OFFSHORE STATION AND METHOD FOR FLUSHING SHELTERED REGIONS

Abstract

Offshore station, having a metal structure, wherein the metal structure (4) has watering regions (6) which are exposed to natural watering (22), wherein the metal structure (4) has sheltered regions (8) which are exposed to natural watering (22) only to a limited extent, if at all, having at least one cleaning device (14), wherein the cleaning device (14) has at least one collecting device (16), at least one line system (18) and outlet openings (20), wherein the collecting device (16) is designed for collecting rainwater (22), wherein the line system (18) is connected to the collecting device (16) and is designed for distributing the rainwater (22), and wherein the outlet openings (20) are designed for flushing the sheltered regions (8) with rainwater (22).

Claims

1. An offshore substation of a wind turbine, comprising: a metal structure (4), wherein the metal structure (4) has rained-on regions (6) which are exposed to natural rainwater (22), and wherein the metal structure (4) has sheltered regions (8) which are not exposed to rainwater or only to a limited extent; and at least one cleaning device (14), wherein the cleaning device (14) has at least one accumulation device (16), at least one conduit system (18), and outlet openings (20), wherein the accumulation device (16) is configured to collect rainwater (22), wherein the conduit system (18) is connected to the accumulation device (16) and is configured to distribute the rainwater (22), and wherein the outlet openings (20) are configured for flushing the sheltered regions (8) with rainwater (22).

2. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (14) has at least one filter (24) or at least one oil/water separator (26) or at least one water-treatment device (28), or a combination thereof, in order to treat the collected rainwater (22) before the sheltered regions (8) are flushed.

3. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein the outlet openings (20) are formed on nozzles (30), in particular on sprinkler nozzles (30).

4. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein one or more pumps (32) are provided for conveying the rainwater (22) to the outlet openings (20).

5. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein the conduit system (18) has pipes (34) or hoses (34), or a combination thereof, the circumferential surfaces of which have outlet openings (20) for ejecting the rainwater (22).

6. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (14) has a control system (36) for controlling flushing events, wherein the control system (36) in particular has a rain sensor (38) or a timer (40) or a fill-level sensor (42) and/or a camera (44), or a combination thereof.

7. The offshore substation of claim 1, further comprising: a helipad (46), wherein the helipad (46) forms a collecting area (48) of the accumulation device (16) for collecting rainwater (22).

8. The offshore substation of claim 1, wherein the accumulation device (16) has a storage space (50) for storing 2 m.sup.3 to 20 m.sup.3 of rainwater (22).

9. A method for flushing sheltered regions of an offshore substation of a wind turbine, comprising: collecting and accumulating rainwater (22) using an accumulation device (16) for collecting rainwater (22); distributing the rainwater (22) using a conduit system (18) connected to the accumulation device (16) and feeding the rainwater (22) to outlet openings (20); and flushing the sheltered regions (8) of the offshore substation of the wind turbine with rainwater (22) via the outlet openings (20).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the rainwater (22) is treated and/or quality-controlled and/or filtered before the sheltered regions (8) are flushed.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the sheltered regions (8) are flushed at fixed intervals, in particular every two weeks or the sheltered regions (8) are flushed depending on the fill level of the accumulation device (16), wherein a minimum fill level of the accumulation device (16) exists in particular before the start of a flushing event or flushing of the sheltered regions (8) takes place depending on need, wherein the need for flushing is determined in particular by a camera system (44) which monitors at least partially the sheltered regions (8) to be flushed or a flushing event is triggered manually by an operator; or continuous flushing takes place, or a combination thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The invention is described below with the aid of drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows schematically an offshore station;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows schematically an offshore station according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows schematically a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows an offshore station 2. The offshore station 2 is an offshore substation 2 of a wind turbine.

[0039] The offshore station 2 has a metal structure 4. The metal structure 4 has rained-on regions 6 which are exposed to natural rainfall 22. The metal structure 4 has sheltered regions 8 which are not exposed to natural rainfall 22 or only to a limited extent. Sheltered regions 8 of this type are formed in particular below decks 10 of the offshore station 2. The offshore station 2 has a helipad 46.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows an offshore station 12 according to the invention which, analogously to the offshore station 2, has a metal structure 4, rained-on regions 6, sheltered regions 8, and decks 10.

[0041] The offshore station 12 according to FIG. 2 has a cleaning device 14. The cleaning device 14 has an accumulation device 16, a conduit system 18 and outlet openings 20.

[0042] The accumulation device 16 is configured to collect rainwater 22. The conduit system 18 is connected to the accumulation device 16 and configured to distribute the rainwater 22. The outlet openings 20 are configured for the purpose of flushing the sheltered regions 8 with rainwater 22.

[0043] The cleaning device 14 has a filter 24, an oil/water separator 26, and a water-treatment device 28. They serve to treat the collected rainwater 22 before the sheltered regions 8 are flushed. The water-treatment device 28 can be provided for at least partially desalinating the rainwater 22.

[0044] In the present case, the outlet openings 20 are formed on nozzles 30. The nozzles 30 are sprinkler nozzles 30 in the present case.

[0045] A pump 32 is furthermore provided for conveying the rainwater 22 to the outlet openings 20. The conduit system 18 has hoses 34 and pipes 34, the circumferential surfaces of which likewise have outlet openings 20 for ejecting the rainwater 22.

[0046] The cleaning device 14 has a control system 36 for controlling flushing events. The control system 36 has a rain sensor 38, a timer 40, a fill-level sensor 42, and a camera 44.

[0047] The offshore station 12 has a helipad 46. The helipad 46 forms a collecting area 48 of the accumulation device 16 for collecting the rainwater 22.

[0048] A storage space 50 of the accumulation device 16 is 15 m.sup.3 in the present case.

[0049] The method according to the invention is described in detail below.

[0050] In a method step A, rainwater 22 is first collected using the accumulation device 16.

[0051] In method step B, the rainwater 22 is passed into the storage space 50 via the conduit system 18. Starting from the storage space 50, the rainwater 22 is treated by the filter 24, the oil/water separator 26, and the water-treatment device 28. The rainwater 22 is furthermore distributed via the conduit system 16 and fed to the outlet openings 20.

[0052] In a method step C, the sheltered regions 8 are flushed with rainwater 22 via the outlet openings 20.

[0053] In the present case, a flushing event is performed every two weeks.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0054] 2 offshore station [0055] 4 metal structure [0056] 6 rained-on region [0057] 8 sheltered region [0058] 10 deck [0059] 12 offshore station [0060] 14 cleaning device [0061] 16 accumulation device [0062] 18 conduit system [0063] 20 outlet opening [0064] 22 rainwater [0065] 24 filter [0066] 26 oil/water separator [0067] 28 water-treatment device [0068] 30 nozzle/sprinkler nozzle [0069] 32 pump [0070] 34 hoses/pipes [0071] 36 control system [0072] 38 rain sensor [0073] 40 timer [0074] 42 fill-level sensor [0075] 44 camera [0076] 46 helipad [0077] 48 collecting area [0078] 50 storage space