A tensegrity marine platform for offshore wind power generation

Abstract

The present invention discloses a tensegrity marine platform for offshore wind power generation, including tension legs, platform cables, bottom transverse cables, movable platforms, oblique cables, arc-shaped support pipes, central columns, connection nodes, radial cables, top transverse cables, top support rods, top oblique cables and transverse reinforcement cables; its external main frame includes four arc-shaped support pipes, oblique cables connecting the top node with the bottom node of the adjacent rod, and top transverse cables and bottom transverse cables connecting the top and bottom nodes of two adjacent rods respectively; the internal movable platform is connected to the external main frame through the platform cables, and part of the platform's remaining buoyancy is consumed to tighten it and form a tensioning structure. The present invention applies the tensegrity structure to the marine platform, and through a special tensioning structure, the vibration of part of the main tensegrity structure and the movable platform is offset, so that the platform is more stable when encountering wind and waves, and the problem that the traditional tension leg platform is easy to resonate with the wave frequency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of marine platforms, in particular to a tensile integral marine platform for offshore wind power generation. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing popularity of the concept of "carbon neutrality", the importance of clean energy such as wind energy and solar energy has become obvious. Compared with land-based wind energy and solar energy, the ocean has more abundant wind resources and more favorable lighting conditions. Although offshore wind power has been initially put into use, the harsh marine environment still poses insurmountable challenges to its structure. Most offshore wind power uses a tension leg platform with three tension legs. It has good movement performance and can flexibly change the operating sea area. Its morphological structure greatly reduces the cost and is widely used in my country's offshore areas. However, while its special tensioning structure brings many advantages, it also reduces the platform's carrying capacity. It is more likely to resonate with the wave frequency in a harsh environment, causing the platform to become unstable.

[0003] In the related art, Chinese patent application number CN102865198B discloses a floating foundation for an offshore wind turbine, including at least one floating foundation unit, the floating foundation unit includes a tower, a wind turbine, a plurality of buoys, a connecting rod, a square support, a first support rod and a second support rod, the wind turbine is installed at the upper end of the tower, a plurality of buoys are evenly distributed around the tower, the lower ends of adjacent buoys are fixedly connected by square supports, and the upper ends are fixedly connected by connecting rods; the upper end of the buoy is fixedly connected to the middle of the tower through the first support rod, and the square support fixed to the lower end of the buoy is fixedly connected to the lower end of the tower through the second support rod; the square support is located below the surface of the seawater, and the lower end of the buoy is fixedly connected to the seabed. The shortcoming of the related art is that the support rod is only added to increase the stability of the wind turbine, and the stability of the floating foundation itself is not fundamentally changed.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new tensegrity marine platform for offshore wind power generation to solve the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tensegrity marine platform for offshore wind power generation, which reduces the amount of steel used by utilizing a tensegrity structure combining rods and cables, and improves the vibration frequency of the tension leg platform by utilizing the tensegrity structure.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a tensegrity marine platform for offshore wind power generation. The tensegrity structure is used to divide the main tensegrity structure and the movable platform into two mutually influencing entities. The special tensioning structure offsets part of the vibration of the main tensegrity structure and the movable platform, making the platform more stable when encountering wind and waves. The structure reduces the amount of steel used in the offshore platform through the combination of rods and cables, and solves the problem of the large mass of traditional tension leg platforms. At the same time, it has a beautiful appearance and can be used not only in offshore wind power and solar energy, but also as offshore oil platforms, offshore exhibition venues, offshore cities and other buildings;

[0007] A multi-purpose tensile integral offshore platform provided by the present invention comprises four tension legs 1, platform cables 2, four bottom transverse cables 3, a movable platform 4, four oblique cables 5, four arc-shaped support tubes 6, a central column 7, several connecting nodes 8, four radial cables 9, four top transverse cables 10, four top support rods 11, four top oblique cables 12, and several transverse reinforcing cables 13.

