Counterweight for semi-submersible float of offshore wind turbine and installation method therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a counterweight (2) for a semi-submersible float of an offshore wind turbine, which can be configured to be in a sinking state or a floating state, comprising a counterweight main structure (4) made of a material making it sink when immersed in water, and a plurality of airbags (6, 6') detachably attached to the main structure so as to make the counterweight float when the airbags are inflated. The invention also relates to a method for installing such a counterweight.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Counterweight for a semi-submersible float of an offshore wind turbine and its installation method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of semi-submersible floats for offshore wind turbines equipped with a pendulum counterweight. It relates more specifically to the counterweight used to ensure the stability of such a float. Prior art

[0002] An offshore wind turbine uses wind energy to generate electricity using a turbine and an electric generator. There are two main types of offshore wind turbines: fixed wind turbines, which are installed on the seabed (at shallow depths, typically less than 50m), and floating wind turbines, which offer the advantage of being able to be built on land and installed in areas where the seabed depth typically exceeds 50m.

[0003] The floating wind turbines to which the present invention relates comprise a turbine generally formed by a motor with several horizontal-axis rotating blades and an electric generator coupled to the motor, the motor and generator being fixed to an upper end of a vertical mast (or pylon). The lower end of the mast is mounted on a floating support structure.

[0004] There are several main families of floating support structures for offshore wind turbines: semi-submersible floats, submerged floats with tensioned cables (or "TLP" platforms for "Tension-Leg Platform" in English), "SPAR" type floats (for "Single Point Anchor Reservoir"), semi-submersible floats of the "barge" type, and semi-submersible floats with a pendulum counterweight.

[0005] Semi-submersible floats are the most common float design currently available. They consist of a steel or concrete foundation that generally takes the form of a tripod with three (or four) cylindrical columns connected to each other by metal structures. The stability of the structure is ensured by a counterweight that allows part of the foundation to be submerged. This structure is characterized by its large size and reduced draft.

[0006] Reference may be made to publication WO 2019 / 106283 which describes a semi-submersible float structure and a method for installing a wind turbine equipped with such a float structure. In this publication, the counterweight consists of a basket capable of receiving ballast material. In practice, this basket is transported empty to the wind turbine installation area, then is gradually filled with ballast material in order to tension the ballast links which connect it to the floating support structure. Statement of the invention

[0007] The object of the invention is to propose an alternative counterweight structure for a semi-submersible float of an offshore wind turbine.

[0008] According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a counterweight for a semi-submersible float of an offshore wind turbine which can be configured in a sinking state or in a floating state, comprising a main counterweight structure made of a material making it sink when immersed in water, and a plurality of airbags removably attached to the main structure so as to make the counterweight buoyant when the airbags are inflated.

[0009] The counterweight according to the invention is remarkable in that it is made of a material making it flowable but that it can be configured in a floating being using airbags. In particular, because it can be configured in a floating being, its towing to the installation site of the wind turbine Offshore installation is greatly facilitated. In particular, there is no need for an offshore crane for its installation.

[0010] The main structure can be made of concrete, steel, or composite materials.

[0011] The main structure may have a cylindrical or polyhedron shape with a plurality of side faces on which the airbags are removably attached. In this case, the main structure may have a hexagonal prism shape.

[0012] The invention also relates to a method of installing a counterweight as defined above, comprising, in an indeterminate order: - the attachment of deflated airbags to the main structure at the dock; - inflating the airbags to make the counterweight buoyant before launching it; - the launching of the counterweight in its floating state; - towing the counterweight to the offshore wind turbine installation site; - the connection via tendons of the counterweight under the semi-submersible float of the offshore wind turbine; and - lowering the counterweight under the semi-submersible float in order to stretch the tendons and exert a downward force on the semi-submersible float.

[0013] The method may include towing the counterweight in its floating state to the offshore wind turbine installation site separately from towing the offshore wind turbine's semi-submersible float, followed by connecting the pre-installed tendons on the float to the counterweight.

[0014] Alternatively, the method may include positioning and connecting by tendons the counterweight in its flowing state under the float, followed by towing the counterweight and float to the offshore wind turbine installation site.

[0015] Alternatively, the method may comprise connecting the pre-installed tendons on the float to the counterweight in its floating state, followed by setting up tow lines comprising tugs, the float and the counterweight in its floating state, followed by towing the assembly to the offshore wind turbine installation site.

[0016] Preferably, the lowering of the counterweight under the semi-submersible float is carried out gradually using ballast chains and then gradually deflating the airbags. In this case, the airbags can be removed from the main structure after being deflated. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a counterweight according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0018] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 is a side view of the counterweight of Figure 1.

[0019] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a counterweight according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0020] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 is a side view of the counterweight of Figure 3.

[0021] [Fig. 5] Figure 5 is a view showing an example of towing the counterweight according to the invention for installation.

[0022] [Fig. 6] Figure 6 shows the next step of lowering the counterweight under the float for installation.

[0023] [Fig. 7] Figure 7 shows the next step of removing the airbags from the counterweight under the float in preparation for installation.

[0024] [Fig. 8] Figure 8 is a view of an installed offshore wind turbine whose float is equipped with a counterweight according to the invention. Description of the embodiments

[0025] The invention relates to the general field of semi-submersible floats for offshore wind turbines. The stability of these floats is ensured by a counterweight 2 such as that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0026] According to the invention, the counterweight 2 can be configured to be sinking (hereinafter referred to as the "sinking state") or to be floating (hereinafter referred to as the "floating state"). The counterweight 2 comprises a main counterweight structure 4 made of a material making it sinking when immersed in water.

