A self-lifting and self-descending offshore wind turbine installation apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to a self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation device, including support fasteners, a climbing frame, and a hoisting section. Multiple support fasteners are arranged at preset intervals on the outer walls of the wind turbine foundation and tower, with at least two support fasteners arranged on the same circumferential plane of the wind turbine foundation and tower. The climbing frame includes an operating truss and paired hydraulic telescopic cylinders, a first climbing section, and a second climbing section. The hydraulic telescopic cylinders are positioned opposite each other on the inner side of the operating truss. The first climbing section is connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic telescopic cylinder, and the second climbing section is directly or indirectly connected to the side wall of the hydraulic telescopic cylinder. In operation, the hydraulic telescopic cylinders sequentially drive the first and second climbing sections to engage with the support fasteners along the tower's axial direction, thereby raising and lowering the climbing frame. The hoisting section is movably mounted on the operating truss and used for hoisting the tower and wind turbine components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of offshore wind turbine equipment installation technology, specifically to a self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation device. Background Technology

[0002] As the global offshore wind power market develops towards deeper waters and larger capacities, the increasing size of wind turbine equipment has become a core trend. Single-unit capacity has increased from 3-5MW in the early days to 15-18MW, with some prototypes exceeding 20MW; rotor diameter has expanded from 80-100mm to 160-230mm, blade length exceeds 120m, tower height exceeds 150m, and the weight of components such as the nacelle and hub has increased significantly. The increasing size and weight of wind turbine components directly drive the development of lifting and installation machinery towards "larger lifting capacity, higher lifting accuracy, and stronger adaptability." This means that upgrading existing engineering vessel machinery products, such as self-elevating installation vessels, which are currently mature in the offshore wind power installation field, also faces multiple bottlenecks and challenges in the engineering machinery sector, including technical, economic, and environmental adaptability issues.

[0003] For large wind turbine installation vessels, the main technical bottleneck lies in the design and construction difficulties of ultra-large equipment, specifically the structural limits of ultra-large lifting equipment. The economic bottleneck stems from the contradiction between high investment and low utilization rates. The research and development and manufacturing costs of lifting vessels are high, and wind turbine installation vessels adapted to deep-sea environments are expensive. Research and construction are both customized, requiring significant financial strength from shipowners. Furthermore, the utilization rate of installed equipment is low, making cost recovery difficult. Currently, the increasing size of wind turbines and the operational demands of deep-sea environments will continuously raise the cost of wind turbine installation, extend the construction cycle, and may even limit the development of large-scale wind turbine equipment in the offshore wind power sector due to inherent bottlenecks in the vessel machinery industry itself, thus hindering the development and construction of the deep-sea wind power market. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation device. This offshore wind turbine installation device can perform climbing and lowering operations on its own, unaffected by water depth and geology, thereby better meeting the installation needs of large-capacity wind turbines with larger hub heights, better adapting to the development needs of wind power in deep-sea areas, and having a wider range of applications.

[0005] The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment provided in this application includes: a support fastener, wherein there are multiple support fasteners, and the multiple support fasteners are respectively arranged at a preset interval on the outer wall of the wind turbine foundation and the tower, and at least two of the support fasteners are arranged on the same plane along the circumferential direction of the wind turbine foundation and the tower. The climbing frame includes an operating truss and a pair of hydraulic telescopic column cylinders, a first climbing part, and a second climbing part. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinders are arranged opposite each other on the inner side of the operating truss. The first climbing part is connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder, and the second climbing part is directly or indirectly connected to the side wall of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. In the working state, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinders can successively drive the first climbing part and the second climbing part to engage with the support fastener along the axial direction of the tower, thereby driving the climbing frame to rise and fall. The hoisting unit is movably mounted on the operating truss and is used to hoist the tower and wind turbine components.

