Anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure

Abstract

The application provides an anti-ice self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure, which comprises a floating structure unit and a photovoltaic array arranged above the floating structure unit; the floating structure unit comprises a floating foundation and a truss structure, and an anchoring system flexibly connecting the floating structure unit and a mud surface of the seabed; a supporting leg part is arranged at the bottom of the truss structure, and the supporting leg part is connected with the upper part of the floating foundation, so that an external part surrounded by the floating foundation forms an anti-ice space, and the cross-sectional area of the top of the floating foundation is larger than the cross-sectional area of the bottom submerged in the sea; the floating offshore photovoltaic structure provided by the application has the characteristics of strong anti-wind and anti-wave and anti-ice capabilities in severe sea conditions, and has the bottom sitting capability, so as to be suitable for shallow water areas with large tidal range and easy beach sitting, improve the reliability of the structure, ensure the stability of the structure movement, and further reduce the risk.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine photovoltaic power generation technology, specifically to an ice-resistant, self-climbing, floating marine photovoltaic structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of my country's photovoltaic industry, both onshore and offshore photovoltaic (lakes, reservoirs, rivers, shoals, bays, etc.) industries are becoming increasingly mature. Large-scale onshore photovoltaic power plants require a large amount of land, while offshore photovoltaic, which occupies less land, has emerged as a new form of photovoltaic power plant and has received widespread attention from the industry in recent years. Furthermore, the sea offers a much larger water surface area compared to lakes and reservoirs, making offshore photovoltaic a promising sector for development.

[0003] Floating photovoltaic (PV) systems are divided into floating PV and piling PV. When the water is deep, the water level fluctuates greatly, or the underwater geology is unstable, the construction and maintenance costs of piling PV systems increase dramatically, making floating PV systems more advantageous. Currently, the construction of floating PV power stations is mainly concentrated in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and bays protected by breakwaters. Their floating structures are made of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) through blow molding. The floating bodies have shallow drafts and freeboard bottoms. To prevent waves from impacting the PV modules, they are only suitable for sea areas with wave heights less than 1 meter. However, the floating material is weak and cannot withstand the effects of floating ice.

[0004] Therefore, traditional HDPE floating photovoltaic structures have limited applicability in various marine environments and cannot withstand harsh sea conditions caused by changing winds and waves, especially in areas with sea ice. To ensure the safety and mitigate the risks associated with photovoltaic structures operating at sea, it is crucial to develop a simple and reliable floating marine photovoltaic structure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a floating marine photovoltaic structure that is suitable for various sea conditions and has the ability to resist wind, waves and ice.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] An ice-resistant, self-climbing floating marine photovoltaic structure includes a floating structural unit and a photovoltaic array arranged above the floating structural unit. The floating structural unit includes a floating foundation and a truss structure, as well as an anchoring system that flexibly connects the floating structural unit to the seabed. The truss structure has a support leg at its bottom, which is connected to the upper part of the floating foundation, forming an ice-resistant space around the floating foundation. The cross-sectional area of ​​the top of the floating foundation is larger than that of its bottom, creating a smooth transition ice-climbing section on the outer surface between the top and bottom of the floating foundation. The bottom of the floating foundation forms an ice-resistant section that cooperates with the ice-climbing section.

[0008] Furthermore: the outer surface of the floating foundation is surrounded by an outer plate, and the top and bottom of the floating foundation are respectively provided with a top plate and a bottom plate, and the interior of the floating foundation is enclosed by connecting the outer plate with the top plate and the bottom plate.

[0009] Furthermore, a supporting frame is provided within the floating foundation.

[0010] Furthermore, the truss structure on which the upper structure of the photovoltaic array is arranged has an inclination angle.

[0011] Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the top of the support portion of the truss structure is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​its bottom, so that the outer surface between the top and bottom of the support portion can cooperate with the ice-climbing part to form a transitional extended ice-driving part.

