Mooring System for Floating Wind Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating wind turbines have complex and difficult-to-implement designs, making installation and maintenance inefficient, and there is a need for a simpler and more efficient mooring system that allows the turbine to align with wind direction while preventing mooring line twisting during rotation.
Innovation Solution
A mooring system with a gimbal-mounted, torsionally rigid suspension using universal or eccentric universal joints, combined with redundant mooring lines and a control mechanism to actively prevent twisting, allowing the turbine to self-align with the wind direction and maintain a taut mooring line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mooring line is used to connect the floating wind turbine to the foundation element, then the turbine can be anchored to the seabed, but the mooring line winds around itself during rotation of the turbine
Solution Approach 1:
A rotary mechanism with thrust bearing acts as an intermediary between the mooring line and the floating wind turbine. This intermediary component allows the mooring line to remain stationary while the turbine rotates around it, preventing the line from winding around itself during turbine rotation to align with wind direction
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational function is extracted from the mooring line connection and placed in a dedicated rotary mechanism. This separates the functions of anchoring (mooring line) and rotation (rotary mechanism), allowing the mooring line to remain static while the turbine rotates independently around it
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex universal joints are used to allow rotation, then the turbine can align with wind direction, but the design becomes complex and difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The mooring system is segmented into distinct functional components: a simple foundation element with fixed connection, a rotary mechanism with thrust bearing for rotation, and a mooring line for anchoring. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function with simple design, avoiding the need for complex universal joints while achieving wind alignment capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a dynamic rotary mechanism that allows the floating wind turbine to rotate freely to align with wind direction, replacing static complex universal joints. The rotary mechanism with thrust bearing provides dynamic adaptation to wind conditions while maintaining a simpler overall design
3Stability of the object's composition
If the mooring line is kept taut to prevent twisting, then rotation is controlled, but wear and tear on the mooring line increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary mechanism with thrust bearing serves as an intermediary that absorbs rotational movements and prevents them from transferring to the mooring line. This protects the mooring line from twisting and reduces wear and tear while maintaining proper tension and orientation stability
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful effect of rotation on the mooring line is converted into a benefit by using the rotary mechanism to control and guide the rotation. The thrust bearing handles the rotational forces, converting what would be damaging twisting into controlled rotation that actually helps maintain proper mooring line tension and orientation
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 system enables efficient installation and maintenance by simplifying the design, ensuring the mooring line remains untwisted and taut, reducing wear and tear, and allowing surface-based maintenance without divers or submarines.
Implementation Method 1
a universal joint having a first axle stub (24) connected to the foundation element (10) in a rotationally fixed manner and a second axle stub (25) rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first axle stub (24) by performing a rotation about its own longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
arranging a gimbal-mounted, but torsionally rigid, suspension on the foundation element, which always aligns the mooring line from the foundation element in the direction of the floating wind turbine without winding itself around
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a system comprising: a foundation element (10) that has a universal joint (20, 20'), wherein the universal joint (20, 20') has a first universal joint element (22) connected to the foundation element (10) for conjoint rotation and a second universal joint element (24) which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first universal joint element (22) by carrying out a rotation about its own longitudinal axis; a floating wind turbine (100); and a mooring line (30, 130), one end of which is connected to the foundation element (10) by means of a first connection means (50) connected to the second universal joint element (24) for conjoint rotation and the other end of which is connected to the floating wind turbine (100) by means of a second connection means (120) rotatably mounted on the floating wind turbine (100); characterised by a controller which, on the basis of the rotational position of the floating wind turbine (100) about the foundation element (10), brings about the adoption of a rotational position of the second connection means (120) rotatably mounted on the floating wind turbine (100); wherein the rotational position of the second connection means (120) rotatably mounted on the floating wind turbine (100) corresponds to the rotational position of the second universal joint element (24) about its own longitudinal axis, which rotational position geometrically corresponds to the rotational position of the floating wind turbine (100) about the foundation element (10).