Four-column floating wind turbine foundations

A floatable, semi-submersible platform comprising:

• a cylindrical turbine-tower-hosting column having a top end and a keel end;
• a top node having a hexagonal cross section and being connected proximate to the turbine-tower-hosting column top end;
• a bottom node having a hexagonal cross section and being connected about the turbine-tower-hosting column proximate to the turbine-tower-hosting column keel end;
• a node-connecting column having a hexagonal cross section and connecting the top node to the bottom node such that sides of the node-connecting column are co-planar with corresponding sides of the top node and the bottom node and the cylindrical turbine-tower-hosting column extends co-axially within the node-connecting column;
• three stabilizing columns, each having a hexagonal cross section, a top end and a keel end;
• three upper main beams, each upper main beam having a first end connected to the top node, and having a second end connected proximate to the top end of one of the three stabilizing columns;
• three lower main beams, each lower main beam having a first end connected to the bottom node, and a second end connected proximate to the keel end of one of the three stabilizing columns;
• fixed ballast components located within the turbine-tower-hosting column and within the lower main beams;
• hull trim compartments for containing ballast provided in the three stabilizing columns;
• and
• a hull trim system (HTS) for controlled transference of ballast between the hull trim compartments.

A floatable, semi-submersible platform comprising:

• a cylindrical turbine-tower-hosting column having a top end and a keel end;
• a top node having a hexagonal cross section and being connected proximate to the turbine-tower-hosting column top end;
• a bottom node having a hexagonal cross section;
• a node-connecting column having a hexagonal cross section and connecting the top node to the bottom node such that sides of the node-connecting column are co-planar with corresponding sides of the top node and the bottom node;
• an intermediate node connecting the turbine-tower-hosting column keel end to at least one of the node-connecting column or the bottom node;
• three stabilizing columns, each having a hexagonal cross section, a top end and a keel end;
• three upper main beams, each upper main beam having a first end connected to the top node, and having a second end connected proximate to the top end of one of the three stabilizing columns;
• three lower main beams, each lower main beam having a first end connected to the bottom node, and a second end connected proximate to the keel end of one of the three stabilizing columns;
• fixed ballast components located within the turbine-tower-hosting column and within the lower main beams;
• hull trim compartments for containing ballast provided in the three stabilizing columns;
• and
• a hull trim system (HTS) for controlled transference of ballast between the hull trim compartments, wherein the cylindrical turbine-tower-hosting column keel end does not extend to the bottom node.