Patent Application
20240084782
Not applicable
The present invention relates to a floating offshore wind turbine apparatus having a base that includes a catamaran hull that connects two hulls with one or more spaced apart gantries, wherein assembly can be perfected in a port, harbor, inland waterway and wherein transport to an offshore locale can be achieved with a wind turbine tower and other components (e.g., blades, rotor, nacelle) erected and fully commissioned prior to such transport.
Wind turbines are commercially available devices that generate electricity. In many western and midwestern states in the United States of America, large numbers of such wind turbines form wind farms. Wind turbines are also placed in a marine environment such as in offshore wind farms (e.g., Hornsea One, United Kingdom and Clyde Wind Farm, United Kingdom). In the USA, wind turbines are operational off the East Coast (e.g., Block Island Wind Farm). Manufacturers of wind turbines include GE, Vestos, and Siemens as examples. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,220,104; 8,123,484; 10,161,387; and 11,353,006 disclose wind turbines. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,220,104; 8,123,484; 10,161,387; and 11,353,006 are each hereby incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/404,719, filed 8 Sep. 2022, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/384,568, filed 21 Nov. 2022, are each hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Other patents have issued that are directed to wind turbines that are adapted to a marine environment. Examples of such patents and patent application publications are found in the following Table 1. Each reference listed in Table 1 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Patents have issued for catamaran lifting apparatus and catamaran personnel quarters as well as oil production structures. The following Table 2 lists examples of such patents. Patents listed in Table 2 are each hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The apparatus of the present invention provides an apparatus that includes first and second hulls (e.g., barges) connected by one (
The apparatus of the present invention provides an apparatus that includes first and second hulls (e.g., barges) connected by one or more gantries, frames or trusses. Each gantry, frame or truss preferably connects to each hull (e.g., barge) with a connection, e.g., pinned, hinged or universal joint connections (or a combination of pinned, hinged and universal joint connections). In one preferred embodiment, a first end of a frame or truss can attach to a first hull with a pinned or hinged connection while the other end of the frame or truss can attach to a second hull with a universal joint connection. In another preferred embodiment, both ends of the frame or truss can connect to the two (2) hulls with pinned or pivotal or uniaxial pinned connections.
In one preferred embodiment, there is a single gantry supporting a wind turbine.
In one preferred embodiment, the single gantry supporting a wind turbine has two wide sides.
In one preferred embodiment, the wide sides can be attached with uniaxial pinned connections and no pin-in-ins.
In one preferred embodiment, there can be multiple pinned connections on a common axis.
In one preferred embodiment, there can be at least four (4) pinned connections on a common axis.
In one preferred embodiment, the common axis can be at the center line of the hull or barge.
In one preferred embodiment, the pinned connections preferably coincide with a center line of the barge.
In either embodiment, one frame or gantry preferably supports a wind turbine with generating capacity from preferably about 5 to 50 MW, and up to 80 MW or more. A second frame or gantry can be used for supporting utilities and other turbine support equipment. Barge or hull sizes can vary, for example, from about 150 ft. (45.7 m) in length to about 500 ft. (152.4 m) in length. Barge widths can vary, for example, from about 50 ft (15.24 m) to 150 ft (45.7 m).
In one or more preferred embodiments, a system of the present invention allows a wind turbine to be preferably installed and fully commissioned quayside using static (e.g., land based) cranes. The system can thus be towed offshore to an installation site fully assembled and commissioned. The system can be deployed for example in water depth range of about 50 ft. (15.24 m) to 15,000 ft. (4,572 m).
In one or more preferred embodiments, a system of the present invention can be held on location preferably using a spread mooring system. The mooring system can consist of multiple (e.g., 4 to 16) individual mooring legs. The mooring system can be pre-installed prior to the arrival of a floating wind turbine apparatus on location. The pre-installed mooring system can be laid out on the seabed for subsequent retrieval or attached to temporary surface buoys, for example. The system of the present invention being installed can be connected to the pre-installed mooring system. The mooring system can be made of chain, wire, synthetic or any combination of these. The apparatus of the present invention can be unmanned if desired.
The performance of the system of preferred embodiments of the present invention (e.g., pitch and roll during wind power production) can be optimized to meet turbine operational limits preferably through barge-size selection (e.g., use of bigger barges, e.g., of about 550 to 750 ft (about 168 to 229 m) to reduce static pitch and roll). Platform decommissioning at the end of life can be by simple reversal of installation.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus including a pair of spaced apart hull sections with a space between the hull sections. A pair of gantries each preferably connect to the hull sections. The gantries can be spaced apart, each preferably connected to a hull section with a pivotal or universal joint connection. A wind turbine tower having upper and lower end portions is preferably supported by the hull sections and gantries. The wind turbine tower has a lower end portion preferably mounted to one of the gantries. The wind turbine tower can be mounted at any point along the gantry. The tower upper end portion preferably has a rotor, hub, and blades. A mooring system preferably holds the hull sections on a desired location.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the gantries can be a truss.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system includes multiple mooring lines that can be anchored at one end to the seabed and at a second end to one or both of the hull sections.
