Patent Application
20220162825
The present invention belongs to the field of marine structures for laying constructions and installations by gravity in the marine environment. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods for transferring, installing, lowering and refloating marine structures for laying by gravity.
The global importance of developing offshore wind energy is undeniable given its alignment with the global objectives of renewable energy production and the gradual reduction of polluting energies. The offshore deployment of wind turbines to obtain wind energy requires the prior or simultaneous installation of the corresponding structures that support them, which in turn must be properly laid down or lowered to the seabed.
Normally, the foundations for structures resting on the seabed, such as wind turbines, research or drilling platforms or other elements for obtaining marine energy, either rest directly on the seabed by gravity or are fixed to the seabed by means of monopiles, tripods or jackets. Gravity-Based Structures (GBS) are support structures that remain fixed in their placement site thanks to their own weight. They are generally made of steel-reinforced concrete. They usually include cells or empty spaces therein which enable flotation to be controlled until its installation site. Traditionally, structures resting on the seabed by gravity have only been used at shallow depths (i.e., down to depths of about 20 metres). At greater depths, monopile solutions have usually been used, although doing so at the limit of their possibilities, and tripods or jackets have usually been used for depths of up to 50 metres. The deployment thereof, however, presents several drawbacks since their installation requires heavy lift vessels (special vessels with high load capacity cranes), which are even larger than those used at shallower depths, making them more expensive and, worse still, fewer in number. Furthermore, due to the depth at which the process of connecting the piles with the jacket must be carried out, the execution and supervision of this process poses an enormous challenge.
Currently, with the increased power of wind turbines and the greater depths at which they are to be laid, there is a tendency to use gravity-based bases at intermediate depths, approximately 30-60 m, given the reduced cost of installation and maintenance and the greater durability thereof. For example, international patent application WO2016/042173A1 discloses a maritime structure for laying by gravity for the installation of wind turbines and meteorological towers, based on a self-floating concrete caisson the inside of which is divided into cells. It is closed by an upper slab. In one of the cells, a node is arranged, concreted together with the upper slab, and which includes connecting elements of a shaft or structure to the caisson. Likewise, international patent application WO2018/150063A1 discloses a maritime structure for laying constructions, installations or wind turbines by gravity, formed by a triangular-shaped base, caisson or plinth and three columns arranged at the vertices of the base. The inside of the base is divided into hollow cells. This structure enables the completely installed wind turbine to be transported. The lowering process of the structure is carried out by using gravity to ballast the cells with seawater.
In turn, Spanish patent application ES2378960A1 discloses a method for the installation of an offshore substructure, wherein a foundation is dry manufactured, the inside of which is divided into hollow cells and one or more sections of a shaft, and the previous elements are joined in such a way that they take on the relative position thereof envisaged in the installed condition. The assembly is then moved in a self-floating manner to the installation site, transporting overlapping sections on the surface thereof for the final installation thereof at the destination site; and the cells of the foundation are filled with ballast so that it sinks until resting on the seabed. The final assembly of the shaft is carried out after the previous assembly is lowered. However, the naval stability of the structure is greatly compromised during transport and lowering. Therefore, to lower it, auxiliary floating structures are needed which remain on the surface and which are joined to the portion to be submerged, for example by means of hinged bars.
French patent application FR2887900A1 discloses another exemplary method for the construction and installation of a gravity-based structure for supporting a wind energy installation, intended to rest on the seabed. As in the case of ES2378960A1, the base and a first column section are dry built. Next, several, removable, floating caissons are fixed to the base. The base is loaded with solid ballast and the rest of the wind installation is installed. The assembly is then transferred by flotation to the final installation site, where the structure is submerged, by ballasting the floating caissons, until it rests on the seabed. Supplementary ballast (seawater) can be added to the base. The structure is fixed to the seabed by means of anchoring. Finally, divers must disconnect the floating caissons in order to empty them by pumping and make them float for the recovery and later reuse thereof. A notable drawback of this installation process is that due to the great height of the floating caissons, which protrude considerably during towing and are flush with the sea surface once the structure rests on the seabed, the structure has a high weight, which in turn significantly raises the centre of gravity of the assembly and, therefore, decreases naval stability in towing. Therefore, the application thereof at depths greater than 20-30 metres is unfeasible, since it would require floating caissons with excessive weight. In addition, when the structure reaches the seabed, the base has not been completely filled with water, so it has to withstand extremely high pressures, which further restricts the depth limit at which it can be installed. Moreover, for the ballasting of the structure, the floating caissons must be filled with seawater. This complicates the ballasting manoeuvre, since the immersion must be controlled with great precision due to the fact that the filling of the floating caissons must be well-balanced.
