Offshore delivery system and method for a wind turbine installation

Abstract

The application discloses a marine conveying system and method of a fan equipment, comprising: a transport ship suitable for carrying a fan assembly; a storage barge comprising a carrying ship body and an anchoring assembly, a carrying deck is arranged on the top side of the carrying ship body, and a first hoisting device is arranged on the carrying deck; the anchoring assembly is suitable for anchoring the carrying ship body to a preset area on the sea, the carrying deck is suitable for carrying the fan assembly, and the first hoisting device extends to the outside of the carrying deck and is suitable for unloading the fan assembly from the transport ship and pre-assembling the fan assembly; and an installation platform comprising a lifting platform body and a second hoisting device arranged on the lifting platform body, the installation platform has a motion state of sailing on the sea and a berthing state of berthing the storage barge or an external fan foundation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine transportation technology, and more specifically to a marine transportation system and method for wind turbine equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the existing offshore wind power industry, wind turbine installation is mainly carried out through self-elevating installation platforms, positioning barges, and transport vessels.

[0003] Typically, the jack-up platform is first positioned near the wind turbine foundation. A positioning barge anchors next to the jack-up platform for positioning. A transport ship carrying a small amount of wind turbine equipment berths with the positioning barge. However, due to the small size of the transport ship, it needs to rely on the positioning barge for positioning. The jack-up platform uses its onboard crane to lift the wind turbine equipment from the transport ship onto the wind turbine foundation for installation. Alternatively, the wind turbine equipment can be unloaded onto the deck of the positioning barge, and then the jack-up platform lifts the wind turbine equipment from the positioning barge onto the wind turbine foundation for installation.

[0004] However, due to the low carrying capacity and wave resistance of positioning barges and transport vessels, good sea conditions are required for the operation. Due to the poor sea conditions in the open sea and deep sea, this method of operation is only suitable for wind fields in near-shore or shallow sea areas. Vessels with higher wave resistance are scarce and expensive, resulting in higher construction costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the high cost of offshore and deep-sea transport wind turbine equipment in the prior art, thereby providing an offshore transport system and method for wind turbine equipment.

[0006] This invention provides a marine transport system for wind turbine equipment, comprising: a transport vessel adapted to carry wind turbine components; a storage barge including a carrying hull and an anchoring assembly, wherein the carrying hull has a carrying deck on its top side and a first lifting device mounted on the carrying deck, the anchoring assembly being adapted to anchor the carrying hull to a predetermined area at sea, the carrying deck being adapted to carry the wind turbine components, and the first lifting device extending to the outside of the carrying deck being adapted to transfer and pre-assemble the wind turbine components from the transport vessel; and an installation platform including a lifting platform and a second lifting device mounted thereon, the installation platform having a movement state for sailing at sea and a mooring state for berthing at the storage barge or an external wind turbine foundation.

[0007] The first lifting equipment includes a first lifting unit and a second lifting unit arranged at intervals, disposed on the bearing deck, with at least one of them extending to the outside of the bearing deck.

[0008] The load-bearing deck includes: a first installation area, adjacent to the first hoisting unit, and equipped with a plurality of first supports, the first supports being arranged in parallel intervals, suitable for limiting and installing the wind turbine blades in the wind turbine assembly; and a second installation area, adjacent to the second hoisting unit, including a pre-positioning area and a transport area, the pre-positioning area being suitable for installing the wind turbine tower in the wind turbine assembly which is arranged in a single section and horizontally placed, and the transport area being suitable for installing the vertically arranged multi-section wind turbine tower.

[0009] The lifting platform also includes a third installation area and a fourth installation area, which are located on both sides of the second hoisting equipment. Several second supports are provided on the third installation area.

[0010] The area of ​​the first installation area is larger than the area of ​​the third installation area, and the area of ​​the second installation area is larger than the area of ​​the fourth installation area.

