Deep sea floating wind power dual-ship wet tow device and wet tow method

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of deep sea floating wind power double-ship wet tow device and wet tow method, wherein device includes: carrier ship;Fan float, including upper Y-shaped float body and lower triangular pontoon;Two described fan float are oppositely arranged between two ships;Restraining tower, the restraining tower includes truss, float restraint mechanism and claw connector, four described truss are divided into two groups, and the two trusses of each group are respectively arranged on the foredeck and aft deck of each carrier ship, and each truss corresponds to a described float restraint mechanism;The first end of each described float restraint mechanism is connected with corresponding described truss, and its second end is provided with claw connector, and the claw connector is connected with the free end of the inclined section of the Y-shaped float body;Floating wind turbine assembly is arranged at the free end of the straight section of the fan float.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of deep-sea floating wind power transport equipment technology, specifically to a deep-sea floating wind power dual-ship wet towing device and wet towing method. Background Technology

[0002] With the large-scale development of onshore and nearshore wind power resources, the geographical resources available for constructing new wind farms are gradually decreasing, making the shift of offshore wind power from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea areas the mainstream trend. Compared to nearshore wind farms, deep-sea areas have higher wind speeds, more stable winds, and richer wind energy resources; 80% of the world's offshore wind energy resources are located in waters deeper than 60 meters. However, in deep-sea areas with depths exceeding 50 meters, the cost of fixed foundations increases significantly, forcing the industry to consider designing floating wind turbines as a high-yield solution for deep-sea wind energy development. However, the high installation cost of large-scale wind turbines in deep-sea areas has become a major bottleneck restricting the development of offshore wind power to larger wind areas and the extraction of more wind energy. The industry urgently needs large-scale wind turbine installation technologies that offer faster installation, easier access to vessel resources, and greater compatibility with different types of floating wind turbines.

[0003] For existing floating wind turbines with a single unit generating capacity of less than 10MW, the installation technologies mainly include the Spar foundation installation method of the Hywind project and the semi-submersible foundation installation method of the WindFloat Atlantic project. The Hywind project involves wet-towing the Spar foundation from Finland to Norway, righting it after reaching the designated sea area, and using a large semi-submersible crane vessel to transport, lift, and install the wind turbine. Finally, a mooring system is deployed to complete the ballast adjustment. The WindFloat Atlantic project constructs the floating foundation of the wind turbine in a dry dock. After construction, the dry dock is filled with water, and tugboats tow the semi-submersible foundation to the marshalling yard for wind turbine installation. After installation, it is still wet-towed to the designated location for placement.

[0004] However, at present, the installation technology of floating wind power has not yet become consistent, and there are problems such as a shortage of wind power installation vessels, long offshore installation cycle, short installation window period, and high overall installation cost. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device and wet towing method. Utilizing conventional vessel resources, compared to existing tugboat towing, it significantly shortens the towing operation time at sea, provides a longer operating window, and exhibits ideal compatibility with different types of wind turbine floats, demonstrating higher overall efficiency and significantly reducing the installation cost of offshore wind power.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] The deep-sea floating wind turbine dual-ship wet towing device of the present invention includes: a carrier vessel; a wind turbine float, including an upper Y-shaped float body and a lower triangular buoy; two wind turbine floats are arranged opposite each other between the two vessels; a restraint tower, the restraint tower including trusses, float restraint mechanisms and claw connectors, the four trusses are divided into two groups, the two trusses in each group are respectively arranged on the foredeck and stern deck of each carrier vessel, each truss corresponds to one float restraint mechanism; the first end of each float restraint mechanism is connected to the corresponding truss, and its second end is provided with a claw connector, the claw connector being connected to the free end of the inclined section of the Y-shaped float body; and a floating wind turbine assembly, arranged at the free end of the straight section of the wind turbine float.

[0008] The deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device preferably includes a floating body restraint mechanism comprising a damping hanger and a box-type slewing beam; one end of the box-type slewing beam is connected to the top of the truss through the damping hanger, and the other end is provided with a claw connector.

[0009] Preferably, in the deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device, the damping suspension is a lever hydraulic cylinder type.

[0010] Preferably, in the deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device, the damping suspension is a hydraulic damping cylinder type.

[0011] The wet towing method of the deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0012] Based on the size and weight of the floating wind turbine, the ballast capacity of the wind turbine float, the transportation distance, and the environmental conditions of the navigation area, the hull size and power performance indicators of the two ships required for wind power transportation are calculated. Suitable ships are selected and modified. Two sets of restraint towers are installed on the decks of the two ships to form a two-ship transportation platform.

