Structure for air pocket detachable type floating offshore wind power and method of constructing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a structure for offshore wind power generation, and more specifically, to an air pocket-separable floating offshore wind power generation structure and an installation method for installing a wind turbine in floating offshore wind power generation.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure for offshore wind power generation, and more specifically, to an air pocket-separable floating offshore wind power generation structure and an installation method for installing a wind turbine in floating offshore wind power generation. Background Technology

[0003] In relation to global environmental issues, renewable energy generation technologies capable of replacing fossil fuel-based power generation are being continuously researched, developed, and commercialized, and the need for floating offshore wind power generation is increasing as one of the important sources of renewable energy.

[0005] Furthermore, the importance of floating substructure technology is increasing for stable power generation operations in such floating offshore wind power generation. In other words, the fabrication and installation of suitable floating substructures are essential for stable power generation operations in rough marine environments.

[0007] To elaborate further, generally speaking, for onshore and fixed-type offshore wind power generation, there are difficulties in the site selection process; as one moves closer to land, available space becomes scarce and sensitivity to environmental impact increases.

[0009] In contrast, floating offshore wind power generation has the advantage of being able to be installed in the open sea, making site selection relatively easy; it also has the ability to maintain strong and constant wind speeds due to minimal turbulence caused by obstacles, and it is possible to secure a high utilization rate of wind turbines based on these excellent wind conditions.

[0011] However, unlike other types of wind power generation, floating offshore wind power generation requires supporting heavy loads while floating and maintaining stability in a highly variable marine environment, making the importance of floating substructures high. These substructures can generally be classified by shape into cylindrical (Spar), semi-submersible, tension-leg-platform, and barge types. Hywind Scotland, an early floating offshore wind project, adopted the highly stable cylindrical type; however, since the cylinders are installed by erecting them using cranes, there are issues such as limitations on water depth and high costs associated with renting crane vessels. While the tension-leg type also offers high stability, its very high installation costs lead to a relatively higher overall cost. Conversely, the barge type has lower installation and manufacturing costs but suffers from relatively lower stability.

[0013] Meanwhile, semi-submersible systems have the advantage of being easy to install as they are less affected by the installation location and weather conditions, and a significant number of projects currently under development are adopting semi-submersible systems. This is because they can reduce the burden of manufacturing costs by developing a tetraspar structure or by developing a telwind structure and installing it using a tugboat.

[0015] However, since semi-submersible structures primarily utilize steel materials and welding, material and construction costs remain substantial. Furthermore, because wind turbines are typically not installed in the center of the structure, there is a problem in that it is difficult to stably balance construction and maintenance in various weather and marine environments. The problem to be solved

[0017] The present invention aims to improve upon the problems of the aforementioned existing floating offshore wind power generation structures by providing a floating offshore wind power generation structure and an installation method having a configuration that allows for manufacturing at a relatively lower cost and easy installation compared to existing structures.

[0019] The present invention aims to provide a floating offshore wind power structure and an installation method suitable for stably constructing and maintaining floating offshore wind power facilities. means of solving the problem

[0021] A floating offshore wind power generation structure with an air pocket separation type according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose is characterized by comprising: an air pocket box structure having a wall forming a surface that can cover and seal the internal space to maintain airtightness of the internal space, and an air inlet / outlet device capable of filling or removing air; and a freshwater box structure located below the air pocket box structure, having a wall forming a surface that can cover and seal the internal space to maintain airtightness of the internal space, and a water inlet / outlet device capable of filling or removing water.

[0023] In addition, it is characterized by further comprising a reinforcing frame structure for supporting the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure.

[0025] In addition, the reinforcing frame structure is characterized by comprising: a column formed vertically to connect and support the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure; and a beam (including an aerial beam) formed horizontally to support the internal space of the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure.

[0027] In addition, a wind turbine is installed above the air pocket box structure, and a central conduit is formed in the center of the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure, penetrating the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure.

[0029] The method for installing an air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power generation structure according to the present invention comprises the steps of: manufacturing the air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power generation structure on land; floating the air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power generation structure on water and towing it to an installation site (location) at sea; introducing seawater into a freshwater box structure until the lower surface of the air pocket box structure touches the sea surface; and installing a wind turbine on top of the air pocket box structure. Effects of the invention

[0031] The air pocket separation type floating offshore wind power structure according to the present invention can be manufactured at a relatively lower cost and easily installed compared to existing structures, thereby reducing the overall construction cost and effort of floating offshore wind power facilities.

[0033] According to the present invention, a floating offshore wind power generation facility can be constructed and maintained more stably than conventional facilities through an air pocket separation type floating offshore wind power generation structure. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0035] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power generation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a figure showing the positions of the side wall and the beam, overhead beam, and joint on the inner side thereof in a cross-section cut by a horizontal plane passing through line AA of FIG. 1. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0036] The above objects, other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood through the following preferred embodiments associated with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed content is thorough and complete, and to ensure that the spirit of the present invention is sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. As used in this specification, 'comprises' and / or 'comprising' do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components to the mentioned components.

