Author Topic: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. No more off shore for me.  (Read 60891 times)

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Offline Supersi

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2014, 10:01:33 PM »
Love it Dave, thanks for taking the time to post. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Offline Frostd

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2014, 10:05:50 PM »
Thanks Dave. Its a great read and very interesting. Look forward to the rest. ;)

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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #27 on: August 20, 2014, 02:47:51 AM »
Just a question is that the boat that was of WA looking for the lost aeroplane earlier this year?

No, looks similar but not so. That vessel is a multipurpose type and I think is capable of deep southern ocean work which gives it a level of tolerance for ice.
The vessel I am on there are 4 sister ships that I know of, 1 has the same diving set up on it which this company owns also.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #28 on: August 20, 2014, 03:05:18 AM »
Grabbed some pics this morning after shift.
Here is my Cabin.




1 of the many hall ways. Note the bag on the door, that is the cleaned laundry being returned, yep, we just drop the bag with dirty laundry out side the door and it is returned clean for when we wake up.


Shall get the diver pics today I hope.

The cost for this vessel is about US$ 200,000 per day. Plus fuel, gas and food.
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Offline speewa158

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #29 on: August 20, 2014, 07:37:58 AM »
Thanks for the peep into your world , it all looks strange & confusing . As long as it makes sense to you everything will be good .The technology is brain snapping to be able to have people work in such conditions , & return  :cheers:
You can go your own way . Treg Up & Make Dust

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #30 on: August 20, 2014, 09:32:44 AM »
Thanks Dave great post. I love seeing what other people do for work.

So how long are you out to sea for at a time? Do they fly you in & out of the ship?
Check out our adventures on our blog http://reddirtroaming.blogspot.com.au

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Offline rotare

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #31 on: August 20, 2014, 09:36:18 AM »
Very interesting.  Thanks for sharing.

Offline achjimmy

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #32 on: August 20, 2014, 09:39:54 AM »
Amazing Dave, thanks for posting. never seen anything like it. Although am familiar with the hi torq hydraulic nut runners you are using.
Here for a good time, not a long time!

Jim

Offline Terry W4

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #33 on: August 20, 2014, 09:43:16 AM »
Great thread. Taught me heaps.
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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #34 on: August 20, 2014, 09:55:53 AM »
Thanks for posting Dave.

How did you get into job?

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #35 on: August 20, 2014, 02:21:44 PM »
I got more pics to play with but has proven difficult to get screen grabs. I'll have to get 1 of the wiz kids onto it for me and help out.

I'm working a 6 week rotation, 12 hour days. They pay for the flights (in the back of the plane) and wages door to door.
The project we're working can be shown in scale model, they have onboard a 3d printer and built an exact scale of the sub sea frame the divers are working inside of. The frame is to protect the important pipes and valves from debris, sunken ships etc. Yep, there is a lot of ships that have been lost over the centuries here.

For added measure, so it means something, the clever engineers added an exact scale of a London Double Deck Bus for good measure. The yellow frame has some sections removed from it.n Clever things these 3d printers.



I'll put some more on here later this morning.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2014, 03:49:36 PM by DaveR »
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Offline RallyDog

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #36 on: August 20, 2014, 04:18:04 PM »
Thanks for sharing Dave.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #37 on: August 20, 2014, 04:21:39 PM »
Another installment.
The divers live inside the chambers, here there are 4 chambers.
Everything for the chambers is controlled in the Saturation Control Room, everything the divers need whilst in the chambers must be provided for them as they can't leave the large Tin Can they are in.
Food is sent in via the medical lock,
Shower water is pumped in at a pressure above the storage pressure.
Even the toilet is controled from the outside also.
The pressure they live at is relevant to the depth of water diving work is being done at. Here for example, the divers are living at 38 meters of sea water pressure. This happens to be 3.8 bar (55 psi), the sea bed is about 50 meters of water, = to 5 bar pressure. Most of you have about 33 psi in your tyres. This dive system is designed to have divers working to a depth of 300 meters = 30 bar pressure.
Some simple physics for you, every 10 meters of sea water in depth is conveniently 1 bar of pressure.
The food and drinks are sent into the divers via a special lock, called medical lock. A hatch is opened and then the items are placed inside, all bottles must be opened. The hatch is secured and safety devices fitted, the the lock is pressurised to equal the storage depth inside and then the internal hatch can be opened to retrieve the food etc.
Temperature and humidity is if great concern also, as well as removing carbon dioxide (expired gas we breath out). Here special machines are fitted on the deck below the chambers.


