Gravity anchor system and installation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a gravity anchor system and an installation method thereof, and relates to the field of offshore photovoltaic technologies, and the gravity anchor system comprises a base assembly, an anchor block assembly, a fixing assembly and a force collecting assembly; the base assembly is used for being placed on a seabed. The anchor block assembly comprises at least two separable anchor block pieces, the anchor block pieces are arranged on the base assembly, and a plurality of connecting pieces used for hoisting and mooring are arranged on the anchor block pieces; the fixing assembly can fix the at least two anchor blocks on the base assembly; a force collecting assembly may connect the respective connectors to collect the mooring force from the mooring line and distribute the mooring force to the at least two anchor blocks. According to the large-scale gravity anchor, the large-scale gravity anchor is divided into the base assembly and the multiple small anchor blocks, the size and weight of a single component can be reduced, the large-scale gravity anchor can meet the road transportation limitation, the difficulty and cost of on-site hoisting installation are reduced, and the transportation and construction convenience of the gravity anchor is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of marine photovoltaic technology, and more specifically, to a gravity anchor system and its installation method. Background Technology

[0002] As an emerging form of clean energy, offshore photovoltaic (PV) power generation places special demands on the reliability and economy of its anchoring systems on floating platforms. Unlike large deep-sea platforms, offshore PV platforms are smaller in scale and more sensitive to cost. While traditional anchoring technologies such as tension leg, catenary, or suction anchors are mature, they are expensive and difficult to apply on a large scale in offshore PV projects.

[0003] Traditional gravity anchors, namely concrete anchor blocks, are inexpensive and highly safe. However, in nearshore environments, in order to provide sufficient load-bearing capacity and ensure the safety of the anchoring system, the anchor blocks are usually large in size and weigh up to hundreds of tons. This not only exceeds the size limits for road transportation but also presents significant difficulties in lifting and installation.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the ease of transportation and construction of gravity anchors has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a gravity anchor system to improve the convenience of transporting and constructing gravity anchors.

[0006] Another objective of this application is to provide a gravity anchor system installation method applicable to the above-mentioned gravity anchor system.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0008] A gravity anchor system, comprising:

[0009] Base assembly for placement on the seabed;

[0010] An anchor block assembly, the anchor block assembly including at least two separable anchor blocks, the anchor blocks being disposed on the base assembly, and the anchor blocks being provided with a plurality of connectors for lifting and mooring;

[0011] A fixing component for securing at least two of the anchor blocks to the base assembly;

[0012] A force-gathering assembly for connecting the various connectors to gather mooring forces from the mooring lines and distribute the mooring forces to at least two of the anchor blocks.

[0013] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the base assembly includes a plurality of enclosures, each enclosure forming a receiving space for accommodating the anchor block.

[0014] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the base assembly further includes cross-arranged support plates, and a mud discharge channel is provided on at least one of the enclosure plates. The support plates are located within the accommodating space, and the height of the support plates is less than the height of the enclosure plates. The support plates are used to abut against the anchor block.

[0015] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the fixing component includes a plurality of spaced connecting reinforcements, which are arranged perpendicular to the joint of two adjacent anchor blocks.

[0016] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the connecting reinforcement includes a clamping part and connecting parts located at both ends of the clamping part. The clamping part is used to clamp the side of the anchor block away from the base assembly, and the connecting parts are used to connect to the base assembly.

[0017] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the anchor block includes a precast concrete anchor block.

[0018] Optionally, in the above gravity anchor system, the connector includes a lifting ring, which is pre-installed on the precast concrete anchor block.

[0019] Optionally, in the above-described gravity anchor system, the force-gathering component includes a cross anchor chain.

[0020] A method for installing a gravity anchor system, applicable to any of the gravity anchor systems described above, includes the following steps:

[0021] Install the base assembly and place the base assembly on the seabed;

[0022] Place the anchor block assembly, and sequentially hoist at least two of the anchor blocks onto the base assembly via the connector;

[0023] A fixed anchor block assembly is used to connect and fix each of the anchor blocks to the base assembly.

[0024] Install the force-gathering assembly and connect it to each of the connectors to gather the mooring forces and distribute them to at least two of the anchor blocks.

