Floating Wind Turbine Tower Height Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine structures on offshore foundations face challenges with high production and installation costs due to the need for large and heavy foundations and towers to counteract bending moments, which are exacerbated by wave and wind loads, and current solutions complicate the system with ballast and anchoring mechanisms that increase complexity and wear.
Innovation Solution
A method and structure that reduce the weight and size of the wind turbine tower and offshore foundation by limiting the clearance between the wind turbine blades and sea level to 20 meters or less, using a control system to park the rotor in a position that maximizes clearance during high waves, eliminating the need for ballast systems and reducing material requirements by optimizing the blade-to-tower ratio and operating modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the size and weight of the floating foundation are increased to counteract bending moments, then stability and structural strength are improved, but production costs and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by limiting the clearance between wind turbine blades and sea level to 20 meters or less, and by optimizing the blade-to-tower ratio. This allows for a reduced tower height while maintaining structural integrity through controlled operation in specific wave conditions, thereby reducing foundation size requirements without compromising strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic control of the rotor position, parking it in a specific position during high waves to maximize clearance. This dynamic adaptation allows the structure to respond to varying wave conditions, reducing the need for oversized foundations designed for worst-case scenarios
2Strength
If extra material is added to the top end of the wind turbine tower to compensate for bending moment, then structural strength is improved, but the weight of the wind turbine tower increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the blade-to-tower ratio and limits the clearance between blades and sea level to 20 meters or less. By changing these operational parameters and reducing tower height, the bending moment is reduced, allowing for lighter tower construction without extra material at the top end
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the need for additional material at the tower top by extracting the bending moment problem through operational constraints. By limiting tower height and optimizing the blade-to-tower ratio, the structure achieves sufficient strength without the conventional solution of adding material at the vulnerable top end
3Power
If the tower height is increased to achieve optimal power output, then power output capacity is improved, but the bending moment on the foundation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optimal tower height parameter by limiting it through the 20-meter clearance constraint. Instead of maximizing height for power output, the patent finds an optimized balance point where tower height is reduced but power output remains acceptable through dynamic operational adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic rotor positioning to adapt to varying wave conditions. By parking the rotor during high waves and adjusting operational parameters, the system maintains acceptable power output while significantly reducing the bending moment that would otherwise require a much taller tower
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and a wind turbine structure for optimising the weight of the wind turbine and the offshore foundation. The wind turbine is operated based on the measured wave height which in turn allows the tower height to be reduced so that the ratio between the tower height and the length of the wind turbine blades is greater than 0.5. The rotor is parked in a predetermined position with a maximum or minimum clearance between the tip end of the wind turbine blades and the sea level if the measured wave height exceeds a predetermined threshold. A monitoring unit arranged relative to the wind turbine detects if one or more objects are located within a monitoring area. If an object is located within the monitoring area, the wind turbine is shut down and the rotor is rotated to the parked position.