Offshore Wind Turbine Component Exchange Using a Temporary Service Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for exchanging up-tower main components of off-shore wind turbines are costly and inefficient due to the need for heavy machinery and large vessels, which are not readily available or practical for offshore operations, and do not address the specific challenges of offshore environments.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a temporary service platform coupled to the tower lower section, allowing the use of smaller vessels and on-vessel lifting apparatuses to exchange components, utilizing a non-permanent coupling system for easy installation and removal, and enabling the reuse of the platform between turbines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If heavy-duty lifting apparatuses are integrated into the nacelle to handle high weights of main components, then the lifting capacity is sufficient for MCE operations, but the building costs become unacceptable
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting function is segmented between permanent nacelle integrated lifting apparatuses (for lightweight components) and temporary external lifting support structures (for heavy main components). This allows the nacelle to be built with moderate lifting capacity while external support provides the additional capacity needed for heavy component exchange operations.
2Power
If jack-up vessels are used for offshore MCE operations to provide stable support for heavy lifting, then the lifting capacity is sufficient, but the operational costs increase and vessel availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A temporary lifting support structure is introduced as an intermediary between the vessel and the nacelle. This structure transfers the heavy lifting loads from the vessel to the tower structure, allowing the use of smaller, more available vessels while maintaining the capability to handle heavy components through the combined system of the support structure and vessel crane.
3Power
If nacelle integrated light-duty lifting apparatuses are used to lift heavy-duty equipment into the nacelle, then the lifting capacity is increased temporarily, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting support system is designed to be dynamically deployable and removable. The temporary lifting support structure can be quickly installed on the tower before heavy component operations and removed afterward, providing the needed lifting capacity only when required without permanently increasing the complexity of the nacelle or tower structure.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to provide an improved and cost-efficient method for performing an exchange of up-tower main components on an off-shore wind turbine a method is disclosed in during which a non-permanent service platform is temporarily coupled to a wind turbine tower lower section. In addition, a wind turbine structure and a system including such a structure are described, the wind turbine structure and the respective system being designed to allow performing the described method.