[0011] The present invention also includes a method for transporting wind turbine equipment at sea, applicable to the above-mentioned offshore transport system, comprising: mooring a storage barge to a predetermined area at sea; transporting a transport vessel carrying wind turbine components to the storage barge and transferring the wind turbine components to the storage barge; pre-assembling at least some of the wind turbine components; mooring an installation platform to the storage barge and transferring the pre-assembled wind turbine components; and transporting the pre-assembled wind turbine components to the wind farm via the installation platform and installing the wind turbine components.

[0012] Pre-assembly includes: flipping the single wind turbine tower sections from a horizontal conveying state to a vertical state; stacking and docking the single wind turbine tower sections to a preset quantity A; and transferring the entire layer A of wind turbine tower sections to the area to be transported.

[0013] The technical solution of this invention has the following advantages:

[0014] By designating the storage barge as a transit area, and the transport ship and offshore installation platform separately berthing and transporting wind turbine components, this setup offers several advantages. Firstly, the storage barge can be moored in a pre-designated area at sea, which can be near the offshore construction area or close to the open ocean with favorable sea conditions. This facilitates transport by the transport ship and improves the stability of the wind turbine components on the storage barge. Simultaneously, the installation platform, serving as the construction platform for wind turbine installation, is large, has a high load-bearing capacity, and typically possesses self-propulsion and dynamic positioning systems, making it highly adaptable to harsh sea conditions and allowing for extended operating times, thus improving the efficiency of deep-sea wind turbine equipment installation. Secondly, the storage barge has a large carrying deck for the first lifting equipment, which allows for the pre-installation of wind turbine components, improving the efficiency of offshore wind farm installation while reducing the space required for transporting wind turbine components, thereby increasing the transport efficiency of the installation platform. Furthermore, this setup ensures that the transport processes of the transport ship and the installation platform are independent, avoiding interference and facilitating improved production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the offshore transport system for the wind turbine equipment provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0018] 1. Transport vessel; 2. Storage barge; 21. Load-bearing deck; 22. First lifting unit; 23. Second lifting unit; 24. First installation area; 25. Second installation area; 26. First support frame; 3. Installation platform; 31. Lifting platform; 32. Second lifting equipment; 33. Third installation area; 34. Fourth installation area; 4. Wind turbine tower; 5. Wind turbine blades. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0023] like Figure 1 This embodiment provides a marine transport system for wind turbine equipment, including: a transport vessel 1, a storage barge 2, and an installation platform 3.

[0024] The transport vessel 1 is suitable for carrying wind turbine components and for navigating and transporting them in coastal waters. In this embodiment, the hull of the transport vessel 1 is smaller than that of the storage barge 2 and the installation platform 3, and the number of wind turbine components transported at one time is relatively small. Preferably, multiple transport vessels are set up for higher frequency transport.

[0025] The storage barge 2 includes a hull and an anchoring assembly. A carrying deck 21 and a first lifting device are mounted on the carrying deck 21 on its top side. The anchoring assembly is adapted to anchor the carrying hull to a predetermined area at sea. In this embodiment, the predetermined area at sea is an anchorage with good sea conditions, which is beneficial to the stability of the storage barge 2. The carrying deck 21 is adapted to carry wind turbine components. Specifically, the wind turbine components include a wind turbine tower 4 and wind turbine blade structures. The boom of the first lifting device extends to the outside of the carrying deck 21, allowing it to be unloaded from the transport ship 1 or pre-assembled on the carrying deck 21. In this embodiment, the pre-assembled wind turbine components are the wind turbine tower 4; however, as an alternative implementation, they could also be wind turbine blades or other structures.

[0026] The installation platform 3 includes a lifting platform body 31 and a second hoisting device 32 installed on it. The installation platform 3 has a movement state when sailing at sea and a mooring state when berthed at the storage barge 2 or the external wind turbine foundation.

