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EP-4739616-A1 - CONSTRUCTION OF OFFSHORE WIND POWER FOUNDATIONS

EP4739616A1EP 4739616 A1EP4739616 A1EP 4739616A1EP-4739616-A1

Abstract

Methods for constructing foundations (10) for offshore wind turbine power plants, the methods comprising: positioning a crane (12) at a construction site (11), the crane (12) being rotatable about a vertical axis; providing a plurality of workspaces (15,15a-d) disposed about the crane (12); at each of a plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) disposed about the crane (12) and arranged between two of a plurality of workspaces (15,15a-d), constructing a foundation (10) by: (i) moving at least two elongate foundation parts (16,25a-h) into two workspaces (15,15a-d) adjacent the construction space (19,19a-d), (ii) pivoting each of the two foundation parts (16,25a-h) to a vertical or substantially vertical orientation, and (iii) interconnecting the two foundation parts (16,25a-h) at the construction space (19,19a-d) such as to form part of the foundation (10).

Inventors

  • INGVALDSEN, Ove Ronny
  • BRUUN, Per Kristian
  • REBERG, Andreas

Assignees

  • Aker Solutions AS

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240704

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . A method for constructing a plurality of foundations (10) for an offshore wind turbine power plant, the method comprising: positioning a crane (12) at a construction site (11), the crane (12) being rotatable about a vertical axis; providing a plurality of workspaces (15,15a-d) disposed about the crane (12), each workspace (15,15a-d) within operative reach of the crane (12); providing a plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) disposed about the crane (12), each construction space (19,19a-d) having or forming a base for temporarily positioning a foundation (10) under construction, each construction space (19,19a-d) being within operative reach of the crane (12), and each construction space (19,19a-d) arranged between two of the plurality of workspaces (15,15a-d); for each construction space (19,19a-d), constructing a foundation (10) at the respective construction space (19,19a-d) by: (i) moving at least two elongate foundation parts (16,25a-h) into two workspaces (15,15a-d) adjacent the construction space (19,19a-d), (ii) pivoting each of the two foundation parts (16,25a-h) to a vertical or substantially vertical orientation, and (iii) interconnecting the two foundation parts (16,25a-h) at the construction space (19,19a-d) such as to form part of the foundation (10).
  2. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (i) comprises moving the elongate foundation parts (16,25a-h) into the workspaces (15,15a-d) with the elongate foundation parts (16,25a-h) in a horizontal orientation.
  3. 3. The method of any preceding claim, wherein steps (i) and/or (ii) are carried out non-simultaneously and time-shifted between construction spaces (19,19a-d) which are adjacent the same workspace (15, 15a-d).
  4. 4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein step (i) and/or step (ii) is carried out concurrently for two of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) which are not adjacent the same workspace (15,15a-d).
  5. 5. The method of any preceding claim, comprising providing exactly four workspaces (15,15a-d) and exactly four construction spaces (19,19a-d).
  6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein a first (19a) of the exactly four construction spaces (19,19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent a first (15a) and a second (15b) of the exactly four workspaces (15, 15a-d), a second (19b) of the exactly four construction spaces (19, 19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent the second (15b) and a third (15c) of the exactly four workspaces (15, 15a-d), a third (19c) of the exactly four construction spaces (19, 19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent the third (15c) and a fourth (15d) of the exactly four workspaces (15,15a-d), and a fourth (19d) of the exactly four construction spaces (19, 19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent the fourth (15d) and the first (15a) of the exactly four workspaces (15, 15a-d).
  7. 7. The method of claim 6, comprising carrying out step (i) or step (ii) in relation to the first (19a) construction space (19, 19a-d) concurrently with carrying out step (i) or step (ii) in relation to the third (19c) construction space (19, 19a-d).
  8. 8. The method of any of claims 1-4, comprising providing exactly three workspaces (15, 15a-d) and exactly three construction spaces (19, 19a-d).
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a first (19a) of the exactly three construction spaces (19, 19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent a first (15a) and a second (15b) of the exactly three workspaces (15, 15a-d), a second (19b) of the exactly three construction spaces (19, 19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent the second (15b) and a third (15c) of the exactly three workspaces (15, 15a-d), and a third (19c) of the exactly three construction spaces (19,19a-d) is arranged between and adjacent the third (15c) and the first (15a) of the exactly three workspaces (15,15a-d).
  10. 10. The method of any preceding claim, comprising carrying out step (i) or step (ii) in relation to one of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) while concurrently: carrying out step (iii) in relation to another one of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d), or moving a constructed foundation (10) out of the another one of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d).
  11. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) and the another one of the plurality of construction spaces (19,19a-d) are adjacent the same workspace (15,15a-d).
  12. 12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the foundation (10) is a foundation (10) for a floating wind turbine power plant and step (iii) comprises installing side connection members (16) between a pair of floater columns (20b-c,21b-c,22b-c).
  13. 13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the foundation (10) is a jacket foundation for positioning on a sea floor and step (iii) comprises interconnecting two elongate truss structures to form part of the jacket foundation.