[0025] Optionally, in the above gravity anchor system installation method, during the step of installing the force-gathering component, the force-gathering component is symmetrically attached to each of the connecting parts.

[0026] The gravity anchor system provided in this application involves placing a base assembly on the seabed and sequentially hoisting at least two anchor blocks onto the base assembly via connectors. Each anchor block is then connected and secured to the base assembly via a fixing assembly. Furthermore, a force-gathering assembly is connected to each connector, allowing the mooring line to be connected to the force-gathering assembly. This allows the mooring force from the mooring line to be gathered and distributed to each anchor block. As can be seen from the above example, the gravity anchor system provided in this application, by disassembling a large gravity anchor into a base assembly and multiple smaller anchor blocks, reduces the size and weight of individual components, making it suitable for road transport and reducing the difficulty and cost of on-site lifting and installation, thus improving the convenience of transporting and constructing the gravity anchor. Moreover, by setting multiple connectors on different anchor blocks and connecting them using the force-gathering assembly, a synergistic force-bearing system can be formed. This allows the external mooring load to be evenly distributed to each anchor block, avoiding stress concentration, enabling the anchor block assembly to bear load stably as a whole, significantly improving the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0027] The technical features mentioned above, those to be mentioned below, and those shown individually in the accompanying drawings can be combined arbitrarily, provided that the combined technical features are not contradictory. All feasible combinations of features are the technical content explicitly described herein. Any one of the multiple sub-features contained in the same statement can be applied independently, without necessarily being applied together with other sub-features. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the gravity anchor system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 A top view of the gravity anchor system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base assembly provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the anchor block provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 5This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the installation method of the gravity anchor system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0034] Among them, 10 is the base assembly, 11 is the enclosure plate, 111 is the mud discharge channel, 12 is the accommodating space, 13 is the support plate, 20 is the anchor block assembly, 21 is the anchor block component, 211 is the connector, 2111 is the lifting ring, 30 is the fixing assembly, 31 is the connecting reinforcement component, 311 is the clamping part, 312 is the connecting part, 40 is the force gathering assembly, and 41 is the cross anchor chain. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The core of this application is to provide a gravity anchor system to improve the ease of transportation and construction of gravity anchors.

[0036] Another core aspect of this application is to provide a gravity anchor system installation method applicable to the aforementioned gravity anchor system.

[0037] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] As an emerging form of clean energy, offshore photovoltaic (PV) power generation places special demands on the reliability and economy of its anchoring systems on floating platforms. Unlike large deep-sea platforms, such as offshore oil platforms, offshore PV platforms are smaller in scale and more sensitive to cost. While traditional anchoring technologies such as tension leg, catenary, or suction anchors are mature, their high cost makes them difficult to apply on a large scale in offshore PV projects.

[0039] Traditional gravity anchors, namely concrete anchor blocks, are simple in structure and low in cost, making them a viable alternative to anchoring systems. However, to provide sufficient anchoring force in complex sea conditions, a single gravity anchor often needs to be hundreds of tons in size and weight. Such large and heavy monolithic structures would severely exceed transport limits by land and place extremely high demands on vessels and lifting equipment during offshore installation, leading to a sharp increase in transportation and construction costs.