The present disclosure provides a new method for the offshore installation of a maritime gravity-based structure, a new method for refloating the maritime gravity-based structure and a new maritime gravity-based structure, which aim to solve the drawbacks of the methods and structures described in the state of the art.
In this disclosure, the term “construction” is used to refer to any installation or construction, such as wind turbines, jackets, monopiles, substations, energy prospecting structures, platforms, meteorological towers, etc., that may be installed or deployed offshore.
Likewise, when an installation method is referred to in this specification, the method may include manufacturing and transfer steps, in addition to installation or deployment, including lowering, of said elements offshore.
In a first aspect of the invention, a method for the offshore installation of a construction laid by gravity on the seabed is provided, comprising:
the provision of a concrete base delimited by a lower surface or slab, an upper surface or roof and a perimeter wall, wherein the interior of the concrete base comprises a plurality of vertical walls forming cells,
connecting at the periphery of the roof of said concrete base a plurality of hollow metal floats, wherein each metal float of said plurality of metal floats is formed by a column with a circular or polygonal base,
towing the assembly formed by the concrete base and the plurality of metal floats to the offshore location where it is to operate,
allowing seawater to enter the cells of the concrete base located below the roof of the concrete base, maintaining the cells located below the metal floats empty, in such a way that when the cells located below the roof are totally full, both the concrete base and the metal floats are submerged,
once the cells located below the roof, but not those located below the metal floats, are full of seawater, allowing seawater to enter the cells located below the metal floats, in such a way that the immersion of the assembly is completed, the concrete base resting on the seabed,
and removing said plurality of metal floats.
The concrete base is made of reinforced concrete. For simplicity, hereinafter it is simply referred to as “concrete”. The concrete base can have a height that varies between 7 and 13 metres, such as between 8 and 12 metres, or between 9 and 11 metres, for example about 10 metres.
The metal floats should be as hollow as possible. In fact, they can be considered hollow, since preferably the solid portions are nothing more than those defined by the perimeter wall itself and some inner solid portions are formed by separating partitions, if any, for example an internal partition that can be located at the bottom of the float, which delimits a compartment that houses the elements intended to connect each float with the roof of the concrete base.
Most of the cells are preferably hollow. Some cells can be solidified, at least partially, with concrete, to ensure the embedding of the construction or portion of the construction to be installed.
Preferably at least three floats are used, which must be located at points on the roof of the concrete base, as far from the centre of gravity of the concrete base as possible. When the roof (and lower slab) of the concrete base is triangular or circular, three floats are preferably used. When the roof (and lower slab) of the concrete base is square or rectangular, four floats are preferably used.
When the filling of the cells of the concrete base located below the roof has been completed, but the filling of the cells of the concrete base located below the metal floats still has not started, both the concrete base and the metal floats are submerged. Specifically, the assembly is submerged in such a way that the upper surface of the floats is almost flush with the sea surface, slightly submerged. Thus, for example, given a concrete base of about 10 metres high and at a depth of approximately 12 metres, the cells below the roof of the concrete base are already filled with water, such that this is the highest hydrostatic pressure that the roof of the base must support. This is, therefore, a critical moment.
Shortly after the cells below the floats start to fill, i.e., when these cells are partially filled with water, the concrete base, together with the metal floats, is completely submerged, the concrete base resting on the seabed. Once resting, the cells below the floats continue to fill with water until they are totally full, thus increasing the stability of the assembly.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of allowing seawater to enter the cells of the concrete base located below the roof comprises: first allowing seawater to enter the outer cells, and then allowing seawater to enter the inner cells. This helps, to some extent, the air exit the cells as they fill up. Alternatively, it is possible to start by filling the inner cells with water.
