Floating offshore wind turbine apparatus and installation method
OwnerJason C. Fabre, E. John Greeves +2inventors
InventorsJason C. Fabre, E. John Greeves, Philip S. Rundle, Ian R. Todd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An offshore floating wind turbine apparatus provides a pair of spaced apart hull sections with a space between the hull sections. One or more gantries each connect to the hull sections. The one or more gantries are spaced apart and connected to the hull sections with pivotal or universal joint connections. A wind turbine tower has upper and lower end portions. The wind turbine tower has a lower end portion with a base that is mounted to one of the gantries. The tower upper end portion has a rotor, hub, nacelle, and blades. A mooring system preferably holds the hull sections on a desired offshore marine location.
Claims27
An offshore floating wind turbine apparatus comprising:
- a) first and second spaced apart hull sections with a space between said hull sections;
- b) first and second gantries that each connect to said hull sections, said gantries including a first gantry and a second gantry that are spaced apart, each connected to a said hull section with a pivotal or universal joint connection;
- c) a wind turbine tower having upper and lower end portions;
- d) said wind turbine tower lower end portion mounted to said first but not to said second gantry so that the wind turbine is able to move relative to said second gantry responsive to wave action;
- e) the wind turbine tower upper end portion having a rotor, hub, and blades;
- and
- f) a mooring system that holds said hull sections on a desired location.
An offshore floating wind turbine apparatus comprising:
- a) a pair of spaced apart barges with a space between said barges;
- b) a pair of frames that each connect to said barges, said frames being spaced apart, each said frame connected to one said barge with a pivotal connection and the other said barge with a universal joint connection;
- c) a wind turbine tower having upper and lower end portions;
- d) said wind turbine tower lower end portion having a base that is mounted to one of but not both of said frames;
- e) the wind turbine tower upper end portion having a rotor, hub, nacelle, and blades;
- f) said frame supporting said wind turbine being a truss having a plurality of upper beams and a plurality of lower beams;
- g) a tubular member that is spaced in between two said upper beams and in between two said lower beams, said wind turbine lower end mounted on said tubular member;
- and
- h) a mooring system that holds the pair of barges on a desired location.
An offshore floating wind turbine apparatus comprising:
- a) a pair of spaced apart hull sections with a space between said hull sections each a) hull section having a deck;
- b) first and second one or more gantries that each connect to said hull sections, said one or more gantries spaced apart, each said gantry connected to a said hull section with a uniaxial pinned connection;
- c) said first gantry having a truss with upper and lower laterally extending beams and diagonally extending beams;
- said laterally and diagonally extending beams positioned above the hull section decks;
- d) a tubular member attached to said truss and extending to said upper and lower laterally extending beams;
- e) a wind turbine tower having upper and lower end portions;
- f) said wind turbine tower lower end portion mounted to one but not both of said one or more first and second gantries;
- g) the wind turbine tower upper end portion having a rotor, hub, and blades;
- and
- h) a mooring system that holds said hull sections on a desired location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.