Folding type tension leg floating platform, floating type wind turbine and towing transportation method and installation method of floating type wind turbine

Abstract

The invention discloses a folding type tension leg floating platform which comprises a central tower column, an umbrella-shaped floating body and a locking component, and the umbrella-shaped floating body and the locking component are arranged on the central tower column; a central ballast tank is arranged on the central tower column, and a bearing part is arranged above the central ballast tank; the umbrella-shaped floating body comprises a plurality of buoys and sliding pieces, one ends of the buoys are movably connected with the central tower column through the sliding pieces, the buoys can be unfolded or folded relative to the central tower column, when the buoys are unfolded, the other ends of the buoys are connected with the tension tendons, and the buoys are supported on the bearing parts; the locking component is arranged above the buoy, and in the locking state, the locking component can abut against the buoy in the unfolded state to the bearing part. According to the invention, not only is the transportation convenience of the tension leg platform, especially the tension leg platform with a cantilever type buoy improved, but also the problem of structural stress overrun at a connecting node when a floating body structure is in a working state can be effectively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of floating platforms, in particular to a foldable tension-leg floating platform, a floating wind turbine, a towing and transportation method thereof, and an installation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Starfish, extended tension leg platforms, and Moses tension leg platforms are three types of floating foundations currently widely used in offshore wind power and oil and gas production. Unlike traditional tension leg platforms, all three have multiple pontoons arranged as cantilever beams on the outside of the platform body. For example, the starfish tension leg platform has a central column and three pontoons arranged at 120 degrees around the central column. One end of each pontoon is connected to the central column, while the other end is free. This outwardly extending cantilever pontoon structure not only increases the waterplane area between the floating foundation and the water surface, but also optimizes the structural layout, allowing for a wider distribution of tension legs and further enhancing the platform's resistance to lodging.

[0003] Taking into account the structural connection strength and vertical bearing capacity, the pontoon is generally connected to the central column in a rigid fixed manner. In some cases, such as ports, bridge span structures, and waterway depths where the water depth is limited, the tension leg platform needs to be transported horizontally. Since the outward-extending pontoon will occupy a large space in the radial direction, this results in poor passability of the tension leg platform. In order to solve this problem, it is a foreseeable idea to make the cantilever-shaped pontoon into a foldable and retractable structure. For example: The Chinese patent with publication number CN112302183A and publication date 2021-02-02 proposes "a foldable house suitable for rapid construction in water areas". It uses an underwater umbrella-shaped float to provide buoyancy for the entire water building. The umbrella-shaped structure can be opened and folded, which is convenient for both house construction and towing and transportation. However, applying this umbrella-like floating structure concept to a tension-leg platform presents some potential challenges. For example, the connection points between the pontoons, which serve as the ribs of the umbrella, and the columns are critical stress concentration areas and must meet certain structural rigidity requirements to prevent excessive stress. However, to achieve the folding and stowing of the pontoons, these connection points must be movable. However, movable connection points generally lack the structural rigidity required to meet design requirements. In other words, excessive stress can easily occur at these movable connection points during operation, creating a conflict.

[0004] To sum up, for a tension leg platform with cantilevered pontoons, how to apply the above-mentioned expandable and foldable umbrella-like structure to the tension leg platform so that it can be easily towed and transported in shallow water channels or bridge span structures in the folded state, and avoid excessive structural stress at the movable connection nodes between the pontoons and the columns in the expanded state, is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a foldable tension-leg floating platform, which solves the problem of excessive structural stress in existing foldable movable connection nodes during operation. Another aspect of the present invention provides a towing and transportation method for the foldable tension-leg floating platform and a method for its installation.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a foldable tension leg floating platform, comprising a central tower, an umbrella-shaped floating body, and a locking member, wherein the umbrella-shaped floating body and the locking member are provided on the central tower;

[0007] A central ballast tank is provided on the central tower column, and a supporting portion is provided above the central ballast tank;

[0008] The umbrella-shaped float includes a plurality of buoys and sliding members, one end of each buoy is movably connected to the central tower via the sliding member, and the buoy can be expanded or retracted relative to the central tower. When the buoy is expanded, the other end of the buoy is connected to the tension tendon, and the buoy is supported on the supporting portion.

