Submarine Manufacturing & Products Limited

‘A’ Frame wet bell launch and recovery system (including hydraulic rams)

The Wet Bell System consists of a Base Assembly, ‘H’ Frame, Wet Bell, Clump Weight, ‘H’ Frame Hydraulic Rams, Main Bell Winch and Guidewire Winch.

The base assembly is mainly constructed of box and ‘H’ section steel with two winch positions.  One winch position is for the clump-weight winch that acts as the guide weight and secondary means of recovery for the wet bell.  This is situated at the front right hand side of the guide base.  Positioned approximately central on the guide base is the location point for the main wet bell winch, which allows easy access from all sides of the guide base.

There are two main pivot points for the ‘H’ Frame situated towards the front of the base this will be supported by two Hydraulic Rams for positioning the ‘H’ Frame during deployment and recovery.  There are also 4 x lifting eyes situated on the guide base.

The base assembly will be fitted with 2 x vertical upright stops so that the ‘H’ frame can be secured in the fully retracted position for transit purposes.

The ‘H’ Frame is constructed of box sectional steel with one horizontal cross member with a central location point for the main lift wire and two pad eyes for the clump weight sheaves.

Bell Winch

3.0Te SWL certified winch complete with 150m of 20mm diameter non rotating, galv. wire rope.  Grooved drum and twin motor to comply with IMCA 

Guidewire Winch

As wet bell winch but with 216m of 14mm diameter non rotating galv. wire rope and will comply with IMCA

 Hydraulic Umbilical Power Sheave

This will consist of a fabricated umbilical sheave capable of assisting with the deployment and recovery of the umbilical during the operation of the wet bell.  The sheave will be approx 630mm diameter hung from an independent pad eye on the top of the ‘H’ Frame.  This power sheave will be hydraulically driven by a Hydraulic motor with the controls for the motor located by the main control consol for the main bell winch

Wet Bell

 The wet bell is designed to accommodate 3 divers as follows.  The wet bell will be configured with an acrylic dome mounted on a strong tubular frame connecting to the base plate.  At each corner of the wet bell there will be a 50 ltr high pressure emergency gas storage cylinder.  In total there will be 4 installed on the wet bell; each pair of cylinders will be independently piped and manifolded internally to the wet bell system.  These cylinders will act as the emergency supply for all divers and the bell.  This manifold will allow for the pressurization of the dome.  The dome will also incorporate a bull horn speaker for communications between divers. 

The wet bell will also incorporate umbilical hangers for the divers’ excursion umbilicals.

A hot water distribution manifold will be installed in the wet bell along with a hot water dump valve. 

4 underwater lights will be attached to the wet bell.

A secondary emergency lift point will be attached to the wet bell in the event of an emergency recovery.

The wet bell structure will be fitted with quick acting stainless steel guide clamps to release the guidewire system.

Clump Weight

The clump weight is of a heavy-duty steel construction with two sheave rollers at each end and an enclosed channel through the middle. This allows for the wire from the clump weight winch to be routed through a snatch box on the ‘H’ frame, down through the wet bell location points and, down through the clump weight assembly via the sheave rollers, and up through the wet bell and fixed at a fixed point on the ‘H’ frame. 

The clump weight will also act as a secondary means of recovery if the primary source fails. The clump weight will also act as a stabiliser in the event that the wet bell system is used in tidal condition

HPU

The hydraulic powerpack will be situated close to the wet bell system and the powerpack will consist of the following. 

• Main pressurized compensation piston pump and motor
• Secondary fixed place pump and motor
• Twin hydraulic reservoirs
• Sight glass and oil level switch
• Oil filter system
• High temperature cut out

The power pack will be designed so that it has twin independent hydraulic circuits.

Hydraulic Control Console

Mounted on the base assembly will be a hydraulic control point which will allow control of the following services:-

• Deployment and recovery of the main wet bell via the main bell winch
• Deployment and recovery of the clump weight via the clump weight winch
• The movement of the ‘H’ frame from the fully inboard position to the fully outboard position
• Control of the umbilical power sheaves for deployment and recovery during wet bell operations

Diver Mixed Gas Diving & Bell Control Panel

This panel is designed for controlling and monitoring 3 working divers at different depth and breathing different gas mixes.          

The panel accommodates 4 different HP diving gases, plus 4 x HP air supplies, primary supply and / or emergency back-up supply.  There is also a crossover valve in order to allow air/mixed gas to pass from Diver 1, 2 and 3 to wet bell, if required and vice versa. 

The depth gauges are 0-100 metres (330 feet) dual scale, mirror dial, 0.25% accuracy.

Pressure indicating gauges are provided for all inlet / outlet of all mixed gas and HP air supplies.

The panel is fitted with HP/LP regulators for the control of all mixed gas and HP air supplies.

The panel is built into an aluminum case for easy mounting inside a dive control space.  All pipe-work will be Tungum and the fittings brass / stainless steel.   

The panel is supplied fully certified, calibrated and complete with supporting documentation.

The panel is CE certified and designed to meet HSE and IMCA requirements.

The main components of the diver wetbell launch and recovery system are as follows:

•  Base Skid
•  ‘A’ Frame
•  ‘A’ Frame Hydraulic Luffing Cylinders
•  Wet Bell (2/3 Diver)
•  Wet Bell Manriding Winch
•  Clump Weight
•  Clump Weight Manriding Winch
•  Hydraulic Power Unit
•  Wet Bell Main Umbilical
•  Main Umbilical Hydraulic Power Sheave

The technical specification for the diver wetbell launch and recovery system is as follows:

Depth Capability: 75 mtrs Standard (100 mtrs optional)

Design: Lloyds Register Rules for lifting in Marine Environments

Certification: IMCA DO23 Design & IMCA DO18

Basket / Cage Cylinders: 4 x 50 Litre @ 300 Bar

Length: 4258 mm

Width: 2238 mm (Standard Container Width)

Height: 4181mm Extended 2600mm Retracted (Folded)

Weight: 6400 kgs HPU Not Included

30 kW HPU Electrical Requirements: 380-440 V 3PH 50/60 Hz

Oil Capacity: 2 x 200 Litre (Per Twin Tank)

Oil Delivery: 90 litres / min @ 1450 RPM max

Hydraulic Oil Cooling: 2 x Tube and Shell Seawater Oil Coolers

Hydraulic Working Pressure: 100 Bar

Wet Bell Main Lift Wire: 18 mm Dia Anti Rotational

Clump Weight Wire: 13 mm Dia Anti Rotational