Mooring Device with Roller Gripping for Wind Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for mooring vessels to wind power plants, especially in rough seas, face challenges such as difficulty in maintaining a stable grip due to wave forces, safety concerns for personnel transfer, and limitations in applicability for both short-term and long-term mooring.
Innovation Solution
A mooring device with gripping means featuring roller mechanisms and flexible attachments that allow for secure engagement with impact shield pipes, enabling the device to move along the pipes to minimize wave-induced forces and adjust to changing conditions, combined with a three-axis joint for reduced vessel movement and flexible members to dampen forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the vessel is driven against impact shields and kept moored with control devices and propulsion force, then the vessel can be positioned at the wind power plant, but the vessel moves with waves making personnel transfer difficult and dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The mooring device incorporates a telescopic arm with multiple sections that can extend and retract dynamically to accommodate wave motion and vessel movement, maintaining stable connection between the vessel and wind power plant throughout the personnel transfer process
Solution Approach 2:
The mooring device is deployed and positioned before personnel transfer begins, establishing a stable mechanical connection that prevents vessel movement during the transfer operation, eliminating the need for continuous propulsion force adjustments
2Duration of action of moving object
If a propulsion device is used to keep the vessel moored, then the vessel can be held in position, but the method is only applicable for short-term mooring
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the mooring function from the vessel's propulsion system by introducing a dedicated mechanical mooring device with gripping means that independently handles long-term mooring, allowing the propulsion device to be disengaged and the vessel to remain securely moored without active propulsion
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping means is designed to automatically engage with and maintain grip on the wind power plant structure throughout the entire mooring duration, providing self-sustaining long-term mooring without requiring continuous operational intervention or complex control systems
3Force
If gripping means are used to grip the impact shields, then the vessel can be held in position, but wave forces may cause premature detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic arm provides dynamic adjustment capability that allows the gripping means to maintain optimal contact and gripping force despite wave-induced movements, preventing premature detachment by adapting to changing conditions in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple gripping points and mechanical elements into an integrated mooring device that distributes and shares the wave forces across multiple contact points, increasing overall grip reliability and preventing single-point failure
4Ease of operation
If the vessel is driven against impact shields for mooring, then the vessel can be positioned, but the method is difficult and dangerous in rough seas
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic arm with extendable sections provides dynamic adaptation to rough sea conditions, allowing the mooring device to maintain stable connection despite large wave forces by adjusting its configuration rather than relying on rigid positioning against impact shields
Solution Approach 2:
The mooring device acts as an intermediary mechanical system between the vessel and the wind power plant structure, absorbing and managing wave forces through its telescopic mechanism and gripping means, thereby protecting both the vessel and making personnel transfer safe even in rough seas
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 solution provides a stable and safe mooring system capable of withstanding rough seas, allowing for both short-term and long-term mooring, reducing the impact of wave forces on the vessel and enabling secure personnel transfer, even in varying sea conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The gripping means comprises at least one roller means, which can be placed against the impact shield pipe
Implementation Method 2
flexible members to dampen forces
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a mooring device (100) for mooring a vessel (300) to a wind power plant (200), which mooring device (100) comprises a first (130) and a second (130') gripping means for gripping impact shield pipes (210, 210') of the wind power plant (200), which gripping means (130, 130') comprises a frame part (131, 131'), a first gripping arm (132, 132') and a second gripping arm (133, 133'), which gripping arms (132, 132', 133, 133') are attached in a turnable manner to the frame part (131, 131') and which gripping arms (132, 132', 133, 133') can be turned against the impact shield pipe (210, 210') so that the impact shield pipe (210, 210') is pressed between the first (132, 132') and the second (133, 133') gripping arm. The gripping means (130, 130') comprises at least one roller means (136, 136'), which can be placed against the impact shield pipe (210, 210'). The invention also relates to a method for mooring a vessel (300) to a wind power plant (200).