[0009] The locking member is arranged above the buoy. In a locked state, the locking member can press the buoy in an expanded state against the supporting portion.

[0010] The foldable tension leg floating platform preferably comprises a sliding member comprising a first ring and an umbrella rib strut, wherein both ends of the umbrella rib strut are hinged to the buoy and the first ring respectively, and the first ring can be slidably mounted on the central tower.

[0011] The foldable tension leg floating platform preferably comprises a locking component including a second ring, a buckling groove, a limiting groove, an isolation cavity and an elastic clamping ring, the second ring is located below the first ring, and the second ring can be slidably mounted on the central tower column, the bottom of the second ring is recessed inward to form a buckling groove with an open lower end, the lower edge of the second ring forms the limiting groove, the buckling groove is connected to the limiting groove, the inner wall side of the second ring is provided with the elastic clamping ring, so that in the locked state, the buckling groove can be buckled into the outer side of the supporting part, and the elastic clamping ring is stopped at the lower part of the supporting part, the buckling groove, the buoy and the supporting part form a substantially closed isolation cavity, the buoy is covered between the limiting groove and the supporting part, and the movable connection node of the buoy is located in the isolation cavity.

[0012] The foldable tension leg floating platform preferably comprises a central tendon and edge tendons, the lower ends of the central tendon and the edge tendons are respectively connected to the seabed, the upper ends of the edge tendons are connected to the buoy, and the upper end of the central tendon is fixed to the sliding member after passing through the locking member.

[0013] The foldable tension leg floating platform is preferably provided with a reserved hole on the first ring and the second ring, and the upper end of the central tendon passes through the reserved hole to ensure that the upper end of the central tendon passes through the second ring and is fixed on the first ring.

[0014] In the foldable tension-leg floating platform, preferably, the central tower column has a positioning portion, and the locking member is engaged and fixed on the positioning portion in the locked state.

[0015] A second aspect of the present invention provides a floating wind turbine, comprising a tower, a machine assembly, and the tension leg floating platform, wherein the tower is mounted on the top of the central tower column, and the machine assembly is mounted on the top of the tower.

[0016] For the floating wind turbine, preferably, the unit components include any one of a wind turbine unit, a wind observation unit, an oil and gas production unit, and a solar power generator unit.

[0017] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for towing and transporting the foldable tension-leg floating platform, comprising the following steps:

[0018] releasing the tension tendons from the buoys and operating the locking members to unlock them, thereby retracting the buoys of the umbrella-shaped float to the sides of the central tower;

[0019] Adjusting the posture of the tension leg floating platform so that it floats horizontally in the waters of the transport starting point, aligning the length direction of the tension leg floating platform with the towing direction, and allowing at least part of the buoyancy to float on the water surface to provide buoyancy support during towing;

[0020] The transport navigation group tows the horizontal tension leg floating platform and balances the center of gravity distribution of the tension leg floating platform during the towing process by adjusting the position of the second ring on the central tower until it reaches the designated sea area.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method for installing a foldable tension leg floating platform, comprising the following steps:

[0022] After the transport vessel tows the platform to the target installation area, the floating platform, wind turbines, and tension tendons are assembled, and then the platform is towed to a vertical position using towing ropes;

[0023] Pull the edge tendons and center tendons to pull the platform buoy to a fully deployed state;

[0024] Move the second ring to the central ballast tank and make the elastic collar rest against the bottom of the ballast tank. The U-shaped limiting groove of the second ring is completely engaged with the upper wall of the buoy, and the lower wall of the buoy is supported on the supporting portion.

[0025] Several vertical supports are fixedly installed at the installation positions reserved between the second ring and the first ring to complete the entire installation of the platform. At this time, the buoy, the supporting part and the locking member form a rigid overall structure.

[0026] The beneficial effects are:

[0027] The present invention uses an umbrella-shaped float to provide buoyancy support for upper components, such as wind turbines, above the central tower. The multiple pontoons of the umbrella-shaped float are designed to be deployable and retractable. When deployed, the pontoons form an umbrella-like crown, providing buoyancy support for the upper components. When retracted, the float facilitates towing and transport in shallow waterways or bridge spans, improving the overall transportability of the entire unit.