[0006] In addition, the self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment provided in this application may also have the following additional technical features: In one optional embodiment, the first climbing section includes a surface layer fastening device, and the second climbing section includes a bottom layer fastening device and an inclined support layer fastening device. The bottom layer fastening device and the inclined support layer fastening device are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. The climbing frame also includes multiple driving units, which are respectively connected to the surface layer fastening device, the bottom layer fastening device, and the inclined support layer fastening device. The driving units are capable of driving the surface layer fastening device, the bottom layer fastening device, and the inclined support layer fastening device to rotate horizontally by a preset angle.

[0007] In one alternative embodiment, the climbing frame further includes multiple annular connecting beams and multiple inclined support beams. A portion of the multiple annular connecting beams is connected to the surface layer snap-fit ​​device and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder, as well as the bottom layer snap-fit ​​device and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. Another portion is connected to the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support beam. The other end of the inclined support beam is connected to the operating truss.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the drive unit includes a hydraulic power station, a horizontal hydraulic cylinder, and a drive rod. The hydraulic power station is connected to the horizontal hydraulic cylinder and is used to provide hydraulic power. The horizontal hydraulic cylinder is connected to the drive rod, and the drive rod is respectively connected to the corresponding surface layer snap-fit ​​device, the bottom layer snap-fit ​​device, and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device.

[0009] In one alternative embodiment, the lifting unit includes a general-purpose offshore crane, and the operating truss includes a modular beam truss. The general-purpose offshore crane is movably arranged on one side of the top of the modular beam truss via a set travel track.

[0010] In one alternative embodiment, the working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lifting state. In the lifting state, the surface layer fastening device rotates and disengages from the corresponding support fastening member, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder extends and drives the surface layer fastening device to move upward, and the surface layer fastening device rotates in the opposite direction and engages with the corresponding support fastening member. The bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device rotate and disengage from the corresponding support snap-fit ​​members. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder shortens and drives the bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device to move upward. The bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device rotate in opposite directions and engage with the corresponding support snap-fit ​​members.

[0011] In one optional embodiment, the working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lowering state. In the lowering state, the bottom-level locking device and the inclined support layer locking device rotate and disengage from the corresponding support locking members. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder extends and drives the bottom-level locking device and the inclined support layer locking device to move downward. The bottom-level locking device and the inclined support layer locking device rotate in opposite directions and engage with the corresponding support locking members. The surface layer fastening device rotates and disengages from the corresponding support fastening member, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder retracts and drives the surface layer fastening device to move downward, and the surface layer fastening device rotates in the opposite direction and engages with the corresponding support fastening member.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The offshore wind turbine installation equipment described in this application has support fasteners on the outer walls of the wind turbine foundation and tower. The hydraulic telescopic cylinder of the climbing frame can successively drive the first and second climbing parts to engage with the support fasteners along the tower axis, thereby driving the climbing frame to rise and fall, which in turn drives the hoisting part to rise and fall and hoist the tower and wind turbine components. This self-climbing and lowering hoisting method is not affected by water depth and geology, thus better meeting the installation needs of large-capacity wind turbines with larger hub heights, and is more adaptable to the development needs of wind power in deep-sea areas, with a wider range of applications.

[0013] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 A top view of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment provided in this application after installation on the outside of the tower; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the working status of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment provided in this application during climbing; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment provided in this application during the hoisting of wind turbine components; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A top-view structural diagram of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment in operation. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the drive unit and the surface layer snap-fit ​​device in a specific embodiment.

[0015] Reference numerals: 1. Supporting fastener; 2. Tower; 3. Operating truss; 4. Hydraulic telescopic column cylinder; 5. Surface layer fastening device; 6. Bottom layer fastening device; 7. Inclined support layer fastening device; 8. Circular connecting beam; 9. Inclined support beam; 10. Hydraulic power station; 11. Horizontal hydraulic cylinder; 12. Drive rod; 13. General-purpose marine crane; 14. Modular crossbeam truss; 15. Traveling track; 16. Wind turbine components.

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other technical solutions obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0020] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0021] It should be noted that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" described in the embodiments of this application are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, in the context, it should be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected "upper" or "lower" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower," or indirectly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element.