[0008] The above-mentioned arc-shaped support tube 6 is evenly distributed along the same axis, and is used to connect the connection node 8 between the cable and the rod. The oblique cable 5 connects the top node of the arc-shaped support tube 6 with the bottom node of the adjacent rod. The transverse reinforcement cable 13 is installed in the middle and upper part of the arc-shaped support tube 6. The top transverse cable 10 and the bottom transverse cable 3 respectively connect the top and bottom nodes of the two adjacent rods; the internal movable platform 4 is connected to the external main frame through the platform cable 2, which consumes part of the platform's remaining buoyancy to tighten it and form a tensioning structure. The middle to the top of the four arc-shaped support tubes 6 are connected by several evenly distributed transverse reinforcement cables 13. The upper ends of the four top support rods 11 meet at one point, and are respectively connected to the upper end nodes 8 of the arc-shaped support tube 6 by four top oblique cables 12, and the lower ends are respectively connected to the middle nodes 8 of the four radial cables 9. The top support rod 11 can be used to fix the wind power generation pole.

[0009] The multi-purpose tensegrity offshore platform requires prestressing to be formed and bear external loads. A tensegrity offshore platform without prestressing cannot bear external loads.

[0010] The arc-shaped support tube 6 is hollow inside and has a certain curvature. The portion below the waterline is a uniformly thick tube, and the portion above the waterline is a uniformly thin tube.

[0011] The lowest transverse reinforcing cables 13 are spaced apart from the movable platform 4 , and a number of longitudinal reinforcing rods may be arranged between the evenly distributed transverse reinforcing cables 13 . The specific arrangement and number of the longitudinal reinforcing rods are determined according to the load-bearing conditions.

[0012] The top of the tension leg 1 is connected to the lower end node 8 of the arc support tube 6, and the bottom is fixed to the seabed, consuming part of the residual buoyancy to form a quadrangular prism tensioning structure. The greater the residual buoyancy consumed to form the tensioning structure, the higher the stability of the tensioning structure. Each tension leg 1 is composed of several mooring cables, which are parallel to each other and fixed to the seabed through a connecting device.

[0013] The above-mentioned movable platform 4 is a cylindrical hollow structure. The upper end of the platform cable 2 is fixed to the movable platform 4 through the connection node 8, and the lower end is fixed to the connection node 8 in the middle of the bottom transverse cable 3, consuming part of the reserve buoyancy to tighten the platform cable 2 to form a tensioning structure. When the platform cable 2 of the tensioning structure is tightened, the bottom transverse cable 3 of the main tensegrity structure is also tightened, greatly increasing its structural strength.

[0014] The central column 7 is a cylindrical hollow structure, which is installed in the center of the movable platform 4, and the top of the central column 7 is connected to the top of the arc-shaped support tube 6 through a radial cable 9.

[0015] The central column 7 is a hollow tubular structure, which can be used as a bearing column of the upper structure of the movable platform, and at the same time increases the stability of the movable platform.

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

[0017] (1) Compared with the second-generation tension leg offshore platform with three tension legs, the multi-purpose tensile integral offshore platform is provided with four tension legs. The second-generation tension leg offshore platform has the advantage over the traditional offshore platform in that it has a simpler structure, consumes less steel, is lighter in overall weight, and has better motion performance, but its bearing capacity is greatly reduced. The present invention applies the tensile integral structure to the offshore platform structure, and the combination of its rods and cables greatly reduces the overall weight of the structure. At the same time, the four tension legs also ensure its bearing capacity to a certain extent.

[0018] (2) The radial cables connect the central column to the main tensegrity structure, which not only increases the stability of the movable platform, but also makes the vibration of the two closely linked. The radial cables limit the lateral displacement of the central column and greatly improve the bearing capacity of the central column. Therefore, based on the central column, a variety of engineering needs can be met.