[0040] Therefore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown in the illustration, this application discloses a gravity anchor system, including a base assembly 10, an anchor block assembly 20, a fixing assembly 30, and a force-gathering assembly 40. By disassembling a large gravity anchor into a base assembly 10 and multiple smaller anchor blocks 21, the size and weight of individual components can be reduced, making it suitable for road transport restrictions and reducing the difficulty and cost of on-site lifting and installation, thus improving the convenience of transporting and constructing the gravity anchor. Furthermore, by using multiple connectors 211 set on different anchor blocks 21 and connecting them with the force-gathering assembly 40, a cooperative force-bearing system can be formed, thereby evenly distributing the external mooring load to each anchor block 21, avoiding stress concentration, and enabling the anchor block assembly 20 to stably bear the load as a whole, significantly improving the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0041] The following will combine Figures 1 to 4 The gravity anchor system disclosed in the embodiments of this application will be explained and described in detail.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the base assembly 10 serves as the foundation of the entire gravity anchor system, resting on the seabed and supporting the anchor block assembly 20 above it. The base assembly 10 can be made of steel components, which can be assembled from multiple steel plates through welding to form a frame or tray structure with sufficient strength. To ensure sufficient structural strength and durability, the steel plate thickness can be selected as 8 mm or 10 mm, depending on the specific engineering requirements. The overall dimensions of the base assembly 10 must be designed to support the anchor block assembly 20 and provide adequate installation and fixing allowances for the installation and fixation of the base assembly 10 and the anchor block assembly 20.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the anchor block assembly 20 may include at least two separable anchor blocks 21, that is, the anchor block assembly 20 may be composed of two, three or more independent anchor blocks 21, and the anchor blocks 21 may be disposed on the base assembly 10. At the same time, the anchor blocks 21 are provided with two, three or more connectors 211 so as to hoist the anchor blocks 21 onto the base assembly 10, and can be easily connected to the mooring cable through the force-gathering assembly 40 to realize the traction of the floating photovoltaic platform.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the fixing component 30 can fix at least two anchor blocks 21 to the base component 10 so that each anchor block 21 can form an integral part with the base component 10, thereby improving the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0045] like Figure 2As shown, the force-gathering component 40 can connect to each connector 211 to form a cooperative force-bearing system, and can connect the mooring line to the force-gathering component 40, thereby gathering the mooring force from the mooring line and distributing the mooring force evenly to each anchor block 21, avoiding stress concentration, so that the anchor block component 20 can be stably supported as a whole, significantly improving the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the base assembly 10 may include multiple enclosures 11, i.e., three, four or more enclosures 11, such that each enclosure 11 encloses a receiving space 12 with a cross-sectional shape of triangle, rectangle or other polygon, so that the anchor block 21 can be placed in the receiving space 12. It should be noted that the shape of the anchor block assembly 20 is adapted to the shape of the receiving space 12, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the anchor block assembly 20 can be a triangle, rectangle or other polygon adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the receiving space 12, so as to facilitate the installation and fixation between the anchor block assembly 20 and the base assembly 10.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the base assembly 10 may also include cross-arranged support plates 13, i.e., multiple support plates 13 may be used, and each support plate 13 may be arranged perpendicularly to each other within the receiving space 12 and abut against the anchor block 21 to provide greater support force for the anchor block assembly 20. Simultaneously, a mud discharge channel 111 may be provided on at least one enclosure plate 11, i.e., one mud discharge channel 111 may be used, and one mud discharge channel 111 may be located on any one of the enclosure plates 11. Of course, two, three, or more mud discharge channels 111 may also be used, and each mud discharge channel 111 may be set on a different enclosure plate 11. Furthermore, the height of the support plate 13 may be less than the height of the enclosure plate 11 by a certain distance, for example, the height of the support plate 13 may be 100mm less than the height of the enclosure plate 11, so that when the anchor block assembly 20 is hoisted on the seabed, the silt on the seabed can be discharged through the mud discharge channel 111, thereby ensuring the stability of the gravity anchor system.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the base assembly 10 has a rectangular cross-section receiving space 12, and the anchor block assembly 20 can be composed of two cuboid anchor blocks 21. Two mud discharge channels 111 can be used, and the two mud discharge channels 111 can be located on the surrounding plate 11 parallel to the long side of the anchor block 21, so as to improve the effect of the mud discharge channels 111 in discharging the silt from the seabed, while ensuring the strength and stability of the base assembly 10.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the sludge discharge channel 111 can be a strip-shaped hole provided on the surrounding plate 11. The strip-shaped hole can be multiple and spaced apart, or it can be a single hole. The strip-shaped hole extends from one end of the surrounding plate 11 to the other end. The length direction of the strip-shaped hole can be set horizontally or vertically, which is not limited here.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fixing component 30 may include multiple spaced connecting reinforcement members 31, that is, two, three or more connecting reinforcement members 31 may be used, and the specific number may be determined according to the size of the anchor block component 20 and the base component 10. Among them, the connecting reinforcement members 31 may be arranged perpendicular to the splice seam of two adjacent anchor block components 21 to ensure the firmness of the fixing of each anchor block component 21.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the connecting reinforcement 31 may include a clamping part 311 and connecting parts 312 located at both ends of the clamping part 311. The clamping part 311 can clamp the anchor block 21 on the side away from the base assembly 10, and can be connected and fixed to the surrounding plate 11 of the base assembly 10 by bolts or other fasteners or welding through the connecting parts 312 at both ends of the clamping part 311.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the clamping part 311 and the connecting part 312 can be made of angle steel, and the clamping part 311 and the connecting part 312 are connected by welding. Of course, the connecting reinforcement 31 can also be made of U-shaped steel plate and rectangular steel plate welded together to form the clamping part 311 and the connecting part 312, which is not limited here.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the anchor block 21 may include a precast concrete anchor block, meaning the anchor block 21 can be made of precast concrete. The connecting member 211 may include a lifting ring 2111, which can be pre-installed on the precast concrete anchor block to ensure reliable connection between the lifting ring 2111 and the anchor block 21. Alternatively, the lifting ring 2111 can also be fixed to the anchor block 21 using high-strength bolts; this is not a limitation herein.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the force-gathering component 40 may include a cross anchor chain 41, that is, the force-gathering component 40 may adopt a cross anchor chain 41, and one end of the cross anchor chain 41 can be hooked to the lifting ring 2111 through fasteners such as shackles. At the same time, the other end of the cross anchor chain 41 is concentrated at the center of the anchor block component 20 so as to connect with the mooring line. This can gather the mooring force from the mooring line and distribute the mooring force evenly to each anchor block component 21 to avoid stress concentration. It can also make the anchor block component 20 a stable whole, which significantly improves the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0055] It should be noted that the force-gathering component 40 can also be a rigid component such as a connecting rod to connect with the mooring line, thereby gathering the mooring force from the mooring line and distributing the mooring force evenly to each anchor block 21 to avoid stress concentration. It also allows the anchor block component 20 to be stably supported as a whole, which significantly improves the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0056] The gravity anchor system disclosed in this application involves placing a base assembly 10 on the seabed and sequentially hoisting at least two anchor blocks 21 onto the base assembly 10 via connectors 211. Simultaneously, each anchor block 21 is connected and fixed to the base assembly 10 via a fixing assembly 30. Furthermore, a force-gathering assembly 40 is connected to each connector 211, allowing the mooring line to be connected to the force-gathering assembly 40. This allows the mooring force from the mooring line to be gathered and distributed to each anchor block 21.

