An offshore wind turbine support structure

Abstract

The present invention provides an offshore wind turbine support structure, comprising a support platform, a guide tube frame fixed on the lower surface of the support platform, and a wind turbine tower installed on the support platform, wherein a gear is rotatably installed on the center of the upper surface of the support platform, and the bottom of the wind turbine tower is connected to the gear. At least two groups of telescopic devices are arranged in an annular manner and equidistantly on the upper surface of the support platform. The telescopic device comprises a telescopic rod, one end of which is meshed with the gear. A sleeve is provided at the bottom of the wind turbine tower. A cone is provided on the outer side of the sleeve, and the telescopic device is located inside the cone and on the outer side of the gear. The present invention connects the wind turbine tower to the gear so that the wind turbine tower can rotate relative to the support platform, thereby adjusting the angle of the offshore wind turbine. In addition, the sleeve and the cone cover the gear, the telescopic device and the bottom of the wind turbine tower to prevent them from being directly exposed to the external environment and corroded by sea breeze and seawater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wind turbine generator sets, and in particular to an offshore wind turbine support structure. Background Art

[0002] Offshore wind turbines are devices that use ocean wind energy to generate electricity. They are usually installed on floating platforms or fixed columns in the ocean or large lakes. Compared with land-based wind turbines, offshore wind turbines have larger installation sizes and higher power generation capabilities. The main components of offshore wind turbines include towers, nacelles, blades, and wind turbine support structures. The tower is the structure that supports the entire wind turbine. It is usually made of steel or concrete, and its height depends on the water depth and environmental conditions. The nacelle is equipped with a generator, transmission system, and control equipment to convert the rotating impeller into electrical energy and control the operation of the wind turbine. The blades are one of the most critical components, which drives the generator to generate electricity by capturing wind energy and converting it into rotational power. The wind turbine support structure is the structure that fixes the entire wind turbine to the seabed to ensure the stability and safety of the wind turbine.

[0003] The wind direction at sea is unpredictable, and the existing offshore wind turbines cannot change direction with the change of offshore wind direction due to their fixed wind turbine support structure. The fan blades are affected by wind forces from multiple directions, which causes instability in the overall structure of the wind turbine, resulting in violent shaking and even structural damage. In addition, the conventional offshore wind turbine support structure is exposed to the offshore environment, and will produce cumulative fatigue damage under the action of random wave loads, reducing the service life of the support structure, and the sea breeze has a corrosive effect on the foundation of the wind turbine. The currently common offshore floating wind turbine support structure is fixed, which is not conducive to adjusting the angle of the wind turbine. In addition, the wind turbine support structure is exposed to the offshore environment and is easily corroded by sea breeze and seawater. The support structure is inconvenient to disassemble, which is not conducive to people's use. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an offshore wind turbine support structure, which can solve the problems that the common offshore floating wind turbine support structure is fixed, which is not conducive to adjusting the angle of the wind turbine, and the wind turbine support structure is exposed to the offshore environment, making it inconvenient to disassemble the support structure.

[0005] The objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An offshore wind turbine support structure includes a support platform 1, a conductor pipe frame 2 fixed to the lower surface of the support platform 1, and a wind turbine tower 3 installed on the support platform 1. A gear 4 is rotatably mounted on the center of the upper surface of the support platform 1, and the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 is connected to the gear 4. At least two groups of telescopic devices 5 are arranged in an annular manner and equidistantly on the upper surface of the support platform 1. The telescopic device 5 includes a telescopic rod 51, and one end of the telescopic rod 51 is meshed with the gear 4. A sleeve 6 is provided at the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3. A frustum 7 is sleeved on the outer side of the sleeve 6, and the telescopic device 5 is located inside the frustum 7 and on the outer side of the gear 4.

[0007] Preferably, the telescopic device 5 further comprises a housing 52 fixed on the supporting platform 1 and a spring 53 installed in the housing 52. One end of the telescopic rod 51 is connected to one end of the spring 53.

[0008] Preferably, the sleeve 6 is composed of at least two arc-shaped plates 61. A first damping pad 611 is arranged inside the arc-shaped plate 61.