[0028] On the basis of improving the passability, the present invention has multiple buoys in the expanded position supported on the supporting portion when the umbrella-shaped float is in the working state, and the buoys, the supporting portion and the locking member are locked into a rigid integral structure by a locking member. The majority of the load acting on the buoys can be filtered by the rigid integral structure. The stress limit that the rigid integral structure can withstand is much greater than the stress limit that the movable connection node can withstand, so the problem of stress overrun is almost non-existent. At the same time, most of the load is borne by the rigid integral structure, and the load transferred to the movable connection node is very small. Therefore, the movable connection node can be effectively protected, preventing the movable connection node from becoming a stress concentration area, and thus avoiding the occurrence of structural stress overrun at that location.

[0029] The second ring in the locking member of the present invention also has a center of gravity adjustment function. During towing and transportation, the center of gravity position of the entire machine can be adjusted by moving the second ring back and forth along the central column without the need for ballasting operations, making the center of gravity adjustment operation during towing simpler and faster, thereby making the towing and transportation process safer.

[0030] The present invention not only improves the transportation convenience of the tension leg platform, especially the tension leg platform with cantilever pontoons, but also can effectively avoid the problem of excessive structural stress at the connection nodes of the floating structure when it is in operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the umbrella-shaped floating body in the expanded position in Example 1 (I);

[0032] Figure 2 Schematic diagram (2) of the structure of the umbrella-shaped floating body in the expanded position in Example 1;

[0033] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the umbrella-shaped floating body in the stowed position in Example 1 (the structure of the tension tendon is not shown);

[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the locking component in Example 1;

[0035] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the angular relationship between the locking member and the umbrella-shaped floating body in the first embodiment;

[0036] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the floating platform in the first towing posture in the third embodiment;

[0037] Figure 7 It is a structural diagram of the floating platform in the second towing posture in Example 3.

[0038] In the picture:

[0039] 1. Central tower column; 11. Central ballast tank;

[0040] 2. Umbrella-shaped float; 21. First reserved hole; 22. First ring;

[0041] 23. Umbrella rib support; 24. Center vertical support; 25. First buoy; 26. Second buoy; 27. Third buoy;

[0042] 3. Supporting part;

[0043] 4. Second collar; 41. Elastic collar; 42. Limiting groove; 43. Second reserved hole; 44. Isolation cavity;

[0044] 5. Tension tendon; 51. Central tendon; 52. Marginal tendon. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper" and "lower" and other terms indicating orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate the description of the present invention and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the systems or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" and other terms used to define components are intended solely to facilitate distinction between such components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meanings and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "disposed," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0048] The present invention provides a foldable tension leg floating platform, comprising a central tower, an umbrella-shaped float, and a locking member. The umbrella-shaped float and the locking member are provided on the central tower; a central ballast tank is provided on the central tower, and a supporting portion is provided above the central ballast tank; the umbrella-shaped float comprises a plurality of buoys and a sliding member, one end of the buoy is movably connected to the central tower via the sliding member, and the buoy can be expanded or retracted relative to the central tower. When the buoy is expanded, the other end of the buoy is connected to the tension tendon, and the buoy is supported on the supporting portion; the locking member is provided above the buoy, and in the locked state, the locking member can press the buoy in the expanded state against the supporting portion. The present invention not only improves the transportation convenience of the tension leg platform, especially the tension leg platform with cantilever buoys, but also effectively avoids the problem of excessive structural stress at the connection nodes of the floating structure when it is in operation.

[0049] The entire technical process is described in detail below using a foldable tension-leg floating platform as an example.

[0050] Example 1

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, a foldable tension leg floating platform comprises a central tower column 1, an umbrella-shaped floating body 2 and a locking member. The umbrella-shaped floating body 2 and the locking member are provided on the central tower column 1;

[0052] A central ballast tank 11 is mounted on the central tower 1, with a support portion 3 located on top. This tank 11 can be a ballast water tank. In other embodiments, this tank 11 can also be used to inject or remove ballast stones, powder, etc., without limitation. This tank 11 is used to adjust the platform's buoyancy and center of gravity during installation and operation. In some specific implementations, the tank can also be connected to a pump to facilitate the injection and removal of ballast water.