[0027] By designating the storage barge 2 as a transit area, and the transport ship 1 and the offshore installation platform 3 respectively berthing and transporting wind turbine components, this setup offers several advantages. First, the storage barge 2 can be moored in a pre-defined area at sea, which can be either near-shore or close to the offshore construction area with favorable sea conditions. This facilitates transport by the transport ship and improves the stability of the wind turbine components on the storage barge 2. Meanwhile, the installation platform 3, as the construction platform for wind turbine installation, is large, has a high load-bearing capacity, and typically possesses self-propulsion and dynamic positioning systems, making it highly adaptable to harsh sea conditions and allowing for extended operating times, thus improving the efficiency of deep-sea wind turbine equipment installation. Second, the storage barge 2 has a large carrying deck 21 for the first lifting equipment, which allows for the pre-installation of wind turbine components. This improves the efficiency of offshore wind farm installation while reducing the space required for transporting wind turbine components, thereby increasing the transport efficiency of the installation platform 3. Furthermore, this setup ensures that the transport processes of the transport ship 1 and the installation platform 3 are independent, avoiding interference and facilitating improved production efficiency.

[0028] The first lifting equipment includes a first lifting unit 22 and a second lifting unit 23 arranged at intervals, both mounted on the load-bearing deck 21, with at least one extending to the outside of the load-bearing deck 21. By setting at least two lifting units, it is convenient to classify, transport, and place wind turbine components, improving transport efficiency. On the other hand, the two lifting units can also cooperate to coordinate operations on complex wind turbine components, improving pre-installation efficiency.

[0029] The load-bearing deck 21 includes: a first installation area 24 and a second installation area 25.

[0030] The first installation area 24 is adjacent to the first hoisting unit 22 and is equipped with several first support frames 26. The first support frames 26 are arranged in parallel intervals, which is suitable for limiting the installation of wind turbine blades in the wind turbine assembly. This arrangement avoids the collision of long wind turbine blades due to the swaying of the ship, thus improving the safety of transportation. The second installation area 25 is adjacent to the second hoisting unit 23 and includes a pre-positioning area and a transport area. The pre-positioning area is suitable for installing the wind turbine tower 4 of the wind turbine assembly, which is arranged in a single section and placed horizontally. The transport area is suitable for installing the multi-section wind turbine tower 4, which is arranged vertically.

[0031] The lifting platform 31 also includes a third installation area 33 and a fourth installation area 34, which are located on both sides of the second hoisting equipment 32. Several second supports are provided on the third installation area 33, and the fourth area is suitable for placing pre-assembled fan components.

[0032] By dividing the lifting platform 31 and the load-bearing deck 21 into separate functional areas, it is convenient for the first and second lifting equipment 32 to selectively transfer different parts of the fan assembly. On the other hand, it improves the clarity of the placement of items on the transport ship 1 and the installation platform 3, reduces operator errors, and improves transport efficiency and safety.

[0033] In this embodiment, the area of ​​the first installation area 24 is larger than the area of ​​the third installation area 33, and the area of ​​the second installation area 25 is larger than the area of ​​the fourth installation area 34. This arrangement ensures that the storage barge 2 has sufficient wind turbine components, guaranteeing the smooth operation of the transportation process. Preferably, the area of ​​each region and the number of wind turbine components therein can be adjusted according to the transportation frequency of the transport ship 1 and the installation platform 3.

[0034] This embodiment also provides a method for offshore transportation of wind turbine equipment, applicable to the aforementioned offshore transportation system, including:

[0035] The storage barge 2 will be moored in a pre-designated area at sea, which is an anchorage with good sea conditions. It can be an area near the coast or close to the offshore construction area with good sea conditions.

[0036] The transport ship 1 carrying the wind turbine components berths at the storage barge 2 and transfers the wind turbine components to the storage barge 2. Specifically, the transfer is carried out by the first hoisting equipment on the storage barge 2, and the wind turbine components are placed in the first installation area 24 or the second installation area 25 according to their type.

