Zhang Yujie brought together equipment installation engineers and divers, as well as representatives from pushing machine manufacturers several times to discuss how to make the entire installation process foolproof.
After several rounds of discussions and repeated discussions, the engineers deduced a method that can smoothly install the thruster according to the thruster installation regulations. They installed an identical sleeve pointing device on the thruster and then determined an installation position at the bottom of the buoy.
Point.
In this way, no matter how the propeller changes underwater, engineers and divers have the same pointing standard.
Subsequently, the two parties conducted multiple drills on land and even made a one-to-one model to familiarize themselves with the entire installation process.
However, the underwater situation is unpredictable. Although the Blue Whale is currently docked at the dock and the hydrological conditions are pretty good, there are also some shortcomings, such as underwater visibility, water flow from passing ships, etc.
It is an unfavorable factor that interferes with the work of divers.
As the first thruster was slowly raised, the installation work began.
Underwater work itself is an extremely dangerous thing, and it is even more difficult to install the propeller in such detail. Everything must be done carefully.
Feng Tianxi began to wear a fully enclosed diving suit, which is extremely important for the safety of divers. Shore life support personnel also began various tests. A series of equipment such as oxygen, lifeline, lights, communications, etc. all need to be strictly inspected.
After all the preparations were completed, Feng Tianxi confirmed with the engineers the location of the thrusters that needed to be installed, and then jumped into the sea without hesitation.
Although the diving suit has good thermal insulation properties, it still gave him a shiver. As a series of bubbles emerged on the sea surface, everyone was nervously listening to the sound coming from the communicator. Feng Tianxi's breathing was very clear.
Let everyone breathe a little sigh of relief.
"I have entered the bottom of the ship and am looking for an installation location!" Feng Tianxi turned on the light on the mask and slowly sneaked under the Blue Whale.
On the dock, there is also a young diver who is also ready. He is Feng Tianxi’s partner Wang Dang. The two have been working together for two or three years, and they work together quite well. This is a tacit understanding for underwater work.
An extremely important guarantee.
Wang Dang waited quietly for Feng Tianxi to send him a signal. Next to him was an underwater monitor, which could be used to transmit real-time images to the shore and provide them to Zhang Yujie and others to guide the installation work.
After a few minutes, a voice came from Wang Dang's earphones.
"Wang Dang, I have arrived at the scheduled location, you can come down!"
Feng Tianxi's movements were still very fast, and Wang Dang immediately jumped into the sea water. Under the dim sea water, he could hardly see very far. He could only vaguely see the light in the distance, which was the light emitted by Feng Tianxi.
Wang Dang dragged the underwater monitor and swam quickly in the direction of the light, and soon met Feng Tianxi.
Feng Tianxi pointed above him, and Wang Dang looked up. There was a huge pontoon above, with a mechanism for installing propellers at a predetermined position.
Their work is simple to say, they just need to accurately place the thruster into the reserved installation position.
This is the point that is very difficult!
Feng Tianxi warned Wang Dang again: "The first thruster installed today is located here. When the thruster comes, you have to be careful and don't accidentally injure it!"
Wang Dang also knew that the thruster installed today was huge and had to be treated with caution. Once it was bumped into, it would not be on land, it would definitely be a matter of life and death.
On the pier, the crane lifting the thruster moved slowly and sent the thruster into the water. Two divers jumped into the water one after another. They were responsible for delivering the thruster to Feng Tianxi and Wang Dang's location.
The huge propeller moved slowly in the water. Feng Tianxi carefully took the propeller and prepared to send it to the installation position at the bottom of the pontoon.
Wang Dang held the underwater monitor tightly in his hand and transmitted the underwater situation to the shore. Engineers from the installation department used the monitor to guide Feng Tianxi and the others on how to install it.
"The entire thruster moves twenty-three centimeters parallel to the right side of the mark!" Feng Tianxi's sight was blocked by the huge thruster, and he could only rely on the commands conveyed by the engineer to achieve precise positioning.
After several small movements, dozens of huge bolts can be seen within the range of the underwater lighting. These are the guarantee for the installation of the thruster.
The propeller was ready to be put in place, and the installation began immediately. Above Feng Tianxi and the others, inside the pontoon, there were a group of engineers from the installation department. They carefully followed the installation manual step by step.
Working underwater is extremely physically demanding. Every time you perform an action, you need to take a short break to ensure that your strength is as stable as possible.
"Xiao Feng, don't be anxious. Time is not a problem. You can't do it twice once. You must maintain accuracy!" Zhang Yujie told Feng Tianxi in front of the monitor.
"I understand!" Feng Tianxi replied.
Feng Tianxi stared closely at the indicator mark on the thruster, and the engineer's brief and clear instructions kept coming to his ears.
"The indicator moves two degrees clockwise!"
"The propeller sank three centimeters!"
Then move the direction and position of the thruster bit by bit according to the engineer's instructions.
When necessary, he even took out a steel ruler to measure whether the position of the thruster was accurate, because this was a necessary condition for the installation of the thruster, and it had to be foolproof and accurate.
Divers, cabin engineers, and shore engineers can only rely on communication systems and monitors to cooperate with each other. Fortunately, with dozens of previous drills, everyone is familiar with the installation steps and carefully compares them.
manual, install the propeller in place.
After the first thruster was installed, Feng Tianxi and Wang Dang were already exhausted. When they surfaced from the bottom of the sea, several divers immediately jumped from the pier and fished them out of the sea.
Feng Tianxi took off his diving suit, then lay on his back in the equipment, breathing heavily. Wang Dang was not much better, lying beside him tiredly.
Zhang Yujie came over at this time. When the two of them saw this, they were about to get up. Zhang Yujie immediately reached out to stop him, "No, no, you guys have a rest first. According to the preliminary inspection by the engineer in the cabin, the accuracy of your installation this time has reached the standard.
Even the thruster manufacturers are surprised that one installation can reach such a level! On behalf of the command headquarters, I would like to express my congratulations and thanks to you!"