Floating wind turbine facility equipped with a windshield

Abstract

To provide a floating wind turbine facility capable of reducing damage to a wind turbine part under strong wind.SOLUTION: A floating wind turbine facility is configured such that a wind turbine has a rotational axis that is horizontal and intersects a wind direction, and a windshield is installed between a floating structure and the wind turbine. The windshield does not block wind at all when the floating wind turbine facility is upright, or blocks wind in the lower half of the wind turbine with respect to the rotational axis, and is installed at a position and a shape so that it may exhibit a windshield effect when it is sufficiently inclined to the leeward side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating offshore wind turbine system. [Background technology]

[0002] Offshore wind power generation facilities are not restricted by land area and can operate in environments with better wind conditions than on land, so their development is expanding.

[0003] Floating offshore wind turbines are generally installed as fixed-bottom turbines in relatively shallow waters, while floating turbines are considered for use in deeper waters.

[0004] The wind conditions offshore are better than on land because there are no obstacles to block the wind, but the energy received from strong winds, such as during a typhoon, is also greater than on land. This means that the strength required for the wind turbine structure, seabed foundations, and mooring equipment is higher.

[0005] In propeller-type wind turbines used in typical wind power generation, the wind turbine blades, which are the wind-receiving body, generally stop rotating to prevent damage when the wind speed exceeds a certain level in strong winds; this is called cutout.

[0006] The technology for a wind-powered rotating device is described in which an expandable and contractable wind receiver is supported on both sides by facing beams that form acute angles at their joints with the respective rotation axes, so that the support beams are parallel to the vertical lower side of the rotation axis, allowing the wind receiver to be expanded on the upper side and folded on the lower side, and an example of installation on a floating structure on water is given (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. 10-1034924 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The objective of the present invention is to provide a floating wind turbine facility that can reduce damage to the wind turbine section in strong winds. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The wind turbine is configured so that its axis of rotation is horizontal and crosses the wind direction, for example a straight-blade vertical axis wind turbine laid on its side.

[0010] The direction of rotation of the wind turbine is such that the blades on the upper side of the shaft move from upwind to downwind, and on the lower side the blades move from downwind to upwind.

[0011] A windbreak is installed between the floating structure and the wind turbine. The windbreak is installed in a position and shape that does not block the wind at all when the floating wind turbine equipment is normally upright, or blocks the wind from the lower half of the wind turbine's axis, and is effective when tilted sufficiently downwind. Effect of the Invention

[0012] Because the windshield changes the direction of the wind, the amount of wind that the wind turbine receives directly is reduced, reducing damage to the wind turbine equipment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in which a wind turbine installation is in an upright position. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the wind turbine equipment is tilted in the upwind direction. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the wind turbine equipment is inclined in the downwind direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the wind turbine equipment is significantly tilted downwind due to extremely strong winds. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the wind turbine equipment is tilted in the downwind direction. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a side view of a wind turbine equipment having an increased volume of a lower edge portion of a windshield according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state in which the equipment is tilted in the downwind direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a side view of a wind turbine equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a windshield can slide up and down within a predetermined range of a wind turbine post, in a state in which the equipment is tilted in the downwind direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wind turbine portion of the present invention when tilted to the windward or leeward side. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which a cover on a side of a rotation shaft of a wind turbine blade is open. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention in which a cover on a side of a rotation shaft of a wind turbine blade is closed. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention in which each blade has a lid and the lid of the blade at the top of the rotating shaft is open up to the stopper. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention with a lid attached to each blade and with the lids of all the blades closed. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention in which each blade has a lid and the lid of the blade at the top of the rotating shaft is open up to the stopper. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention in which a side wall is provided on a side of a wind turbine blade and a cover on a side of a rotating shaft is open. [Figure 15] This is an oblique view of an embodiment of the present invention, in which side walls on the sides of each blade and an openable / closable lid are attached to the rotating shaft side, and the lid of the blade on the top of the rotating shaft is opened up to the stopper. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the wind turbine installation of the present invention in an upright position.

[0015] The wind turbine applied to the wind turbine equipment of this invention is used in a position where the rotation axis of the wind turbine is horizontal and intersects with the wind direction. One or more blades 3 are laid at equal intervals around the wind turbine shaft 3 via arms 2. The leading edge of the blade faces downwind when the blade is at the top of the rotation axis. The wind turbine is supported on a float 6 by posts 5. The wind 11 causes the wind turbine to rotate, driving a generator 4 connected to the wind turbine to generate electricity. The generated electricity is stored in a storage battery installed inside the float.