[0022] like Figure 1-5 As shown in the figure, this application provides a self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation device, which mainly includes a support buckle 1, a climbing frame and a hoisting part. The system includes multiple support fasteners 1, which are installed at preset intervals on the outer walls of the wind turbine foundation and tower 2. At least two support fasteners 1 are installed on the same plane along the circumference of the wind turbine foundation and tower 2. The climbing frame includes an operating truss 3 and a pair of hydraulic telescopic cylinders 4, a first climbing part, and a second climbing part. The hydraulic telescopic cylinders 4 are arranged opposite each other on the inner side of the operating truss 3. The first climbing part is connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic telescopic cylinder 4, and the second climbing part is directly or indirectly connected to the side wall of the hydraulic telescopic cylinder 4. In the working state, the hydraulic telescopic cylinders 4 can drive the first climbing part and the second climbing part to engage with the support fasteners 1 along the axial direction of the tower 2, thereby driving the climbing frame to rise and fall. The hoisting part is movably installed on the operating truss 3 and is used to hoist the tower 2 and the wind turbine components 16.

[0023] When using the offshore wind turbine installation equipment in this embodiment, the operating conditions of the wind turbine hoisting using this installation equipment need to be verified for both the tower 2 and the top of the foundation. This is to determine the number and spacing of the support clamps 1 arranged on the top of the wind turbine foundation and on each section of the tower 2. The support clamps 1 on the top of the wind turbine foundation and the support clamps 1 arranged on the tower 2 are consistent in terms of individual structural dimensions and load-bearing capacity. They are all standardized components, but differ in quantity to meet the load-bearing requirements of the wind turbine foundation and the tower 2 respectively.

[0024] The support fasteners 1 arranged on tower 2 can be designed and manufactured in a standardized manner. During the production process of each section of tower 2, they are evenly arranged at certain intervals along the horizontal axis of tower 2 and welded to the body of tower 2. Then, according to the planned climbing step height requirements, the support fasteners 1 are arranged on the horizontal surface of tower 2 at different heights. The starting support fasteners 1 at the top of the wind turbine foundation are produced and processed simultaneously with the wind turbine foundation production and are evenly arranged along the top of the wind turbine foundation.

[0025] Furthermore, it should be noted that the supporting fastener 1 can be a reinforced rigid clamp structure surrounding the outer wall of the tower 2, a clamp structure fixed to the flange of the tower 2 by high-strength bolts, or a pin-type bearing component that can be inserted into the pre-reserved hole of the tower 2. The operating truss 3 can adopt a space truss structure, a box beam composite structure, or a pipe truss hybrid structure. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 can be a multi-stage telescopic hydraulic cylinder, and its arrangement can also be that multiple cylinders are evenly arranged circumferentially inside the operating truss 3, and the synchronous control system ensures consistent action. The "indirect connection" between the first climbing part and the second climbing part and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 can be achieved through an intermediate connecting frame, a sliding base, or a hinged linkage mechanism, which is not specifically limited in this article.

[0026] In this embodiment, the offshore wind turbine installation equipment is equipped with support fasteners 1 on the outer wall of the wind turbine foundation and the tower 2. The hydraulic telescopic cylinder 4 of the climbing frame can successively drive the first climbing part and the second climbing part to engage with the support fasteners 1 along the axial direction of the tower 2, thereby driving the climbing frame to rise and fall, which in turn drives the hoisting part to rise and fall and hoist the tower 2 and the wind turbine components 16. This self-climbing and lowering hoisting method is not affected by water depth and geology, thus better meeting the installation requirements of large-capacity wind turbine equipment with larger hub height, and is more adaptable to the development needs of wind power in deep-sea areas, with a wider range of applications.