Preferably, the step of towing the assembly formed by the concrete base and the plurality of metal floats to the offshore location where the construction is to operate is carried out with the base and metal floats completely empty of ballast.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of towing the assembly formed by the concrete base and the plurality of metal floats to the offshore location where the construction is to operate further comprises towing the construction, or portion of it, which has been previously installed on the roof of the concrete base. Alternatively, towing is carried out without the construction, which is installed at the final offshore destination. In this case, the construction is preferably installed after the concrete base has been lowered.
Once the assembly is towed to the offshore location where the construction is to operate, the assembly, be it the complete construction, partial construction, or only the concrete base with the connected floats, is positioned at the destination site. To achieve correct positioning, preferably at least three tugboats should be used. In addition, the positioning thereof on the seabed does not require any type of additional means, or special large-capacity auxiliary vessels (heavy lift vessels), or floating elements unrelated to the structure.
In embodiments of the invention, the metal floats are designed so that the following equation is true:
wherein the “Volume of floats” represents the volume occupied by all the floats, i.e., the volume of seawater displaced when they are completely submerged, the “Total weight of empty structure” refers to the weight of the floats, the concrete base and the construction or portion thereof that has been transported, in the case that at least a portion thereof has been transported, but without any ballast (such as water ballast), 1.025 represents the density of seawater, the “Volume of the cells below the roof” refers to the volume of the cells that are not below the columns, and the “External volume of concrete base” refers to the volume of water that the concrete base displaces when it is completely submerged.
Preferably, the following equation must also be true:
This is to ensure that there is sufficient naval stability at the critical moment.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of allowing seawater to enter the cells of the concrete base located below the roof, maintaining the cells located below the metal floats empty, is carried out as follows:
by means of a system comprising: a first pipe, access pipe, that connects the outside of the concrete base with a central pipe, or an inner distribution ring, a plurality of distribution pipes communicated with a plurality of groups of outer cells, and perforations located in the vertical walls that separate the cells, filling the outer cells below the roof with water from the central portion inside the concrete base,
then filling the inner cells below the roof with water.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of allowing seawater to enter the outer cells (of the cells below the roof) is carried out as follows:
allowing seawater to enter from outside the concrete base, through an intake and an access pipe that connects the intake with a central pipe,
from the central pipe, distributing the water towards a first plurality of distribution pipes towards a corresponding group of outer cells,
in each group of outer cells, allowing the water to enter between the cells through perforations in the vertical walls that separate adjacent cells,
as the cells in each group of outer cells are filled, emptying the cells of air.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of allowing seawater to enter the inner cells is carried out as follows:
allowing seawater to enter from outside the concrete base, through the intake and the access pipe to the central pipe,
from the central pipe, distributing the water towards a second plurality of distribution pipes towards at least one group of inner cells,
in the at least one group of inner cells, allowing the water to enter between the cells through perforations in the vertical walls that separate adjacent cells,
as the cells in each group of outer cells are filled, emptying the cells of air.
In embodiments of the invention, as the cells are filled, the air occupying the cells before filling with water is released through perforations in the walls that separate the cells and through a plurality of air pipes. The perforations in the walls are preferably located at the top of the same.
When the outer and inner cells have been filled, but the cells below the metal floats have not, the critical point of lowering stability has been reached, at which point the metal floats are completely submerged.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of removing the plurality of metal floats is carried out by remote control.
In embodiments of the invention, the step of removing the plurality of metal floats comprises allowing water from the outside to enter inside the metal floats, until the upward thrust is only slightly greater than its own weight, thus better controlling the rate of ascent thereof. The upward thrust is only slightly greater than its own weight when the floats are partially filled with water. Preferably the floats are raised one by one, but more than one can be raised simultaneously. Once on the surface, the floats will be emptied in order to be towed more easily for later use.
In a second aspect of the invention, a method for refloating a construction laid by gravity on the seabed, which has been installed following the previous method, is provided. The refloating method comprises allowing compressed air to enter the inside of the concrete base through a plurality of air pipes. These pipes are preferably the same ones through which the air occupying the cells exited during the anchoring step.