[0012] Furthermore: a frame portion is provided at the junction of the truss structure and the photovoltaic array; several cables are laid and connected within the frame portion, as well as connecting buckles that engage with the cables; the connecting buckles are connected to the bottom of the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic array, and adjacent cables, in conjunction with the connecting buckles, form a support structure for the photovoltaic panels.

[0013] Furthermore, a bracket is connected between the connecting buckles on adjacent cables.

[0014] Furthermore, the floating structural unit is suitable for shallow waters with large tidal ranges and easy beaching; the bottom of the floating foundation is flat, allowing it to sit on the beach.

[0015] Furthermore, multiple floating structural units can be arranged in an independent anchoring arrangement or in a connected array anchoring arrangement in the target sea area.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] (i) The floating marine photovoltaic structure provided by this invention has the characteristics of strong resistance to wind, waves and ice in harsh sea conditions, and also has the ability to sit on the bottom, making it suitable for shallow waters with large tidal ranges that are prone to beaching. It improves the reliability of the structure while ensuring the stability of the structure's movement and further reduces the risk. At the same time, under service conditions, the overall structure has a small load-bearing area and a strong ability to resist the loads of wind, waves and currents in the marine environment.

[0018] (ii) This invention optimizes the structural size, weight and arrangement of photovoltaic modules by using a lightweight steel truss structure as the upper structure, while ensuring the installation of photovoltaic modules and based on the utilization area of ​​the steel truss structure, thereby reducing construction costs, saving sea area, and further increasing economic efficiency.

[0019] (iii) The floating marine photovoltaic structure of the present invention has a variety of flexible arrangement methods according to the power generation scale and space of the marine photovoltaic field. By flexibly combining the floating marine photovoltaic structure into a variety of photovoltaic arrays, and by flexibly arranging the mooring system according to the photovoltaic array, the optimal photovoltaic power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic array can be maintained.

[0020] (iv) The elastic cable mooring system of the present invention makes the floating foundation suitable for shallow waters with large tidal ranges, ensuring the safety and reliability of shallow water mooring and anchoring systems.

[0021] (v) The large-span truss structure of the present invention reduces the overall weight of the truss structure, thereby improving the efficiency of offshore construction and reducing the cost and risk of offshore construction operations. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the floating structural unit of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the external and internal structure of the floating foundation of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the truss structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the photovoltaic panel and the cable of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bracket in this invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the anti-icing principle of the floating structural unit of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the towing of the floating structural unit of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the floating structural units of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 For the present invention Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the connector structure in the middle arrangement (II).

[0031] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: floating structural unit a, floating foundation 1, outer plate 11, support frame 12, cable connection point 13, truss structure 2, cable 21, bracket 22, connecting buckle 23, foot part 24, anchor cable 3, anchor point foundation 4, photovoltaic array 5, photovoltaic panel 51, connector 6, ball joint support 61, connecting rod 62, connecting spring 63, connecting cable 7. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but this should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0033] like Figure 1-9 As shown, an ice-resistant self-climbing floating marine photovoltaic structure includes a floating structural unit a and a photovoltaic array 5 arranged above the floating structural unit a. The floating structural unit a includes a floating foundation 1 and a truss structure 2, as well as an anchoring system that flexibly connects the floating structural unit a to the seabed mud surface. The truss structure 2 has a support leg 24 at its bottom, and the support leg 24 is connected to the upper part of the floating foundation 1, so that the exterior enclosed by the floating foundation 1 forms an ice-resistant space. The cross-sectional area of ​​the top of the floating foundation 1 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​its bottom, so that the outer surface between the top and bottom of the floating foundation 1 forms a smooth transition ice-climbing section. The bottom of the floating foundation 1 forms an ice-resistant section that cooperates with the ice-climbing section above it.

[0034] In this embodiment, there are four floating foundations 1 and four corresponding support legs 24. The truss structure 2 is rectangular in shape, and the support legs 24 are located at the end points of the truss structure 2. The support legs 24 are erected vertically above the floating foundation 1 along the center of the floating foundation 1.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the top of the truss structure 2 leg portion 24 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​its bottom, so that the outer surface between the top and bottom of the leg portion 24 can cooperate with the ice climbing part to form a transitional extended ice driving part.

