Floating Wind Turbine Installation Eigenperiod Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbine installations at sea depths greater than 30 meters are technically and commercially unfavorable due to high costs and complex, labor-intensive setups, limiting the expansion of offshore wind energy.
Innovation Solution
A floating wind turbine design featuring a long, slim, cylindrical buoyant body made of concrete, with a tower and anchor line arrangement, optimized to have eigenperiods outside the energy-rich wave period range, ensuring low costs and stability through large displacement and strategic ballast distribution, allowing for towing and assembly in a protected site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If permanent installations are used at depths over 30m, then wind turbine installation is possible, but technical problems and high costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The installation system is divided into separate components: a floating platform that can be independently deployed and anchored separately from the turbine assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall installation process compared to monolithic permanent foundations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of foundation type from fixed permanent installation to floating anchored installation. This parameter change enables operation at depths over 30m by transitioning from bottom-fixed foundations to surface-floating platforms connected by tethers, fundamentally altering how depth constraints are overcome.
2Volume of moving object
If floating solutions are developed, then access to deep water areas is improved, but technical satisfaction and financial viability are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the floating platform's dimensions, materials, and anchoring system configuration to achieve a balance between technical performance and manufacturing cost. Specific parameters such as platform volume, tether length, and anchor type are tuned to minimize overall system cost while maintaining viability at deep water locations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a long slim cylindrical buoyant body is used, then wave-induced movement is minimized, but material consumption and construction complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the buoyant body by systematically varying length, diameter, and cross-sectional shape to achieve maximum wave stability with minimum material consumption. The long slim cylindrical configuration represents an optimized parameter set that provides superior wave performance while controlling material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a cylindrical (curved) cross-section for the buoyant body rather than flat or angular shapes. This curvature provides hydrodynamic advantages in wave conditions, reducing wave-induced movements and improving stability while the systematic optimization ensures material efficiency.
4Stability of the object's composition
If large displacement is achieved for dynamic properties, then stability is improved, but structure size and material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically adjusts the displacement parameter by optimizing the buoyant body's volume, shape, and mass distribution to achieve the required dynamic stability characteristics. The large displacement is achieved through optimized geometric parameters rather than simply increasing overall structure size, maintaining efficiency.
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 design minimizes wave-induced movement, achieves high stability with low heel angles, and reduces material consumption, making the concept financially viable and technically effective for deeper sea installations.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyant body, a tower arranged over the buoyant body
Implementation Method 2
an anchor line arrangement that is connectable to anchors or anchor points on a sea bed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A method for coordinating a floating wind turbine installation. The wind turbine installation comprises a buoyant body (1), a tower (2) arranged over the buoyant body, a generator (3) mounted on the tower which is rotatable in relation to the wind direction and fitted with a wind rotor (4), and an anchor line arrangement (5) connected to anchors or anchor points on the sea bed. Static heeling, ?s-max, at full wind load on the wind turbine is as low as possible, but preferably less than 8 degrees, and all eigenperiods for the installation are outside the waves' period range. The eigenperiod in pitch, T05 (roll, T04), is preferably less than 80 % of the T03 eigenperiod in heave. Moreover, the ratio between T03 and T05 is not close to 0.5 or 1.