Description

CONSTRUCTION OF OFFSHORE WIND POWER FOUNDATIONS The present disclosure relates to foundations for use offshore, and particularly to construction of foundations for wind power plants. BACKGROUND Offshore wind plants for electric power generation are under development by a number of players, and the installation of offshore wind power plants is projected to continue to grow over the coming years. Some examples of publications which may be useful to understand the field of technology include WO 2020/167137 A1; WO 2023/009010 A1; WO 2009/131826 A2; EP 3262 296 A1 ; and EP 2 511 423 A1. A challenge with offshore wind power compared to land-based solutions is the cost level for construction and installation. There is consequently a need for more efficient solutions for the construction of offshore foundations and offshore wind power plants, as well as a need for solutions which are suitable for scaling-up to enable serial and/or mass production. The present disclosure has the objective to provide improved technology for offshore wind power plants, or at least to provide useful alternatives to the state of the art. SUMMARY In an aspect, there is provided a method for constructing a plurality of foundations for an offshore wind turbine power plant, the method comprising: positioning a crane at a construction site, the crane being rotatable about a vertical axis; providing a plurality of workspaces disposed about the crane, each workspace within operative reach of the crane; providing a plurality of construction spaces disposed about the crane, each construction space having or forming a base for temporarily positioning a foundation under construction, each construction space being within operative reach of the crane, and each construction space arranged between two of the plurality of workspaces; for each construction space, constructing a foundation at the respective construction space by: (i) moving at least two elongate foundation parts into two workspaces adjacent the construction space, (ii) pivoting each of the two foundation parts to a vertical or substantially vertical orientation, and (iii) interconnecting the two foundation parts at the construction space such as to form part of the foundation. The detailed description below and the appended claims outline further inventive aspects and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other characteristics will become clear from the following description of illustrative, non-restrictive examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a top view of a construction site for constructing a plurality of foundations for a floating wind turbine power plant. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a construction site similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. Figs 3-6 illustrate steps in the construction of a foundation for a floating wind turbine power plant. Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing four three-legged foundations. Fig. 8 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing four four-legged foundations. Figs 9-11 schematically illustrate steps of a method for constructing an offshore wind power plant. Figs 12-13 illustrate steps of another example of a method for constructing an offshore wind power plant. Fig. 14 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing foundations. Fig. 15 illustrates a floatable foundation for a wind turbine power plant. Fig. 16 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing three foundations. Fig. 17 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing four foundations. Fig. 18 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing six foundations. Fig. 19 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing seven foundations. Fig. 20 schematically illustrates a construction site for constructing three foundations, which is a variation of the arrangement of Fig. 16. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 is a top view of a construction site 11 for constructing a plurality of foundations for a floating wind turbine power plant. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a construction site similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 . The construction site 11 enables the use of an efficient method for constructing foundations 10 (see Fig. 6) for a floating wind turbine power plant. Such foundations 10 can be configured to carry a wind turbine tower and generator on a column forming part of the foundation 10, for example in the manner described in the abovementioned publications. (See BACKGROUND, above.) A crane 12 is positioned at the construction site 11 , in a central position thereof. The crane 12 is rotatable, for example having a rotatable base and/or rotatable crane arm. The crane 12 may, for example, be a tower crane. Three tower columns 20a, 21 a, 22a are positioned about the crane 12 and within an operational reach of the crane 12. Each tower column 20a, 21a, 22a is configured for holding a wind turbine tower and gener