[0036] like Figure 1 and 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the truss structure 2 is a large-span frame structure, which is welded together by multiple small-diameter round steel pipes. The support part 24 is also formed by round steel pipes. The round steel pipes on the support part 24 form a smooth connection with the outer surface of the outer plate 11, which can further enhance the ice resistance of the floating structure unit a.

[0037] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the outer surface of the floating foundation 1 is surrounded by an outer plate 11, and a top plate and a bottom plate are respectively provided at the top and bottom of the floating foundation 1. The outer plate 11 is connected to the top plate and the bottom plate to seal the interior of the floating foundation 1. Both the top plate and the bottom plate are sealing plates, so that the interior of the floating foundation 1 forms a closed space as a floating foundation.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, a support frame 12 is installed inside the floating foundation 1. The support frame 12 internally strengthens the floating foundation 1 so that the floating foundation 1 can withstand the weight of the truss structure 2 and the impact caused by the movement of sea ice with the seawater.

[0039] like Figure 1-2 As shown, in this embodiment, the floating foundation 1 is a frustum-shaped structure, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The outer plate 11 forms a smooth transition in all directions, reducing the force exerted on the sea ice when it comes into contact with it. This results in an angle between the sidewalls of the floating foundation 1 and the sea surface, with the angle ranging from 45 degrees to 70 degrees to ensure good ice resistance. Figure 6 As shown, when in contact with sea ice, the sea ice can slide into the water along the side wall of the outer plate 11. The side of the floating structural unit a that is in contact with the sea ice can be lifted by the sea ice, thereby reducing the force of the sea ice on the floating foundation 1. As the sea ice moves towards the bottom center of the floating structural unit a with the flow of seawater, the part of the sea ice that extends too far will tilt due to contact with the floating foundation 1. At the same time, under the pull of the mooring cable 3 and the action of the floating structural unit a's own weight, the tilted part of the sea ice will be broken off, so as to achieve the effect of the floating structural unit a's self-anti-icing.

[0040] Among them, the floating structural unit a is suitable for shallow waters with large tidal ranges and easy beaching; the bottom of the floating foundation 1 is flat, and in shallow waters with large tidal changes, the floating structural unit a can be made to sit on the beach through the floating foundation 1.

[0041] like Figure 3-5 As shown, a frame section is provided at the junction of the truss structure 2 and the photovoltaic array 5; several cables 21 are laid and connected inside the frame section, and connecting buckles 23 are engaged with the cables 21; the connecting buckles 23 are connected to the bottom of the photovoltaic panel 51 of the photovoltaic array 5, and the adjacent cables 21 and connecting buckles 23 form a support state for the photovoltaic panel 51.

[0042] A bracket 22 connects the connecting clips 23 on adjacent cables 21. Multiple connecting clips 23 are arranged around the bottom perimeter of a single photovoltaic panel 51, ideally providing support points at the four corners of the photovoltaic panel 51. The two ends of the connecting clips 23 on adjacent cables 21 are connected by the brackets 22, ideally with the axial direction of the brackets 22 perpendicular to the axial direction of the cables 21, and a height difference between the brackets 22 and the cables 21.

[0043] like Figure 4-5 As shown, in this embodiment, several cables 21 are arranged and distributed within the frame section, and the spacing between adjacent cables 21 is the distance that allows the bracket 22 to cooperate with the photovoltaic panel 51. If the size and specifications of the photovoltaic panels 51 are consistent, the spacing between the cables 21 is optimal. Furthermore, the cables 21 are elastic cables to ensure sufficient lightweight of the upper structure. Because the frame structure is lightweight and the upper structure has a large usable area, the unfolded dimensions of the truss structure 2 can be flexibly designed according to the individual size and number of photovoltaic panels 51, achieving optimization of the size, weight, and arrangement of the photovoltaic modules 5 of the truss structure 2, thereby reducing construction costs and saving sea area.