[0009] Preferably, the cone 7 is composed of at least two cone plates 71. The top of the cone plate 71 is fixed to the sleeve 6 by bolts. The bottom of the cone plate 71 is fixed to the support platform 1 by bolts. A second damping pad 711 is provided at the bottom of the cone plate 71.

[0010] Preferably, an annular plate 31 for supporting the sleeve 6 is provided on the outer side of the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 .

[0011] Preferably, the upper surface of the gear 4 is provided with a fixing portion 41, and the lower surface is provided with a sliding portion 42. The fixing portion 41 and the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 are fixed to each other by bolts.

[0012] Preferably, an annular slide rail 11 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the support platform 1 , and the slide portion 42 is slidably mounted on the annular slide rail 11 .

[0013] Preferably, the fixing portion 41 is a cylinder or a plurality of plates.

[0014] Preferably, the sliding portion 42 is a cylinder or a plurality of plates.

[0015] Preferably, both sides of one end of the telescopic rod 51 that meshes with the gear 4 are arranged as beveled surfaces.

[0016] Preferably, the fixing portion 41 and the sliding portion 42 are fixed to the gear 4 by welding or bolts.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. The gear 4 arranged between the support platform 1 and the wind turbine tower 3 enables the wind turbine as a whole to change with the wind direction, thus avoiding severe shaking or even structural damage due to wind forces from multiple directions.

[0019] 2. The telescopic rod 51 of the telescopic device 5 is meshed with the gear 4, so that when the wind turbine tower 3 rotates, the telescopic rod 51 needs to be pushed toward the center of the gear 4. This process needs to overcome the elastic force of the spring 53 on the telescopic rod 51. Therefore, the wind turbine tower 3 can only be driven to rotate when the wind force is strong enough. Here, the telescopic device 5 improves the rotation conditions of the wind turbine tower 3 and prevents the wind turbine tower 3 from rotating violently.

[0020] 3. There is a first damping pad 611 between the wind turbine tower 3 and the sleeve 6. The first damping pad 611 fits tightly against the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3, generating friction during the rotation of the wind turbine tower 3, thereby hindering the rotation of the wind turbine tower 3 and further improving the rotation conditions of the wind turbine tower 3.

[0021] 4. The sleeve 6 is composed of at least two arc-shaped plates 61; the cone 7 is composed of at least two cone plates 71; this structure makes the sleeve 6 and the cone 7 easy to disassemble and assemble.

[0022] 5. The sleeve 6 and the cone 7 are sleeved on the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 to strengthen the supporting structure and prevent the wind turbine tower 3 from shaking violently. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an offshore wind turbine support structure of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section along the AA direction.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Top view of the distribution of gears and telescopic devices on the middle support platform.

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Top view of the middle support platform.

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the middle telescopic device.

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the gear structure.

[0029] Figure 7 This is the second structure of the fixed part and the sliding part arranged on both sides of the gear in the first embodiment.

[0030] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0031] 1: support platform, 2: catheter frame, 3: wind turbine tower, 4: gear, 5: telescopic device, 6: sleeve, 7: cone, 11: annular slide rail, 31: annular plate, 41: fixed part, 42: sliding part, 51: telescopic rod, 52: shell, 53: spring, 61: arc plate, 611: first damping pad, 71: cone plate, 711: second damping pad. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand the advantages and effects of the present disclosure from the contents disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments. The present disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0034] Embodiment 1

[0035] The present invention connects the wind turbine tower with the gear so that the wind turbine tower can rotate relative to the supporting platform, thereby adjusting the angle of the offshore wind turbine. In addition, the sleeve and the cone cover the gear, the telescopic device and the bottom of the wind turbine tower to prevent them from being directly exposed to the external environment and corroded by sea wind and sea water.

[0036] like Figure 1-3 As shown, an offshore wind turbine support structure includes a support platform 1, a conductor pipe frame 2 fixed on the lower surface of the support platform 1, and a wind turbine tower 3 installed on the support platform 1. A gear 4 is rotatably installed on the center of the upper surface of the support platform 1, and the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 is connected to the gear 4. At least two groups of telescopic devices 5 are arranged in an annular manner and equidistantly on the upper surface of the support platform 1. The telescopic device 5 includes a telescopic rod 51, and one end of the telescopic rod 51 is meshed with the gear 4. A sleeve 6 is provided at the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3. A frustum 7 is sleeved on the outer side of the sleeve 6, and the telescopic device 5 is located inside the frustum 7 and on the outer side of the gear 4. Furthermore, both sides of the end of the telescopic rod 51 that meshes with the gear 4 are set as chamfered surfaces, which helps the gear 4 to push the telescopic rod 51.