In a third aspect of the invention, a maritime structure for offshore laying a of construction by gravity is provided, comprising:
a concrete base comprising a lower slab or surface, an upper surface or roof and a perimeter wall that delimits the concrete base from the lower slab thereof to the roof thereof, the inside of the concrete base comprising a plurality of vertical walls that form or delimit cells,
a plurality of hollow metal floats configured to connect to and disconnect from the roof of the concrete base, wherein each metal float of said plurality of metal floats is formed by a column with a circular or polygonal base,
wherein the metal floats are designed so that the following equation is true:
Preferably, the following equation must also be true:
The concrete base can have a height that varies between 7 and 13 metres, such as between 8 and 12 metres, or between 9 and 11 metres, for example about 10 metres.
The floats should be as hollow as possible. In fact, they can be considered hollow, since preferably the solid portions are nothing more than those defined by the perimeter wall itself and some inner solid portions formed by separating partitions, if any, for example an internal partition that separates the elements intended to connect each float with the roof of the concrete base.
Preferably at least three floats are used, which must be located at points on the roof of the concrete base, as far from the centre of gravity of the concrete base as possible.
In some embodiments of the invention, the lower slab and the roof of the concrete base are square or rectangular, in which case the number of metal floats is 4, the floats being located at the corners of the roof.
In some embodiments of the invention, the lower slab and the roof of the concrete base are triangular, preferably shaped like an equilateral triangle with truncated vertices, in which case the number of metal floats is 3, the floats being located at the corners of the roof.
In some embodiments of the invention, the lower slab and the roof of the concrete base are circular, in which case the number of metal floats is at least 3, the floats being located equidistant from each other on the outermost portion of the roof.
In embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises a water filling system comprising:
at least one access pipe that connects the outside of the concrete base with at least one inner ring distribution pipe, i.e., with the inside of the concrete base,
a first plurality of distribution pipes starting from the at least one inner ring distribution pipe, communicated with a plurality of groups of outer cells, so that, together with perforations located in the vertical walls separating the cells, when using the structure, the outer cells below the roof are filled with water from the central portion of the concrete base (i.e., from the at least one inner ring distribution pipe),
a second plurality of distribution pipes starting from the at least one inner ring distribution pipe and communicating with at least one group of inner cells, the second plurality of distribution pipes being configured to, when using the structure, fill the inner cells below the roof of the concrete base with water from the at least one inner ring distribution pipe,
a third plurality of distribution pipes communicated with at least one group of cells below floats for, when using the structure, filling the cells below floats with water from the at least one inner ring distribution pipe.
In embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises a plurality of air ducts configured to, during immersion of the structure, remove the air from the cells as they fill with water, and during refloating of the structure, allow compressed air to enter the cells.
Due to the maritime structure for offshore laying by gravity and the method for the installation of the structure and, in general, of a construction arranged on the structure, of the present invention, it is possible to maintain a high metacentric height both during towing and during the different steps of ballasting and anchoring, without the need to use special auxiliary means. In addition, during transport and towing, the structure has a shallow draft, for example no greater than about 10 metres, so very deep docks are not needed to build it.
It is especially worth noting that the proposed structure and the installation method enable it to be anchored at great depths, especially at depths between 30 and 60 metres.
In addition, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing and installation cost, due to the simple geometry of the concrete base, which is easy to build by means of a caisson, sliding formwork or prefabrication. It also stands out for its simple and safe refloating capacity.
Additional advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows and will be indicated in particular in the attached claims.
As a complement to the description, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance with a practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of figures which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:
The description that follows should not be taken in a limited sense, but is provided solely for the purpose of describing broad principles of the invention. The following embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the figures mentioned above, which show apparatuses and results according to the invention.
The lower slab 8 is very thick, for example between 0.50 and 1 metre. The lower slab is responsible for transmitting the loads to the seabed. The thickness of the roof 2 preferably varies between 0.20 and 0.75 metres. The perimeter wall 5 that is arranged vertically between the lower slab 8 and the roof 2 of the concrete base is very resistant, to withstand the energy of the swell and the hydrostatic pressure. The thickness thereof preferably varies between 0.30 and 0.80 metres. Preferably, a concrete base 1 is selected with a height that varies between 7 and 13 metres, such as between 8 and 12 metres, or between 9 and 11 metres, for example about 10 metres. The height has been calculated to optimise the draft, floatability, navigability and lowering thereof. The value thereof must be adjusted to suit the particular conditions of each specific application. At the chosen height, the structure offers very low resistance to swell, this resistance also being reduced since the floats are removed in the operating phase.
