Floating Offshore Cable Release for Mooring Failure Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current floating wind turbine installations face challenges with mooring system failures, leading to uncontrolled cable ruptures and costly repairs due to the high degree of redundancy becoming unreasonable for ambitious offshore wind production targets.
Innovation Solution
A floating offshore structure equipped with a cable release system that can be activated to release the electrical cable assembly from the floating foundation in a controlled manner, allowing for easier repair by creating clean ends that can be reconnected using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high degree of redundancy is provided in the mooring system, then the reliability of the floating foundation is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable link is divided into multiple independent cable sections along its length, with coupling devices positioned at intervals. This segmentation allows individual sections to be isolated and replaced without affecting the entire cable system, enabling maintenance with reduced redundancy in the mooring system.
Solution Approach 2:
Coupling devices are introduced as intermediary components between cable sections. These coupling devices enable controlled release and reconnection of cable segments, facilitating maintenance operations and allowing the system to operate with lower mooring redundancy while maintaining overall reliability.
2Strength
If the cable link is made robust to withstand mooring failures, then the strength is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to uncontrolled rupture
Solution Approach 1:
Coupling devices are pre-installed at specific positions along the cable link before any failure occurs. These pre-positioned coupling devices enable controlled release of cable sections immediately upon failure detection, preventing uncontrolled rupture and facilitating rapid, organized repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling devices enable rapid release and isolation of damaged cable sections, allowing the repair process to proceed quickly by skipping over the damaged portion and focusing only on the specific failed segment rather than dealing with the entire cable system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cable length is increased to reach the seabed in deep water, then the adaptability to deep offshore locations is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to significant cable extension
Solution Approach 1:
The long cable link is divided into multiple manageable sections by coupling devices, transforming a single difficult-to-repair long cable into several shorter, more manageable segments that can be independently handled and repaired even in deep water environments.
Solution Approach 2:
Damaged or problematic cable sections can be extracted and removed from the system using the coupling devices, allowing replacement with new sections without having to handle or repair the entire lengthy cable system, significantly simplifying maintenance in deep offshore locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
An aspect of the present invention relates to a floating offshore structure (100), comprising a floating foundation (2) and at least one electrical system (1), in particular a wind turbine (1), mounted thereon, wherein the electrical system (1) is directly or indirectly electrically connected to an electrical cable assembly (3), that is suspended from the floating foundation (2) and, in an intended state of use, follows an underwater trajectory towards a seabed (5). The floating offshore structure (100) comprises a cable release system (7) adapted to release the suspension of the electrical cable assembly (3) from the floating foundation (2) based on an activation signal. The floating offshore structure (100) according to the invention allows for an easier restoration of the electrical cable assembly (3), for example after a mooring system failure.