Modular Wind Turbine Foundation Using Identical Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support structures for offshore wind turbines are costly due to the need for custom designs tailored to specific installation sites and varying water depths, leading to high design and production expenses.
Innovation Solution
A modular support structure composed of substantially identical interconnected elements, such as cylindrical steel or concrete components, which can be easily assembled into various forms like tripods or jacket structures using holding means like wires, rods, or flanges, allowing for standardized construction members that adapt to different installation conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom designs are used for each individual wind turbine and installation site, then the support structure can be optimized for specific conditions (water depth, seabed condition), but design costs and production expenses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple standardized construction members, each composed of identical interconnected elements. These modular segments can be combined in different configurations to create support structures for various water depths and installation conditions without requiring custom designs for each project.
Solution Approach 2:
The identical elements are designed to serve multiple functions across different applications. The same element can be used in various positions and configurations within different support structure types (monopile, gravity foundation, tripod, jacket structure), eliminating the need for site-specific custom designs while maintaining adaptability to different conditions.
2Reliability
If custom designs are created for each installation site, then structural optimization for specific conditions is achieved, but production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The identical elements are pre-designed and pre-manufactured to standardized specifications before deployment. This preliminary design phase allows for structural optimization to be performed once on the standardized elements, which then can be rapidly assembled into site-specific configurations without requiring time-consuming custom design work for each installation.
3Device complexity
If standardized identical elements are used to form construction members, then design costs are reduced and versatility increases, but the complexity of connecting elements together increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple identical elements are combined to form construction members using standardized connection mechanisms. The connection design merges the elements into unified structural units that behave as integrated components, simplifying the assembly process despite the modular nature of the structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If identical elements are interconnected to form construction members of different lengths, then versatility for different water depths is achieved, but the number of connection points increases
Solution Approach 1:
Construction members are segmented into identical elemental units that can be concatenated to achieve different lengths. This segmentation allows the same standardized element to be used repeatedly to create members of varying lengths suitable for different water depths, maintaining versatility while using a limited set of standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A support structure for a wind turbine, comprising a plurality of connected construction members, whereby a construction member comprises a number of substantially identical interconnected elements (2, 4, 13).