[0013] Ballast design is carried out for the two ships and two wind turbines, and the ballast volume of each is clearly defined to ensure the stability of the floating wind power dual ships.

[0014] Use tugboats to tow the floating wind turbine to the dock and hoist the floating wind turbine components;

[0015] The tugboat is used to tow the wind turbine float after the installation of the floating wind turbine components to open water and connect it to the modified twin boats; the twin boats and the wind turbine float are quickly connected and disconnected through the claw connectors on the box-type rotating beam;

[0016] After the two ships carrying the floating wind turbine components arrived at the designated installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, they released the two floating wind turbine components one after the other.

[0017] The aforementioned wet towing method, preferably, involves using a tugboat to tow the wind turbine buoy, after the installation of the floating wind turbine assembly, to open water and connecting it with the modified twin vessels, specifically as follows:

[0018] The relative position of the wind turbine float and the two barges is adjusted by tugboat assistance, and the vertical relative position of the wind turbine float and the two barges is changed by adjusting the ballast water volume of the wind turbine float, so as to complete the rapid docking of the claw connector through load adjustment.

[0019] Once the first floating wind turbine assembly is connected to the two ships, the floating wind turbine assembly and the two ships form a whole. The second floating wind turbine assembly is towed by a tugboat to the reserved position between the two ships, and the connection is completed again by load adjustment, so that the two ships and the two floating wind turbine assemblies with floating wind turbine assemblies form a stable whole.

[0020] Preferably, in the wet towing method, after the dual-ship floating wind turbine assembly reaches the designated installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, the two floating wind turbine assemblies are released one after the other. Specifically, the clamp connector between the box-type rotating beam and the wind turbine float is released, the ballast water of the wind turbine float is increased, so that it is released from the dual-ship constraint, and finally the box-type rotating beam is reset and returned to the ship's side.

[0021] In the aforementioned wet towing method, preferably, if the damping suspension is a hydraulic damping cylinder type, the damping suspension is locked after the first or second wind turbine float is connected to the two boats, so that the box-type slewing beam no longer rotates.

[0022] Before releasing the claw connector between the box girder and the wind turbine float, unlock the damping suspension to allow the box girder to resume rotation.

[0023] The present invention has the following advantages due to the adoption of the above technical solutions:

[0024] This invention utilizes conventional vessel resources, and compared to existing tugboat towing, the use of self-propelled transport significantly shortens the sea voyage time, provides a longer operating window, and has ideal compatibility with different types of wind turbine floats, demonstrating higher overall efficiency and significantly reducing the installation cost of offshore wind power. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the deep-sea floating wind power dual-ship wet towing device described in this invention;

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Side view;

[0028] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Top view;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the constraint tower of the present invention, in which the claw connector is not shown;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the floating body restraint mechanism and the claw connector of the present invention, wherein the damping suspension of the floating body restraint mechanism is a lever hydraulic cylinder type;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the floating body restraint mechanism and the claw connector of the present invention, wherein the damping suspension of the floating body restraint mechanism is a hydraulic damping cylinder type.

[0032] The markings in the attached diagram are as follows:

[0033] 1-Carrier vessel; 2-Wind turbine float; 3-Constraint tower; 301-Truss; 302-Float restraint mechanism; 3021-Damping suspension; 3022-Box-type slewing beam; 303-Claw connector; 4-Floating wind turbine assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0035] This invention provides a dual-vessel wet towing device and method for deep-sea floating wind turbines. By converting two existing vessels into a dual-vessel operation capable of towing floating wind turbines, rapid deep-sea transport of floating wind turbines is achieved. At the marshalling yard, the dual vessels quickly connect to the wind turbine float using claw connectors, and then use self-propulsion to transport the floating wind turbine components to the designated sea area. The dual vessels can transport two floating wind turbines simultaneously at a time. Upon arrival at the designated sea area, the connectors are quickly released to complete the deployment of the floating wind turbine platform. Afterwards, the wind turbine's support tower is retrieved, and the two vessels can independently return to the dock for the next floating wind turbine transport operation. This significantly improves the speed and efficiency of deep-sea wind turbine transport compared to traditional towing methods, substantially reducing overall installation costs. In terms of implementation, this technical solution requires minimal additional equipment and eliminates the need to develop dedicated vessels; the size and power of the two vessels only need to meet the requirements for floating wind turbine transport. After the operation is completed, the dual vessels can quickly return to their original positions. This solves the current problems of shortage of wind power installation vessels, short installation window, long installation cycle, and high overall installation cost, providing a low-cost transportation solution for the commercial application of deep-sea floating wind power.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the deep-sea floating wind turbine dual-vessel wet towing device provided by the present invention includes: a carrier vessel 1; wind turbine floats 2, including an upper Y-shaped float body and a lower triangular buoy; two wind turbine floats 2 are arranged opposite to each other between two barges 1; and a restraint tower 3, as shown in the figure. Figure 4 As shown and Figure 5 As shown, the restraint tower 3 includes trusses 301, floating body restraint mechanisms 302, and claw connectors 303. The four trusses 301 are divided into two groups, with two trusses 301 in each group respectively installed on the foredeck and stern deck of each carrier ship 1. Each truss 301 corresponds to one floating body restraint mechanism 302. The first end of each floating body restraint mechanism 302 is connected to the corresponding truss 301, and its second end is provided with a claw connector 303. The claw connector 303 is connected to the free end of the inclined section of the Y-shaped floating body. The floating wind turbine assembly 4 is arranged at the free end of the straight section of the wind turbine floating body 2.