[0040] Hereinafter, specific technical details to be implemented in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a floating offshore wind power generation structure with an air pocket separation type according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the floating offshore wind power generation structure (100) with an air pocket separation type according to the present invention comprises an air pocket box structure (110) and a freshwater box structure (120).

[0044] The above air pocket box structure (110) can maintain airtightness of the internal space, and the wall forming the surface can cover and seal the internal space, and the wall is composed of a bottom wall, four side walls, and a top wall.

[0046] The above freshwater box structure (120) can maintain airtightness of the internal space, and the walls forming the surface can cover and seal the internal space, and the walls are composed of a bottom wall, four side walls, and a top wall.

[0048] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, a horizontal beam is formed on the inner surface facing the interior space of each wall. A column (130) formed vertically is located between the beams of the upper wall and the lower wall, and a horizontal overhead beam (15) is located between the beams of the inner surfaces of the opposing side walls. A connecting part (140) is installed at the part where the column (130) and the overhead beam (15) meet each other in space. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the positions of the side walls, the beams on the inner surfaces, the overhead beams, and the connecting part in a cross-section cut by a horizontal plane passing through line AA of FIG. 1.

[0050] A structure consisting of such columns (130) and overhead beams (15) may look similar to a frame structure without slabs or a steel frame structure. Here, there is one joint (140) between the beam (13) of the upper wall and the beam (11) of the lower wall, but the number of these joints (140) can be increased to two or more depending on the size or thickness of the structure. Similarly, between the opposing side walls, there are six joints (140) along the overhead beams (15) extending horizontally in a straight line, but the number of these joints (140) can also be different depending on the size or width of the structure.

[0052] Walls, beams, columns, and overhead beams may all be formed as a single unit through the casting of reinforced concrete, or each element may be formed and combined in different ways. For example, while the walls form a reinforced concrete structure, the columns and overhead beams may have a steel-reinforced concrete structure where concrete encases steel, a steel-reinforced concrete structure where concrete encases the outer surface of hollow rectangular steel pipes, or a steel-reinforced concrete structure where concrete is filled between two rectangular steel pipes of different sizes.

[0054] The above column (130) also serves to connect and support the air pocket box structure (110) and the freshwater box structure (120). To this end, the column is formed to penetrate the lower surface of the air pocket box structure (110) and the upper surface of the freshwater box structure (120), and can be connected to the beam (14) of the upper wall of the air pocket box structure (110).

[0056] Here, a base plate (150) on which a wind turbine tower is installed is installed in the center of the upper wall of the air pocket box structure (110). A central conduit (160) is formed below the base plate (150) to penetrate and connect the upper and lower walls of the air pocket box structure (110) and the upper and lower walls of the freshwater box structure (120). The wall forming the central conduit (160) acts as a kind of column in this structure, supporting the weight of the wind turbine placed thereon more stably and distributing the weight, and unlike this embodiment, it may have a configuration that is combined with aerial beams.

[0058] An air valve (430) is also installed in the air pocket box structure (110) of the air pocket separation type floating offshore wind power generation structure, and a drain valve (410) and a fresh water valve (420) are installed in the fresh water box structure (120).

[0060] The drain valve (410), fresh water valve (420), and air valve (430) may be formed by a pipe connecting the internal space and the external space of the structure and a pump installed along the path of the pipe. It is preferable that the pump be driven in both directions to enable filling or draining air or water into the internal space.

[0062] In addition, although not shown here, a management access device (not shown), such as a separate inspection hatch, may be installed on the upper part of this structure to manage the internal space of this structure, and this management access device must be configured to prevent air from the upper space from escaping unintentionally.

[0064] Meanwhile, this structure is combined with mooring facilities to prevent it from drifting at sea and from moving beyond a certain positional range.

[0066] The mooring facility may consist of unillustrated seabed fixtures, floating fixtures (310) combined with the structure, and a fixing cable (320) that connects the seabed fixtures and the floating fixtures (310). Although the floating fixtures (310) are illustrated here as being installed in four numbers, one at each lower vertex of the rectangular prism of the freshwater box structure (120), they may be installed in appropriate numbers at appropriate locations, taking into account the overall size and weight of the structure, and the mechanical durability and strength of the cables and fixtures. Since such a mooring facility is already well known, further detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0068] Also, although not shown here, power produced by the wind turbine (200) must be connected to an adjacent power network through a power cable connected to the wind turbine. The power network may include a substation containing an inverter installed on an adjacent offshore structure, and a ground power facility that receives power converted by this substation through a submarine power cable. Since power facilities such as power cables and communication line cables are typically connected to surrounding facilities on the seabed, such cables must be arranged to extend from the wind turbine (200) to the seabed. To this end, it is preferable to use the central conduit (160) at the bottom of the wind turbine (200) tower. That is, the structure and the wind turbine can be combined and installed so that separate mooring cables, communication line cables, and power cables pass through the central conduit (160).