[0016] The float is located on the water surface 12, and anchors 9 are installed on the seabed 13 via mooring ropes 8, thereby fixing the floating wind turbine equipment onto the ocean.

[0017] The windshield 7 is attached between the floating body and the wind turbine via a post. The windshield does not interfere with the rotation space of the wind turbine. The wind flow passing through the wind turbine equipment, that is, the airflow 14, is shown. When the wind turbine equipment is in an upright position, the windshield does not block at least the wind above the rotation axis of the wind turbine. It may block the wind below the rotation axis of the wind turbine.

[0018] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the wind turbine equipment is tilted upwind. The windshield does not affect the wind that the wind turbine receives.

[0019] Figure 3 shows the wind turbine equipment of the embodiment of the present invention tilted downwind. The windshield blocks a part of the wind blowing from the lower part of the wind turbine. However, the wind turbine can continue to rotate by the wind blowing from the upper part.

[0020] FIG. 4 shows a state in which the wind turbine according to the embodiment of the present invention is tilted significantly downwind.

[0021] In a normal operating state, the wind turbine rotates as it catches the wind, repeating oscillations between the states shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4. As the wind gets stronger, the center of the oscillation range tilts toward the downwind side.

[0022] For convenience, the windward edge of the windshield of the present invention will be referred to as the upper edge, and the leeward edge as the lower edge.

[0023] When the wind becomes strong enough, the wind turbine equipment will tilt further downwind, and when it tilts beyond a certain angle, it will continue to reach the state shown in Figure 4. Because the airflow bypasses the wind turbine due to the windshield, the amount of wind received by the wind turbine will be reduced, or it will no longer receive any wind and the wind turbine will lose rotational power. This prevents the wind turbine from being damaged by over-rotation in strong winds. The specified angle of the wind turbine equipment is not uniform and is determined by the rotational diameter of the wind turbine, the height of the wind turbine's rotation shaft from the floating body, the height of the windshield, the shape of the windshield, the wind speed and the course of the airflow.

[0024] When the wind calms down and the wind turbine equipment is set up, the wind hits the turbine again and it starts rotating.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the wind turbine equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention in a state where the equipment is significantly tilted downwind.

[0026] It is desirable for the windshield to be long enough to span at least the full width of the wind turbine.

[0027] The wind-receiving surface of the windshield is the underside when the wind turbine equipment is upright, but it is curved in a convex shape to reduce airflow resistance when the wind turbine equipment is tilted downwind. The upper and lower edges of the windshield are folded back at an acute angle or a similar curved shape so that the airflow that detours around the wind-receiving surface separates from the windshield and flows backwards without going around the wind turbine. It is preferable for the windshield's wind turbine side to have a concave curve, but this is not always the case.

[0028] The windbreak only needs to function when the wind speed is extremely high, and when the wind speed is extremely high, the wind turbine equipment always tilts only to the downwind side. Therefore, the windbreak can be simply provided with a windbreak effect and the downwind side can be shortened to prevent damage caused by the windbreak hitting water.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the windshield according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the volume of the lower edge portion is increased.

[0030] The buoyancy created by increasing the volume of the lower edge of the windshield can be used to restrict the angle at which the wind turbine equipment can tilt.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which the windshield of the present invention can slide up and down within a predetermined range of the wind turbine post.

[0032] The windbreak may be made to slide freely within a specified range along the wind turbine post. When the wind speed is within the appropriate range, gravity will place the windbreak 7' at the lowest limit within the movable range of the wind turbine post. If the wind speed is extremely high and the wind turbine equipment is always tilted only downwind, the wind pressure will cause the windbreak to move to the upper part of its movable range along the wind turbine post. When the windbreak is not needed, there will be a distance between it and the wind turbine, and when it is needed, the windbreak will move closer to the wind turbine to block the wind.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the wind turbine portion of the present invention when tilted to the windward side and to the leeward side.

[0034] In a structure in which the rotation axis of the wind turbine is horizontal and intersects with the wind direction, the angular relationship between the rotation axis of the wind turbine and the wind direction remains the same as in the normal state 22 even if the wind turbine equipment tilts to the windward side 21 or to the leeward side 23 due to disturbances caused by wind or waves, and the sweeping area of ​​the wind turbine also does not change.

