Floating device for multiple wind turbines

Abstract

A floating device for multiple wind turbines includes: a rotating column that floats on a sea surface; a support column connected to the rotating column that supports a wind turbine while floating on the sea surface; and a wave vane that extends in one direction to make contact with a wave on the sea surface. The wave vane rotates the rotating column so that the direction of the wave is parallel to the direction where an external force applied by the wave passes through the center of rotation of a wind turbine blade.

Description

Floating device for multiple wind turbines Technical field This description refers to a floating device of multiple wind turbines. This research was conducted with funding from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Government) and support from the Korea Energy Technology Assessment Center at the Korea Electric Power Research Institute. The project aimed to develop a reference model and conceptual design technology for a 25 MW offshore wind system (Unique Project Number: 1415182394, Project Number: 20228520020050, Research Period: November 1, 2022 - October 31, 2025, Contribution Rate: 1 / 2). It is also part of a joint international technology development project funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Government), supported by the Korea Institute for Advanced Technology, and led by BARON System Co. Ltd., which focuses on the development of high-density floating wind farm design technology applying a multi-turbine system for LCOE reduction (Unique project number: To be published in early 2025, Project number: P0027950, Research period: September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2027, Contribution rate: 1 / 2). Background of the technique A wind turbine is a device that converts wind energy into electricity using rotating blades driven by the wind. Wind energy is a clean energy source that produces no pollution. When used offshore, multiple wind turbines are typically installed together as part of a single complex rather than as individual units. Recent research and development efforts have focused on the concept of floating platforms for multiple wind turbines. A single floating platform and mooring system can be shared among several turbines, thereby reducing transportation, installation, and equipment costs. However, a significant challenge arises due to the potential loss of power generation caused by wake interference. Therefore, solutions to mitigate wake effects are needed. Multiple wind turbine systems are prone to power loss due to such wake interference. To address this problem, conventional multiple wind turbine systems have proposed wake avoidance technologies. These conventional wake avoidance techniques require data analysis based on the Condition Monitoring Service (CMS) and necessitate active control. Implementing active control involves installing and operating additional control devices, which carries a relatively high risk of failure. Such failures can lead to critical operational errors in the wind turbines. (Reference to the previous technique) (Patent Document) Korean Patent No. 2273363 Summary The realizations described herein have been developed in light of the foregoing background, with the aim of providing a floating device for multiple wind turbines that uses a wave-powered vane to rotate the rotating column according to a wave direction to align the wind direction so that it is parallel to the direction passing through the center of rotation of the wind turbine blade, thereby minimizing interference from wake effects generated by multiple wind turbines. According to one embodiment of the present description, a floating device for multiple wind turbines is provided, comprising: a rotating column floating rotatably on a sea surface; a support column connected to the rotating column and supporting a wind turbine while floating on the sea surface; and a wave vane extending in one direction to make contact with a wave on the sea surface, wherein the wave vane rotates the rotating column so that the direction of the wave is parallel to the direction where an external force applied by the wave passes through a center of rotation of a wind turbine blade. The direction where the wave-power blade extends can be perpendicular to a radial direction of rotation of the wind turbine blade. The floating device for multiple wind turbines may also include a mooring element connected to the rotating column and the ground to limit the floating position of the rotating column to a predetermined interval. The support column may include a plurality of support columns, and a plurality of wind turbines supported by the plurality of support columns may be arranged so that the radial directions of rotation of the blades are parallel to each other. The floating device for multiple wind turbines may further include: a first connecting frame extending to connect the rotating column and the support column; and a second connecting frame extending to connect the plurality of support columns. The wave vane may extend between the plurality of support columns, and an extension direction of the first connecting frame may overlap with an extension direction of the wave vane at one point. The point where the extension direction of the first connecting frame can overlap with the extension direction of the wave paddle is a center of rotation of the rotating column. The first connection frame may include a plurality of first connection frames. The plurality of first connection frames may include: an upper first connection frame extending from the top of the rotating column to the top of the support column; and a lower first connection frame extending from the bottom of the rotating column to the bottom of the support column. The wave paddle may be arranged above the lower first connection frame. The extension direction of the second connecting frame can be parallel to the radial direction of rotation of the wind turbine blade. The wave paddle can extend between the plurality of support columns, and the extension direction of the second connecting frame can be perpendicular to the extension direction of the wave paddle. The wave paddle can be connected to one or more of the rotating column and the second connection frame. The floating device for multiple wind turbines may also include a second connecting frame. The support column may include a plurality of support columns, and the second connecting frame may extend to connect the plurality of support columns to each other. When viewed perpendicular to the direction of rotation, the wave vane may be plate-shaped such that the height of the wave vane connected to the second connecting frame is greater than the height of one side of the wave vane connected to the rotating column. According to the realizations described herein, by using the wave vane to rotate the rotating column according to the direction of the wave, it is possible to ensure that the wind direction is parallel to the direction passing through the center of rotation of the wind turbine blades, thus effectively minimizing the interference of wake effects generated by multiple wind turbines. Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floating device for multiple wind turbines according to an embodiment of the present description. Figure 2 is a top view of the floating device for multiple wind turbines shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates a rotation of the floating device for multiple wind turbines according to the direction of a wave, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a state of the floating device shown in Figure 2 after the rotation has been completed. Detailed description From now on, specific realizations to implement the spirit of this description will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In providing this description, detailed descriptions of known configurations or functions may be omitted to clarify the present description. When an element is referred to as "connected", "supported" or "in contact" with another element, it should be understood that the element may be directly connected, supported or in contact with another element, but that other elements may exist in between. The terms used in this description are used solely to describe specific realizations and are not intended to limit the scope of this description. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be noted in this description that terms such as top, bottom, or side surface are described according to the illustrations in the drawings, but may be modified if the directions of the corresponding objects are changed. For the same reasons, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings, and the size of each component does not fully reflect its actual size. Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first and second, can be used to describe various items, but the corresponding items are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one item from another. In this descriptive report, terms such as "including" are intended to indicate the existence of certain characteristics, areas, whole numbers, stages, actions, elements, combinations, and / or groups thereof described herein, and are not intended to exclude the possibility that one or more other characteristics, areas, whole numbers, stages, actions, elements, combinations, and / or groups thereof may exist or be added. A detailed configuration of the floating device for multiple wind turbines, according to an embodiment of this description with reference to the drawings, will now be described. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the wind turbine 20 includes a support 21 and a plurality of blades 22, and can generate electricity through the rotation of the blades 22. The floating device 10 of the multiple wind turbines according to one embodiment of the present description can float the wind turbine 20 on a seawater surface and rotate it in the direction of a wave. The floating device 10 of the multiple wind turbines can include a rotating column 100, a mooring element 200, a support column 300, a wave vane 400, a first connecting frame 500, and a second connecting frame 600. The rotating column 100 can provide a center of rotation around which the floating device 10 of the multiple wind turbines rotates. The rotating column 100 can be floating so that it can rotate on the surface of the seawater. This rotating column 100 can include a rotating element 110 and a central element 120. The rotating element 110 may be floating on the surface of the seawater. The rotating element 110 may have a recess formed therein to accommodate the central element 120. The rotating element 110 may rotate about the central element 120 as its center of rotation. The direction of rotation of the rotating element 110 may be clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to a plane that is flush with the surface of the seawater. The central element 120 can be housed in the internal housing space of the rotating element 110. The central element 120 can be arranged to extend in an upward and downward direction perpendicular to the surface of the seawater. The central element 120 is housed in the center of the rotating element 110, providing a center of rotation for the rotating element 110. The mooring element 200 can fix the floating position of the swivel column 100. This mooring element 200 can be connected to the ground and to the swivel column, allowing the swivel column 100 to remain floating in a specific position on the surface of the seawater. The mooring element 200 can be connected to one or more of the swivel element 110 and the central element 120 of the swivel column 100. The support column 300 can support the wind turbine 20 while it floats on the surface of seawater. The support column 300 can be provided as a plurality to support each of the multiple wind turbines 20. Furthermore, the support column 300 can be arranged such that the direction of the rotation radius (x-axis) of each blade 22 of the multiple wind turbines 20 is parallel to each other. The support column 300 can be connected to the rotating column 100 by means of the first connecting frame 500. The wave-powered paddle 400 is connected to the rotating column 100 and can extend in one direction (y-axis). The direction (y-axis) where the wave-powered paddle 400 extends can be between multiple support columns 300. The wave-powered paddle 400 can move in the direction of the wave by making contact with it on both sides as it extends along the y-axis. Since one side of the wave-powered paddle 400 is connected to the rotating column 100, as the wave-powered paddle 400 moves, the rotating column 100 can rotate. For example, if the extension direction (y-axis) of the wave paddle 400 is not aligned with the wave direction, a drag force will occur on both sides of the wave paddle 400 due to contact with the wave crests, which may move the wave paddle 400.Therefore, the wave-powered paddle 400 can be moved so that its extension direction (y-axis) aligns with the direction of the waves. The wave-powered paddle 400 is connected to the rotating column 100, which is fixed so that it can rotate on the surface of the seawater. Consequently, the movement of the wave-powered paddle 400 will rotate the rotating column 100. The wave-powered paddle 400 can be formed into a trapezoidal shape, increasing in height towards the second connecting frame 600 from the rotating column 100. In other words, when viewed in the x-axis direction, the wave-powered paddle 400 can be formed into a trapezoidal shape, with the height of one side connected to the rotating column 100 being greater than the height of the other side connected to the second connecting frame 600.As such, the trapezoidal