These are called regen units, we have 5 of them.
The gas the divers breath is pumped from the chambers where it is passed through a chemical called soda sorb which removed the carbon dioxide, the 2 x pots shown below are pressure vessels which can be opened to access the cannisters which contain this product. When the product is saturated with the CO2, it is replaced. You will notice 2 pots, 1 is on line at all times.



After the pots is the fan which is an electricaly driven blower, the same as an engines super charger but bigger, and this is inside a pressure vessel.
Following this, the divers gas passes through a set of chilled coils which allows the moisture to condense on the coils and be drained away. This is the same as an Air conditioner when you see the water running out the bottom of it.
Now that the divers gas has been chilled, it needs to be heated to the desired room temperature.
At the top part of this blue frame are the 2 devices which alter the temperatures of the gas.



Inside the ring of bolts shown below is the blower and electric motor, an oil indicator can be seen which is for the blower gears.



Everything which happens for the divers is done with the pressure difference in mind. Showers, the water is pumped in, the shower water lies in the bilge and then a series of 3 x valves are opened both inside and out and the chamber pressure then pushes the water out.
Toilet, the same thing goes for this, but with additional safety measures, 1st important 1 (which the ladies will like  ;D) is that nothing can happen until the lid is down. This is so no one is sitting on it when flushed as ...... well, Ummm, it is not nice and death will be the result.

To be continued......
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #38 on: August 20, 2014, 04:46:23 PM »
When it all goes wrong.
Actually, if it goes wrong.
WE HOPE NOT!!!

All of us on the ship can get of, jump into 1 of many life rafts, or climb into a life boat.
This pic shows the 2 life boats for all crew at the top towards the bow.



But, the divers don't have such freedoms, they require a special life boat which has a chamber.
The above photo shows a larger life boat in the center of the ship, this is for the divers. The other side of the ship has the same life boats in the same positions.



The Life boat for the divers can each take all 18 divers inside. they enter by following a special trunking, get inside and close the hatch. The pressure is removed from the trunk and the life boat can be lifted of the ship and driven away.
The divers inside the chamber still require support, so a crew of 4 rides in the life boat also, to operate the life boat and its many functions.
The life boat is self sufficient for 72 hours, this can be extended if the need for self propulsion is removed, being towed by another vessel reduces fuel cosumption.
Inside the life boat is a generator and the main propulsion engine. There is a system to maintain the temperature and humidity with an independent back up as well. In addition are the gasses required, food and water for us all.
In my position, and depending on my shift at the time, I ride in the Hyperbaric life boat to assist.
Here is what it looks like inside for the divers.



Imagine being 1 of 18 excited blokes climbing in here in a hurry???
In the middle on the floor is the hatch where they climb in, at the far end is the toilet, and to the right is the medical lock which food water etc can be passed inside.

