Floating offshore wind turbine integrated with steel fish farming cage
10716296 ยท 2020-07-21
Assignee
- GRADUATE SCHOOL AT SHENZHEN, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY (Shenzhen, Gunagdong, CN)
- POWERCHINA HUADONG ENGINEERING CORPORATION LIMITED (Hangzhou, Zhejiang, CN)
Inventors
- Xiangyuan Zheng (Guangdong, CN)
- Yu Lei (Guangdong, CN)
- Wei LI (Zhejiang, CN)
- Shengxiao Zhao (Zhejiang, CN)
- Daoyi Chen (Guangdong, CN)
- Yi Li (Guangdong, CN)
Cpc classification
F05B2220/30
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B63B35/44
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B2035/446
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Y02B10/30
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
F03D9/255
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B63B1/048
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Y02E10/72
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
F03D13/25
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2240/95
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F03D9/30
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F03D9/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Y02A40/81
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
A01K61/60
HUMAN NECESSITIES
B63B2001/044
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/107
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F03D9/43
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2240/93
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Y02P60/60
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
International classification
F03D9/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
A01K61/60
HUMAN NECESSITIES
F03D9/43
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B63B35/44
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F03D13/25
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage mainly includes a wind turbine, a wind turbine tower, a living quarter, a floating wind turbine foundation in a conic steel structure, a mooring system, a lateral net encircling the floating wind turbine foundation, a bottom net, and lifting systems. The upper end of the wind turbine tower hosts a wind turbine, and the lower end of the wind turbine tower is fixed on the floating wind turbine foundation. In the present invention, the inner space of the floating wind turbine foundation is used to form a huge farming cage, which functions for the objectives of power exploitation on the top and fish farming at the bottom. The foundation has excellent stability and seakeeping performance, and is applicable to deep waters.
Claims
1. A floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage, comprising a wind turbine, a wind turbine tower, a living quarter, a floating wind turbine foundation, and a mooring system, wherein the floating wind turbine foundation is a conic steel structure with a small top and a large bottom; the upper end of the wind turbine tower bears the wind turbine, and the lower end of the wind turbine tower is fixed on the floating wind turbine foundation, the living quarter is at the wind turbine tower base, and the mooring system is connected to the floating wind turbine foundation and is used to moor the floating wind turbine foundation to seabed; and the floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage further comprises a lateral net, a bottom net, and lifting systems, the lateral net is tensioned, and is attached onto side facets of the conic floating wind turbine foundation, and the lifting systems are placed inside the floating wind turbine foundation, and are connected to the bottom net, so that the bottom net can be lifted inside the floating wind turbine foundation, wherein the floating wind turbine foundation is formed by a top pyramid structure and a bottom prismoid structure, and comprises a central column, several top radial braces, several top annular braces, several side inclined columns, several side braces, several bottom pontoons, and several bottom radial braces, the top of the central column is rigidly connected to the lower end of the wind turbine tower, and the central column is located on the central axial of the floating wind turbine foundation, and the living quarter is located on the top of the central column, two ends of each top annular brace connect the upper ends of two adjacent side inclined columns; all of the top annular braces are located on the same horizontal plane to form the top bordering structure connecting the bottom prismoid structure of the floating wind turbine foundation; this bordering structure is perpendicular to the central column, every two adjacent side inclined columns are connected into a steel frame by side braces, two ends of each bottom pontoon are respectively connected to the lower ends of two adjacent side inclined columns, two ends of each bottom radial brace are respectively connected to the lower end of the central column and the joint of two adjacent bottom pontoons; all bottom radial braces and bottom pontoons are located on the same horizontal plane to form the keel frame structure of the bottom prismoid structure of the floating wind turbine foundation, and the keel frame structure is perpendicular to the central column; and all top radial braces are evenly distributed in space and are of identical sloping angles, the upper end of the top radial brace is connected to the upper end of the central column, and the lower end of the top radial brace is connected to the upper end of the side inclined column to form the top pyramid structure of the floating wind turbine foundation.
2. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the top radial braces have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
3. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the top annular braces have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
4. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the side inclined columns have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
5. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the bottom pontoons have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
6. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the side braces have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
7. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein all of the bottom radial braces have identical geometrical dimensions and material, and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the central column in space.
8. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein the side braces can be cross braces or diagonal braces or both.
9. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein a pontoon cantilever section further extends radially along the bottom radial brace at the intersection of two adjacent bottom pontoons, and the mooring system is connected to the pontoon cantilever section; and all of the bottom pontoons and the pontoon cantilever sections have sub-tanks for ballast.
10. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein in the angle between the top radial braces and the horizontal plane ranges from 10 to 45; the taper angle of the bottom prismoid structure is from 60 to 80; and both the top pyramid structure and the bottom prismoid structure are regular octagons or regular dodecagons.
11. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein the lifting systems include side self-lifting systems located on the inner side of the side inclined columns and a central self-lifting system sleeved on the central column; the side self-lifting system is connected to the side inclined column by a primary track and functions along the primary track, and the central self-lifting system is connected to the central column by secondary track and functions along the secondary track.
12. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 11, wherein the bottom net comprises several outer circumferential net ribs, several bottom radial net ribs, and an inner circumferential net rib, the outer circumferential net ribs enclose and form the periphery of the bottom net, the inner circumferential net rib is located at the center of the bottom net, and the bottom radial net ribs are evenly distributed on the bottom net and integrates the outer circumferential net ribs and the inner circumferential net rib into the bottom net.
13. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 12, wherein the bottom net is connected to the side self-lifting systems by the outer circumferential net ribs and the bottom radial net ribs; and the bottom net is connected to the central self-lifting system by the inner circumferential net rib.
14. The floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel fish farming cage according to claim 1, wherein the top annular braces host work platforms, and the top annular braces are equipped with rubber fenders on the outer sides of the top annular braces; and a steel guardrail passage is welded on at least one of the top radial braces, and the steel guardrail passage provides access between the living quarter and the work platform.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(11) The following provides further detailed descriptions to preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(12) As shown in
(13) In some embodiments, as shown in
(14) In some embodiments, the angle between the top radial braces 41 and the horizontal plane ranges from 10 to 45 and the taper angle of the bottom prismoid structure is from 60 to 80. Both the top pyramid structure and the bottom prismoid structure are regular octagons or regular dodecagons (as shown in
(15) In some embodiments, at the intersection of two adjacent bottom pontoons 46, a pontoon cantilever section 461 further extends radially along the bottom radial brace 47. The mooring system 9 is connected to this pontoon cantilever section 461. All of the bottom pontoons 46 and the pontoon cantilever sections 461 have inner sub-tanks for ballast.
(16) Because the floating wind turbine foundation 4 is basically a conic steel structure with a small top and a large bottom, its center of gravity is low. During operational period, the center of buoyancy of the floating offshore wind turbine is always higher than the center of gravity. Besides, the high-density concrete placed in partial sub-tanks of ballast in the bottom pontoons 46 and pontoon cantilever sections 461 will further lower the center of gravity and therefore ensures that the center of buoyancy of the floating offshore wind turbine is always higher than the center of gravity. Generally in this invention the center of buoyancy of the floating offshore wind turbine is at least 1 m higher than the center of gravity such that the whole floating infrastructure is unconditional stable. The mooring system 9 is connected to the pontoon cantilever section 461 and can provide additional restoring moment to maintain the stability of the floating offshore wind turbine due to a large moment arm between the central axis of the floating wind turbine foundation 4 and the edge of cantilever section 461.
(17) In some embodiments, the living quarter 3 includes a living area, a control hub and a bait warehouse. The fish-farming personnel will live in the living quarter 3 to monitor the farming process. The wind turbine maintenance staff can also temporarily live in the living quarter 3 to maintain the wind turbine 1.
(18) The lateral net 71 is always tensioned. In some embodiments, the bottom net 72 also comprises several outer circumferential net ribs 721 along the bottom pontoons 46, several bottom radial net ribs 722, and an inner circumferential net rib 723 around the central column 43. Specifically, the outer circumferential net ribs 721 enclose and form the periphery of the bottom net 72, the inner circumferential net rib 723 is located at the center of the bottom net 72, and bottom radial net ribs 722 are evenly distributed on the bottom net 72, systematically integrating the outer circumferential net ribs 721 and the inner circumferential net rib 723 into the bottom net 72.