[0053] The umbrella-shaped float 2 is a semi-submersible underwater float. The umbrella-shaped float 2 includes multiple floats and sliding parts. One end of the float is movably connected to the central tower column 1 through the sliding part. The float can be expanded or retracted relative to the central tower column 1. When the float is expanded, the other end of the float is connected to the tension tendon 5, and the float is supported on the supporting part 3; the number of floats is 3-4. In this embodiment, only 3 floats are used as an example for description, but those skilled in the art should understand that this is not a limitation on the scope of protection covered by this solution.

[0054] Among them, one end of the pontoon is rotatably connected to the central tower column 1 through a rotating shaft. In other embodiments, it can also be rotatably connected through, for example, a hinge. The hinge can be, for example, a damping hinge. There is no limitation to this, as long as the pontoon can be expanded and folded.

[0055] The locking member is arranged above the buoy. In the locked state, the locking member can press the buoy in the expanded state against the supporting portion 3 .

[0056] Among them, the central tower column 1 is located near the water surface and can provide buoyancy support for the floating platform at the center position of the foldable tension leg floating platform. The structural form of the central tower column 1 can be a single-column structure, and the top of the central tower column 1 defines the deck or unit installation part, or it can be composed of a base and a plurality of vertical floating columns fixed on the base. A plurality of vertical floating columns are arranged around the central tower column 1, and the top of the vertical floating column defines the deck or unit installation part. The base can be annular or pie-shaped, and there is no restriction here.

[0057] The supporting portion 3 may be an annular flange extending outward from the surface of the central tower column 1. Preferably, the annular flange is coaxially arranged with the central tower column 1. The supporting portion 3 may also be a plurality of supporting cantilevers extending outward from the surface of the central tower column 1. The supporting portion 3 corresponds to the first buoy 25, the second buoy 26 and the third buoy 27 one by one. Furthermore, the supporting portion 3 is a supporting groove provided on the top of the central ballast tank 11, such as Figure 3 As shown, in other embodiments, it can also be a supporting surface formed on the top of the central ballast tank 11, as long as it can provide effective support for the lower wall of the buoy.

[0058] In which, the locking member is used to lock the buoy in the expanded position, and the locking member is configured to operate and switch between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the supporting portion 3 is located below the buoy and the locking member is located above the buoy. In the unlocked state, the locking member allows the buoy to return from the expanded position to the retracted position. In the locked state, the locking member is rigidly positioned on the central tower 1 and presses the buoy in the expanded position against the supporting portion 3, thereby locking the locking member, the buoy and the supporting portion 3 into a rigid integral structure.

[0059] In the prior art, the cantilever beam buoys of floating platforms such as the Starfish TLP and the MONSES TLP are generally rigidly connected to the main body, which results in poor maneuverability of the entire platform when passing through ports, shallow waterways or bridge span structures. Figures 1 to 2As shown, in this embodiment, the floating platform in this embodiment provides buoyancy support through an underwater umbrella-shaped float 2. Since multiple floats in the umbrella-shaped float 2 can be expanded or retracted to one side of the central tower 1, the floats can be retracted during towing, thereby improving the passability of the entire device in the above-mentioned special occasions. At the same time, in the structure of the umbrella-shaped float 2, the floats are movably connected to the central tower 1. When the float is expanded, it will be subject to static loads, such as the pre-tension of the tension tendon 5, the weight of the float and the buoyancy generated by itself, and dynamic loads such as wave force, current force and environmental loads such as wind load acting on the float. As a result, if the floating platform in the existing embodiment directly adopts the umbrella-shaped float 2, most of the loads acting on the float will be directly transferred to the connection node of the movably connected connection, thereby making the connection node a stress concentration area. In this embodiment, when the umbrella-shaped float 2 is in the working state, that is, the float is in the expanded position, the lower wall of the float presses against the support portion 3 and The upper wall presses against the locking member in the locked state, thereby locking the buoy, the supporting portion 3 and the locking member into a rigid integral structure. In this way, most of the loads acting on the buoy can be filtered by the rigid integral structure first. The stress limit that the rigid integral structure can withstand is much greater than the stress limit that the movable connection node can withstand. Therefore, there is almost no problem of stress exceeding the limit. At the same time, most of the load is borne by the above-mentioned rigid integral structure, and the load transferred to the movable connection node is very small. Therefore, the movable connection node can be effectively protected to avoid the movable connection node from becoming a stress concentration area, which can also avoid the occurrence of structural stress exceeding the limit at this location.

