Righting device for floating unit

Abstract

A righting device for righting a floating unit with a plurality of hulls from a capsize in a liquid includes a valve liquid injection unit capable of selectively performing a ballast function by injection of a liquid for each of the hulls, and a liquid displacement unit capable of selectively performing a float function by displacing the injected liquid for each of the hulls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A righting device for a floating unit that rights a floating unit with n hulls (where n is a natural number of 2 or more) from a capsize in a liquid, the righting device comprising:
 a liquid injection unit configured to selectively inject the liquid into the n hulls to selectively cause the n hulls to serve as ballast;   a liquid displacement unit configured to selectively displace the injected liquid from the n hulls to selectively cause the n hulls to serve as a float; and   a control unit configured to, in case of the capsize of the floating unit, control the liquid injection unit to inject the liquid into m hulls (where m is a natural number smaller than n) that are located at a relatively great depth in the liquid out of the n hulls, and when the floating unit is righted from the capsize by injection of the liquid, control the liquid displacement unit to displace the injected liquid from the m hulls.   
     
     
         2 . The righting device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a capsize detection unit configured to detect the capsize of the floating unit; and   a righting detection unit configured to detect righting of the floating unit from the capsize, wherein the control unit controls the liquid injection unit to inject the liquid in response to detection of the capsize by the capsize detection unit, and controls a gas injection unit to inject a gas in response to detection of the righting by the righting detection unit.   
     
     
         3 . The righting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the floating unit is configured as a unit of a tethered wind power generation system that floats on the liquid, the tethered wind power generation system including a kite and a tether whose distal end is attached to the kite and whose proximal end is attached to the floating unit. 
     
     
         4 . A floating unit comprising the righting device according to  claim 1 .