Throughout this specification, the metal columns 3 are also referred to as metal floats due to their function as floats. The floats 3 must be located at points on the roof 2 of the concrete base 1, as far from the centre of gravity of the concrete base as possible, for example at the vertices when the concrete base 1 has a polygonal shape. When the roof 2 (and lower slab 8) of the concrete base 1 is triangular or circular, as is the case of
The metal columns 3 are rigidly connected, usually at port, to the roof 2 of the concrete base 1 by means of connection means 4 located on the roof, which enable the connection and disconnection thereof. The columns 3 connected or able to be connected to the concrete base 1 are preferably equal to each other. The cross-section thereof can be circular (i.e., a cylindrical column) or polygonal (i.e., the column is shaped like a prism with a polygonal base), since they are designed to withstand significant hydrostatic pressures. For example, the columns of the concrete bases of
Preferably at the bottom thereof, each column 3 has a watertight compartment that houses the active connection and disconnection mechanisms 11, able to be connected to the connection means 4 of the roof 2.
The concrete base 1 forms a very robust and monolithic structure in order to withstand the significant actions that it will be subjected to in the marine environment. It can be built by concreting “in situ” at least the lower slab 8 and the perimeter walls 5. The lower slab 8 and the perimeter walls 5 can be built without joints of any type. If necessary, the inner walls 6 can be prefabricated.
Among the vertical walls 6, those that delimit and/or form the cells arranged below the floats 3 are reinforced walls 6′, as shown in
The rest of the walls 6 are usually thinner, such as between 0.15 and 0.35 metres. Some walls 6, 6′ may have perforations both at the bottom thereof and at the top, arranged for filling and emptying the cells they form with seawater. In addition, the cells and walls that define them can be passed through by pipes intended to enable water to enter during the lowering of the structure. This is explained later with regards to the method for lowering and refloating the structure.
The number of cells 7 defined inside the concrete base 1 depends on the size thereof, and is selected to adequately support the superstructure (base, floats and construction) that it will support. By way of example, the separation between consecutive vertical walls 6, 6′ can vary between 4 and 8 m, such as between 5 and 7 metres, depending on the installation depth, among other aspects. Furthermore, the concrete base 1 may have an alteration in the regular mesh of cells 7 forming the walls 6, 6′, to constitute a rigid joint with the upper construction.
Since the height of the concrete base 1 has been chosen to be between 7 and 13 metres, such as between 8 and 12 metres, or between 9 and 11 metres, for example about 10 metres, the concrete base 1 can be constructed using a “caisson” (standard system for manufacturing caissons for wharfs and dykes), if the dimensions can be adapted to the use thereof, or on the contrary, it can be carried out with both conventional formwork and climbing or sliding formwork, on a wharf, floating dyke or dry dyke. It can be carried out through an industrial process based on production and assembly lines, with processes being carried out simultaneously in different manufacturing areas (prefabs, formworks, concreting, floating, assembly of elements, mounting of floats, superstructures, etc.). This system enables lead times to be shortened and production to be increased at lower cost.
The roof 2 can be formed by a series of concrete pre-slabs 9, as illustrated in
In
The volume of the columns or floats 3, and therefore the height and diameter thereof, must be chosen in a way that provides great safety in the transport, lowering and refloating of offshore structures at great depths, such as at depths of up to 60 metres, such as between 30 and 60 metres, or between 40 and 60 metres, or between 50 and 60 metres. Furthermore, for a given naval stability, the lower the height of the columns 3, the less expensive the structure and the lower the centre of gravity, which in turn implies a smaller concrete base 1 for the same result. Thus, once the plan section (and therefore diameter) of the floats 3 has been defined, in order to adapt to the construction 13 to be lowered as well as possible, the height thereof is obtained from the following equation which establishes the volume for the optimal performance thereof:
wherein the “Volume of floats” represents the volume occupied by all the floats (for example, four in
Preferably, the following equation must also be true:
These two conditions minimise the volume of the floats, providing the following properties to the assembly: (1) The maximum pressure to which the roof of the concrete base 1 is subjected is equal to that of a water column at the height of the floats 3. (2) Lowering and refloating can be carried out without any type of auxiliary means, since it is ensured that at the critical moment, which is when the columns 3 are completely submerged, the centre of flotation is at least half a metre above the centre of gravity of the assembly, as required by the corresponding regulations on naval stability. In other words, the above conditions guarantee compliance with the regulations.