[0070] Next, the fabrication and installation (installation of a wind power generation facility) of the structure of the present invention having such a configuration will be described.

[0072] First, the structure is designed according to the capacity of the wind turbine, the size of the air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power structure, and the structure of the internal reinforcing elements. In the above embodiment, vertical columns (130), horizontal beams (11, 12, 13, 14), and aerial beams (15) are simply installed in the internal space of the rectangular wall, and a connecting part (140) is provided at the part where the aerial beam (15) and the columns (130) meet, but various structures known in existing architecture can be used for the specific shape of the box and the reinforcing structure for maintaining the internal space.

[0074] In addition, from a materials perspective, the above embodiment can utilize various materials and combinations known in existing construction, in addition to conventional reinforced concrete structures.

[0076] Regarding fabrication, the structure of the present invention can generally be fabricated on land, particularly in docks used for shipbuilding. Although the method may vary depending on the material and fabrication method of elements such as walls, columns, beams, overhead beams, and joints, if these elements are formed from reinforced concrete, the fabrication of this structure can be similar to the method of constructing a reinforced concrete building. For example, it can be fabricated by fabricating a mold, arranging reinforcing bars within the mold, and filling the mold containing the reinforcing bars with concrete.

[0078] In addition, fixtures for floating structures required for mooring the structure are manufactured, and fixing cables are also manufactured. At this time, if mechanical strength of the sealing and connecting parts can be secured, it is possible to manufacture the entire structure by manufacturing some parts as blocks and combining the blocks, just as large ships are manufactured by manufacturing each part as blocks and combining these blocks.

[0080] Once the concrete has been sufficiently cured, auxiliary equipment such as fresh water valves, drainage valves, and air valves has been installed, and the structure is manufactured in a state where the internal space can be sealed, the box-shaped structure can be towed to the installation location of the wind turbine with the fresh water valves, drainage valves, and air valves closed, and then the structure can be supported first by an offshore crane or the like.

[0082] After towing to the installation location, seawater is introduced through the freshwater valve of the freshwater box structure until the underside of the air box structure touches the sea surface, and then the structure is supported by a marine crane or similar equipment.

[0084] As examined above, the air pocket-separated floating offshore wind power structure is constructed using simple and clear principles, and by using inexpensive concrete among various materials, it can be manufactured very economically, which has the advantage of minimizing the construction costs of the floating offshore wind power facility.

[0086] In addition, since this structure can be manufactured in a factory in a stable onshore environment rather than at sea, it is easy to ensure product reliability. Also, because it is a sealed box-type structure, the structure can be towed while floating on the sea to the location where the wind turbine is to be installed, thereby reducing the transportation costs of the structure.

[0088] In particular, this structure can be manufactured and maintained more stably in the shape of a rectangular box with a low height relative to its area. It is also easy to install a wind turbine tower on the flat and wide top surface of the box, and construction costs can be minimized because the structure is simple and easy to install.

[0090] In addition, as in one aspect of the present invention, if a central conduit is installed that penetrates vertically below the central part of the floating box structure, that is, the wind tower installation part, transmission and distribution cables connected from the wind turbine tower can be directly connected to the seabed.

[0092] In addition, since fresh water with the same specific gravity as the seawater at the location where the wind turbine is installed is used within the floating box structure, it can be more stable against wave currents.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described above through limited embodiments, this is merely illustrative to aid in understanding the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments.

[0096] Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement various modifications or applications based on the present invention, and it is obvious that such modifications or applications fall within the scope of the appended claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0098] 100 : Structure for floating offshore wind power generation 110: Air pocket box structure 120 : Freshwater box structure 11, 12, 13, 14 : Bo 15 : Aerial 130 : Pillar 140 : Joint 150 : Base Plate 160 : Central pipe 200 : Wind turbine 310 : Fixtures for floating bodies 320 : Fixed cable 410 : Drain valve 420 : Freshwater valve 430 : Air valve

Claims

Claim 1 An air pocket box structure having a wall forming a surface that covers and seals the internal space to maintain airtightness of the internal space, and equipped with an air inlet / outlet device for filling or removing air; a freshwater box structure located below the air pocket box structure, having a wall forming a surface that covers and seals the internal space to maintain airtightness of the internal space, and equipped with a water inlet / outlet device for filling or removing water; a column formed vertically to connect and support the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure; an aerial beam formed horizontally between the beams on the inner sides of opposing side walls to support the internal space of the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure; and a connecting part installed at the portion where the column and the aerial beam meet in space. ; An air pocket separable floating offshore wind power generation structure characterized by comprising: a base plate (150) on which a wind turbine tower is installed in the central part of the upper wall of the air pocket box structure; and a fixing cable (320) for connecting the seabed fixing and the floating body fixing (310) to combine the seabed fixing and the freshwater box structure. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 An air pocket separation type floating offshore wind power generation structure characterized in that, in claim 1, a wind turbine is installed above the air pocket box structure, and a central conduit penetrating the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure is formed in the center of the air pocket box structure and the freshwater box structure. Claim 5 delete

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