A system to support the towing operations of floating wind turbines.

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system and method for assisting in the towing of a floating wind turbine (FWT). The FWT is provided with a wireless communication system and at least one position sensor for measuring the position of the FWT in at least three degrees of freedom. A main tugboat is connected to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope. The main tugboat includes a winch, a DP system, and a two-way wireless communication system. The towing support system / module / controller may be integrated with the DP system. A support tugboat is connected to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope. The support tugboat is provided with a two-way wireless communication system. The towing support system / module / controller calculates setpoints (force and direction) for all tugboats based on input parameters from the floating wind turbine, input parameters from each support tugboat, and input parameters from the main tugboat.

Claims

[Claim 1] A system for supporting the towing operation of floating wind turbines, - A floating wind turbine (FWT) comprising a wireless communication system and at least one position sensor for measuring the position of the floating wind turbine in at least three degrees of freedom, - A main tow vessel that can be connected to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope, the main tow vessel includes a winch, a DP system, a two-way wireless communication system, and a towing support system / controller, the towing support system being integrated with the DP system, and the main tow vessel, - At least one support tug vessel capable of connecting to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope, the support tug vessel including a two-way wireless communication system, Includes, The towing support system is configured to calculate a setpoint for the DP system of the main towing vessel based on at least one first input parameter from the floating wind turbine, at least one second input parameter from at least one of the support towing vessels, and at least one third input parameter from the main towing vessel. system. [Claim 2] The towing support system is further configured to calculate a setpoint for the winch control system of the main towing vessel, according to claim 1. [Claim 3] The system according to claim 2, wherein the setpoint for the winch control system includes at least one of the tension of the tow rope and the length of the tow rope. [Claim 4] The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the calculation of the setpoint for the DP system further includes the calculation of the length of the tow rope. [Claim 5] The towing support system is configured to calculate setpoints for at least one support towing vessel, according to any one of claims 1 to 4. [Claim 6] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the motion of the floating wind turbine, which includes at least one of surge, sway, and yaw. [Claim 7] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes at least one of the motions of the floating wind turbine, which is heave, roll, and pitch. [Claim 8] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the velocity and acceleration of the floating wind turbine in six degrees of freedom. [Claim 9] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels includes the thruster thrust of at least one of the support towing vessels and the direction of at least one of the support towing vessels. [Claim 10] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels includes the position of at least one of the support towing vessels in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 11] At least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels is: - The motion of the support towing vessel, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw. - The tension of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, and - The length of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising at least one of the following. [Claim 12] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel includes the thruster thrust of the main towing vessel's thrusters and the direction of the main towing vessel. [Claim 13] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel includes the position of the main towing vessel in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 14] At least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel is, - The motion of the main tugboat, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw. - The tension of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The catenary of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The length of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, and - Output from the winch control system of the main towing vessel The system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising at least one of the following. [Claim 15] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the support towing vessel further comprises a DP system. [Claim 16] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the support towing vessel further comprises a winch having a winch control system. [Claim 17] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the FWT further comprises at least one of a sanitation navigation system, an inertial measuring device, and an inertial navigation device. [Claim 18] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the inertial measuring device is at least one of MRU (motion reference unit) and MGC (motion gyrocompass). [Claim 19] The FWT is the system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, comprising a differential GPS, a motion sensor, and a gyrocompass. [Claim 20] A towing support system for assisting the towing operation of a floating wind turbine, - An interface for integrating the towing support system with the DP system, wherein the towing support system can receive at least one input parameter from the DP system and at least one input parameter from the winch control system. - An interface for receiving at least one first input parameter from the floating wind turbine, Includes, - Adapted to calculate setpoints for the main tow vessel and at least one support tow vessel based on at least one first input parameter from the floating wind turbine, at least one second input parameter from the winch control system on at least one support tow vessel, and at least one third input parameter from the DP system and the winch control system on the main tow vessel. Towing support system. [Claim 21] The towing support system according to claim 20, further configured to calculate a setpoint for the winch control system of the main towing vessel. [Claim 22] The towing support system according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the setpoint for the winch control system includes at least one of the tension of the tow rope and the length of the tow rope. [Claim 23] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the setpoint for the main towing vessel includes the thruster thrust of at least one thruster of the main towing vessel and the bearing of the main towing vessel. [Claim 24] A towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the setpoint for at least one of the support towing vessels includes the thruster thrust of at least one thruster of at least one of the support towing vessels and the direction of at least one of the support towing vessels. [Claim 25] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the calculated setpoint for the DP system further includes the length of the tow rope. [Claim 26] A towing support system wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the position of the floating wind turbine in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 27] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the motion of the floating wind turbine, which includes at least one of sway, surge, and yaw. [Claim 28] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the speed and acceleration of the floating wind turbine in six degrees of freedom. [Claim 29] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 28, wherein at least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine includes the motion of the floating wind turbine, which includes at least one of roll, pitch, and heave. [Claim 30] A towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 29, wherein at