[0060] In the deployed position, the buoys extend in a generally perpendicular direction to the central tower 1. Conventional tension leg platforms, when in operation, have a low center of buoyancy and a high center of gravity due to buoyancy being greater than gravity. Under high wind and wave loads, the platform's roll and / or pitch motions increase, making the deck susceptible to swaying. To address this issue, in the deployed position, the buoys are arranged to gradually tilt upward from the center toward the periphery, resulting in the underwater umbrella-shaped float 2 being lower in the middle and higher around the edges. This lowers the center of gravity of the floating platform during operation, thereby improving its stability.

[0061] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the sliding member includes a first collar 22 and a rib support rod 23. The ends of the rib support rod 23 are hingedly connected to the buoys and the first collar 22, respectively. The first collar 22 is slidably mounted on the central tower 1. The center of the first collar 22 defines a first socket hole that mates with the central tower 1. By sliding the first collar 22 up and down along the central tower 1, the multiple buoys are simultaneously deployed or retracted. Here, the first collar 22 acts as the handle of an umbrella structure. By pushing and pulling the first collar 22 up and down along the central tower 1, the rib support rod 23 is actuated, thereby deploying or retracting the buoys located at the crown position. The arrangement of the first collar 22 allows multiple buoys to be deployed or retracted simultaneously, resulting in a more balanced force during the installation of the umbrella-shaped float 2, thereby improving the stability of the platform during construction.

[0062] like Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the locking member includes a second collar 4, a snap-fit groove, a limiting groove 42, an isolation cavity 44, and an elastic collar 41. The second collar 4 also has a center of gravity adjustment function. The second collar 4 is located below the first collar 22 and is mounted on the central tower 1. The second collar 4 is configured to slide between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the locking member presses against the top of the corresponding pontoon. The second position is the center of gravity equilibrium position of the entire machine when the pontoon is in the retracted state. In other words, when the locking member reaches the first position, the locking member enters the locked state. There are many structural methods that can achieve this technical purpose. Taking the above-mentioned locking member and the central tower 1 as an example, a spring latch is further provided on the inner wall of the second collar 4. When the second collar 4 reaches the second position, the spring latch engages with the corresponding positioning portion to fix the position of the second collar 4, causing the locking member to enter the locked state.

[0063] The bottom of the second collar 4 is recessed inward to form a snap-fitting groove with an open lower end. The snap-fitting groove has a top wall and side walls, with the top wall having a second socket for mating with the central tower column 1. The lower edge of the second collar 4 forms a retaining groove 42, which intersects the retaining groove 42. An elastic collar 41 is provided on the inner side of the second collar 4 to enable the snap-fitting groove to snap onto the outer side of the support portion 3 in the locked state, with the elastic collar 41 abutting against the lower portion of the support portion 3. The snap-fitting groove, the buoy, and the support portion 3 form a generally enclosed isolation chamber 44. The buoy is enclosed between the retaining groove 42 and the support portion 3, with the movable connection node of the buoy located within the isolation chamber 44. The provision of the isolation chamber 44 isolates the movable connection node at the base of the buoy from the external waters, effectively reducing the impact of external loads such as wave forces and current forces on the aforementioned connection node, thereby allowing the platform to withstand vortex-induced vibration or alternating stress. Preferably, the buoy is constructed so that its radial cross-sectional area gradually decreases from the root at the connection node to the outer end of the buoy. This increases the cross-sectional area, thereby reducing the local stress level at the root of the buoy, thereby avoiding plastic deformation or fatigue failure. The ends of the buoy typically only transmit the pre-tension of the tendon, are subject to relatively single forces, and are located far from the fulcrum, resulting in smaller bending moments and shear forces. Therefore, the cross-sectional area can be appropriately reduced.

[0064] In the process of buckling the locking member downward onto the outside of the supporting portion 3, in this embodiment, that is, when the buckling groove is buckled onto the outside of the central ballast tank 11, the elastic clamping ring 41 is compressed. When the buoy is in the expanded position, the elastic clamping ring 41 reaches the bottom of the central ballast tank 11, and the compressed elastic clamping ring 41 is reset, expanded, and stopped at the lower part of the supporting portion 3 to lock the position of the locking member.