shape of the wave vane 400 can increase the area where the other side of the wave vane 400 connected to the second connecting frame 600 is in contact with the wave, thereby increasing the rotational moment and facilitating the rotation of the rotating column 100. Furthermore, the direction (y-axis) where the wave-powered paddle 400 extends can be perpendicular to the direction of the rotation radius (x-axis) of paddle 22. In other words, the direction (y-axis) where the wave-powered paddle 400 extends can be parallel to the direction (y-axis) that passes through the center of rotation of paddle 22. Since the wave-powered paddle 400 moves so that its extension direction (y-axis) aligns with the wave direction, the direction (y-axis) that passes through the center of rotation of paddle 22 can also align with the wave direction. The wave paddle 400 can extend from the rotating column 100 to connect with the second connection frame 600. The wave paddle 400 can further extend in a direction (y-axis) beyond the second connection frame 600. In other words, the wave paddle 400 can extend outwards in a direction (y-axis) beyond the second connection frame 600.By extending the wave-driven paddle 400 beyond the second connecting frame 600, the rotational moment around the rotating column 100 can be increased. The first connecting frame 500 can be extended to connect the rotating column 100 and the support column 300 to each other. The first connecting frame 500 can be provided in plurality to connect the rotating column 100 and each of the plurality of support columns 300 to each other. The direction in which the first connecting frame 500 extends (z-axis, z'-axis) can form an acute angle with the direction (y-axis) in which the wave-driven paddle 400 extends. In other words, the direction (z-axis, z'-axis) in which the first connecting frame 500 extends can overlap at a point with the direction (y-axis) in which the wave-driven paddle 400 extends. The point where the direction (z-axis, z'-axis) in which the first connecting frame 500 extends overlaps with the direction (y-axis) in which the wave-driven paddle 400 extends can be the center of rotation of the rotating column 100.For example, the first connecting frame 500 can be formed to extend in a direction that forms an acute angle with the direction where the wave-driven paddle 400 extends from the center of rotation of the rotating column 100. The end of the first extended connecting frame 500 can be connected to the support column 300. Furthermore, the first connection frame 500 can be provided in plurality. The first connection frame 500 can include a first upper connection frame and a first lower connection frame. The first upper connection frame can extend from the top of the rotating column 100 to the top of the support column 300, and the first lower connection frame can extend from the bottom of the rotating column 100 to the bottom of the support column 300. The first lower connection frame can be positioned below the wave paddle 400. In other words, the wave paddle 400 can be positioned above the first lower connection frame.Since the first lower connection frame is positioned below the wave paddle 400, the resistance force of the waves acting on the wave paddle 400 does not interfere with the first lower connection frame, allowing the wave paddle 400 to experience the resistance force of the wave more effectively. The second connecting frame 600 can be extended to connect the plurality of support columns 300 to each other. The direction (x-axis) in which this second connecting frame 600 extends can be parallel to the direction of the rotation radius (x-axis) of the paddle 22. Furthermore, the direction (x-axis) in which the second connecting frame 600 extends can be perpendicular to the direction (y-axis) in which the wave-driven paddle 400 extends. An intermediate region of the second connecting frame 600 comes into contact with the wave-driven paddle 400, such that the second connecting frame 600 and the wave-driven paddle 400 are connected. The operation of the floating device 10 of the multiple wind turbines will now be described according to an embodiment of the present description. With reference to Figure 2, when the direction (y-axis) passing through the center of rotation of blade 22 is not parallel to the wave direction (z'-axis), wake interference can occur at the rear (A) of wind turbine 20. In general, on the coast, since the wave direction and the wind direction are aligned, if the direction (y-axis) passing through the center of rotation of blade 22 is not parallel to the wave direction (z'-axis), the wake of wind turbine 20 can be deflected into the wave direction, resulting in wake interference. With reference to Figure 3, when the wave-driven paddle 400 is not aligned with the direction of the waves, the waves come into contact with the side of the wave-driven paddle 400, generating a drag force on that side. This drag force can cause the wave-driven paddle 400 to move counterclockwise around the rotating column 100. The movement of the wave-driven paddle 400 begins due to the drag force generated by the contact with the waves, and the movement can be stopped when the extension direction (y-axis) of the wave-driven paddle 400 aligns with the direction of the waves. With reference to Figure 4, when the wave turbine blade 400 moves and its extension direction (y-axis) aligns with the wave direction, the wave direction and the direction (y-axis) passing through the center of rotation of blade 22 can also align. In other words, the wind direction can be aligned with the direction (y-axis) passing through the center of rotation of blade 22. Therefore, the wake generated at the rear of the wind turbine 20 is not skewed in one direction, and wake interference can be minimized. The floating device 10 of multiple wind turbines described herein has, therefore, the effect of rotating the rotating column 100 according to the direction of the waves using the wave-powered paddle 400, so that the wind direction and the direction passing through the center of rotation of the paddle 22 of the wind turbine 20 are parallel, thus minimizing the wake interference caused by the multiple wind turbines 20. The examples in this description have been previously described as specific embodiments, but these are only examples, and this description is not limited to them. It should be interpreted as having the broadest scope in accordance with the technical spirit described herein. A person skilled in the art may combine or substitute the described embodiments to implement a pattern in a manner not disclosed herein, but this does not depart from the scope of this description. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may readily change or modify the described embodiments based on this description, and such changes or modifications also fall within the scope of this description.