[0037] In the above embodiments, preferably, the floating body restraint mechanism 302 includes a damping hanger 3021 and a box-type rotating beam 3022; one end of the box-type rotating beam 3022 is connected to the top of the truss 301 through the damping hanger 3021, and the other end is provided with a claw connector 303.

[0038] It should be noted that the claw connector 303 includes a female connector and a male connector. The female connector is located at the end of the box-type rotating beam 3022, and the male connector is located at the free end of the inclined section of the Y-shaped float body. The connection between the box-type rotating beam 3022 and the wind turbine float 2 is achieved through the cooperation of the female connector and the male connector.

[0039] In the above embodiments, preferably, as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the damping suspension 3021 is a lever-type hydraulic cylinder.

[0040] In the above embodiments, preferably, as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the damping suspension 3021 is a hydraulic damping cylinder type.

[0041] This invention also provides a method for wet towing of two floating wind turbine vessels in deep-sea areas, comprising the following steps:

[0042] (1) Based on the size and weight of the floating wind turbine, the ballast of the wind turbine float, the transportation distance, and the environmental conditions of the navigation sea area, calculate the hull size and power performance indicators of the two ships (i.e., two carrier ships) required for wind power transportation, select suitable ships for modification, and build a two-ship transportation platform by installing two sets of restraint towers on the deck of the two ships.

[0043] (2) Ballast design for the two ships and two wind turbines, clarify their respective ballast amounts, and ensure the stability of the floating wind turbines carried by the two ships.

[0044] (3) Use tugboats to tow the wind turbine floats to the dock and hoist the floating wind turbine components;

[0045] (4) Use a tugboat to tow the wind turbine float after the installation of the floating wind turbine components to open water and connect it to the modified double barge; so that the double barge and the wind turbine float can be quickly connected and disconnected through the claw connector on the box-type rotating beam;

[0046] (5) The two ships self-propelledly carried the floating wind turbine components. After arriving at the designated installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, they released the two floating wind turbine components one after the other.

[0047] In the above embodiments, preferably, the step of using a tugboat to tow the wind turbine float after the installation of the floating wind turbine assembly to open water and connect it with the modified twin boats specifically involves:

[0048] The relative position of the wind turbine float and the two boats is adjusted by tugboat assistance, and the vertical relative position of the wind turbine float and the two boats is changed by adjusting the ballast water volume of the wind turbine float, so as to complete the rapid docking of the claw connector through load adjustment.

[0049] Once the first floating wind turbine assembly is connected to the two ships, the floating wind turbine assembly and the two ships form a whole. The second floating wind turbine assembly is towed by a tugboat to the reserved position between the two ships, and the connection is completed again by load adjustment, so that the two ships and the two floating wind turbine assemblies with floating wind turbine assemblies form a stable whole.

[0050] In the above embodiments, preferably, after the dual-ship self-propelled floating wind turbine assembly reaches the predetermined installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, the two floating wind turbine assemblies carried are released one after the other, specifically as follows:

[0051] The clamp connector between the box girder and the wind turbine float is released, the ballast water on the wind turbine float is increased, and it is released from the double-ship constraint. Finally, the box girder is reset and retracted inside the ship's side.

