Multi-functional clamp for offshore wind turbine tower installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of high-power wind turbines in offshore locations faces challenges due to the complexity of transporting and assembling large components, especially in deep water, where maintaining the tower's upright position and safely transferring the turbine are difficult due to wave and wind conditions.
Innovation Solution
A multi-functional clamp system that uses a crane vessel with a lifting crane, jaws, and actuators to securely clamp and unclamp the wind turbine tower, allowing for remote control and stabilization, combined with a deck extension module and stability frame to facilitate safe assembly and transfer of the turbine to an offshore substructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a crane vessel is used to transport and assemble wind turbine components in deep water, then the wind turbine can be installed in offshore locations, but the operation becomes complex and costly due to the need for specialized vessels and difficult assembly conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can clamp the tower during transport, maintain the tower in upright position during assembly, and facilitate the coupling of nacelle and rotor. This multi-functional design reduces the need for multiple specialized devices and simplifies the overall installation operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp device acts as an intermediary between the crane vessel and the wind turbine tower. It provides a stable interface that simplifies the interaction between the vessel and the turbine components, making the assembly operation more manageable despite the complex offshore environment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tower is transported and assembled in deep water, then offshore wind farm development is enabled, but maintaining the tower's upright position becomes difficult due to wave and wind conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device provides counteracting forces to balance the tower against the destabilizing effects of waves and wind. By strategically positioning and actuating the clamps, the system can counterbalance external forces and maintain the tower in the desired upright position during assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuated clamp system incorporates feedback control to continuously adjust the clamping forces and positions in response to changing sea conditions. This allows the system to dynamically maintain tower stability despite varying wave and wind forces during the assembly process.
3Productivity
If traditional assembly methods are used for high-power wind turbines, then the components can be assembled, but the process becomes increasingly complex and time-consuming with larger turbine sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device is pre-configured and positioned on the crane vessel before tower assembly begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming setup and adjustment during the actual assembly process, allowing for more efficient handling of large turbine components.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp device integrates multiple assembly functions into a single unified system, combining transport clamping, position maintenance, and component coupling operations. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate operations required and accelerates the overall assembly process for high-power wind turbines.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-functional clamp for the installation of a wind turbine on an offshore substructure by a crane vessel equipped with a lifting crane, the multi-functional clamp having: a main body configured to selectively clamp and unclamp the lower part of the tower of a wind turbine and is shaped so as to couple with the crane vessel so as to define a given position for the tower with respect to the crane vessel; and a plurality of hooking members extending from the main body and configured to secure and release the free ends of a rigging assembly of the lifting crane to the main body so as to lift the multi-functional clamp by the lifting crane.