CN-122029355-A - Offshore wind turbine installation

CN122029355ACN 122029355 ACN122029355 ACN 122029355ACN-122029355-A

Abstract

A method of at least partially installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site (5) is described, the method comprising loading at least one lower tower section (3) of the wind turbine onto a vessel, the lower tower section (3) having a span smaller than the entire wind turbine tower, transporting the lower tower section (3) to the offshore site (5), lifting and guiding the lower tower section (3) such that the lower end (7) is close to a tower connection section (7) provided at the offshore foundation, connecting the lower tower section (3) at the lower end (7) with a tower connection section (8).

Inventors

R. J. Bryce

Assignees

西门子歌美飒可再生能源公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241008
Priority Date: 20231016

Claims (15)

1. A method of at least partially installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site (5), the method comprising: Loading at least one lower tower section (3) of a wind turbine onto a vessel (1) at a land site, the lower tower section (3) having a span that is smaller than the entire wind turbine tower; -transporting the lower tower section (3) by the vessel (1) to the offshore site (5); lifting and guiding the lower tower section (3) such that a lower end (7) approaches a tower connection section (8) provided at an offshore foundation; -connecting the lower tower section (3) with the tower connecting section (8) at the lower end (7), Wherein the vessel (1) comprises a crane (10), Wherein said loading and/or said lifting and/or guiding of said lower tower section (3) is performed using said crane (10).
2. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the lower tower section (3) is substantially in an upright position during loading and/or transport and/or lifting and/or guiding the lower tower section (3), in particular such that the longitudinal direction of the lower tower section is substantially vertically oriented.
3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, Wherein the loading and/or the lifting and/or guiding of the lower tower section (3) is performed using the crane (10) while the vessel (1) is floating freely on the sea (4).
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vessel (1) comprises guiding equipment (10, 15 ') for guiding the lower tower portion (3) towards the tower connection portion (8), the guiding equipment (15') being in particular adapted to apply traction at least two locations (18, 21) of the lower tower portion (3) spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the lower tower portion (3).
5. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the guiding equipment (15') comprises a pull rope (16, 19), which pull rope (16, 19) is connected at one end at the crane (10) and/or the vessel (1) and at the other end at a bottom position and/or an intermediate position (21) and/or a top position (18) of the lower tower part (3), Wherein the tension of the pull rope is controlled and/or adjusted, in particular for guiding the lower tower section (3).
6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an active or passive heave compensator (12) is coupled between the lower tower section (3) and a crane girder (10) or crane wire (14) during the lifting and/or guiding of the lower tower section (3).
7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vessel (1) comprises storage mounting and securing equipment (15 a, b, c.) arranged at the vessel loading area (2) for mounting and securing a plurality, in particular 20 to 60, in particular lower tower sections (3) having a substantially circular cross section in a vertical manner, in particular in a regular 2D array, the loading capacity in particular being between 700 t and 1200 t for each lower tower section (3).
8. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the mounting and securing equipment (15 a, b, c,) is adapted to mount and secure lower tower sections (3) having different diameters, in particular diameters between 5m and 15 m.
9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lower tower part (3) spans between 1 ⁄ and 1 ⁄ 2 of the total wind turbine tower height and/or has a weight between 1/3 and 1 ⁄ 2 of the total wind turbine tower weight, Wherein the lower tower part (3) has been pre-assembled previously entirely at a land site, in particular at a pre-assembled port.
10. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising: one or more intermediate tower sections are transported and/or lifted and/or guided and/or connected on top of the lower tower section (3) or on top of the respective uppermost tower section.
11. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising: transporting and/or lifting and/or guiding and/or connecting one or more upper tower sections on top of the lower tower section (3) or on top of the respective uppermost tower section; Transporting and/or lifting and/or guiding and/or connecting one or more cabins comprising a hub portion on top of the upper tower section or on top of the respective uppermost tower section; one or more blades are transported and/or lifted and/or guided and/or connected at a hub supported at the nacelle, In particular for said transporting a transport vessel is used and for said lifting and/or guiding and/or connecting a mounting vessel is used, which one or both vessels are different from the lower tower section transfer vessel.
12. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lower tower section (3) is covered by a tower section cover (11) during transportation and/or before lifting, the method comprising: Removing the tower section cover (11) before lifting and/or guiding the lower tower section (3), and/or After connecting the lower tower section (3): -covering the lower tower section (3) with the tower section cover (11).
13. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising: providing personnel with a passage (25) from the vessel (1) to a platform (26) of the foundation.
14. Lower tower section (3) and/or tower handling vessel (1) for at least partly mounting at least one wind turbine at an offshore site (5), the vessel comprising: -a loading area (2), the loading area (2) being for loading at least one lower tower section (3) and/or tower of a wind turbine at a land site, the lower tower section (3) having a span smaller than the entire wind turbine tower; -a motor for moving the vessel (1) on the sea (4) for transporting the lower tower section (3) from the land site to the sea site (5); Lifting and guiding equipment (6), the lifting and guiding equipment (6) being adapted to lift and guide the lower tower section (3) such that a lower end (5) is close to a tower connection section (8) provided at an offshore foundation for connecting the lower tower section (3) with the tower connection section (8) at the lower end (7).
15. A system for installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site, the system comprising: Lower tower section (3) and/or tower handling vessel (1) according to the preceding claim; A transport vessel, the transport vessel being adapted to: transporting one or more upper tower sections and/or one or more nacelle and/or one or more blade comprising a hub; A mounting vessel, the mounting vessel being adapted to: lifting and/or guiding and/or connecting one or more upper tower sections on top of the lower tower section (3) or on top of the respective uppermost tower section, and/or Lifting and/or guiding and/or connecting one or more cabins comprising a hub on top of said upper tower section or on top of the respective uppermost tower section, and/or One or more blades are lifted and/or guided and/or connected at a hub supported at the nacelle.