[0027] More specifically, this embodiment uses a support clamp 1, which is fixedly connected to the wind turbine foundation and tower 2, as a climbing fulcrum. This allows the working foundation to be transferred from the sea surface to the fixed wind turbine structure itself, thus completely decoupling the equipment's operational capabilities from water depth and seabed geological conditions. This eliminates the need for complex pile insertion and removal and pre-ballasting operations, and also removes concerns about the impact of swells on the vessel's positioning, directly meeting the installation requirements of large-capacity wind turbines with higher hub heights. Secondly, the equipment is directly attached to the wind turbine structure, resulting in high hoisting and positioning accuracy and stability, improving installation quality and efficiency. Furthermore, the cost of this equipment is far lower than that of ultra-large installation vessels, and it is reusable, significantly improving utilization and effectively alleviating the economic contradiction between high investment and low utilization.

[0028] like Figure 2-3 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the first climbing part includes a surface layer fastening device 5, and the second climbing part includes a bottom layer fastening device 6 and an inclined support layer fastening device 7. The bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4. The climbing frame also includes multiple driving parts, which are respectively connected to the surface layer fastening device 5, the bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7. The driving parts can respectively drive the surface layer fastening device 5, the bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7 to rotate a preset angle in the horizontal direction.

[0029] During operation, the surface layer locking device 5 provides load-bearing connection during active expansion and contraction. The bottom layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 form a stable support base, ensuring that the equipment always has at least two points of reliable connection with the lower support locking device 1 when the surface layer locking device 5 is activated, greatly enhancing the safety of the climbing process. The inclined support layer locking device 7, through the inclined support beam 9, can transfer part of the horizontal load to the tower 2 with a more optimized force flow path, improving the overturning stability of the entire climbing frame.

[0030] like Figure 2-3 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the climbing frame also includes multiple annular connecting beams 8 and multiple inclined support beams 9. A portion of the multiple annular connecting beams 8 are respectively connected to the surface layer buckling device 5 and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4, and the bottom layer buckling device 6 and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4. Another portion is respectively connected to the inclined support layer buckling device 7 and the inclined support beam 9. The other end of the inclined support beam 9 is connected to the operating truss 3.

[0031] In this embodiment, the annular connecting beam 8 serves as a crucial force transmission component, ensuring the effective transmission of vertical loads from the locking device to the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4. The frame connecting the inclined support layer locking device 7, the inclined support beam 9, and the operating truss 3 forms a stable triangular or spatial support system. This design not only distributes the load across multiple support points, avoiding stress concentration, but also significantly enhances the bending and torsional stiffness of the climbing frame under lateral forces, ensuring the stability of the entire installation equipment during high-altitude operations and providing a solid structural foundation for high-precision hoisting operations.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the drive unit includes a hydraulic power station 10, a horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11, and a drive rod 12. The hydraulic power station 10 is connected to the horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 and provides hydraulic power. The horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 is connected to the drive rod 12, and the drive rod 12 is respectively connected to the corresponding surface layer snap-fit ​​device 5, bottom layer snap-fit ​​device 6, and inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device 7. This embodiment uses a hydraulic system drive, which has the advantages of stable power and direct and reliable transmission. The hydraulic power station 10 provides synchronous power to multiple horizontal hydraulic cylinders 11, ensuring that the actions of each snap-fit ​​device are consistent. The horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 converts linear motion into rotational motion of the snap-fit ​​device through the drive rod 12. The structure is simple. In addition, the hydraulic system has good power density and overload protection capability, making it suitable for driving heavy-duty snap-fit ​​devices to work in harsh marine environments, and can achieve precise control and safety interlocking of the snap-fit ​​state.

[0033] like Figure 5As shown, taking the connection between the surface layer fastening device 5 and the drive unit as an example, the surface layer fastening device 5 and the corresponding layer's horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 are connected by a drive rod 12 so that when the horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 moves, it can drive the surface layer fastening device 5 to move synchronously. The surface layer fastening device 5 has a "half-moon" shape to ensure that the surface layer fastening device 5 moves normally against the outer wall of the tower 2 under the shape of the annular outer wall. The horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 of this layer is arranged on the top of the annular connecting beam 8 and fixed. The surface layer fastening device 5 has a square hollow cross section, which is consistent with the square hollow cross section of the annular connecting beam 8 and leaves a certain gap, so that the surface layer fastening device 5 can freely enter and exit the operating space of the annular connecting beam 8.

