Resilient Arms for Tubular Upending Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for upending large tubular elements, such as foundation piles for wind turbines, are prone to damage due to limited alignment precision and are restricted by calm sea conditions and a narrow diameter range, making them inefficient for handling heavy, oversized structures.
Innovation Solution
A coupling tool with resilient arms and pivotable lifting members that align and engage with the tubular element's outer end, using hydraulic piston cylinders and rolling bodies to ensure precise alignment and damping of movements, allowing for secure engagement and upending of tubular elements with varying diameters, even in rougher conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a known lifting device is used to take up foundation piles from a vessel, then the foundation pile can be lowered onto the underwater bottom, but the foundation pile is prone to damage due to limited alignment precision and small distances between the lifting device and the pile wall
Solution Approach 1:
Resilient arms are introduced as intermediary elements between the coupling tool and the foundation pile. These arms provide a buffer zone that absorbs misalignment and prevents direct contact between the rigid coupling tool and the pile wall, thereby reducing damage risk while accommodating alignment imprecisions
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient arms are designed to be in preliminary contact with the foundation pile before the main coupling operation. This beforehand cushioning absorbs shocks and misalignments that would otherwise cause damage during the coupling process, protecting both the pile and the coupling tool
2Measurement precision
If the coupling tool is suspended from a lifting means, then the tool can be positioned at the outer end of the tubular element, but the tool cannot be aligned precisely due to sea conditions and vessel movement
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling tool incorporates resilient arms that can dynamically adjust their position and absorption capacity based on the severity of misalignment and sea conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the tool to maintain alignment precision while operating under varying sea conditions without requiring rigid, complex stabilization systems
3Measurement precision
If the resilient arms press against the wall part with too great force, then the arms can align the coupling tool effectively, but damage occurs to the resilient arms or the tubular element
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient arms are designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters (such as cross-sectional area, length, and material modulus) that determine their force characteristics. By carefully selecting these parameters, the arms exert sufficient force for alignment while automatically limiting the maximum force to prevent damage to themselves or the tubular element
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 coupling tool significantly reduces the risk of damage to tubular elements during upending, enables handling of larger diameters, and allows for operation in heavier swells, improving the efficiency and safety of placing heavy structures like wind turbine foundations.
Implementation Method 1
resilient arms which can be moved from a starting position to a position against a wall part of the outer end of the element for the purpose of aligning the suspended coupling tool relative to the outer end
Implementation Method 2
The resilient arms can be provided at an outer end with rolling bodies which can be arranged against the wall part
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling tool for connection to an outer end of a tubular element for the purpose of upending the element has an engaging mechanism with which the outer end of the element can be engaged, and a pivotable lifting member with which the coupling tool can be suspended from a lifting device such as a crane. Resilient arms are further mounted on the coupling tool, which arms can be moved from a starting position to a position against a wall part of the outer end of the element for the purpose of aligning the suspended coupling tool relative to the outer end, and for damping movements of the suspended coupling tool. Also described herein is a device which utilizes the coupling tool, and a method which makes use of the device.