(19) In some embodiments, the lifting systems include side self-lifting systems 83 located on the inner side of the floating wind turbine foundation 4 and a central self-lifting system 84 sleeved on the central column 43. The side self-lifting system 83 is installed onto the inner side of every side inclined column 44. The side self-lifting system 83 is connected to the side inclined column 44 by a primary track and functions along this track. The central self-lifting system 84 is connected to the central column 43 through secondary track and functions along this track.
(20) In some embodiments, the bottom net 72 is connected to the side self-lifting systems 83 by the outer circumferential net ribs 721 and the bottom radial net ribs 722. The bottom net 72 is connected to the central self-lifting system 84 by the inner circumferential net rib 723. The bottom net 72 can be hoisted only by the side self-lifting system 83. In this case, the inner circumferential net rib 723 does not move, while the bottom net 72, the outer circumferential net rib 721 and the bottom radial net ribs 722 are lifted, so that the entire bottom net 72 gradually turns into a funnel shape. The bottom net 72 can also be wholly hoisted by both the side self-lifting systems 83 and the central self-lifting system 84. In this case, the inner circumferential net rib 723 enclosing the central column 43 moves upward vertically along the central column 43. During the normal aquaculture operation periods, the bottom net 72 is located at the bottom of the wind turbine foundation 4. When the bottom net 72 is lifted for capturing fish, the outer circumferential net ribs 721 always cling to the inner side of the lateral net 71.
(21) In some embodiments, as shown in
(22) In some embodiments, as shown in
(23) In some embodiments, the outer circumferential net rib winding and unwinding guide apparatus includes an extension plate 835, a pipe 836, and a U-shaped lifting lug 837. The extension plate 835 is fixedly connected (for example, welded) to the lateral hoist platform 831 (as shown in
(24) In some embodiments, the lateral hoist platform 831 conveys an opening 8310 (for example, a circular hole). As the radial net rib winding and unwinding guide apparatus, the diameter of the opening 8310 is larger than the diameter of the bottom radial net rib 722. The bottom radial net rib 722 passes through the opening 8310 and is connected to the bottom radial net rib winding and unwinding scroll 839.
(25) In some embodiments, the central self-lifting system 84 comprises a central hoist platform 841, central hoist motors 843, and central hoist gears 844. The central hoist motors 843 are fixed onto the central hoist platform 841. The central hoist platform 841 is a hollow cylinder, and the inner diameter of the central hoist platform 841 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the central column 43. The central hoist platform 841 is sleeved along the surface of the central column 43. One end of the bottom radial net rib 722 is connected to the bottom radial net rib winding and unwinding scroll 839 and the other end is connected to the inner circumferential net rib 723. The inner circumferential net rib 723 is fixed onto the surface of the central hoist platform 841 in order to connect the bottom net 72 with the central self-lifting system 84. The central hoist gear 844 and the vertical gear track 82 are interlocked. A spindle of the central hoist motor 843 is connected to the central hoist gear 844 by a deceleration box, and the central hoist motors 843 drive the central hoist gear 844 to roll along the vertical gear track 82 to lift the central self-lifting system 84.
(26) Preferably, four groups of the vertical gear tracks 82 are welded on the surface of the central column 43, and each group consists of two vertical gear tracks. Correspondingly, four groups of central hoist motors 843 can be hosted by the central hoist platform 841, and each group consists of two hoist motors. In addition, each lateral hoist platform 831 is driven by two lateral hoist motors 832.
(27) In some embodiments, as shown in
(28) In some embodiments, the top annular braces 42 host work platforms 6, and the top annular braces 42 are equipped with rubber fenders to berth ships for the purposes of convenient fish catching and transfer of goods, equipment and personnel. Steel guardrail passages 5 are welded on the top radial braces 41 (for example, at least in the east, west, south and north), to provide access between the living quarter 3 and the work platform 6.
(29) In some embodiments, the floating wind turbine foundation 4 hosts a large number of sensors to monitor the water quality and activity of caged fish. All the real-time collected information is transferred to the control hub in the living quarter 3.
(30) In some embodiments, each mooring system 9 comprises a windlass and anchor chains connected to this windlass. The windlass is placed inside the floating wind turbine foundation 4, and the anchor chains hang from the pontoon cantilever section 461. The whole floating offshore wind turbine system is anchored by the anchor chains.