[0034] The annular connecting beam 8 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the top of the sleeve of the vertical hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 through the corresponding steel truss transverse members. When the horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 is subjected to force through the hydraulic power station 10, it will push the drive rod 12 connected to it in the opposite direction of the front edge. After the drive rod 12 moves, it will drive the surface layer buckling device 5 connected to it to perform synchronous action. After the surface layer buckling device 5 moves in the opposite direction of the front edge, it enters the square hollow structure of the annular connecting beam 8.

[0035] like Figure 3-4 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the lifting unit includes a general-purpose offshore crane 13, and the operating truss 3 includes a modular crossbeam truss 14. The general-purpose offshore crane 13 is movably arranged on one side of the top of the modular crossbeam truss 14 via a set travel rail 15. The modular crossbeam truss 14 can be quickly assembled on-site from standardized modules, greatly enhancing the convenience of equipment transportation and on-site assembly efficiency, overcoming the bottleneck of difficult transportation of integral large components. The crane moves at the top of the truss, giving it a large working radius coverage area, enabling flexible grabbing and precise positioning of various components, and improving the operational efficiency after a single climb.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lifting state. In the lifting state, the surface layer fastening device 5 rotates and disengages from the corresponding support fastening member 1. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 extends and drives the surface layer fastening device 5 to move upward. The surface layer fastening device 5 rotates in the opposite direction and engages with the corresponding support fastening member 1. The bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7 rotate and disengage from the corresponding support fastening member 1. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 shortens and drives the bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7 to move upward. The bottom layer fastening device 6 and the inclined support layer fastening device 7 rotate in the opposite direction and engage with the corresponding support fastening member 1.

[0037] During upward movement, the surface layer locking device 5 acts as the "moving end" to find a new fulcrum, while the bottom layer and inclined support layer locking devices 7 act as the "fixed ends," bearing the entire load and maintaining structural stability. Once the surface layer locking device 5 successfully engages and transforms into a new "fixed end," the hydraulic cylinder reverses its movement to lift the bottom layer and inclined support layer locking devices 7. This alternating load-bearing and cyclical upward process breaks down the massive overall climbing motion into multiple controllable small-stroke movements, reducing the requirements on individual hydraulic components and improving system reliability and safety.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lowering state. In the lowering state, the bottom layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 rotate and disengage from the corresponding support locking members 1. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 extends and drives the bottom layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 to move downward. The bottom layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 rotate in opposite directions and engage with the corresponding support locking members 1. The surface layer locking device 5 rotates and disengages from the corresponding support locking member 1. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 retracts and drives the surface layer locking device 5 to move downward. The surface layer locking device 5 rotates in opposite directions and engages with the corresponding support locking member 1.

[0039] The descent phase is the reverse of the lifting phase, and the design of the steps always follows the principle of "at least one support layer being reliably engaged." First, the bottom layer and the inclined support layer locking devices 7 are moved downwards, at which point the surface layer locking device 5 serves as the sole load-bearing point. After they are securely engaged, the surface layer locking device 5 is then moved downwards. This process ensures that the load has a reliable transmission path throughout the descent and transfer process. The descent function allows the equipment to return safely and controllably after the installation of the top components is completed, facilitating disassembly or transfer to the next workstation, thus improving the reusability of the equipment and the integrity of the work process.

[0040] The offshore wind turbine installation equipment in this embodiment can be used according to the following steps: First, the offshore wind turbine installation equipment is transported by sea to the project sea area where the proposed offshore wind turbine site is located. Then, a conventional crane vessel is used to lift the climbing frame. The inclined support layer buckle device 7 of the climbing frame is connected and fixed to the support buckle 1 at the starting position on the top of the wind turbine foundation. Then, the modular crossbeam trusses 14 on the left and right sides are installed through the side wall of the operating truss 3 of the climbing frame. The modular crossbeam trusses 14 are then connected and fixed to the climbing frame.

