Offshore Lifting Tool Radial Alignment Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting tools for offshore structures, such as transition pieces of wind turbines, face challenges in accurately aligning with the center of gravity, leading to potential inclination or swinging during lifting due to manual alignment and lack of precise control.
Innovation Solution
A lifting tool with a frame, engagement members, and a hoisting member interconnected by multiple linear actuators, allowing for independent radial movement and automatic alignment using sensors, enabling precise positioning of the hoisting member relative to the center of gravity of the element to be lifted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual alignment methods are used for the lifting tool, then the alignment process is simple in structure, but the alignment precision and speed are insufficient leading to potential inclination or swinging during lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment methods with an automated control system that uses sensors to detect the center of gravity and actuators to automatically adjust the hoisting member position. This substitution of mechanical manual operations with automated sensor-actuator systems directly resolves the contradiction by achieving high alignment precision while maintaining manageable system complexity through electronic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting tool performs self-alignment by using its own sensors to detect the center of gravity and its own actuators to adjust its hoisting member position automatically. The system serves itself by autonomously determining and correcting its alignment without external intervention, thereby achieving precise alignment while keeping the control system relatively simple through self-contained functionality.
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid interconnection with multiple linear actuators is used between the frame and hoisting member, then the positioning precision and radial movement capability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the positioning function into multiple independent linear actuators arranged radially around the hoisting member. Each actuator independently controls a specific radial direction, allowing precise positioning through coordinated action of segmented components. This segmentation enables high positioning precision while keeping each individual actuator relatively simple, managing overall system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid interconnection with multiple linear actuators creates a dynamically adjustable structure where the hoisting member can be positioned in any radial direction relative to the frame. The system transitions from static fixed positioning to dynamic adjustable positioning, achieving precise positioning capability while the complexity is managed through the systematic arrangement of actuators rather than complex mechanical linkages.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lifting tool (1) for lifting an element of an offshore structure, such as a transition piece (2) of an offshore wind turbine comprises a frame (8) and a plurality of engagement members (6) for engaging an element (3) to be lifted. The engagement members (6) are mounted to the frame (8) at an angular distance from each other about a centreline of the frame (8). The lifting tool (1) also comprises a hoisting member (9) to be connected to a hoisting cable of a crane, and located within a virtual cylinder on which the engagement members (6) lie. The hoisting member (9) and the frame (8) are interconnected rigidly through at least three linear actuators (10) which are arranged such that the hoisting member (9) is movable with respect to the frame (8) in a plurality of radial directions with respect to the centreline, independently from the engagement members (6).