Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Energy Production in an Offshore Wind Farm

Abstract

An apparatus for generating offshore wind employs shallow draft floats supporting a lattice tower with a wide base having a single-line anchoring providing passive yawing. The lattice structure supports a horizontal shaft at both ends of the shaft for rotating a rotor assembly. Mechanical energy from the rotor may be transferred to electrical generation equipment located at the base of the structure.

Claims

1. An offshore wind turbine comprising: a truss structure supported above a water surface by shallow draft floats; and a wind turbine supported atop said truss structure; and said shallow draft floats fixedly engaged with a rectangular frame, and arranged in a rectangular pattern having four straight sides; and a triangular frame having three straight sides, one side fixedly engaged and parallel with one straight side of said rectangular frame; and a hitch point on said triangular frame at the end of two of said three straight sides; and said hitch point removably engaged with a mooring apparatus; wherein mooring said wind turbine from said hitch point allows the wind turbine to yaw passively and said wind turbine may be towed by said hitch point.

2. The offshore wind turbine of claim 1 further comprising: electrical-production equipment electrically coupled with said wind turbine, and a first transmission line from said electrical production equipment to said hitch point; and said first transmission line removably engaged with a second transmission line that is electrically coupled to a land based electrical grid.

3. The offshore wind turbine of claim 1 further comprising: at least one hinge between said hitch point and said triangular frame; wherein said hinge mitigates movement from local wave height changes while maneuvering said hitch point.

4. The offshore wind turbine of claim 1 further comprising: remote controlled mechanical connection between said hitch point and said mooring apparatus.

5. The offshore wind turbine of claim 1 further comprising: a remote controlled electrical connection between said first transmission line and said second transmission line.

6. The offshore wind turbine of claim 1 further comprising: a float removably engaged proximal to said hitch point.

7. A method of exchanging a non-functioning, first offshore wind turbine of claim 1 with a second offshore wind turbine, the method comprising: removably engaging a first hitch point on a first offshore wind turbine to a boat while near shore; and towing said first offshore wind turbine to a wind farm populated with a plurality of offshore wind turbines of claim 1; and positioning said first offshore wind turbine first hitch point proximal to a second hitch point on a second offshore wind turbine; and removing said second hitch point on said second offshore wind turbine from said mooring apparatus; and disconnecting said first transmission line on said second offshore wind turbine from said second transmission line; and engaging said second hitch point on said second offshore wind turbine to said boat; and engaging said first hitch point on said first offshore wind turbine to said mooring apparatus; and engaging said first transmission line on said first offshore wind turbine with said second transmission line; and towing said second offshore wind turbine to shore; wherein wind farm electrical production down-time is minimized and maintenance and repairs to said second offshore wind turbine are conducted near shore.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example embodiment of the disclosure;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of thereof;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof.

DESCRIPTION

[0018] FIG. 1 shows example embodiment 100 in which a truss structure 116 is supported by shallow floats 112. Floats 112 are arranged in a rectilinear pattern. One skilled in the art understands that fewer than 4 shallow floats or more than 4 shallow floats 112 could also function to support a truss structure 116. In some embodiments, the overall structure includes four shallow floats 112 in a rectilinear pattern, further joined to a triangular structure that supports a mooring and towing point 114. A plan view of the structure (FIG. 3) shows an irregular pentagon with four vertices in a rectangular pattern and a fifth vertex 114 extending from the midpoint of two of the other vertices. When moored to the mooring/towing point 114 the turbine may passively yaw about the mooring point, obviating the need for a nacelle-based yaw mechanism.

[0019] The truss structure 116 supports a horizontal shaft 120 about which a turbine rotor 110 rotates. The structure 116 may be configured to support a shaft 120 at both ends. One skilled in the art understands the complexity of supporting a cantilevered shaft with a heavy rotor. In some embodiments, electrical-generation equipment is located on the base of the structure 126. Mechanical energy may be transferred from the rotor 110 to the electrical generation-equipment 122 by a drive mechanism 124. One skilled in the art understands that a drive mechanism 124 may be a belt, shaft, chain or the like. The overall structure obviates the need for a nacelle at the rotor axis 118, which obviates the need to perform high-altitude maintenance.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment towed by a boat 130 at the embodiment's mooring/towing point 114. One skilled in the art understands that switching out a turbine in a field and towing a turbine to a land-based or near-land-based facility for maintenance or repair, greatly facilitates maintenance tasks while maintaining maximum power production from a turbine field. Additional reference numbers are shown for reference.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a plan view depicting two turbines being replaced before towing one to a near-shore facility for maintenance. A mooring line is attached to a first turbine at the mooring/towing point 114. Both turbines are attached to the mooring point momentarily. The first turbine is removed and attached to a boat 130 for towing to a maintenance facility. In some embodiments a hitch point is an apparatus similar to a fifth-wheel used in the trucking industry. Rudders adapted to fit the turbine assist in moving the turbine once connected to the hitch point.

[0022] In some embodiments, electrical switchgear is mounted on the turbine structure and can suppress large currents in a power cable. In some embodiments the switchgear is operated remotely. One skilled in the art understands pneumatic, electric line or radio-signal-operated remote-switching technology. Other embodiments include an isolating switch below a cable connection to the turbine to enable safe switching. Strain relief in a cable may be achieved by pulling the turbine forward to slacken the line.

[0023] In an example switching operation, a tugged turbine is swapped with a moored turbine. A small boat 130 is adapted to clasp turbines to a hitch point 114 and move turbines about. In some embodiments, remote-controlled features include a remote-controlled mooring connection or removal, or remote-controlled rudders on wind turbine structures for straight-line towing or for rotation about the mooring point.

[0024] FIG. 3 depicts a boat 130 moving two turbines close together, joining float 112 to float 112. Then mooring point 114 is connected to mooring point 114. Mooring point 114 is then connected to a fifth-wheel on a boat 130. Structural lines between each turbine's mooring point and hub are lengthened so that hinged standoffs to the mooring point may move up and down with the local wave height. One skilled in the art understands that such standoffs may include a float near hitch point 114 to support hitch point 114 at a fixed height above the water elevation. This permits the boat to connect to points 114 and 114 simultaneously despite wave motions of each turbine and the boat. Once turbines are connected to each other and to the boat 130, the upper end of a mooring line can be loosened with a parallel strain-relieving winch and the mooring line may be lifted free of its hook and transferred to the receiver on the other turbine. Electrical connections are then transferred.

[0025] To facilitate quick towing, a turbine to be towed near to shore may be positioned over sunk air-cushion transporters, then winched onto land. One skilled in the art understands how a gin pole may be used to lift a turbine by its hub to move it to land. In other examples, a gantry crane may be erected near shore to assist in maintenance or movement to shore.

[0026] In an example scenario, each turbine is autonomously self-moving and self-connecting. Motors, propellers, rudders and a control unit enable simultaneous transport of more than one turbine to shore. In one example, all turbines in a field enter a protected anchorage and all are connected together to prepare for heavy weather.

[0027] In another example, automated boats, controlled from land, may be configured to move turbines, connect and disconnect electrical connections, and tow turbines to shore. To ease the switching of a mooring cable, it may be connected by a dovetail that allows horizontal sliding when not locked. Once a spare turbine is keyed to a moored turbine, hydraulic cylinders may push the mooring cable to the spare unit, even if the cable is still loaded.