least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels includes the thruster thrust of at least one of the support towing vessels and the direction of at least one of the support towing vessels. [Claim 31] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 30, wherein at least one of the second input parameters from the support towing vessel includes the position of the support towing vessel in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 32] A towing assistance system according to any one of claims 20 to 31, wherein at least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels includes the motion of the support towing vessel, which includes at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and heave. [Claim 33] At least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels is: - The tension of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, and - The length of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, A towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 32, comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 34] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 33, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel includes the thruster thrust of the main towing vessel's thrusters and the direction of the main towing vessel. [Claim 35] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 34, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel includes the position of at least one of the support towing vessels in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 36] The towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 35, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel includes the motion of the main towing vessel, which includes at least one of sway, surge, and yaw. [Claim 37] At least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel is, - The motion of the main tow vessel, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw. - The tension of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The catenary of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The length of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, and - Output from the winch control system of the main towing vessel, A towing support system according to any one of claims 20 to 36, comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 38] A main tow vessel for assisting in the towing operation of a floating wind turbine, wherein the main tow vessel is connectable to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope, • At least one thruster, • Winch and DP system, ・ Two-way wireless communication system and - A towing support system / controller integrated with the aforementioned DP system, Includes, The towing support system is adapted to calculate setpoints for the main towing vessel and at least one support towing vessel based on at least one input parameter for assisting the towing operation of the floating wind turbine. Main tugboat. [Claim 39] The towing support system is further adapted to calculate setpoints for the winch control system of the main towing vessel, according to claim 38. [Claim 40] The main towing vessel according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the calculation of the setpoint for the DP system further includes the calculation of the length of the tow rope. [Claim 41] The main tugboat according to any one of claims 38 to 40, wherein at least one of the input parameters includes at least one first input parameter from the floating wind turbine, at least one second input parameter from at least one of the support tugboats, and at least one third input parameter from the main tugboat. [Claim 42] At least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine is, - The motion of the floating wind turbine, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw, and - Speed ​​and acceleration of the floating wind turbine in six degrees of freedom A main towing vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 41, comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 43] The towing support system is integrated with the DP system and the winch control system, the main towing vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 42. [Claim 44] The main tow vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 43, wherein the calculation of the set point further includes calculating the thruster thrust of at least one thruster of the main tow vessel and calculating the direction of the main tow vessel. [Claim 45] At least one of the first input parameters from the floating wind turbine is, - The position of the floating wind turbine in at least three degrees of freedom, - The motion of the floating wind turbine, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw, and - Velocity and acceleration of the floating object in six degrees of freedom A main towing vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 44, comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 46] At least one of the second input parameters from at least one of the support towing vessels is: - Thruster thrust and heading of at least one of the support vessels, Preferably, the position of at least one of the support tugboats in at least three degrees of freedom, - The motion of at least one of the support towing vessels, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw. - The tension of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, - The length of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, - The catenary of the tow rope between the support towing vessel and the FWT, and - Output from the DP system of the support towing vessel The main towing vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 45, further comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 47] The main tow vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 46, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main tow vessel includes the thruster thrust of the main tow vessel's thrusters and the direction / bearing of the main tow vessel. [Claim 48] The main tow vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 47, wherein at least one of the third input parameters from the main tow vessel includes the position of the main tow vessel in at least three degrees of freedom. [Claim 49] At least one of the third input parameters from the main towing vessel is, - The motion of the main tow vessel, including at least one of heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw. - The tension of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The catenary of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, - The length of the tow rope between the main towing vessel and the FWT, and - Output from the winch control system of the main towing vessel A main towing vessel according to any one of claims 38 to 48, comprising at least one of the above. [Claim 50] A method for supporting the towing operation of a floating wind turbine, - A step of towing the floating wind turbine by a main towing vessel and at least one support towing vessel, wherein the main towing vessel and at least one support towing vessel are connected to the floating wind turbine by a tow rope, and the main towing vessel is provided with a towing support system. - A step of receiving at least one first input parameter from at least one sensor on the floating wind turbine, wherein at least one sensor includes a position sensor for measuring the position of the floating wind turbine in at least three degrees of freedom, Includes, The towing support system is adapted to calculate setpoints for the main towing vessel and at least one of the support towing vessels based on at least one first input parameter from the floating wind turbine, at least one second input parameter from at least one of the support towing vessels, and at least one third input parameter from the main towing vessel. method. [Claim 51] The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of calculating a set point for the winch control system of the main towing vessel, wherein the set point for the winch control system includes at least one of the tension of the tow rope and the length of the tow rope. [Claim 52] The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of calculating a set point for the DP system of the main tow vessel, wherein the set point includes the length of the tow rope between the main tow vessel and the floating wind turbine.

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