[0027] For example, this main counterweight structure 4 can be made of concrete, steel, or composite materials.

[0028] A plurality of airbags 6 are removably attached to the main counterweight structure 4 so as to make the counterweight buoyant when the airbags are inflated. An airbag is a cushion that is formed from a flexible membrane or envelope (as opposed to a rigid element).

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, this main counterweight structure 4 may have a geometric shape of a polyhedron (here a hexagon) having a plurality of lateral faces 4a on which the airbags 6 are removably fixed.

[0030] More precisely, on each side face 4a of the main counterweight structure 4 are fixed two airbags 6. In addition, on the upper face 4b of the main structure 4 are fixed a plurality of additional airbags 6'.

[0031] It will be noted that the upper face 4b of the main structure 4 also comprises a plurality of pad-eyes 8 to allow the attachment of ballast links (not shown) connecting the counterweight to the semi-submersible float.

[0032] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main structure 4' of counterweight 2' may have a geometric shape of a cylinder on the periphery 4'a of which the airbags are removably fixed (not shown in Figures 3 and 4).

[0033] As before, the upper face 4'b of the main structure 4' also comprises a plurality of pad-eyes 8 to allow the ballast links to be fixed.

[0034] In connection with Figures 5 to 8, an example of a method of installing a counterweight according to the invention will now be described.

[0035] In this example of an installation method, the counterweight 2 is intended to ensure the stability of a float 10 of a wind turbine 12, this float being able to be ballastable or non-ballastable, for example by having a structure similar to that described in the publication WO 2019 / 106283.

[0036] During an initial stage of the process which takes place at the quayside, the deflated airbags 6 are fixed on the main structure of the counterweight 2. Then, the airbags are inflated to make the counterweight buoyant before it is launched into the water.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the counterweight 2 in this floating state is connected under the float 10 by tendons (not shown in Figure 5), put into the water, and then towed to the installation site of the offshore wind turbine by two tugs 14 connected to the counterweight by ballast chains 20 and to the float by towing cables 16.

[0038] The counterweight 2 is then gradually lowered under the float 10 (figure 6), for example by using ballast chains 20 which are gradually removed from the tugs and / or by gradually deflating the airbags 6.

[0039] Once deflated, the airbags can be removed from the counterweight 2 and the tendons 18 connecting the counterweight to the float 10 stretch and exert a downward force on the latter.

[0040] The anchor lines 30 are then connected to the float 10 to ensure that it is held in position and the ballast chains can be disconnected from the tug (Figure 8). Alternatively, the ballast chains can be permanent.

[0041] It should be noted that in this example of the installation process, it is planned to carry out the installation and connection by the tendons of the counterweight in its flowing state under the float, followed by the towing of the counterweight and the float to the installation site of the offshore wind turbine.

[0042] Alternatively, towing the counterweight in its floating state to the offshore wind turbine installation site can be carried out separately from towing the offshore wind turbine's semi-submersible float. In this case, this towing step is followed by connecting the pre-installed tendons on the float to the counterweight.

[0043] Alternatively, the pre-installed tendons on the float may be connected to the counterweight in its floating state, followed by the installation of towing lines comprising tugs, the float and the counterweight in its floating state. The assembly is then towed to the offshore wind turbine installation site.

Claims

Claims 1. Counterweight (2; 2') for a semi-submersible float (10) of an offshore wind turbine (12) which can be configured in a sinking state or in a floating state, comprising a main counterweight structure (4; 4') made of a material making it sink when immersed in water, and a plurality of airbags (6, 6') removably attached to the main structure so as to make the counterweight buoyant when the airbags are inflated.

2. Counterweight according to claim 1, in which the main structure (4; 4') is made of concrete, steel, or composite materials.

3. Counterweight according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which the main structure has a cylindrical or polyhedron shape with a plurality of lateral faces (4a; 4'a) on which the airbags are removably fixed.

4. Counterweight according to claim 3, in which the main structure has a hexagonal prism shape.

5. Method of installing a counterweight according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising, in an indeterminate order: - the fixing of the deflated airbags (6, 6') to the main structure; - inflating the airbags to make the counterweight (2; 2') float prior to its launching; - the launching of the counterweight in its floating state; - towing the counterweight to the offshore wind turbine installation site; - the connection via tendons (18) of the counterweight under the semi-submersible float (10) of the offshore wind turbine; and lowering the counterweight under the semi-submersible float in order to tension the tendons and exert a downward force on the semi-submersible float.

6. A method according to claim 5, comprising towing the counterweight in its floating state to the installation site of the offshore wind turbine separately from towing the semi-submersible float of the offshore wind turbine, followed by connecting the pre-installed tendons on the float to the counterweight.

7. A method according to claim 5, comprising placing and connecting by the tendons the counterweight in its flowing state under the float, followed by towing the counterweight and the float to the installation site of the offshore wind turbine.

8. A method according to claim 5, comprising connecting the pre-installed tendons on the float to the counterweight in its floating state, followed by setting up towing lines comprising tugs (14), the float (10) and the counterweight (2; 2') in its floating state, followed by towing the assembly to the offshore wind turbine installation site.

9. Method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, in which the descent of the counterweight under the semi-submersible float is carried out progressively using ballast chains (20) then by progressively deflating the airbags.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the airbags are removed from the main structure after being deflated.

Images