[0035] There are two types of wind turbine blades: drag type, which rotates when pushed by the wind hitting the blades, and lift type, which rotates using the lift generated by the wind on the blades. Drag type wind turbines have excellent starting performance at low rotation speeds, but are not suitable for high speed rotation and have low energy efficiency. Lift type wind turbines can rotate at high speeds and are highly energy efficient, but have poor starting performance when stationary or rotating at low speeds.

[0036] The blades of the wind turbine according to the present invention are designed as a lift-type wind turbine with a streamlined cross-sectional shape as a basic feature, and a lid is installed on the side of the blade's rotation shaft, which can be freely opened and closed within a specified range on the leeward side starting from a specified position on the windward side.This increases the wind-receiving area of ​​the blade when the wind turbine is stationary or rotating at a low speed, improving starting performance.

[0037] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where the blade lid is open, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where the blade lid is closed.

[0038] 11 and 13 show the state where the lid of the blade located above the rotation axis of the wind turbine is open, while FIG. 12 shows the state where the lid of the blade is closed.

[0039] The curved leading edge of the blade 1 rotates in the direction of travel. When the blade is positioned higher than the axis of rotation and the wind turbine is stationary or rotating at a low speed, the blade lid 32a opens due to gravity, with the lid opening / closing support shaft 31 as the fulcrum. The lid can open up to a stopper 33 attached to the arm 2, for example, and the lid becomes the wind-receiving surface. As the wind-receiving area of ​​the blade increases, it becomes easier to obtain the torque required to start rotation. As the rotation speed of the wind turbine increases, the lid 32b closes due to the centrifugal force of the wind turbine and the wind traveling as the wind turbine rotates. As the blades rotate, air resistance is reduced, allowing them to rotate at high speed and achieving high energy efficiency.

[0040] 14 and 15 show the state in which side walls are provided on the sides of the blade and the lid of the blade above the rotation axis is open.

[0041] The blades on the upper side of the wind turbine shaft have a larger wind-receiving area when the lid 32a is open. At this time, the side walls 34 make the wind-receiving section into a bag shape, so the received wind does not pass through the sides of the lid. Rotational energy can be extracted efficiently even with a weak wind. When the lid is closed, the side walls offer almost no wind resistance and do not affect rotational efficiency.

[0042] The side walls on the sides of the blade may be fixed, or may be foldable or made of a sheet-like soft material that moves in conjunction with the opening and closing of the lid.

[0043] Wind turbine equipment with conventional lift-type blades has poor starting ability in light winds and is accompanied by the risk of the blades being damaged in strong winds, whereas the wind turbine equipment of the present invention, as described above, has the characteristics of being able to start in light winds and being able to protect the blades in strong winds.

[0044] Although the above embodiments are shown as moored wind turbine equipment, it is possible to load it onto a ship, and it is ideal for use on a sailing ship traveling in a direction parallel to the wind turbine rotation axis, as it can utilize the wind from the side. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The floating wind turbine facility with a windshield of the present invention has the potential to be used in floating offshore wind power generation facilities in which the cross relationship between the rotation axis of the wind turbine and the wind direction does not change even when the float is rocking. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Blade 2 Arm 3 Shaft 4. Generator 5 Post 6 Floating Body 7 Windshield 7-1 Upper edge 7-2 Lower edge 7' Windshield at the bottom of the sliding range 8 Mooring line 9. Anchor 11. Wind 12 Water surface 13 Undersea 14 Airflow 21 Wind turbine section of the equipment of the present invention tilted forward against the wind direction 22 Wind turbine section of the present invention equipment in reference position relative to wind direction 23 Wind turbine section of the present invention equipment tilted backward against the wind direction 31 Blade lid opening and closing shaft 32a Blade lid open state 32b Blade lid closed 33 Stopper 34 Side wall

Claims

1. A floating wind turbine facility in which the rotation axis of the wind turbine is horizontal and intersects with the wind direction, and at least one blade is provided around the rotation axis, A floating wind turbine facility is characterized in that a windbreak is provided between the floating structure and the wind turbine, and when the floating wind turbine facility is tilted at a predetermined angle, the windbreak can reduce the amount of wind received by the wind turbine.

2. 2. The wind turbine equipment according to claim 1, further comprising a cover that can be freely opened and closed within a predetermined range on the side of the rotating shaft of the blades, the cover being open when the rotation speed of the wind turbine is low and the cover being closed when the rotation speed is high, thereby changing the wind-receiving area of ​​the blades and achieving good starting performance and high energy efficiency of the wind turbine.

3. A wind turbine equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that the sides of the wind turbine blades have side walls and when the blade lid is open, the wind-receiving portion of the blade is closed in a bag-like shape.

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