[0019] (3) Compared with the traditional offshore platform, the movable platform and the external frame of the present invention are subjected to different external loads. The two have their own vibration frequencies, but they also have a certain connection. When the two vibrate, they will generate a reaction force that affects each other, thereby offsetting part of the impact of wind and waves on each of them, making the platform more stable.

[0020] The emergence of multi-purpose tensegrity offshore platforms has enriched the types of existing tensegrity offshore platforms and broadened the application scope of tensegrity structures. The specific advantages include: low steel consumption, stable structure, exquisite appearance, and suitable for water surface buildings or marine engineering structures (such as water amusement parks, water hotels, offshore exhibition venues, etc.). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a four-dimensional diagram of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of generating the curved surface shape of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a side view of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A top view of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 is another embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the present invention applied to offshore construction;

[0027] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the application of the present invention to offshore wind power;

[0028] The following are marked in the figure:

[0029] 1- tension leg, 2- platform cable, 3- bottom transverse cable, 4- movable platform, 5- oblique cable, 6- arc support tube, 7- central column, 8- connection node, 9- radial cable, 10- top transverse cable, 11- top support rod, 12- top oblique cable, 13- several transverse reinforcing cables. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , as shown, a multi-purpose tensegrity offshore platform provided by the present invention comprises four tension legs 1, platform cables 2, four bottom transverse cables 3, a movable platform 4, four oblique cables 5, four arc-shaped support tubes 6, a central column 7, several connection nodes 8, four radial cables 9, four top transverse cables 10, four top support rods 11, four top oblique cables 12, and several transverse reinforcing cables 13;

[0032] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the upper and lower end nodes 8 of the arc-shaped support tube 6 are distributed in a regular quadrilateral shape, and are connected by four top transverse cables 10 and four bottom transverse cables 3, respectively. The upper end node 8 of each pipe is located at the vertex of the upper quadrilateral corresponding to the lower end node 8 of the adjacent pipe in the clockwise direction, and is connected to the lower end node 8 of the adjacent pipe by the oblique cable 5, forming a spiral main tensile structure. The upper ends of the four top support rods 11 meet at one point, and are respectively connected to the upper end node 8 of the arc-shaped support tube 6 by four top oblique cables 12, and the lower ends are respectively connected to the middle nodes 8 of the four radial cables 9. The top support rods 11 can be used to fix the wind power generation pole. The length of the top transverse cable 10 is less than the length of the bottom transverse cable 3, so that the main tensile structure is a spiral contraction structure with a small upper opening and a large lower opening. The specific length is determined by the specific construction and load requirements. The main tensile structure needs prestressing to be formed and bear external loads. The tensile marine platform without prestressing cannot bear external loads.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the middle to the top of the arc-shaped support tube 6 is connected by several evenly distributed transverse reinforcing cables 13, and the lowest transverse reinforcing cable 13 is separated from the movable platform 4 by a distance. Several longitudinal reinforcing rods should be arranged between every two or several transverse reinforcing cables 13 to ensure that the curved surface of the structure has sufficient strength.

[0034] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the top of the tension leg 1 is connected to the lower end node 8 of the arc-shaped support tube 6, and the bottom is fixed to the seabed, consuming part of the remaining buoyancy to form a quadrangular prism tensioning structure. The greater the remaining buoyancy consumed to form the tensioning structure, the higher the stability of the tensioning structure. Among them, each tension leg is composed of several mooring cables. The bottom of the movable platform 4 is connected to the bottom transverse cable 3 through the platform cable 2, and part of the reserve buoyancy is consumed to tighten the platform cable 2 to form a tensioning structure. When the platform cable 2 of the tensioning structure is tightened, the bottom transverse cable 3 of the main tensioning structure is also tightened, which greatly increases its structural strength. Multiple cables (indicated as one in the figure) are arranged on each side of the platform cable 2 to ensure that the cable has sufficient strength.