Description

Offshore wind turbine installation Technical Field The present invention relates to a method of at least partially installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site. Furthermore, the invention relates to a lower tower section or tower handling vessel, in particular, being substantially configured to perform the above method. Still further, the present invention relates to a system for installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site, comprising a lower tower section handling vessel. Background Conventionally, to set up an offshore wind turbine, foundation and cabling needs to be done at the offshore site. After the foundation is completed, conventionally, the offshore wind turbines are installed in a single step using a specific turbine installation vessel. Today, wind turbines are increasing in size and weight, complicating the installation of offshore wind turbines in a conventional manner. In particular, the stability of the load-bearing marine fastening and installation vessel also becomes impaired. Furthermore, the size of wind turbine towers sometimes increases beyond the typical capabilities of cranes in pre-assembled harbours. Thus, it is observed that the installation of offshore wind turbines by conventional methods becomes more and more complex and/or becomes significantly inefficient or has some problems. Thus, a method of at least partially installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site may be needed, and a lower tower section handling vessel, in particular, implementing such an installation method may also be needed. Furthermore, there may be a need for an overall system for installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site, wherein at least the problems or drawbacks conventionally observed are alleviated. Disclosure of Invention This need may be met by the subject matter according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described by the dependent claims. According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of at least partially installing at least one wind turbine at an offshore site is provided, the method comprising loading (e.g. denoted as "lower tower section and/or tower handling") at least one lower tower section of the wind turbine onto a vessel, the lower tower section having a span smaller than the whole wind turbine tower, transporting the lower tower section to the offshore site, lifting and guiding the lower tower section such that the lower end is adjacent to a tower connection section provided at the offshore foundation, connecting the lower tower section at the lower end with the tower connection section. The method may be performed substantially by a lower tower section transfer vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention, which will be described in detail below. When the wind turbine is fully installed at an offshore site, the wind turbine may comprise a wind turbine tower comprising at least a lower tower section and at least one further tower section, in particular an upper tower section and/or one or more intermediate tower sections. Furthermore, the fully installed wind turbine may comprise a nacelle mounted on an upper part of the erected tower, in particular on top of the upper tower part. The nacelle may include a generator mechanically coupled to the hub. At the hub, a plurality of wind turbine blades are mounted in the completed wind turbine. The method may not necessarily involve installing the complete wind turbine, but may involve at least installing the lower tower section at the offshore site. To install the lower tower section, substantially only the lower tower section may be required to carry the vessel. To fully install or set up an offshore wind turbine, one or more additional vessels may be required, which may be configured and/or arranged differently than the lower tower section handling vessel. It should be noted that the designation "lower tower section handling vessel" should not be understood as limiting the type of vessel unless the vessel is configured or adapted to at least perform the method steps of transporting the lower tower section and lifting and guiding the lower tower section. For the loading step and/or the connecting step, additional equipment may be required, which may be separate from the vessel, but according to embodiments of the invention the loading step and the connecting step may also be performed by equipment and/or personnel included in the lower tower section handling vessel. The loading may be performed using a crane, which may be part of the lower tower section vessel, or may be e.g. a land-based crane. Loading may involve lifting and laterally moving the lower tower section, particularly when the lower tower section is in an upright position. For example, on a land site (e.g., a port), a storage area may be provided, the pre-assembled lower tower section is supplied (e.g., from one or more factories or assembly sites) to the storage area, and t