[0037] In this embodiment, the gear 4 disposed between the support platform 1 and the wind turbine tower 3 enables the offshore wind turbine as a whole to change with the wind direction, thereby avoiding severe shaking or even structural damage due to wind forces from multiple directions.

[0038] like Figure 5 As shown, further, the telescopic device 5 further includes a housing 52 fixed on the support platform 1 and a spring 53 installed in the housing 52. One end of the telescopic rod 51 is connected to one end of the spring 53.

[0039] In this embodiment, the telescopic rod 51 of the telescopic device 5 is meshed with the gear 4, so that when the wind turbine tower 3 rotates, the telescopic rod 51 needs to be pushed toward the center of the gear 4. This process needs to overcome the elastic force of the spring 53 on the telescopic rod 51. Therefore, the wind turbine tower 3 can only be driven to rotate when the wind force is strong enough. Here, the telescopic device 5 improves the rotation condition of the wind turbine tower 3 and prevents the wind turbine tower 3 from rotating violently.

[0040] Further, the sleeve 6 is composed of at least two arc-shaped plates 61. A first damping pad 611 is provided on the inner side of the arc-shaped plate 61. Further, the frustum 7 is composed of at least two cone plates 71. The top of the cone plate 71 is fixed to the sleeve 6 by bolts. The bottom of the cone plate 71 is fixed to the support platform 1 by bolts. A second damping pad 711 is provided at the bottom of the cone plate 71.

[0041] In this embodiment, there is a first damping pad 611 between the wind turbine tower 3 and the sleeve 6. The first damping pad 611 fits tightly against the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3, generating friction during the rotation of the wind turbine tower 3, hindering the rotation of the wind turbine tower 3, and further improving the rotation conditions of the wind turbine tower 3. The sleeve 6 is composed of at least two arc-shaped plates 61; the cone 7 is composed of at least two cone plates 71; this structure makes the sleeve 6 and the cone 7 easy to disassemble and assemble. The sleeve 6 and the cone 7 are sleeved at the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 to strengthen the supporting structure and prevent the wind turbine tower 3 from shaking violently. The first damping pad 611 and the second damping pad 711 are both rubber pads.

[0042] Furthermore, an annular plate 31 for supporting the sleeve 6 is provided on the outer side of the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 .

[0043] like Figure 6-7As shown, further, a fixing portion 41 is provided on the upper surface of the gear 4, and a sliding portion 42 is provided on the lower surface. The fixing portion 41 and the bottom of the wind turbine tower 3 are fixed to each other by bolts. Further, the fixing portion 41 and the sliding portion 42 are fixed to the gear 4 by welding or bolts. The structure of the gear 4 is arranged to be detachable, so that when the gear 4 is structurally damaged due to the long-term rotation of the wind turbine tower 3, it is convenient for the staff to replace it. Further, the fixing portion 41 is a cylinder or a plurality of plates. Further, the sliding portion 42 is a cylinder or a plurality of plates.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, further, an annular slide rail 11 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the support platform 1. The slide portion 42 is slidably mounted on the annular slide rail 11.

[0045] Working principle:

[0046] During installation,

[0047] S1: The sliding part 42 of the gear 4 is correspondingly mounted on the annular slide rail 11, and the gear 4 is rotated to make the gear 4 mesh with one end of the telescopic rod 51. Then the wind turbine tower 3 is correspondingly placed on the gear 4, and the two are fixed by bolts.

[0048] S2: Place at least two curved plates 61 on the annular plate 31 in close contact with the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3 to form a sleeve 6; then place at least two conical plates 71 on the support platform 1 in close contact with the outer wall of the curved plate 61 to form a cone 7, and then fix the bottom of the cone plate 71 to the support platform 1 and the top of the cone plate 71 to the curved plate 61 by bolts.