[0041] Two general-purpose offshore cranes 13 are installed on the modular crossbeam truss 14. The offshore cranes adjust their positions and spacing with each other via the travel rails 15 to meet the hoisting requirements of the wind turbine equipment. The two general-purpose offshore cranes 13 first use a joint lifting method to install the tower 2. The tower 2 is then connected to and fixed to the top flange of the foundation.

[0042] The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 on the climbing frame is powered by the hydraulic power station 10 to lift, driving the horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 of the corresponding layer and the surface layer clamping device 5 to lift as a whole. When the lifting height reaches the first layer support clamping piece 1 of the corresponding height on the tower 2, the hydraulic power station 10 continues to provide power and drives the horizontal hydraulic cylinder 11 of the corresponding layer to move forward. It drives the surface layer clamping device 5 to move forward in the same way through the drive rod 12. The drive rod 12 and the surface layer clamping device 5 are connected by a universal snap fastener. When the surface layer clamping device 5, which has a "half-moon" circular shape, moves forward, it is restricted by the walking direction of the ring connecting beam 8, which also has a "half-moon" circular shape. The surface layer clamping device 5 will move forward in a "clockwise" direction within the hollow cross section of the ring connecting beam 8. When the surface layer clamping device 5 moves to the top of the support clamping piece 1 of the second layer on the outer wall of the tower 2, the two come into contact with each other and clamp the climbing frame, so that the climbing frame is in a temporary suspended state.

[0043] Subsequently, the horizontal hydraulic cylinders 11 corresponding to the bottom-layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7, respectively, drive the bottom-layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 to move backward in a "counter-clockwise" mode via their corresponding drive rods 12. This causes the bottom-layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 to disengage from the support locking parts 1 on the bottom layer of the tower 2 and retract into the operating space of the annular connecting beam 8. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 lifts, and the overall climbing frame drives the two general-purpose marine cranes 13 and the crossbeam truss to rise as a whole. When the lifting height reaches the support locking parts 11 of the first layer on the tower 2, the bottom-layer locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 move forward "clockwise" and engage with the support locking parts 1 at the corresponding positions. After they come into contact with each other, they lock together and achieve a fully supported state of the climbing frame system, thus completing the first step of the self-climbing process of the overall installation equipment. Similarly, the self-climbing process of the installation equipment is completed.

[0044] After the self-climbing process of the installation equipment reaches the top support fastener 1 of the first tower section 2, the second tower section 2 is lifted and installed using two general-purpose offshore cranes 13. Then, relying on the support fastener 1 on the second tower section 2, the installation equipment is self-climbed onto the second tower section 2. This process is repeated to complete the installation of the third and fourth tower sections 2. After the installation of all tower sections 2 is completed, the self-climbing process is finished, and the installation equipment is located on the top tower section 2. The two general-purpose offshore cranes 13 move autonomously to select the optimal lifting angle and torque, and use a combined lifting method to install the wind turbine components 16 such as the nacelle, hub, and blades. Blade installation can be carried out using a combined lifting method or a single crane. Finally, the offshore installation of all wind turbine equipment is completed.

[0045] After all the wind turbine equipment is completed, the bottom-level locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 first disengage from the support locking parts 1 on the tower 2. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 extends downward to perform a descent operation. When the descent height reaches the corresponding support locking part 1 on the tower 2, the bottom-level locking device 6 and the inclined support layer locking device 7 engage with the support locking part 1 of that layer and are supported by force, thus placing the climbing frame in a temporary support state. Next, the surface layer locking device 5 disengages from the support locking part 1 at the corresponding position, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder 4 retracts downward, and the climbing frame drives the two general-purpose marine cranes 13 and the crossbeam truss to descend as a whole. When the descent height reaches the support locking part 1 of the next layer below the tower 2, the surface layer locking device 5 rotates and contacts the support locking part 1 of the cover layer to achieve a fully supported state, thus completing the first step of the self-descent process of the entire installation equipment. After the descent process is completed, the damaged anti-corrosion coating of the support fasteners 1 and tower 2 facilities on the corresponding tower 2 layer is repaired with anti-corrosion paint to meet the anti-corrosion requirements of permanent components. Similarly, the equipment is installed by descent to the top of the wind turbine foundation.