The method for the offshore installation of a construction laid by gravity on the seabed is described below. Due to the features of the structure (concrete base and floats) and of the method of installation, the assembly can be installed at great depths, such as at depths of up to 60 metres, such as between 30 and 60 metres, or between 40 and 60 metres, or between 50 and 60 metres. The aim of the entire method is for operations to be carried out in a reliable and safe manner, ensuring the stability of the structure at all times, minimising risks, increasing the windows of operability and doing all of this at a very low cost.
First, starting from a concrete base 1 such as the one described throughout this specification, i.e., delimited by a lower slab 8, a roof 2 and a perimeter wall 5, and the inside of which includes a plurality of vertical walls 6, 6′ forming cells 7, a plurality of metal floats 3 such as those described throughout this specification are connected at the periphery of the roof 8. In other words, each metal float 3 is formed by a column with a circular or polygonal base and is substantially hollow (i.e., except with regard to the thickness of the perimeter wall thereof, which provides resistance to hydrostatic pressure, and to elements necessary for installation and lowering, such as connection mechanisms 11 and/or valves which can facilitate the refloating step). When the concrete base 1 has a polygonal cross section, the floats 3 are placed at vertices of the roof, preferably one float per vertex. When the concrete base 1 has a circular cross section, the floats 3 are placed at points on the perimeter thereof, i.e., as far from the centre as possible, preferably equidistant from each other.
The assembly formed by the concrete base 1 and the plurality of metal floats 3 is towed to the offshore location where the construction 13 is to operate. The structure can be transferred to the location where it operates by means of conventional, high-availability tugboats 14, as illustrated for example in
In this step of transferring the structure, the concrete base 1 is preferably completely empty, so that naval stability is excellent and the freeboard thereof is high. Moreover, the floats 3 joined to the concrete base 1 provide very broad stability at high heel, a circumstance that is crucial to minimise risks and increase windows of operability.
Once at the offshore installation site, if necessary, the structure can be placed in its final position, for example by tugboats. By way of example,
Next, to begin lowering itself, seawater is allowed to enter the cells 12 of the concrete base located below the roof 2 of the concrete base 1, maintaining the cells 22 located below the metal floats 3 unfilled (empty), in such a way that when the cells 12 located below the roof are totally full, both the concrete base 1 and the metal floats 3 are submerged. In other words, the assembly is submerged approximately at the height of the top of the floats 3, these floats being submerged just below the sea surface.
Once the cells 12 located below the roof 2, but not those located below the metal floats 3, are full of seawater, seawater is allowed to enter the cells 22 located below the metal floats 3, in such a way that the immersion of the assembly is completed, the concrete base 1 resting on the seabed. In fact, the concrete base 1 rests on the seabed shortly after the cells 22 located below the floats begin to fill, cells which are completely filled once the concrete base 1 has rested on the seabed in order to make the assembly more stable. The cell filling process is carried out by means of a set of pipes, such as: access pipe from the outside to the inside, inner ring pipe and preferably radial pipes that distribute the water to groups of cells from the inner ring pipe; and auxiliary elements such as access valves, pumping systems and perforations for the passage of water.
Finally, the metal floats 3 are removed. In
As for the inlet of seawater into the cells 12 of the concrete base located below the roof 2 of the concrete base 1, maintaining the cells 22 located below the metal floats 3 unfilled (empty), this step can be divided into two phases: First, allowing seawater to enter the outer cells of the assembly of cells 12 below the roof 2; and secondly, allowing water to enter the inner cells of said assembly of cells 12. Filling the cells 12 in the aforementioned order can facilitate the outlet of air contained in the empty cells 12 as they are filled. Alternatively, the cells can be filled in another order.
