Offshore Anchor Rope System with Fiber Optic Condition Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Offshore wind energy devices anchored by traditional anchor chain systems face significant challenges with increased water depth, including high installation and manufacturing costs, and the risk of anchor rope breakage, which can lead to prolonged power production shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
An anchor rope system incorporating a fiber optic cable as a condition sensor to detect minor damages and prevent rope breakage, featuring a metal or fiber composite anchor rope surrounded by a protective sheathing, allowing for early detection and mitigation of impairments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional anchor chain systems are used for offshore devices in deep water, then the anchoring capability is maintained, but the manufacturing and installation costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical anchor chain system with a fiber optic cable-based anchor rope system. The fiber optic cable provides equivalent anchoring capability while being lighter, more flexible, and easier to install in deep water environments, thereby reducing manufacturing and installation costs significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures, combining fiber optic cables with protective sheathings and utilizing the inherent properties of optical fibers to create an anchor rope system that is both mechanically robust and cost-effective for deep water deployment.
2Ease of manufacture
If anchor rope systems are used instead of anchor chains, then the installation cost and ease are improved, but the risk of rope breakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates fiber optic cables as condition sensors that provide continuous monitoring of the anchor rope system's health. These sensors detect minor damages, vibrations, or stress points along the rope, enabling real-time feedback that allows for early intervention and prevents catastrophic rope breakage, thereby maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
By using fiber optic condition sensors to detect minor damages early in the rope's service life, the system enables preliminary maintenance actions before actual failure occurs. This proactive approach prevents rope breakage and ensures continuous operation of offshore devices.
3Measurement precision
If fiber optic cable condition sensors are integrated into the anchor rope system, then the detection precision of minor damages is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optic cable serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the structural anchor rope and the sensing element for condition monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate sensing components and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining high detection precision for minor damages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural and sensing functions into a single integrated system. The fiber optic cable is embedded within the anchor rope structure, combining the mechanical load-bearing function with the condition sensing function in one unified component, thereby reducing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anchor rope system reduces the risk of rope breakage, enabling early detection and prevention of operational disruptions, thus minimizing the likelihood of power production shutdowns and facilitating installation in deep water depths.
Implementation Method 1
The anchor rope system (100) comprises at least one condition sensor formed by at least one fiber optic cable (104)
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor rope system for an offshore device for fixing an offshore device to a subsea floor. The anchor rope system includes at least one anchor rope surrounded by at least one sheathing. The anchor rope system includes at least one condition sensor formed by at least one fiber optic cable.