Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Assembly on Transport Ship
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for offshore wind turbine installation face challenges in transporting and assembling the entire wind turbine structure, particularly in shallow water, leading to increased costs and operational difficulties compared to land-based foundations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a frame construction on a transportation ship with a hydraulic device, coupled with a semi-closed cylindrical wind turbine foundation that is inflated and secured to the ship's frame, allowing for the entire wind turbine to be transported and assembled in a floating manner, reducing the need for large hoisting machines and enabling single-step delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional offshore wind turbine installation methods are used with separate component delivery, then assembly can be performed onshore, but transportation and mounting become difficult with delays and high costs in offshore environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the foundation, tower, and blade assembly into a single integrated unit that is transported and installed together as one complete structure. This combining of previously separate components eliminates the need for separate transportation and assembly operations, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transportation ship is designed with multi-functional capabilities, serving both as a transport vessel and an installation platform. The ship includes hoisting devices, frame constructions, and retention mechanisms that enable it to perform both transportation and assembly functions, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing manufacturing ease.
2Productivity
If large hoisting machines and convey ships are used for offshore wind turbine installation, then complete machine transportation is achieved, but construction costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a frame construction made of relatively simple, cost-effective materials that serves as a temporary transport and assembly structure. This frame is designed for single-use during the installation process and is discarded after deployment, replacing the need for expensive, specialized heavy-lift equipment while achieving complete machine delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame construction acts as an intermediary structure between the transportation ship and the wind turbine components. It provides a cost-effective platform for assembling and securing the complete wind turbine machine during transport and installation, eliminating the need for expensive conventional offshore installation vessels.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional offshore foundation constructions are used, then stability is achieved, but difficulty in operation in shallow water and delay between transportation and mounting occur
Solution Approach 1:
The wind turbine components are pre-assembled into a complete machine onshore before transportation. The blade, tower, and hub are connected in advance, and the entire assembly is then transported and installed as one unit. This preliminary assembly eliminates delays between separate transportation and mounting operations while maintaining foundation stability through the integrated design.
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
This method enables efficient, cost-effective transportation and assembly of the entire wind turbine, maintaining component alignment and reducing damage risks, thereby lowering construction costs and improving operational success rates.
Implementation Method 1
the frame construction is coupled with a hydraulic device capable of control extension or retraction of the frame construction
Implementation Method 2
The wind turbine foundation is inflated via the vent hole defined in the top cover thereof until the top cover of the wind turbine foundation is tightly pressed against a lower portion of the frame construction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method for transporting an offshore turbine in a floating manner is disclosed in which a frame construction is mounted on a deck of a transportation and installation ship; a wind turbine foundation connected to a transition segment is prepared in advance; the transition segment is extended from the frame construction; the wind turbine foundation is temporarily secured with the frame construction; the wind turbine tower, wind turbine head and blades are hoisted in turn and then are assembled to form an entire wind turbine machine; and finally the entire wind turbine machine is conveyed to the installation place. The method for transporting an offshore turbine in a floating manner according to the invention may achieve transporting the entire wind turbine machine in a single step, facilitate easy operation and obtain high success rate. For a huge offshore wind turbine machine, there is also no need for using large hoisting machine and convey ship to perform offshore work and accordingly, the inventive method reduces cost in a great scale compared to prior art technology. Moreover, as the wind turbine foundation, wind turbine tower, wind turbine head, as well as the wind turbine blades may maintain the same attitude throughout the manufacture, transportation and use, risk of causing damage to components of the wind turbine is reduced significantly; thereby assisting in achieving anti-damage requirement for the entire structure and further reducing construction cost.