[0049] S3: Install the wind turbine assembly located above the wind turbine tower 3.

[0050] When the offshore wind turbine is impacted by airflow from other directions and the wind force reaches a certain level, the offshore wind turbine as a whole will be driven to change direction. At this time, the wind turbine tower 3 rotates, driving the gear 4 to rotate. The end of the telescopic rod 51 that is meshed with the gear 4 is pushed away from the gear 4, and the telescopic rod 51 shrinks toward the inside of the housing 52. During this process, the spring 53 is squeezed. During the rotation of the gear 4, the telescopic rod 51 is continuously approached to the gear 4 by the elastic force of the spring 53, and the gear 4 continuously overcomes the elastic force of the spring 53 to push the telescopic rod 51 to shrink into the inside of the housing 52. The telescopic rod 51 cooperates with the spring 53 to form a force that blocks the rotation of the gear 4, and the wind force drives the offshore wind turbine to rotate, which is ultimately reflected in the rotation of the gear 4. Therefore, the wind force needs to overcome the resistance formed by the telescopic device 5. When the wind force is not enough to overcome the resistance formed by the telescopic device 5, the wind turbine will not rotate. Among them, the more groups of telescopic devices 5, the greater the resistance formed. The number of groups of telescopic devices 5 can be calculated and set according to the on-site environment.

[0051] In this process, the first damping pad 611 is tightly fitted with the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3 to prevent the wind turbine tower 3 from rotating. Therefore, the wind force also needs to overcome the friction between the first damping pad 611 and the wind turbine tower 3. In this way, it can be prevented that the offshore wind turbine as a whole rotates easily or continuously when impacted by airflow.

[0052] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "middle", "length", "up", "down", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0053] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature "on" the second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. "Multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited.

[0054] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0055] The above is only for explaining the implementation mode of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, any modification, equivalent substitution, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention without creative work should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An offshore wind turbine support structure, comprising a support platform (1), a jacket (2) fixed to the lower surface of the support platform (1), and a wind turbine tower (3) mounted on the support platform (1), characterized in that: A gear (4) is rotatably mounted on the center of the upper surface of the support platform (1), and the bottom of the wind turbine tower (3) is connected to the gear (4); at least two groups of telescopic devices (5) are arranged in an annular manner and at equal intervals on the upper surface of the support platform (1); the telescopic device (5) comprises a telescopic rod (51), one end of which is meshed with the gear (4); a sleeve (6) is arranged at the bottom of the wind turbine tower (3); a cone (7) is sleeved on the outer side of the sleeve (6), and the telescopic device (5) is located inside the cone (7) and outside the gear (4); the telescopic device (5) further comprises a shell (52) fixed on the support platform (1) and a spring (53) installed in the shell (52); one end of the telescopic rod (51) is connected to one end of the spring (53).

2. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The sleeve (6) is composed of at least two arc-shaped plates (61); a first damping pad (611) is provided on the inner side of the arc-shaped plate (61).

3. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The cone (7) is composed of at least two cone plates (71); the top of the cone plate (71) is fixed to the sleeve (6) by bolts; the bottom of the cone plate (71) is fixed to the support platform (1) by bolts; and a second damping pad (711) is provided at the bottom of the cone plate (71).

4. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: An annular plate (31) for supporting the sleeve (6) is arranged on the outer side of the bottom of the wind turbine tower (3).

5. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the gear (4) is provided with a fixing portion (41), and the lower surface is provided with a sliding portion (42); the fixing portion (41) and the bottom of the wind turbine tower (3) are fixed to each other by bolts.

6. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: An annular slide rail (11) is provided at the centre of the upper surface of the support platform (1); the sliding portion (42) is slidably mounted on the annular slide rail (11).

7. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The fixing part (41) is a cylinder or a plurality of plates.

8. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The sliding part (42) is a cylinder or a plurality of plates.

9. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: Both sides of one end of the telescopic rod (51) that meshes with the gear (4) are arranged as beveled surfaces.

10. An offshore wind turbine support structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The fixing portion (41) and the sliding portion (42) are fixed to the gear (4) by welding or bolts.

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