[0057] The gravity anchor system disclosed in this application reduces the size and weight of individual components by disassembling a large gravity anchor into a base assembly 10 and multiple smaller anchor blocks 21. This allows the system to meet road transport restrictions and reduces the difficulty and cost of on-site lifting and installation, thus improving the ease of transporting and constructing the gravity anchor. Furthermore, by using multiple connectors 211 on different anchor blocks 21 and connecting them with a force-collecting assembly 40, a coordinated force-bearing system can be formed. This allows external mooring loads to be evenly distributed across each anchor block 21, avoiding stress concentration. This enables the anchor block assembly 20 to function as a stable whole, significantly improving the stability and safety of the entire gravity anchor system.

[0058] like Figure 5As shown in the embodiments of this application, a gravity anchor system installation method is disclosed, applicable to the gravity anchor system disclosed in the above embodiments, and therefore possesses all the technical effects of the aforementioned gravity anchor system, which will not be repeated here. The gravity anchor system installation method may include step S100 of installing the base assembly, step S200 of placing the anchor block assembly, step 300 of fixing the anchor block assembly, and step S400 of installing the force-gathering assembly. It should be noted that before installation, the various components of the gravity anchor system can be transported to the dock via conventional land transportation methods (such as flatbed trucks), and then transported to the designated construction sea area by ordinary engineering barges. Then, the gravity anchor system can be installed according to the gravity anchor system installation method.

[0059] Step S100: Install base assembly 10;

[0060] The base assembly 10 is precisely lowered onto the seabed at the designated location using a shipborne crane.

[0061] Step S200: Place anchor block assembly 20;

[0062] At least two anchor blocks 21 are sequentially hoisted onto the base assembly 10 via connectors 211. Specifically, at least two anchor blocks 21 are sequentially hoisted off the barge using a shipborne crane and, with the assistance of an underwater remotely operated vehicle or a diver, are precisely placed within the receiving space 12 of the base assembly 10. Simultaneously, during the placement of the anchor blocks 21, the silt within the receiving space 12 can be discharged through the sludge discharge channel 111 located on the side of the base assembly 10.