[0065] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the tension tendon 5 includes a central tendon 51 and an edge tendon 52. The lower ends of the central tendon 51 and the edge tendon 52 are respectively connected to the seabed, and the upper end of the edge tendon 52 is connected to the buoy. The upper end of the central tendon 51 is fixed to the sliding member after passing through the locking member. Specifically, the edge tendon 52 is connected to the end of the buoy away from the central tower 1, and the upper end of the central tendon 51 is connected to the first ring 22. In this way, during the installation of the floating platform of this embodiment, with the help of the downward pulling force of the central tendon 51, the first ring 22 slides downward, thereby driving multiple buoys to move to the expanded position, making the installation process of the floating platform more labor-saving and quick. At the same time, the edge tendon 52 applies a downward pulling force to the buoy from the outer end, so that the buoy reaches the expanded position more quickly, further improving the efficiency of the platform construction operation.

[0066] like Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the central ballast tank 11 is cylindrical, with first pre-set holes 221 distributed circumferentially on the upper end surface of the first collar 22, and second pre-set holes 43 distributed circumferentially on the end surface of the second collar 4. The upper end of the central tendon 51 passes through the second pre-set hole 43 and is fixed upwardly within the hole of the first pre-set hole 221, so that the first collar 22 can be pulled downward by the downward pull of the central tendon 51. At the same time, the central tendon 51 passing through the second pre-set hole 43 can constrain the second collar 4 in the horizontal direction, preventing the second collar 4 from shifting relative to the multiple buoys when sliding up and down during installation. Furthermore, when the buoys are expanded to a set angle, a central vertical support 24 can be installed between the first collar 22 and the second collar 4. The central vertical support 24 can be a support rod distributed along the circumference of the ring. Preferably, the central vertical support 24 can be detachably fixed between the first ring 22 and the second ring 4, so as to limit the position of the first ring 22 and then the position of the buoy, and also firmly press the second ring 4 against the supporting part 3, so that the central tendon 51 and the first ring 22, the central vertical support 24 and the second ring 4 form a self-locking structure, further strengthening the integrity of the platform structure and improving the structural strength.

[0067] As one approach, the central tower column 1 has a positioning portion, and the locking member is engaged and fixed to the positioning portion (not shown in the figure) in the locked state. The positioning portion is, for example, a plurality of embedded grooves formed on the central tower column 1, and the plurality of embedded grooves are distributed along the circumference of the tower column, and the plurality of embedded grooves correspond one-to-one with the plurality of buoys. The locking member includes a pressing block that is engaged and fixed in each of the embedded grooves after the buoys are expanded, and the buoys are pressed between the corresponding pressing block and the supporting portion 3.

[0068] like Figure 5 As shown, the folding angle of the buoy is α, the diameter of the second ring 4 is R0, and the projection distance between the connection point between the buoy and the rib strut 23 and the lower end surface of the central ballast tank 11 on the central tower 25 is H0. To ensure that the second ring 4 does not collide with the buoy and the rib strut 23 during sliding, it is necessary to ensure that R0 is less than 2·tnaα·H0. During towing, the folding angle α of the buoy can be adjusted according to actual project conditions to ensure that the second ring 4 does not contact the buoy and the rib strut 23, while also reserving a certain center of gravity adjustment distance on the central tower 1 between the first ring 22 and the central ballast tank 11.

[0069] Example 2

[0070] Based on this, this embodiment further proposes a floating wind turbine comprising a tower, a wind turbine, and the aforementioned tension-leg floating platform. The tower is mounted on top of the central tower 1 of the floating platform described in Example 1, and the wind turbine is mounted on top of the tower. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the top of the central tower 1 can be mounted not only with the wind turbine, but also with, for example, wind observation units, oil and gas production units, solar power generators, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0071] Example 3

[0072] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, a towing and transportation method of the foldable tension leg floating platform described in Example 1 includes the following steps:

[0073] S1 . Release the tension tendon 5 from the buoy and operate the locking member to unlock it, so as to retract the multiple buoys of the umbrella-shaped floating body 2 to the side of the central tower 1 .