In one preferred embodiment, the wind turbine can have a generating capacity of 5-50 MW.
In one preferred embodiment, the wind turbine can have a generating capacity of 5-80 MW.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system can be in about 50-15,000 feet (15.24-4,572 m) of water depth.
In one preferred embodiment, each hull section can be about 150-500 feet (45.72-152.4 m) in length.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system preferably includes multiple mooring legs.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system can include between 4 and 16 mooring legs.
In one preferred embodiment, the tower lower end preferably attaches to a gantry at a position that is in between the hull sections.
In one preferred embodiment, the hull sections can be generally parallel.
In one preferred embodiment, the truss includes a tubular member and wherein the turbine tower connects to the tubular member.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one gantry has a wider end and a narrower end.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one gantry has two wide ends.
In one preferred embodiment, the pair of gantries each has two wide ends.
In one preferred embodiment, the wide ends include uniaxial pinned connections and no pin-in-ins.
In one preferred embodiment, one hull section is longer than the other hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system can include multiple mooring lines.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus having pair of spaced apart barges with a space between the barges. A pair of frames are provided that each preferably connect to both of the barges. The frames are spaced apart, each frame preferably connected to a barge with a pivotal or universal joint connection.
The barges and frames can support a wind turbine tower having upper and lower end portions. The wind turbine tower lower end portion has a base that is preferably mounted to one of the frames. The tower upper end portion has a rotor, hub, nacelle, and blades. The nacelle can contain known wind turbine components.
A mooring system preferably holds the barges on a desired location.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the frames can be a truss.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system includes multiple mooring lines that are preferably anchored at a first end to the seabed and at a second end to one or both of the barges.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system includes multiple mooring legs.
In one preferred embodiment, the mooring system includes between 8 and 16 mooring legs.
In one preferred embodiment, the tower lower end attaches to a frame preferably at a position that is in between the barges.
In one preferred embodiment, each barge has a bow and stern and wherein the base is preferably in between each hull, bow and stern.
In one preferred embodiment, each barge has a bow at both ends and wherein the base is preferably in between each of the hulls bows.
In one preferred embodiment, each barge has two bows and wherein said base is in between each of the bows.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method of installing an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus. At a first location, the method preferably attaches a wind turbine tower to a floating catamaran structure that includes first and second spaced apart hull sections and first and second spaced apart frames, wherein the tower has a tower lower end with a base that can be attached to the first frame section.
Blades, rotor and hub are preferably added to the tower at a tower upper end portion.
The floating catamaran structure can travel over water to a second location that is an offshore marine location.
The hull sections can be moored to the seabed at the second location.
Electricity is then generated at the second location with the wind turbine.
In one preferred embodiment, the method employs one or more land based lifting devices that lift the tower and place it on a frame that is supported by the hull sections.
In one or more preferred embodiments, the land based lifting devices can include a land based crawler crane, jack-up lift vessel, floating crane barge/lift vessel, and/or land based custom shear leg lift device.
In one preferred embodiment, the first location can be a harbor.
In one preferred embodiment, the first location can be an inland waterway.
In one preferred embodiment, the wind turbine can be assembled before travel to the second location.
In one preferred embodiment, the method preferably includes pivotally attaching each frame to a hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the blades, hub and rotor can be attached to the tower at the first location.
In one preferred embodiment, the method includes transferring the tower and blades to the catamaran structure with a land based lifting apparatus.
In one preferred embodiment, the method includes transferring nacelle, hub, blades, and rotor to the catamaran structure with a land based lifting apparatus.
In one preferred embodiment, the first and second frames are each preferably pinned to each hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the pair of gantries can be each pinned to each hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the pair of gantries can be pinned to each hull section with uniaxial pinned connections.
In one preferred embodiment, the uniaxial pinned connections can be on a common axis.
In one preferred embodiment, the common axis can be the center line of the hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the first and second frames can be pinned to each hull section with uniaxial pinned connections.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart hull sections with a space between said hull sections. One or more gantries can connect to the hull sections. The one or more gantries can be spaced apart, each preferably connected to a hull section with a uniaxial pinned connection. A wind turbine tower can have upper and lower end portions, the wind turbine tower lower end portion preferably mounted to one of the one or more gantries. The wind turbine tower upper end portion having a rotor, hub, and blades. A mooring system that preferably holds the hull sections on a desired location.
In one preferred embodiment, the one or more frames can be connected to a hull section with multiple uniaxial pinned connections.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the one or more gantries can be a truss.
