Offshore wind energy system with non-skid feet
AssigneeREpower Systems AG
InventorMarc Seidel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention entails a wind energy system for offshore use with a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to an ocean surface in the erected state and with a plurality of feet determined for making contact with the ocean bottom whose extensions in the longitudinal direction (L), especially the depth and/or relief of the ocean bottom, are adapted to a predetermined erection site.
Claims12
1-10. (canceled)
An offshore wind energy system, which when erected in a body of water has a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and which system comprises
- a rotor which comprises a rotor hub, wherein the rotor hub has a predetermined height above the surface of the body of water,
- a carrier structure having at least two legs, wherein each leg has a bottom at which is positioned a foot portion for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point,
- and wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for an interval distance between the bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point, which interval distance is determined by the depth and/or the relief of the floor of the body of water.
An offshore wind park comprising at least two wind energy systems, which when erected in a body of water each have a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and which systems each comprise
- a rotor which comprises a rotor hub, wherein the rotor hub of each of the at least two wind energy systems has the same height above the surface of the body of water,
- a carrier structure having at least two legs that each interface with the floor of the body of water, wherein each leg has a bottom at which is positioned a foot portion for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point, and
- a tower,
- wherein the tower of each of the at least two wind energy systems has the same standardized height, and the carrier structure of each of the at least two wind energy systems has the same standardized height,
- and wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for an interval distance between bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point, which interval distance is determined by the depth and/or the relief of the floor of the body of water.
A method for erecting an offshore wind energy system which when erected in a body of water has a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and which system comprises
- a rotor which comprises a rotor hub,
- a carrier structure having at least two legs, wherein each leg has a bottom at which is positioned a foot portion for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point, wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L),
- which method comprises the steps of
- determining the depth of the body of water at the contact point to make contact with the floor of the body of water,
- determining the desired height of the rotor hub above the surface of the body of water,
- determining the distance the each foot portion is to be extended downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for any interval distance between the bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point where each foot portion is positioned, and
- mounting each foot portion onto the carrier structure at each determined extension in the longitudinal direction (L).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.