Buoyant Structure for Offshore Wind Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating offshore wind platforms face challenges in accommodating increasing wind turbine capacities and harsh environmental conditions, particularly in terms of structural integrity, motion characteristics, and material efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The buoyant structure features a column-less centre design with a first and second deck coupled together, surrounded by floatable substructures arranged radially. This design reduces the water plane area, minimizes material usage, and enhances structural integrity, allowing for better motion characteristics and increased space for other functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a solid tubular column is used to support the wind turbine, then structural integrity is provided, but water plane area is increased and material usage is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The solid tubular column is segmented into multiple hollow columns arranged around a central void. This segmentation maintains structural integrity through the distributed arrangement of columns while creating a column-less centre that reduces water plane area and allows water flow through the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure transitions from a solid column to a porous-like configuration with multiple hollow columns arranged around a central void. This allows water to flow through the centre of the structure, reducing the effective water plane area while maintaining structural strength through the distributed hollow columns.
2Strength
If a solid tubular column is used to support the wind turbine, then structural integrity is provided, but overall steel use and weight are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The solid column is divided into multiple hollow columns, allowing water flow through the structure and reducing the amount of steel required while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed arrangement of the hollow columns around a central void.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure uses a composite arrangement of multiple hollow columns rather than a single solid column, optimizing the steel usage by creating a structure that maintains integrity while using less material through the hollow configuration and central void space.
3Strength
If a solid tubular column is used, then structural support is provided, but space availability for other functions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solid column is segmented into multiple hollow columns arranged around a central void, creating a column-less centre that opens up space in the middle of the structure for additional functions while maintaining structural support through the distributed hollow columns.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure transitions from a two-dimensional solid cross-section to a three-dimensional arrangement of hollow columns around a central void, creating vertical and radial space utilization that accommodates additional functions in the central area while maintaining structural integrity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the centre of the floating platform is solid, then structural stability is maintained, but motion characteristics are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The solid centre is replaced with a porous-like configuration of hollow columns arranged around a central void, allowing water flow through the structure. This improves motion characteristics by reducing hydrodynamic resistance while maintaining structural stability through the distributed hollow columns.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid centre is segmented into multiple hollow columns with a central void, allowing water to flow through the structure. This segmentation improves motion characteristics by reducing the effective water plane area and hydrodynamic forces while maintaining structural stability through the distributed arrangement.
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 solution provides improved motion characteristics, reduced material usage, and enhanced structural integrity, enabling the buoyant structure to support higher wind turbine capacities and operate effectively in harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of floatable substructures coupled to and around at least one of the first deck and the second deck
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a buoyant structure for offshore deployment. The buoyant structure comprises a first deck having a first channel through the first deck; a second deck having a second channel through the second deck, wherein the first deck and second deck are coupled to each other and arranged spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of floatable substructures coupled to and around at least one of the first deck and the second deck, the plurality of floatable substructures arranged spaced apart from one another, wherein the first channel and the second channel are aligned to receive at least a portion of a tower of a wind turbine.