Gravity-Based Foundation System for the Installation of Offshore Wind Turbines and Method for the Installation of an Offshore Wind Turbine Foundation System
AssigneeTéCnica Y Proyectos, S. A.
InventorsJose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas Bernal, Rafael Molina Sanchez, Miguel Angel Cabrerizo Morales, Javier Ivars Salom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a gravity-based foundation system for offshore wind turbine installation which enables the transport, anchoring and subsequent refloating of the structure-wind turbine assembly once anchored, giving great versatility to the solution with regard to the uncertainties associated with the installation and terrain response in the short and long term, as well as the method for installing the preceding gravity-based foundation system.
Claims19
Gravity-based foundation system for offshore wind turbine installation that comprises:
- three floating reinforced concrete foundations built with self-floating concrete caissons, equipped with valves for filling them with water and emptying the water out enabling their ballasting and anchoring at their final location,
- a metal structure which connects the floating concrete bases by means of a connecting element to the wind turbine tower, and
- a metal element which connects the floating concrete bases to the wind turbine, metal element on which a docking area is installed, a maintenance platform and access stairs.
Method for the installation of an offshore wind turbine foundation system comprising:
- three floating reinforced concrete foundations built with self-floating concrete caissons, equipped with valves for filling them with water and emptying the water out enabling their ballasting and anchoring at their final location,
- a metal structure which connects the floating concrete bases by means of a connecting element to the wind turbine tower, and
- a metal element which connects the floating concrete bases to the wind turbine, metal element on which a docking area is installed, a maintenance platform and access stairs, wherein the method comprises the following stages:
- a first transport stage wherein the foundation system is towed from a collecting and/or assembly dock to the final location by using tug boats where the floating concrete bases are anchored,
- a second anchoring stage wherein the foundation system is anchored until making contact with the seabed modifying the overall buoyancy by the controlled ballasting of some groups of cells in the floating concrete foundations with the operation of valves located in said bases, and
- a third refloating stage in the event of dismantling or repositioning of the foundation system by evacuating the water ballast from the previously ballasted cell groups to achieve positive buoyancy of the foundation system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.