More to come.....
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Offline Steffo1

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #39 on: August 20, 2014, 05:09:00 PM »
Thoroughly enjoying this Dave although, the missus did raise the issue of me getting a job with you for 6 weeks away! I don't know why ???
Thanks for the story
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Offline raider

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #40 on: August 20, 2014, 05:10:29 PM »
Great thread Dave. I would assume the divers are on good coin but does that job have a high turnover ( of divers ). i wonder whether breathing and living in the those conditions ultimately is bad for your health (and sanity) or do you get in , make some dollars and then get out and do some " normal " diving work - what ever that is .
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #41 on: August 20, 2014, 05:26:36 PM »
Now for some diver action.
I took these pics of the monitors whilst the divers are working.
The pic shows 3 x monitors, the top is for the bell internal camera, it is at the top of the bell inside and looks down.
At the lower end of the bell is the hatch which opens when the bell reaches the depth required and the pressures from the outside and inside become equal.
When open, the divers put on the helmet and pass through the hatch into the water.
The middel and lower monitors show what the diver sees.



The monitor in the middle above shows the pipe flange they are assembling, you can see the 2 halves and the holes where the bolts must pass.
Remember, each of these bolts weigh 50 kilo's, 1 guys is grabbing them out of a basket, walking over to the pipe and fitting them.



The divers umbilical, this is how the breathing gas is supplied, another gas from a gauged called pneumo which measures the water pressure where the diver is and therefore the supervisor knows the exact depth. Also there is the hot water supply for the suit as it is very cold on the sea bed here in the nth sea. A special cable has the hat light, round robin communications, and camera wires in it. The last hose is the gas reclaim hose, we recover the divers breathing gas because most of it is helium and we want to reuse it.



This last pic is of the other bell, I had just finished opperating the launch system and the divers are getting ready to go to work for their shift.
The top monitor shows the 1st diver getting dressed in by the bellman, the helmet is being placed on his head.
The middle monitor is that helmet, so the vision shown is of the bell looking up inside.

The diver shifts.
There is 4 x 12 hour shifts per day, 1st 00:00 to 12:00, 2nd 06:00 to 18:00, 3rd 12:00 to 00:00, and the 4th is 18:00 to 06:00, my shift.
The divers are structured so that we have 2 divers in the water to covers 24 hours of the day.
1st team goes in the water up till the end of the in water shift which is at 09:00, by then the 2nd team is all ready down in the other bell and the 1st diver goes out to the job which allows the 1st diver of the 1st team to return to the other bell.
This leaves 1 diver from team 1 to show what is going on to the diver from team 2.
As the 2nd diver from team 2 locks out, the 2nd diver from team 1 goes back to the bell and they shut the hatch and are raised to the vessel and locked on.
This routine goes on all day for all 4 teams. They go for a swim at the same time each day.

Here is the view out the window from where I operate the launch controls. The bell trolleying over can be seen and the clamp that it locks onto can be seen to the right.



Now it is time for my bunk.
Shall find more interesting things tonight.
Cheers
Dave
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Offline chetty

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #42 on: August 20, 2014, 05:53:25 PM »
Thanks Dave that's really good of you to give us tour of something that we would never normally get a chance to see.

Its very cool!!

Offline oldmate

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #43 on: August 20, 2014, 06:03:28 PM »
Thanks again dave very cool, and i guess thank to your employer, I know a lot of these situations don't let the staff take photos and share.
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Offline Bad Scott

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #44 on: August 20, 2014, 06:07:07 PM »
This is awesome. Very interesting read Dave, keep it up :cheers:
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Offline db

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #45 on: August 20, 2014, 06:38:01 PM »
Fantastic insight, thanks Dave
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Offline Nay-DMAX

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #46 on: August 20, 2014, 07:03:56 PM »
Dave thanks so much for sharing that info with us and the pics are fantastic, so is your rotation six weeks on the ship and then how many off the ship? Have you ever been a diver and then went into the role you have now? I can imagine it takes a lot to keep it all going. Thanks again

Offline Azz

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #47 on: August 20, 2014, 07:38:22 PM »
WOW, thanks for sharing this with us all. Totally amazing  :cheers:

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #48 on: August 20, 2014, 09:18:40 PM »
Amazing...  Thanks for taking the time to edumacate us land locked people
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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #49 on: August 20, 2014, 10:03:35 PM »
Brilliant post.
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