In one preferred embodiment, wherein the mooring system includes multiple mooring lines that can anchored at one end to a seabed and at a second end to one or both of hull sections.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the one or more gantries has a wider end and a narrower end.
In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the one or more gantries has two wide ends.
In one preferred embodiment, a pair of gantries each has two wide ends.
In one preferred embodiment, one hull section can be longer than the other hull section.
In one preferred embodiment, the hull sections can be the same length.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method of installing an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus, comprising the steps of:
In one preferred embodiment, a method of the present invention includes attaching one or more frames to each hull section with uniaxial pinned connections.
In one preferred embodiment, the one or more frames are each pinned to each hull section.
For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote the like elements and wherein:
Two frames or gantries 17, 20 preferably connect to the hulls or barges 11, 12 in an arrangement that spaces the barges or hulls 11, 12 apart with a space or gap 37 in between while also spacing the frames 17, 20 apart as seen in
Connections 23, 24, 25, 26 form an interface between hulls 11, 12 and frames 17, 20. All four connections 23, 24, 25, 26 can be pinned or pivotal connections. Alternatively, each frame 17, 20 can connect to one barge or hull with a pivotal or pinned connection and to the other barge or hull with a universal joint.
In
In
Barge 11 is the barge supporting the wide end 21 of gantry or frame 20. Gantry or frame 20 supports wind turbine T tower 30 and its parts (e.g., nacelle 36, hub 32, blades 33, 34, 35 and related known internal parts). Barge 12 supports the wide end 19 of the non-turbine gantry or truss 17.
For head seas condition, the pitching motion of the turbine T can be optimized by increasing the dimensions of barge 11 (e.g., increase length, increase width, or increase both length and width). As described herein, a larger barge is considered to be one having a width of about 150 to 225 ft (about 46 to 69 m) and a length of about 500 to 750 ft (about 152 to 229 m). A smaller barge is considered to be one have a width of about 40 to 80 ft (about 12 to 24 m) and a length of about 150 to 250 ft (about 46 to 76 m). The longer and wider barge 11 is, the less the pitching motion will be of the turbine T.
At the ends of truss 20 are provided transverse members 51, 52. Each transverse member 51, 52 preferably connects to a lower horizontal member 41, 42. Inclined diagonal members 53 each span between a lower horizontal member 41, 42 and an upper horizontal member 43, 44 as well as from one vertical member 45-50 to another vertical member 45-50 as seen in
Tower 30 has a base or lower end 31 (see
In one preferred embodiment, a mooring system 60 preferably includes multiple mooring lines 61 that are preferably anchored at a first end to the seabed and at a second end to one or both of the barges 11, 12. Mooring system 60 having mooring lines 61 preferably includes connectors 62 that attach mooring lines 61 to each barge/hull section 11, 12 as seen in
Two frames, trusses or gantries 77, 80 preferably connect to the hulls or barges 75, 76 in an arrangement that spaces the barges or hulls 75, 76 apart with a space or gap 37 in between while also spacing the frames 77, 80 apart as seen in
Connections 84, 85, 86, 87 form an interface between hulls 75, 76 and frames 77, 80. All four connections 84, 85, 86, 87 can be pinned or uniaxial pinned connections.
In
Frames, trusses or gantries 77, 80 can be of welded steel construction, preferably having horizontal or lateral members, vertical or longitudinal members, upper and lower horizontal members, transverse members, inclined diagonal members, upper diagonal members, and a transverse beam as with the embodiments of
A single frame, truss or gantry 97 preferably connect to the hulls or barges 95, 96 in an arrangement that spaces the barges or hulls 95, 96 apart with a space or gap 37 in between as seen in
Connections 100, 101 form an interface between hulls 95, 96 and frame 97. All connections 100, 101 can be pinned or uniaxial pinned connections.
In
As with the embodiments of
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method of installing an offshore floating wind turbine apparatus 10 as seen in
Tower T can include the same components shown in
The floating catamaran structure 10 can travel from land 28, such as for example a harbor or inland waterway, over water to a second location that can be an offshore marine location. The hull sections 11, 12 can be moored with mooring lines or cables 61 to the seabed at the second location. Electricity is then preferably generated at the second location with wind turbine T.
A method of the present invention employs one or more land based lifting devices 110, 120, 130, 140 that can lift each of the components of tower T and place them on a frame 17, 20 that is supported by the hull sections 11, 12. The land based lifting devices can be one or more of the following: a land based crawler crane 110, jack-up lift vessel 120, floating crane barge/lift vessel 130, and/or land based custom shear leg lift device 140.
Wind turbine T can be assembled on or near land 28 before travel to the second location (for example marine or offshore location). As seen in
The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention:
All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.
The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/404,719, filed 8 Sep. 2022, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/384,568, filed 21 Nov. 2022, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63404719 | Sep 2022 | US | |
| 63384568 | Nov 2022 | US |