Claims

1. A floating device for multiple wind turbines, comprising: a rotating column floating rotatably on a sea surface; a support column connected to the rotating column and supporting a wind turbine while floating on the sea surface; and a wave vane extending in a direction to make contact with a wave on the sea surface, wherein the wave vane rotates the rotating column such that the direction of the wave is parallel to the direction where an external force applied by the wave passes through a center of rotation of a wind turbine blade.

2. The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 1, wherein the direction in which the wave vane extends is perpendicular to a radial direction of rotation of the wind turbine blade. 3.The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 1, further comprising a mooring element connected to the rotating column and the ground to limit the floating position of the rotating column to a predetermined range.

4. The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 1, wherein the support column includes a plurality of support columns, and a plurality of the wind turbines supported by the plurality of support columns are arranged such that the radial directions of rotation of the blades are parallel to each other. 5.The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 4, further comprising: a first connecting frame extending to connect the rotating column and the support column; and a second connecting frame extending to connect the plurality of support columns, wherein the wave vane extends between the plurality of support columns, and an extension direction of the first connecting frame overlaps with the extension direction of the wave vane at a point.

6. The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 5, wherein the point where the extension direction of the first connecting frame overlaps with the extension direction of the wave vane is a center of rotation of the rotating column. 7.The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 5, wherein the first connecting frame includes a plurality of first connecting frames, wherein the plurality of first connecting frames includes: a first upper connecting frame extending from a top of the rotating column to a top of the support column; and a first lower connecting frame extending from a bottom of the rotating column to a bottom of the support column, and wherein the wave turbine blade is arranged above the first lower connecting frame.

8. The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 5, wherein the extension direction of the second connecting frame is parallel to a radial direction of rotation of the wind turbine blade. 9.The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 8, wherein the wave vane extends between the plurality of support columns, and the extension direction of the second connecting frame is perpendicular to the extension direction of the wave vane.

10. The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 5, wherein the wave vane is connected to one or more of the rotating column and the second connecting frame. 11.The floating device for multiple wind turbines according to claim 1, further comprising: a second connecting frame, wherein the support column includes a plurality of support columns, and the second connecting frame extends to connect the plurality of support columns to each other, and wherein, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the direction, the wave vane is plate-shaped such that the height of the wave vane connected to the second connecting frame is greater than the height of one side of the wave vane connected to the rotating column.

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