[0037] In this embodiment, the pre-assembly of some wind turbine components is carried out by the first hoisting unit 22, or by the cooperation of the first hoisting unit 22 and the second hoisting unit 23. The process includes: flipping the single wind turbine tower 4, which is in a horizontal transport state in the pre-positioned area, to a vertical state; then installing the single wind turbine tower 4 in the stacked and connected manner to a preset number A; and finally, moving the entire A-layer wind turbine tower 4 to the area to be transported. The value of A can be set according to the wind turbine model.

[0038] The installation platform 3 is moored to the storage barge 2, and the pre-assembled wind turbine components are transferred to the fourth installation area 34 by the second hoisting equipment 32. Alternatively, the un-pre-installed wind turbine components can be transferred to the third installation area 33 or other areas.

[0039] Installation platform 3 transports the pre-assembled wind turbine components to the vicinity of the wind turbine foundation in the wind farm for mooring, and then installs the wind turbine components on it.

[0040] In this embodiment, the steps of transporting the transport ship 1 to the storage barge 2, the pre-assembly step, and the unloading and transporting steps of the installation platform 3 can be carried out simultaneously.

[0041] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for offshore transportation of wind turbine equipment, applicable to offshore transportation systems for wind turbine equipment, characterized in that, The marine transport system includes: Transport vessel (1), suitable for carrying wind turbine components; The storage barge (2) includes a carrying hull and an anchoring assembly. The carrying hull has a carrying deck (21) on its top side and a first lifting device on the carrying deck (21). The anchoring assembly is adapted to anchor the carrying hull to a predetermined area at sea. The carrying deck (21) is adapted to carry wind turbine components. The first lifting device extends to the outside of the carrying deck (21) and is adapted to unload and pre-assemble wind turbine components from the transport ship (1). The installation platform (3) includes a lifting platform (31) and a second hoisting device (32) installed on it. The installation platform (3) has a motion state when sailing at sea and a mooring state when berthing the storage barge (2) or an external wind turbine foundation. The first lifting equipment includes a first lifting unit (22) and a second lifting unit (23) arranged at intervals, which are disposed on the bearing deck (21), and at least one of them extends to the outside of the bearing deck (21); The load-bearing deck (21) includes: The first installation area (24) is adjacent to the first hoisting unit (22) and is provided with a number of first supports (26). The first supports (26) are arranged in parallel intervals, which are suitable for limiting the installation of the fan blades in the fan assembly. The second installation area (25) is arranged adjacent to the second hoisting unit (23) and includes a pre-positioning area and a transport area. The pre-positioning area is suitable for installing the wind turbine tower (4) in a wind turbine assembly that is arranged in a single section and horizontally placed. The transport area is suitable for installing the multi-section wind turbine tower (4) that is arranged vertically. The maritime transport method includes: The storage barge (2) is moored in the designated area at sea; The transport ship (1) carrying the wind turbine components is berthed on the storage barge (2), and the wind turbine components are transferred to the storage barge (2); Pre-assemble at least some of the wind turbine components; The installation platform (3) is moored to the storage barge (2) and the pre-assembled wind turbine components are unloaded; The installation platform (3) transports the pre-assembled wind turbine components to the wind farm and installs the wind turbine components; The pre-assembly includes: Flip the single-section wind turbine tower (4) from its horizontal conveying state to its vertical state; Stack and connect single-section wind turbine towers (4) to a preset quantity A; The entire A-layer wind turbine tower (4) is moved to the area to be transported.

2. The method for offshore transportation of wind turbine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting platform (31) also includes a third installation area (33) and a fourth installation area (34), which are located on both sides of the second hoisting equipment (32). Several second supports are provided on the third installation area (33).

3. The method for offshore transportation of wind turbine equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The area of ​​the first installation area (24) is larger than the area of ​​the third installation area (33), and the area of ​​the second installation area (25) is larger than the area of ​​the fourth installation area (34).

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