[0035] In this embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, the main tensegrity structure is a spiral contraction structure with a small opening at the upper end and a large opening at the lower end. The center of gravity is low and has better wind resistance. Since the lower end of the main tensegrity structure has a large opening, a larger movable platform can be set up, and the spacing between the tension legs is large, which has good torsion resistance. The peripheral structure of this implementation scheme has a large illuminated area, and the solar panels are arranged on the periphery and top of the main tensegrity, which can be applied to the field of offshore solar energy.

[0036] As another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, under the premise that other embodiments remain unchanged, the length of the top transverse cable 10 is greater than the length of the bottom transverse cable 3, so that the main tensegrity structure is a spiral structure with a large opening at the upper end and a small opening at the lower end, increasing the size of the upper space. This embodiment can be applied to closed buildings at sea, such as exhibition halls at sea. The central column can be provided with a multi-layer platform. A polymer film can be arranged on the periphery of the main tensegrity structure, and its flexibility caters well to the elastic structure of the tensegrity itself, which is not only beautiful in appearance, but also has high strength.

[0037] As another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 As shown, under the premise that other embodiments remain unchanged, the top transverse cable 10, the top support rod 11 and the top oblique cable 12 are eliminated, and the upper wind turbine is installed on the top of the central column 7. The four radial cables 9 arranged in this embodiment fix the vertical pipe of the wind turbine from four horizontal directions, greatly improving the stability of the wind turbine during operation. The structure of four tension legs increases the bearing capacity of the platform, so that the structure can install larger wind turbines while ensuring safety.

[0038] The principle of the present invention is as follows: when there is current or wind, the movable platform and the external main tensegrity structure have different water plane areas and wind receiving areas, so their vibration frequencies are also different. However, the two are connected by platform cables and radial cables, and when vibrating, they will generate a reaction force that affects each other, thereby offsetting part of the influence of wind and waves on each, making the platform more stable and reducing the probability of resonance with wind and waves.

[0039] The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above description is only to illustrate the principles of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention may have various changes and improvements, which fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tensegrity offshore platform for offshore wind power generation, characterized in that: The invention comprises four tension legs (1), a plurality of platform cables (2), four bottom transverse cables (3), a movable platform (4), four oblique cables (5), four arc-shaped support tubes (6), a central column (7), a plurality of connection nodes (8), four radial cables (9), four top transverse cables (10), four top support rods (11), four top oblique cables (12) and a plurality of transverse reinforcing cables (13); the four arc-shaped support tubes (6) are evenly distributed along the same axis; the oblique cables (5) connect the top node of the arc-shaped support tube (6) with the bottom node of the adjacent arc-shaped support tube (6); the transverse reinforcing cables (13) are installed in the middle and upper parts of the arc-shaped support tube (6); the top transverse cables (10) and the bottom transverse cables (3) respectively connect the top and bottom nodes of two adjacent arc-shaped support tubes (6); the bottom of the internal movable platform (4) is connected by the platform cables (2) is connected to the bottom transverse cable (3), and the platform cable (2) is tightened by buoyancy to form a tensioning structure; the upper ends of the four top support rods (11) meet at a point, and are respectively connected to the connection nodes (8) at the upper ends of the arc support tube (6) by four top oblique cables (12); the lower ends of the four top support rods (11) are respectively connected to the middle connection nodes (8) of four radial cables (9); the top support rod (11) is used to fix the wind power generation pole; the top of the tension leg (1) is connected to the connection node (8) at the lower end of the arc support tube (6), and the bottom is fixed to the seabed, forming a quadrangular prism tensioning structure by buoyancy; the movable platform (4) is a cylindrical hollow structure; the central column (7) is a cylindrical hollow structure, installed in the center of the movable platform (4), and its top is connected to the top of the arc support tube (6) by radial cables (9).

2. The offshore platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each tension leg (1) is composed of a number of mooring cables, which are parallel to each other and fixed to the seabed through connecting devices.

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