[0044] The bracket 22 adopts a C-shaped steel structure. The photovoltaic panel 51 is arranged above the cable 21 by the cooperation between the bracket 22 and the bottom of the photovoltaic panel 51. The connecting buckle 23 is equipped with a first connecting part and a second connecting part that can be detached and fitted together. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are fixedly connected to or separated from the cable 21 by a snap-fit ​​engagement.

[0045] In this embodiment, the cable 21 is pre-tensioned during installation to ensure sufficient rigidity, effectively preventing swaying and wind-induced vibration caused by the movement of the lower floating body. A tension monitoring device and tensioner are installed at the connection point between the cable 21 and the truss structure 2. If low tension is detected during operation and maintenance, maintenance personnel can retighten the cable 21.

[0046] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the upper structure of the truss structure 2, on which the photovoltaic array 5 is mounted, has an inclination angle. Consequently, the photovoltaic panels 51 can be fully installed on the surface of the truss structure 2, avoiding the need to increase the spacing required by traditional photovoltaic panels to avoid shading caused by the inclination angle, thereby increasing the power generation of the photovoltaic array 5.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the mooring system includes an anchor cable 3 and an anchor foundation 4 driven into the seabed mud surface; a splice point 13 for connecting to the anchor cable 3 is provided on the outer plate 11 of the floating foundation 1. The anchor foundation 4 is made of steel pipe piles.

[0048] In this embodiment, the mooring cable 3 uses an elastic cable to provide restoring force for the photovoltaic array 5 under operating conditions. The reserved length of the mooring cable 3 and the elasticity of the elastic cable allow the floating structural unit a to be suitable for shallow waters with large tidal ranges, ensuring the safety and reliability of the mooring system. The elastic cable 3 has sufficient strength to resist ice thrust or cut the ice surface when subjected to sea ice. Appropriate anchoring methods can be flexibly selected based on sea conditions, the floating foundation 1, and the stress on the photovoltaic array 5 formed on the floating foundation 1, including towed anchors, suction anchors, concrete gravity anchors, and pile anchors.

[0049] like Figure 8 As shown, the multiple floating structural units a have various arrangement methods, including independent mooring arrangements in the target sea area and interconnected array mooring arrangements. The specific mooring arrangements are as follows:

[0050] In arrangement method (a), the four anchor points of a single floating structural unit a are arranged separately;

[0051] In arrangement method (II), multiple floating structural units a form an array, and adjacent floating structural units a are connected by connectors 6 or cables 7, and an anchoring system is arranged around the array.

[0052] In arrangement method (iii), a single floating structural unit a is anchored at four points and shares the anchoring foundation 4 with the adjacent units.

[0053] like Figure 8 and 9 As shown, in arrangement (II), the connector 6 between floating structural units a includes a ball joint support 61 and a mating component; the ball joint supports 61 are paired and set at the end portions of adjacent floating structural units a; the ball joint supports 61 on both sides are connected by the mating component; the mating component is a connecting rod 62 or a connecting spring 63. In the form of the ball joint support 61 and the connecting rod 62, the ball joint support 61 ensures the free heave movement between floating structural units a, and the connecting rod 62 ensures the relative distance between floating structural units a; while in the form of the ball joint support 61 and the connecting spring 63, the ball joint support 61 ensures the free heave movement between floating structural units a, while the connecting spring 63 ensures the flexibility of the horizontal movement between floating structural units a.

[0054] Please see Figure 1-9 The specific methods and steps for offshore construction, installation, and operation of floating offshore photovoltaic structures are as follows:

[0055] S1: Construct the floating foundation 1 and truss structure 2 separately and independently on land;

[0056] S2: The anchoring system is constructed in advance in the target sea area, and the connection between the anchoring cable 3 and the anchor buoy on the anchor foundation 4 is completed.