(31) Before the floating offshore wind turbine system goes offshore, construction of the floating offshore wind turbine foundation 4 is first completed in a dockyard. The floating wind turbine foundation 4 is a large-scale steel structure and is symmetrical. To speed up the construction progress and to reduce aerial work, welding of each planar structure for the side frame of the floating wind turbine foundation 4 can be completed in advance in a factory, and then transported to the dockyard for overall assembling. After the major structure of the floating wind turbine foundation 4 is completed, the side self-lifting systems 83 and the central self-lifting system 84 are then installed. The service lives of both the lateral net 71 and the bottom net 72 exceed 20 years. They can be customized in accordance with the size of the cage. The module of living quarter 3 can also be constructed in advance in a factory. The wind turbine 1 and the wind turbine tower 2 can be assembled without the aid of dockyard. After the construction of the floating wind turbine foundation is done, the wind turbine 1 and the wind turbine tower 2 are entirely hoisted above the central column 43 to complete the mating between the wind turbine tower 2 and the central column 43. Then, the living quarter 3 is hoisted and installed, and finally, the lateral net 71 and the bottom net 72 are installed. When the lateral net 71 is being installed, it is required to be in tension. After all construction and installation works are completed, the dockyard gate is opened to receive seawater. The floating wind turbine foundation 4 then floats with the recourse of buoyancy, and a tugboat is used to tow the entire infrastructure out of the dockyard to destined waters. After the infrastructure arrives, the ballast tanks in the bottom pontoons 46 start to pump seawater into the bottom pontoons 46. The wind turbine foundation and the infrastructure then gradually sink to the prescribed draft. After that, the anchor chains are used to moor the entire infrastructure onto the seabed. In the present invention, because the wind turbine 1 and the wind turbine tower 2 have been installed at the dockyard, the offshore installation is saved, and both cost and period of marine operation can be heavily reduced.
(32) During normal operations, part of the power generated by the wind turbine 1 is supplied for the living quarter 3, the sensors in the cage and so on. The remaining power is transmitted to coastal cities in vicinity by submarine cables and booster stations. The fish farming personnel live in the living quarter 3 and controls fish farming in real time, including feeding, cage cleaning, collection of dead fish, etc. Multiple feeding machines are placed on the steel guardrail passages 5 of the top radial braces 41, and the feeding machines directly transport baits via hoses to deep water layers with crowded fish. For net cleaning, the underwater hyperbaric cleaning device can be used. At present, there are mature products of hyperbaric cleaning devices available in the market. When the dead fish or precipitated baits come into being at the bottom of the cage, the side self-lifting systems 83 are activated. The side self-lifting systems 83 will lift the outer circumferential of the bottom net 72 to a desired height. In this case, the entire bottom net 72 is in a funnel shape (that is, the outer circumferential of the bottom net 72 is higher than the center), and under the action of gravity the dead fish or the precipitated baits will slide downward to the openings 8310 of the central hoist platform for being collected. They will be processed offshore and transported to land to avoid marine pollution. The bait transport ship regularly provides baits and living stuffs for the fish farming staff, and the wind turbine maintenance ship regularly provides operation and maintenance services for the wind turbine 1. The bait transport ship and the wind turbine maintenance ship berth against the top annular brace 42. The baits are directly delivered to the bait warehouse in the living quarter 3 via a hose. Living stuffs can be hoisted onto the work platform 6, and the wind turbine maintenance personnel can securely board the work platform 6 from the wind turbine maintenance ship.
(33) When the farmed fish enters the mature period for catching, both the side self-lifting systems 83 and the central self-lifting system 84 start to hoist the bottom net 72. After the bottom net 72 is hoisted to the desired height (preferably to the height of the work platform 6 to facilitate catching), fish is driven into a small space in water, and then a fish pump is used to suck the fish to the ship. After the catching is completed, the bottom net 72 is restored to the bottom of the cage to initiate a new period of fish farming.
(34) The above contents are detailed descriptions of the present application in conjunction with specific preferred implementations, and it should not be considered that the specific implementations of the present application are limited to these descriptions. Those of ordinary skills in the art may also make some deductions or replacements without departing from the conception of the present application and all of such deductions or replacements should be considered to be within the scope of the protection as determined by the claims.