[0052] In the above embodiments, preferably, if the damping suspension is a hydraulic damping cylinder type, after the first or second wind turbine float with a floating wind turbine assembly is connected to the double-boat barge, the damping suspension is locked so that the box-type rotating beam stops rotating; before releasing the claw connector between the box-type rotating beam and the wind turbine float, the damping suspension is unlocked so that the box-type rotating beam resumes rotation.

[0053] It should be noted that by changing the constraints of the box-type rotating beam on the truss and replacing the lever hydraulic cylinder with a hydraulic damping suspension, it has the advantage of being able to passively compensate for the phase difference in heave motion between the wind turbine float and the hull. After the wind turbine float is released, the box-type rotating beam rotates around the hydraulic damping cylinder and enters the area inside the ship's side. The rotation of the box-type rotating beam around the hydraulic damping cylinder can be locked at a predetermined position, including the position where it retracts inside the ship's side and the position where it rotates out and connects with the wind turbine float. The latter locking is to prevent the floating wind turbine from leaning towards one side of the carrier ship when the box-type beams on both sides of the wind turbine float rotate in the same direction (both clockwise or both counterclockwise) during operation.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device, characterized in that, include: Transport vessel; The wind turbine float includes an upper Y-shaped float body and a lower triangular pontoon; the two wind turbine floats are arranged opposite each other between the two ships; The restraint tower includes trusses, a floating body restraint mechanism, and a claw connector. The four trusses are divided into two groups, with two trusses in each group respectively installed on the foredeck and stern deck of each carrier. Each truss corresponds to one floating body restraint mechanism. The first end of each floating body restraint mechanism is connected to the corresponding truss, and its second end is provided with a claw connector. The claw connector is connected to the free end of the inclined section of the Y-shaped floating body. A floating wind turbine assembly is arranged at the free end of the straight section of the wind turbine float.

2. The deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The floating body restraint mechanism includes a damping suspension and a box-type rotating beam; One end of the box-type rotating beam is connected to the top of the truss via the damping suspension device, and the other end is equipped with a claw connector.

3. The deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The damping suspension is a lever-type hydraulic cylinder.

4. The deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The damping suspension is a hydraulic damping cylinder type.

5. A wet towing method based on the deep-sea floating wind power dual-vessel wet towing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Based on the size and weight of the floating wind turbine, the ballast capacity of the wind turbine float, the transportation distance, and the environmental conditions of the navigation area, the hull size and power performance indicators of the two ships required for wind power transportation are calculated. Suitable ships are selected and modified. Two sets of restraint towers are installed on the decks of the two ships to form a two-ship transportation platform. Ballast design is carried out for the two ships and two wind turbines, and the ballast volume of each is clearly defined to ensure the stability of the floating wind power dual ships. Use tugboats to tow the floating wind turbine to the dock and hoist the floating wind turbine components; The tugboat is used to tow the wind turbine float after the installation of the floating wind turbine components to open water and connect it to the modified twin boats; the twin boats and the wind turbine float are quickly connected and disconnected through the claw connectors on the box-type rotating beam; After the two ships carrying the floating wind turbine components arrived at the designated installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, they released the two floating wind turbine components one after the other.

6. The wet mopping method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The process of using a tugboat to tow the wind turbine hull, after the installation of the floating wind turbine components, to open water and connect it with the modified twin vessels is as follows: The relative position of the wind turbine float and the two barges is adjusted by tugboat assistance, and the vertical relative position of the wind turbine float and the two barges is changed by adjusting the ballast water volume of the wind turbine float, so as to complete the rapid docking of the claw connector through load adjustment. Once the first floating wind turbine assembly is connected to the two ships, the floating wind turbine assembly and the two ships form a whole. The second floating wind turbine assembly is towed by a tugboat to the reserved position between the two ships, and the connection is completed again by load adjustment, so that the two ships and the two floating wind turbine assemblies with floating wind turbine assemblies form a stable whole.

7. The wet mopping method according to claim 6, characterized in that, After the dual-ship floating wind turbine assembly reaches the designated installation point of the deep-sea floating wind farm, the two floating wind turbine assemblies are released sequentially, specifically as follows: The clamp connector between the box girder and the wind turbine float is released, the ballast water on the wind turbine float is increased, and it is released from the double-ship constraint. Finally, the box girder is reset and retracted inside the ship's side.

8. The wet mopping method according to claim 6, characterized in that, If the damping suspension is a hydraulic damping cylinder type, the damping suspension is locked after the first or second wind turbine float is connected to the two ships so that the box-type slewing beam stops rotating. Before releasing the claw connector between the box girder and the wind turbine float, unlock the damping suspension to allow the box girder to resume rotation.

Images