One possible way of allowing water to enter the outer cells below the roof is illustrated in
Once the water reaches the outer cells 12A of the cells 12 below the roof, also through perforations 19 located in the vertical walls separating the cells, preferably at the bottom thereof, the water passes from some cells to others, so that the outer cells below the roof are filled with water from the distribution pipes 18. In the case illustrated in
Although two rows of cells in each group of cells 12A are shown in
When the cells of the groups of outer cells 12A are full, the groups of cells corresponding to the central area 12B are filled, as illustrated in
When the entire central area 12B is filled, the critical point of lowering stability is reached, since at this time the floats 3 are completely submerged and the inertia of the floating surface decreases drastically, leaving the stability highly compromised. For this reason, conventional concrete caissons or bases, for example those with only 10 m of upright height, usually require some auxiliary means to stabilise them. On the contrary, the following occurs in the concrete base 1 of the present invention, mainly due to the design of volumes proposed for calculating the floats 3: (1) The centre of flotation of the submerged surface is more than half a metre above the centre of gravity of the entire assembly once the cells below the roof have been filled, as explained below. This entails the recovery of the stability that enables lowering to be continued with absolute safety. From this moment on, this distance increases even further. (2) At the critical moment of lowering stability, there are no free surfaces since there are no cells that are half-filled. This entails a great optimisation of resources to achieve maximum stability with minimal structure. (3) All the cells 12 that are below the roof 2 of the concrete base 1 are completely filled with water, so that by having to withstand much less pressure, significant cost-effectiveness of the structure for laying at great depths is achieved.
Seawater is then allowed to enter the cells 22 located below the floats 3, as shown for example in
As the cells 22 are filled, the concrete base 1 descends until the immersion of the assembly is completed, leaving the concrete base 1 resting on the seabed. When this occurs, the cells 22 below the floats 3 still have not been totally filled. These cells 22 are completely filled once the concrete base 1 rests on the seabed. It is worth noting that no water (or ballast, in general) has entered the floats 3, which are empty when they reach the seabed.
Once the concrete base 1 is completely filled with water, the structure is already perfectly stabilised on the seabed and the floats 3 can be removed to be reused with another structure. The decoupling can be carried out from the control centre, remotely actuating the connection and disconnection mechanisms 11. It can also be done by actuating the ROV, which serves to monitor the process. To facilitate the disconnection process, the floats 3 can have their own system of valves, which enable water from the outside to enter in order to reduce the vertical thrust of the float and thus better control the rise thereof.
The structure described in this specification has the additional advantage that it enables simple and safe refloating if necessary. The refloating method of the structure, and in general of the construction supported by it, laid by gravity on the seabed by following the method described, is carried out by allowing compressed air from the outside to enter inside the concrete base, through a plurality of air pipes. Preferably, the same pipes that were used during lowering are used to release the air from the cells as they are filled with water. In other words, refloating involves carrying out the reverse process to lowering, but instead of pumping water, compressed air is allowed to enter, for example from an outside vessel, preferably using the same ducts through which the air exited during lowering. This system has two important advantages: the first is that it significantly reduces the number of pipes to be installed in the concrete base; and the second is that the pumps used in the conventional refloating method can break down and stop working over time, such that the proposed method simplifies and ensures the success of the refloating process.
By way of example, and without limitation, a possible configuration of the structure of the invention is the following: The concrete base is made with a “caisson”, so the maximum beam of the concrete base must be less than 32 m, which is the maximum allowed by the “caisson” method. With this starting dimension, it is possible to carry a load of 850 tonnes with a centre of gravity located 26 metres from the roof, which corresponds, for example, to approximately the weight of a 60-metre jacket structure. The possible dimensions are:
The maritime structure to be installed (construction, installation or element for obtaining energy 13) on the concrete base must be firmly joined to the caisson (concrete base) so that all the stresses to which the assembly is subjected are transmitted directly to the seabed. For this reason, the caisson may have an alteration in its configuration and therefore produce a change in the previously indicated values, which are not usually significant, but which should be reviewed.