[0074] S2. Adjust the posture of the tension leg floating platform so that it floats horizontally in the water area of the transportation starting point, so that the length direction of the tension leg floating platform is consistent with the towing direction, and at least part of the buoyancy floats on the water surface to provide buoyancy support during towing.

[0075] In this embodiment, as a preference, it is necessary to ensure that the two buoys are in contact with the sea level during the towing process. The third buoy 27 can be towed above the sea level or below the sea level according to the actual situation. For example, when the wind and wave load is large, the third buoy 27 can be placed below the water surface. Figure 7 When the environmental conditions are good, the third buoy 27 is placed in the air, which can reduce the water resistance and make the towing process smoother, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 shown.

[0076] Specifically, the state of the buoy during towing of the tension leg platform is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, when the tension leg platform is towing, the pontoons are in a folded and stowed state. At this time, the two pontoons are in contact with the water surface, and the third pontoon 27 stands between the first pontoon 25 and the second pontoon 26, standing in the air. At this time, the center of gravity of the entire machine can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the second ring 4 on the central tower column 1. In a preferred embodiment, the pontoon state of the tension leg platform during towing is as follows Figure 7 As shown, when the tension leg platform is towed, the buoys are in a folded and stowed state. At this time, the two buoys are in contact with the water surface, and the third buoy 27 stands between the first buoy 25 and the second buoy 26, standing below the sea surface. At this time, the position of the center of gravity of the entire structure can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the second ring 4 on the central tower column 1. The above two towing schemes can be further selected according to the actual environmental conditions.

[0077] S3. The transport navigation team tows the horizontally placed tension leg floating platform by adjusting the position of the second ring 4 on the central tower 1 to balance the center of gravity distribution of the tension leg floating platform during the towing process until it reaches the designated sea area.

[0078] In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the platform unit can be balanced during towing by moving the second ring 4 along the central tower 1, eliminating the need for ballasting to adjust and balance the center of gravity of the entire unit. Preferably, one end of the second ring 4 is connected to a cable for the user to perform a towing operation. By towing the second ring 4 on the transport vessel and moving it along the central tower 1, the center of gravity of the entire unit can be adjusted. The transport vessel may include a towing vessel, a balancing vessel, etc.

[0079] Traditional wind turbine platforms are towed in a vertical position during towing of the entire machine. However, in this embodiment, the vertical platform is towed in a horizontal position, which greatly reduces the center of gravity of the platform and improves the stability and safety performance of the platform during towing. The buoyancy of the platform is reduced after it is laid down, and no ballasting measures are required to achieve self-stabilization during towing. Since the buoys are all folded and stowed, the passability of the entire machine during towing is greatly improved.

[0080] Example 4

[0081] In order to more clearly illustrate the core of the embodiments of this specification, a method for installing the foldable tension leg floating platform described in Example 1 is also disclosed, comprising the following steps:

[0082] The first step is to wait for the transport vessel to tow the platform to the target installation sea area, complete the assembly of the floating platform, wind turbine and tension tendon 5, and then use the towing rope to tow the platform to a vertical state;

[0083] The second step is to pull the edge tendons 52 and the center tendons 51 simultaneously to pull the platform buoy to a fully deployed state;

[0084] Step 3: Move the second ring 4 to the central ballast tank and make the elastic collar 41 rest against the bottom of the ballast tank. The U-shaped limiting groove 42 of the second ring 4 is completely engaged with the upper wall of the buoy, and the lower wall of the buoy is supported on the supporting portion 3.

[0085] The fourth step is to fix several vertical supports at the installation positions reserved between the second ring 4 and the first ring 22 to complete the entire installation of the platform. At this time, the buoy, the supporting part 3 and the locking member form a rigid integral structure.

[0086] In summary, in the above embodiment, when the umbrella-shaped float 2 is in working condition, a plurality of floats in the expanded position are supported on the supporting portion 3, and the floats, the supporting portion 3 and the locking member itself are locked into a rigid integral structure through a locking member. In this way, most of the load acting on the float can be filtered by the rigid integral structure first, and very little load is transferred to the movable connection node. Therefore, the movable connection node can be effectively protected, and the movable connection node can be prevented from becoming a stress concentration area, which can also avoid the occurrence of structural stress exceeding the limit at this location.