[0057] S3: After construction is completed, the components are first assembled and welded at the dock using a gantry crane. Then, the photovoltaic array 5 on the upper part of the truss structure 2 is installed and debugged. This adopts an onshore overall assembly method, reducing offshore operation time, shortening the construction period, and improving the efficiency of offshore construction operations. The assembled floating structural unit a is then lifted by the gantry crane to the port and placed in the seawater or hoisted onto a deck barge. Alternatively, after assembly in the dry dock, the entire structure can be wet-towed to the offshore construction site by tugboat, eliminating the need to dispatch large barges and cranes, greatly reducing the cost and risk of offshore construction operations. Under wet-towed installation conditions, the overall structure has a large horizontal span and a large restoring moment, exhibiting good stability.

[0058] S4: Transporting to the construction site in the target sea area via deck barge: The towing operation in this embodiment is as follows Figure 7 As shown, at this time, the floating structural unit a is made to float on the water surface by the floating foundation 1, and the floating structural unit a is towed by a tugboat from the port to the offshore work site for on-site construction.

[0059] S5: Construction layout is carried out according to the selected floating structural unit a arrangement. After the floating structural unit a is transported to the installation position, the installation of the floating structural unit a is completed by connecting the cable connection point 13 of the floating structural unit a to the anchoring cable 3 on the anchor buoy.

[0060] S6: The photovoltaic panels 51 are arranged on the frame structure by means of the clips 23, and the installation of the photovoltaic array 5 is completed. Under service conditions, the overall structure has a small load-bearing area and strong ability to resist wind, waves and current loads in the marine environment.

[0061] The above embodiments are merely preferred technical solutions of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or substitutions to the technical solutions or parameters in the embodiments can be made without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice resistant self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure comprising a floating structural unit (a) and a photovoltaic array (5) arranged above said floating structural unit (a); characterized in that: The floating structure unit (a) comprises a floating foundation (1) and a truss structure (2), and an anchoring system flexibly connecting the floating structure unit (a) with a seabed mud surface; The truss structure (2) is provided with four leg portions (24) at the bottom, and the leg portions (24) are connected with the upper portion of the floating foundation (1), so that the outer portion of the floating foundation (1) forms an ice-resistant space; The cross-sectional area of the top of the floating foundation (1) is greater than that of the bottom, so that the outer surface between the top and the bottom of the floating foundation (1) forms a smooth transition ice-climbing portion; The bottom of the floating foundation (1) forms an ice-resistant portion matched with the ice-climbing portion thereon; The cross-sectional area of the top of the leg portion (24) of the truss structure (2) is greater than that of the bottom, so that the outer surface between the top and the bottom of the leg portion (24) forms a transition extended ice-removing portion matched with the ice-climbing portion.

2. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the floating foundation (1) is surrounded by an outer plate (11), and the top and the bottom of the floating foundation (1) are respectively provided with a top plate and a bottom plate, and the interior of the floating foundation (1) is closed by connecting the outer plate (11) with the top plate and the bottom plate.

3. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A support framework (12) is arranged in the floating foundation (1).

4. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper structure of the truss structure (2) on which the photovoltaic array (5) is arranged has an inclination angle.

5. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A frame portion is arranged at the matching position of the truss structure (2) and the photovoltaic array (5); a plurality of cables (21) and a plurality of connecting buckles (23) matched with the cables (21) are arranged in the frame portion; the connecting buckles (23) are connected with the bottom of the photovoltaic panel (51) of the photovoltaic array (5), and adjacent cables (21) form a supporting state of the photovoltaic panel (51) by matching the connecting buckles (23).

6. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting buckles (23) on adjacent cables (21) are connected with a support (22).

7. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The floating structure unit (a) can be applied to a sea area with large tidal range and easy beach sitting; the bottom of the floating foundation (1) is a flat bottom surface, so that it can form a bottom sitting state with a beach.

8. The anti-icing self-climbing floating offshore photovoltaic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of floating structure units (a) can be arranged in a target sea area in an independent anchoring manner or in a connected array anchoring manner.

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