi-redundancy precise control technology of cable laying devices, and high-precision system integrated intelligent control technology.

"The winch system we have developed has a maximum operating water depth of 11,000 meters and can carry out geological sampling operations at the maximum depth of all sea areas worldwide. The overall system domestication rate is ≥95%, and the key core component domestication rate is 100%. We have overcome core technologies mastered by only a few countries and achieved complete independent control. Professor Li Wenhua said. The performance and technical indicators of this geological winch system have fully met and partially exceeded the level of similar mainstream foreign products, becoming the first full-ocean-depth geological winch system in China with dual certification from the China Classification Society (CCS) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and the first 13,000-meter seamless synthetic fiber cable in China. The system has successfully passed the on-land joint commissioning test in the workshop.

The project team covers all aspects
Forming an industry-academia-research innovation and development model

 

"Our project team covers all aspects of the research and development of the full-ocean-depth geological winch system, forming an industry-academia-research innovation and development model. The research results of the project will have broad application prospects on the many research vessels urgently needed in China. This is crucial for improving China's deep-sea engineering equipment technology level and building a professional, efficient, intelligent, and green marine scientific research equipment system for all sea areas, all water depths, and all weather conditions in China. Professor Li Wenhua said that the project is led by enterprises, and the participating units have unique advantages in the research fields of shipbuilding and ocean engineering, mechanical engineering, etc., possessing a complete engineering design, testing, guarantee, and quality management system for various types of ocean winches, as well as rich experience in scientific research vessel design, sea trials, and operations.

The full-ocean-depth winch system developed by the project team has been installed on the "Xiangyanghong 06" vessel belonging to the North Sea Bureau of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The next step will be to carry out practical operation application of the deep-sea scientific research winch system and 11000-meter full-ocean-depth sea trials to form an "industry-academia-research-application" innovative R&D model, providing reliable support for China's marine scientific research cause to "go to the ocean, go to the deep sea, and go to the polar regions".