[0063] Step S300: Fix the anchor block assembly 20;

[0064] Each anchor block 21 is connected and fixed to the base assembly 10 by the fixing component 30. Specifically, the connecting reinforcement 31 made of angle steel can be welded to the base assembly 10 by a diver or an underwater welding robot. At the same time, the connecting reinforcement 31 can press the individual anchor blocks 21 together to form a whole load-bearing structure.

[0065] Step S400: Install the power collection component 40;

[0066] The force-gathering components 40 are symmetrically attached to each connector 211 to achieve connection between the force-gathering components 40 and each connector 211, thereby gathering the mooring force and distributing it to at least two anchor blocks 21. Specifically, the cross anchor chains 41 are connected to the lifting rings 2111 of the anchor blocks 21 using fasteners such as shackles. At the same time, the cross anchor chains 41 are symmetrically connected to ensure the uniformity of subsequent mooring force distribution. Then, the mooring cables from the floating photovoltaic platform are connected to the convergence point of the cross anchor chains 41 to complete the installation of the gravity anchor system, thereby providing a stable and reliable anchoring force for the floating photovoltaic platform.

[0067] The terminology used in the above embodiments is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more," unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "one or more" refers to one, two, or more; "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0068] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0069] The "multiple" mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to two or more. It should be noted that in the description of the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only for the purpose of distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying order.

[0070] The terms "parallel" and "perpendicular" used in this application refer to "basically parallel" and "basically perpendicular" in practical operation. "Basically parallel" can be understood as parallelism with a certain degree of error, and similarly, "basically perpendicular" can be understood as perpendicularity with a certain degree of error.

[0071] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A gravity anchor system, characterized in that, include: A base assembly (10) for placement on the seabed; Anchor block assembly (20) includes at least two separable anchor blocks (21), the anchor blocks (21) being disposed on the base assembly (10), and the anchor blocks (21) being provided with a plurality of connectors (211) for lifting and mooring. A fixing component (30) is used to fix at least two of the anchor blocks (21) to the base assembly (10); A force-gathering assembly (40) is used to connect the various connectors (211) to gather the mooring force from the mooring cable and distribute the mooring force to at least two of the anchor blocks (21).

2. The gravity anchor system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base assembly (10) includes a plurality of enclosures (11), each of the enclosures (11) forming a receiving space (12) for accommodating the anchor block (21).

3. The gravity anchor system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base assembly (10) further includes cross-arranged support plates (13) and a mud discharge channel (111) is provided on at least one of the enclosure plates (11). The support plates (13) are located within the accommodating space (12) and the height of the support plates (13) is less than the height of the enclosure plates (11). The support plates (13) are used to abut against the anchor block (21).

4. The gravity anchor system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing component (30) includes a plurality of spaced connecting reinforcements (31), which are arranged perpendicular to the splice seam of two adjacent anchor blocks (21).

5. The gravity anchor system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connecting reinforcement (31) includes a clamping part (311) and a connecting part (312) located at both ends of the clamping part (311). The clamping part (311) is used to clamp the anchor block (21) on the side away from the base assembly (10), and the connecting part (312) is used to connect with the base assembly (10).

6. The gravity anchor system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anchor block (21) includes a precast concrete anchor block.

7. The gravity anchor system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The connector (211) includes a lifting ring (2111), which is pre-installed on the precast concrete anchor block.

8. The gravity anchor system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The force-gathering component (40) includes a cross anchor chain (41).

9. A method for installing a gravity anchor system, characterized in that, The gravity anchor system applicable to any one of claims 1 to 8 includes the following steps: Install the base assembly and place the base assembly (10) on the seabed; Place the anchor block assembly, and hoist at least two of the anchor block pieces (21) sequentially onto the base assembly (10) via the connector (211); The anchor block assembly is fixed, and each of the anchor blocks (21) is connected and fixed to the base assembly (10) by the fixing assembly (30); Install the force-gathering assembly (40) and connect it to each of the connectors (211) to gather the mooring force and distribute the mooring force to at least two of the anchor blocks (21).

10. The gravity anchor system installation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the step of installing the power-gathering component (40), the power-gathering component (40) is symmetrically attached to each of the connectors (211).

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