The proposed structure, and the method for the offshore installation thereof, has major advantages over other conventional installation structures and methods:
(1) It is the only towing, lowering and refloating system that, without requiring special auxiliary means, has a shallow draft and can be built next to wharfs only about 10 metres deep, which notably increases the availability of manufacturing points close to the site of implementation. This feature is very important because it lowers the cost of the process and increases the possibilities of simultaneous supply for large implementations.
(2) To install it, the structure is towed to the position where it is to operate, presenting great naval stability due to the high initial metacentric height and the perimeter floats that provide excellent stability at high heel, notably improving safety in adverse conditions.
(3) The lowering can be carried out at great depths, up to 60 m with the same concrete base structure, since the maximum pressure during the critical moment has been envisaged in the design thereof, which is why it is a very cost-effective type of foundation at these great depths.
(4) It is a foundation system that does not make noises that affect mammals and other marine animals and that can be carried out on practically all types of seabeds. For this reason, it is a very suitable system for laying jackets or monopiles since it eliminates the significant drawbacks thereof.
(5) The lowering process of the structure is done by means of ballasting of the cells thereof exclusively with seawater, without the need for any additional means, special large-capacity auxiliary vessels, or floating elements unrelated to the structure since, due to the design thereof, it complies with the requirements during all of the phases of the lowering process.
(6) The structure offers very low resistance to swell since it is only about 7-13 metres high and the floats are removed in the operation phase.
(7) For the dismantling thereof, it can be refloated and integrally transferred to the port without the need for auxiliary means to disassemble it.
(8) On the other hand, when the floats are submerged, the cells located below the roof are already completely ballasted with water. This means that the maximum hydrostatic pressure exerted on the walls and slabs of the base is that which corresponds to this depth. This feature enables the thicknesses of these walls dimensioned for this pressure to be maintained, regardless of the depth at which they rest on the seabed.
(9) The large support surface enables it to support the largest wind turbines (8 Mw, 10 Mw or higher). The configuration of the foundation and the lack of a solid ballast is favourable to low pressures on the seabed, in spite of the large total weight thereof, and this solves many of the geotechnical problems that other foundations must solve.
(10) By avoiding the need to use special vessels, which are rare on the market, and auxiliary means for towing and lowering, the manoeuvring times are reduced and the calendar for executing the available windows of good weather can be adjusted, thereby entirely optimising the execution process.
(11) It is a reinforced concrete structure, with a simple geometry made up only of vertical and horizontal walls (upper and lower slabs) that are not inclined, which allows the knowledge and experience of the technology for the execution of port caissons, which are widely developed, to be used in the constructive system thereof, thereby allowing these types of structures to be simplified, optimised and less expensive.
(12) The concrete provides a better behaviour against impacts than metal structures. Given the cyclical character of the loads to which these types or constructions are subjected (swell and wind), it also has significant advantages with respect to resistance to fatigue. All of this, along with the improved durability thereof in a saline medium, implies a useful life far superior to the majority of the existing structures.
(13) The long useful life of the structure, which can exceed 50 years, and the large capacity for absorbing large forces, could enable the substitution of the wind turbine at 20-25 years (approximately the useful life thereof) by another which has greater power. This re-powering can be done safely at the port, due to the efficient refloatation system thereof, and thus provide an efficiency that is far greater than the cost of the foundation.
As has become apparent throughout the present specification, the structure and method for the installation and refloating of the present disclosure provide several differentiating factors with respect to conventional structures and methods of the installation and refloating of maritime gravity-based structures.
In this specification, the term “comprises” and its derivations (such as “comprising”, etc.) should not be understood in an excluding sense, in other words, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include additional elements, steps, etc.
In the context of the present invention, the term “approximately” and related terms (such as “approximate”, etc.) should be interpreted as indicating values very close to those that accompany said term. In other words, a deviation within reasonable limits from an exact value should be accepted, because a person skilled in the art will understand that such a deviation from the indicated values may be unavoidable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the terms “some”, “about” and “substantially”.
The invention is obviously not limited to the specific embodiment(s) described, but also encompasses any variation that may be considered by any person skilled in the art (for example, in relation to the choice of materials, dimensions, components, configuration, etc.), within the general scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2019/070175 | 3/18/2019 | WO | 00 |
