Floating Windmill Dynamic Tension-Leg Structure for Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of floating windmills is a limiting factor for their widespread utilization, necessitating economic subsidization, and there is a need for innovative designs that reduce fabrication, transport, installation, and maintenance costs while enhancing structural durability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A floating windmill design featuring a tension leg, anchoring, buoyancy element, swivel, and cross bar configuration that allows dynamic shape adjustment under varying ocean and wind conditions, reducing extreme stress levels through flexible structural elements and simplified assembly and maintenance processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a floating windmill structure is designed to withstand extreme ocean forces, then structural strength and reliability are improved, but fabrication cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floating windmill is divided into separate modular components including a floating element, a buoyancy element, a tension leg, and an anchoring system. These modules can be manufactured independently and assembled offshore, reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining structural integrity through standardized connection interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The tension leg is designed as a dynamic element that allows controlled movement and deformation under extreme loads. The leg can bend and stretch to accommodate wave forces and wind loads, transforming rigid structural requirements into flexible dynamic behavior that reduces peak stress concentrations and eliminates the need for overly complex rigid reinforcement
2Stress or pressure
If the floating windmill structure is made more robust to reduce stress, then extreme stress levels are reduced, but fabrication cost and transport cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design changes the physical parameters of the tension leg by allowing it to operate in a flexible state rather than maintaining rigid straight alignment. The leg's length, cross-sectional area, and material properties are optimized to provide sufficient strength while permitting controlled deformation, reducing the need for expensive over-engineering of stress-resistant components
Solution Approach 2:
The buoyancy element acts as an intermediary component between the floating element and the tension leg anchoring system. It provides dynamic positioning and load distribution, reducing peak stresses in the tension leg through controlled movement and energy absorption, thereby eliminating the need for excessively robust and costly structural elements
3Stress or pressure
If the floating windmill uses complex anchoring systems to reduce stress, then extreme stress levels are reduced, but installation cost and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is segmented into independent tension legs that can be installed separately and connected to the floating element offshore. This modular approach allows parallel installation operations and reduces the complexity of single-point anchoring systems, improving installation efficiency while maintaining stress distribution through multiple independent connection points
Solution Approach 2:
The tension legs are designed to self-adjust and self-position during installation through their flexible dynamic characteristics. The legs can bend and align themselves with the floating element during the installation process, reducing the need for complex positioning equipment and specialized installation procedures, thereby lowering installation costs and time
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 achieves significant cost savings of over 30-50% per MWh produced by reducing extreme stress, simplifying logistics, and minimizing downtime, while maintaining high efficiency and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a tension leg, an anchoring, a buoyancy element, a swivel and a cross bar
Implementation Method 2
with the tension leg arranged between the buoyancy element and the anchoring on the seabed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a floating windmill, comprising a floating element and a wind turbine. The floating windmill is distinguished in that it further comprises: a tension leg, an anchoring, a buoyancy element, a swivel and a cross bar, wherein the swivel is arranged in the buoyancy element. In operation, the floating windmill in operation is configured with the wind turbine in an upper end of the floating element extending up above the sea level, with a lower end or part of the floating element submerged in the sea, with the cross bar in one end connected to the lower part or end of the floating element and in the opposite end connected to the buoyancy element, with the buoyancy element fully submerged, preferably at safe draught depth below surface for service vessels and/or marine transport ships, with the tension leg arranged between the buoyancy element and the anchoring on the seabed. The floating windmill configured with the wind turbine in the upper end can weathervane freely around the buoyancy element, wherein in a low force condition when the forces by ocean current, wind and waves are low the floating element, the buoyancy element and the tension leg is oriented in substance in vertical direction and the cross bar is oriented in substance in horizontal direction, wherein in a high force condition when the forces by ocean current, wind and waves are high the shape of the floating element, cross bar, buoyancy element and tension leg is stretched by the forces to provide a shape like a lazy-s configuration, which change in shape and dynamic behavior reduce extreme stress levels.