[0087] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A foldable tension leg floating platform, characterized in that: It comprises a central tower column, an umbrella-shaped floating body and a locking member, wherein the umbrella-shaped floating body and the locking member are provided on the central tower column; A central ballast tank is provided on the central tower column, and a supporting portion is provided above the central ballast tank; The umbrella-shaped float includes a plurality of buoys and sliding members, one end of each buoy is movably connected to the central tower via the sliding member, and the buoy can be expanded or retracted relative to the central tower. When the buoy is expanded, the other end of the buoy is connected to the tension tendon, and the buoy is supported on the supporting portion. The locking member is arranged above the buoy. In a locked state, the locking member can press the buoy in an expanded state against the supporting portion.

2. The foldable tension leg floating platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding member includes a first collar and an umbrella rib support rod. Two ends of the umbrella rib support rod are hinged to the buoy and the first collar respectively. The first collar can be slidably mounted on the central tower column.

3. The foldable tension leg floating platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking member includes a second ring, a buckling groove, a limiting groove, an isolation cavity and an elastic clamp ring. The second ring is located below the first ring, and the second ring can be slidably mounted on the central tower column. The bottom of the second ring is recessed inward to form a buckling groove with an open lower end. The lower edge of the second ring forms the limiting groove. The buckling groove is connected to the limiting groove. The inner wall side of the second ring is provided with the elastic clamp ring to realize that in the locked state, the buckling groove can be buckled on the outer side of the supporting part, and the elastic clamp ring is stopped at the lower part of the supporting part. The buckling groove, buoy and supporting part form a substantially closed isolation cavity. The buoy is covered between the limiting groove and the supporting part, and the movable connection node of the buoy is located in the isolation cavity.

4. The foldable tension leg floating platform according to claim 3, characterized in that: The tension tendon includes a central tendon and edge tendons, the lower ends of the central tendon and the edge tendons are respectively connected to the seabed, the upper ends of the edge tendons are connected to the buoy, and the upper end of the central tendon passes through the locking component and is fixed to the sliding member.

5. The foldable tension leg floating platform according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first and second rings are also provided with reserved holes, and the upper end of the central tendon passes through the reserved holes to ensure that the upper end of the central tendon passes through the second ring and is fixed on the first ring.

6. The foldable tension leg floating platform according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The central tower column is provided with a positioning portion, and the locking member is engaged and fixed on the positioning portion in a locked state.

7. A floating wind turbine, characterized in that: The invention comprises a tower, a machine assembly and the tension leg floating platform according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tower is installed on the top of the central tower column, and the machine assembly is installed on the top of the tower.

8. The floating wind turbine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The unit components include any one of a wind turbine unit, a wind observation unit, an oil and gas production unit and a solar power generator unit.

9. A towing and transportation method for a foldable tension-leg floating platform according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The steps include: releasing the tension tendons from the buoys and operating the locking members to unlock them, thereby retracting the buoys of the umbrella-shaped float to the sides of the central tower; Adjusting the posture of the tension leg floating platform so that it floats horizontally in the waters of the transport starting point, aligning the length direction of the tension leg floating platform with the towing direction, and allowing at least part of the buoyancy to float on the water surface to provide buoyancy support during towing; The transport navigation group tows the horizontal tension leg floating platform and balances the center of gravity distribution of the tension leg floating platform during the towing process by adjusting the position of the second ring on the central tower until it reaches the designated sea area.

10. A method for installing a foldable tension leg floating platform according to claim 5, characterized in that: The steps include: After the transport vessel tows the platform to the target installation area, the floating platform, wind turbines, and tension tendons are assembled, and then the platform is towed to a vertical position using towing ropes; Pull the edge tendons and center tendons to pull the platform buoy to a fully deployed state; Move the second ring to the central ballast tank and make the elastic collar rest against the bottom of the ballast tank. The U-shaped limiting groove of the second ring is completely engaged with the upper wall of the buoy, and the lower wall of the buoy is supported on the supporting portion. Several vertical supports are fixedly installed at the installation positions reserved between the second ring and the first ring to complete the entire installation of the platform. At this time, the buoy, the supporting part and the locking member form a rigid overall structure.

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