Offshore Wind Turbine Component Handling via Unattached Transport Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for replacing and repairing offshore wind turbine components are costly and complex due to the need for elaborate linkages between sea vessels and turbines, which are challenging in turbulent waters and increase the risk of damage.
Innovation Solution
A transport system for a sea vessel that includes a base connected to the deck, an elongate platform, and movable transport frames that remain unattached to the wind turbine during operation, allowing components to be lifted and lowered within the crane's working distance without direct connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If elaborate linkages are used to connect sea vessels to wind turbines for component handling, then the sea vessel can accommodate moving water around the wind turbine, but the system becomes expensive to design, install, maintain, and operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex linkage system entirely and replaces it with a simple unattached transport system. The transport frames are extracted from the connected configuration and positioned independently on the vessel deck, eliminating the need for elaborate linkages while maintaining the ability to handle components in moving water conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces unattached transport frames as intermediaries between the sea vessel and wind turbine. These frames serve as mediators that can be positioned on the deck and used to handle components without requiring direct connection to the turbine, thus avoiding the complexity of elaborate linkages while maintaining operational capability.
2Ease of operation
If elaborate linkages are used to connect sea vessels to wind turbines, then component handling is enabled, but the cost increases due to design, installation, maintenance, and operation expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the expensive elaborate linkage system, replacing it with simple unattached transport frames that can be easily positioned and removed from the deck. This extraction eliminates the high costs associated with designing, installing, maintaining, and operating complex linkages while preserving component handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive transport frames that can be easily deployed and removed from the vessel deck. These simple objects replace the expensive elaborate linkages, providing sufficient functionality for component handling at a fraction of the cost, with no need for complex maintenance infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If the sea vessel connects to the wind turbine with elaborate linkages, then component lowering and lifting is facilitated, but the risk of damaging the wind turbine increases in turbulent waters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connection system entirely, removing the elaborate linkages that create damage risk in turbulent waters. Component handling is achieved through unattached transport frames positioned on the deck, eliminating the mechanical connections that could damage the wind turbine while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses unattached transport frames as intermediaries that facilitate component handling without creating direct mechanical connections to the wind turbine. These intermediaries enable lowering and lifting operations while maintaining safety by avoiding the damage risks associated with elaborate linkages in turbulent conditions.
4Reliability
If the sea vessel remains at a safe distance from the wind turbine, then safety is improved, but the crane's working distance limitation is challenged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the distance contradiction by utilizing the vertical dimension and the vessel deck surface. Transport frames are positioned on the deck at optimal locations that maximize crane accessibility, effectively extending the working radius without requiring the vessel to be closer to the turbine. This spatial optimization maintains safety distance while enabling component handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic positioning of transport frames on the vessel deck, allowing them to be moved to optimal locations for crane operations. This dynamic arrangement enables the system to adapt to the crane's working distance limitations while maintaining the vessel's safe distance from the wind turbine, resolving the contradiction through flexible spatial utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of replacing a component (28b) of an offshore wind turbine (10) includes providing a sea vessel (30) having a transport system (50)) with a base (52), an elongate platform (54) connected to the base (52), and a transport frame (56a, 56b) for receiving a component (28b) of the wind turbine (10). The sea vessel (30) is positioned such that its deck (40) is separated from the wind turbine (10) by more than a maximum working distance (72) of a crane (26) onboard the wind turbine (10), and further positioned such that in an extended position, the transport frame (56a, 56b) is within the maximum working distance (72) of the crane (26), and in a retracted position, the transport frame (56a, 56b) is outside of the maximum working distance (72). The method includes arranging the transport frame (56a, 56b) in the extended position, lowering a component (28b) of the wind turbine (10) using the crane (26), and placing the component (28b) on the transport frame (56a, 56b). A transport system (50) for handling wind turbine components (28a, 28b) is also disclosed.