[0046] Both general-purpose offshore cranes 13 were moved towards each other to a position close to the bottom section of the tower 2. The general-purpose offshore cranes 13 were used to carry out the self-dismantling of the crossbeam truss. Finally, the remaining general-purpose offshore cranes 13 and climbing frame equipment and materials were dismantled by a conventional crane vessel.

[0047] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation device, characterized in that, include: The support fasteners are multiple, and the multiple support fasteners are respectively set at a preset interval on the outer wall of the wind turbine foundation and the tower. At least two of the support fasteners are set on the same plane along the circumferential direction of the wind turbine foundation and the tower. The climbing frame includes an operating truss and a pair of hydraulic telescopic column cylinders, a first climbing part, and a second climbing part. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinders are arranged opposite each other on the inner side of the operating truss. The first climbing part is connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder, and the second climbing part is directly or indirectly connected to the side wall of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. In the working state, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinders can successively drive the first climbing part and the second climbing part to engage with the support fastener along the axial direction of the tower, thereby driving the climbing frame to rise and fall. The hoisting unit is movably mounted on the operating truss and is used to hoist the tower and wind turbine components.

2. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first climbing part includes a surface layer fastening device, and the second climbing part includes a bottom layer fastening device and an inclined support layer fastening device. The bottom layer fastening device and the inclined support layer fastening device are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. The climbing frame also includes multiple driving units, which are respectively connected to the surface layer fastening device, the bottom layer fastening device and the inclined support layer fastening device. The driving units can drive the surface layer fastening device, the bottom layer fastening device and the inclined support layer fastening device to rotate a preset angle in the horizontal direction.

3. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The climbing frame also includes multiple annular connecting beams and multiple inclined support beams. A portion of the multiple annular connecting beams is connected to the surface layer snap-fit ​​device and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder, as well as the bottom layer snap-fit ​​device and the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder. Another portion is connected to the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support beam. The other end of the inclined support beam is connected to the operating truss.

4. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a hydraulic power station, a horizontal hydraulic cylinder, and a drive rod. The hydraulic power station is connected to the horizontal hydraulic cylinder and is used to provide hydraulic power. The horizontal hydraulic cylinder is connected to the drive rod. The drive rod is respectively connected to the corresponding surface layer snap-fit ​​device, the bottom layer snap-fit ​​device, and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device.

5. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The hoisting unit includes a general-purpose offshore crane, and the operating truss includes a modular crossbeam truss. The general-purpose offshore crane is movably arranged on one side of the top of the modular crossbeam truss via a set travel track.

6. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 2, 3, or 5, characterized in that, The working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lifting state. In the lifting state, the surface layer fastening device rotates and disengages from the corresponding support fastening member. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder extends and drives the surface layer fastening device to move upward. The surface layer fastening device rotates in the opposite direction and engages with the corresponding support fastening member. The bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device rotate and disengage from the corresponding support snap-fit ​​members. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder shortens and drives the bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device to move upward. The bottom-level snap-fit ​​device and the inclined support layer snap-fit ​​device rotate in opposite directions and engage with the corresponding support snap-fit ​​members.

7. The self-lifting and self-lowering offshore wind turbine installation equipment according to claim 2, 3, or 5, characterized in that, The working state of the offshore wind turbine installation equipment includes a lowering state. In the lowering state, the bottom locking device and the inclined support layer locking device rotate and disengage from the corresponding support locking members. The hydraulic telescopic column cylinder extends and drives the bottom locking device and the inclined support layer locking device to move downward. The bottom locking device and the inclined support layer locking device rotate in opposite directions and engage with the corresponding support locking members. The surface layer fastening device rotates and disengages from the corresponding support fastening member, the hydraulic telescopic column cylinder retracts and drives the surface layer fastening device to move downward, and the surface layer fastening device rotates in the opposite direction and engages with the corresponding support fastening member.

Images