Auxiliary structure for floating and sinking a whole offshore wind turbine with suction bucket foundation(s)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891768-B2
Application number	US-202117425884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

There provides an auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with suction bucket foundation(s), which includes an upper bracket floated on water and a lower bracket sunk synchronously with a support structure. The upper bracket includes upper floating boxes; upper cross-connectors each of which is fixedly connected to the upper hoop and a corresponding upper floating box; and an upper hoop configured to sleeve on an outer side of the support structure. The upper bracket and the support structure are relatively moved in an up and down direction, and are connected in a manner of limiting position. The lower bracket includes lower floating boxes, a bottom of each of which is adjustable in height; lower cross-connectors each of which is fixedly connected to the lower hoop and a corresponding lower floating box; and a lower hoop that holds the support structure tightly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary structure for floating and sinking a whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation, the auxiliary structure being configured to be mounted on the offshore wind turbine, the offshore wind turbine comprising a support structure and a wind turbine generator system mounted on the support structure, the support structure comprising a tower barrel and the at least one suction bucket foundation mounted on a lower portion of the tower barrel, wherein the auxiliary structure comprises:
an upper bracket floated on water, wherein the upper bracket comprises upper floating boxes, upper cross-connectors and an upper hoop, each of the upper cross-connectors is fixedly connected to the upper hoop and a corresponding one of the upper floating boxes, the upper hoop is configured to sleeve on an outer side of the support structure, the upper bracket and the support structure are movable relative to each other in an up and down direction, and the upper bracket and the support structure are connected in a manner of limiting position, so as to enable the upper bracket to right the support structure when the support structure is sunk; and
a lower bracket sunk synchronously with the support structure, wherein the lower bracket comprises lower floating boxes, lower cross-connectors and a lower hoop, each of the lower cross-connectors is fixedly connected to the lower hoop and a corresponding one of the lower floating boxes, the lower hoop is capable of holding the support structure tightly, and a bottom of each of the lower floating boxes is adjustable in height.

2. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the bottom of each of the lower floating boxes is provided with a first through-hole, and a second through-hole is provided on a top or walls of each of the lower floating boxes.

3. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
a third through-hole is provided on each of the upper floating boxes.

4. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking a whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the upper hoop and/or the lower hoop is capable of being opened and closed.

5. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the upper floating boxes comprise at least three upper floating boxes, the lower floating boxes comprise at least three lower floating boxes, and the at least three upper floating boxes and the at least three lower floating boxes are all evenly arranged along a circumferential direction of the support structure.

6. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
a number of the upper floating boxes is same as that of the lower floating boxes, and each of the upper floating boxes is directly opposite to or staggered with a corresponding one of the lower floating boxes in a vertical direction.

7. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the support structure comprises the tower barrel and one suction bucket foundation of the at least one suction bucket foundation, an upper end of the one suction bucket foundation is fixedly connected to a lower end of the tower barrel;
the upper hoop is sleeved on an outer side of the tower barrel, an inner surface of the upper hoop is in contact with the tower barrel to limit an angle of the tower barrel; and
the lower hoop is capable of holding the tower barrel tightly.

8. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the support structure comprises the tower barrel, a jacket and a plurality of suction bucket foundations of the at least one suction bucket foundation, an upper end of the jacket is fixedly connected to the tower barrel, a lower end of the jacket is fixedly connected to each of the suction bucket foundations;
the upper hoop is sleeved on an outer side of the jacket, the upper bracket and the suction bucket foundations are connected via a plurality of lifting slings, lower ends of the plurality of lifting slings are fixed on the suction bucket foundations, upper ends of the plurality of lifting slings are fixed on a device for retracting the lifting slings, the device for retracting the lifting slings is fixed on the upper bracket; and
the lower hoop is capable of holding the jacket tightly.

9. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking a whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , wherein,
the support structure comprises the tower barrel, a jacket and a plurality of suction bucket foundations of the at least one suction bucket foundation, an upper end of the jacket is fixedly connected to the tower barrel, a lower end of the jacket is fixedly connected to each of the suction bucket foundations;
the upper hoop is sleeved on an outer side of the jacket, the upper cross-connectors are portal-type cross-connectors, an inner surface of the upper hoop is in contact with the tower barrel to limit an angle of the tower barrel; and
the lower hoop is capable of holding the tower barrel tightly.

10. The auxiliary structure for floating and sinking the whole offshore wind turbine with at least one suction bucket foundation according to claim 1 , further comprising an anti-scouring sand shell film, the anti-scouring sand shell film is sleeved on an outer side of the support structure, and provided beneath the lower cross-connectors.

Assignees

• Univ Tianjin

Inventors

• Guo Yaohua
• Yao Ye
• Yang Xu
• Wang Le
• Wang Haijun
• Lian Jijian

Classifications

• E02B17/02 Primary

  placed by lowering the supporting construction to the bottom, e.g. with subsequent fixing thereto · CPC title

• E02D27/425 Primary

  specially adapted for wind motors masts (wind motors per se F03D1/00) · CPC title

• E02D27/525

  using elements penetrating the underwater ground (sinking work pieces E02D15/08, sinking caissons E02D23/02) · CPC title

• F03D13/25

  specially adapted for offshore installation · CPC title

• F03D13/256

  on a floating support, i.e. floating wind motors · CPC title