Floatable Concrete Block Assembly for Deep-Water Offshore Wind
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing large concrete structures for offshore wind power generation face challenges such as high costs and logistical difficulties due to the need for large barges and land-based manufacturing, which limits the installation of wind turbines in deeper waters where offshore wind resources are abundant.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing floatable concrete block structures by fabricating individual blocks on land with integrated buoyancy chambers and watertight packings, allowing them to be assembled and coupled underwater or on a water surface, eliminating the need for large barges and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a large concrete structure is manufactured on land, then the structure can be fabricated with precise control, but it becomes very difficult to move the structure to the sea due to its weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large concrete structure into multiple smaller concrete blocks that can be manufactured on land with precise control, then transported individually to the sea using conventional vessels. The blocks are assembled underwater to form the complete large-scale structure, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and transportability.
2Ease of operation
If a floatable large concrete structure is manufactured on a large barge, then the structure can be transported to the sea, but the manufacturing process becomes inconvenient and expensive due to the need for expensive large barges for very long periods
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing the entire large structure on a expensive barge, the patent segments the structure into smaller blocks that can be manufactured on land using conventional facilities. The blocks are then transported individually on smaller, more economical vessels to the sea where they are assembled, eliminating the need for expensive large barges and long-term manufacturing operations at sea.
Solution Approach 2:
The concrete blocks are manufactured on land in advance before being transported to the sea. This preliminary action allows for efficient use of land-based manufacturing facilities and eliminates the need for expensive marine manufacturing operations, while still achieving the goal of deploying large-scale offshore structures.
3Strength
If steel materials are used for offshore wind power structures, then the structures can be manufactured with high strength, but they become vulnerable to corrosion from seawater and high in price
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses concrete as the primary material for the buoyancy blocks and structural components. Concrete provides both the required structural strength and inherent corrosion resistance to seawater, eliminating the problems associated with steel materials while maintaining structural integrity in the marine environment.
4Ease of manufacture
If wind turbines are installed only on the coast with depth of 25m or less, then foundation structures can be easily installed, but satisfactory energy cannot be secured since most offshore wind resources are at depth of 50m or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the construction of large-scale structures in deep water by segmenting the structure into transportable blocks that can be assembled underwater. This overcomes the limitation of conventional foundation structures that can only be installed in shallow waters, allowing wind turbines to be deployed in deep water locations (50m or more) where abundant wind resources are available, thus increasing energy generation potential.
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
Enables the cost-effective transportation and assembly of concrete structures for offshore wind power generation without the need for large barges, allowing for the installation of wind turbines in deeper waters, thereby maximizing offshore wind energy potential.
Implementation Method 1
an assembly buoyancy chamber having a closed lower end is formed in the concrete block assembly by the second buoyancy chamber of the second concrete block and the buoyancy-chamber bottom surface of the first concrete block
Implementation Method 2
the first watertight packing is located between the first concrete block and the second concrete block and prevents water from being introduced into the assembly buoyancy chamber from the outside
Data Source
AI summary
A floatable concrete block structure is manufactured by fabricating individual concrete blocks on land, and then assembling and coupling the individual concrete blocks underwater or on a water surface. An assembly buoyancy chamber is formed inside by the first concrete block and the second concrete block, the inflow of water into the assembly buoyancy chamber is prevented by a first watertight packing, and so on, and the first concrete block and the second concrete block are coupled to each other by concrete columns.