EP2700749B1 - Offshore support structure, in particular for a wind energy plant - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the support structure of an offshore structure, in particular a wind turbine according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Previous offshore wind turbines can be divided into two construction areas. The first part is the highly fatigued load-bearing structure. This begins at the seabed and reaches its end at the flange connection to the tower of the wind turbine. The flange connection carries the tower and the turbine and dissipates the resulting loads and impacts.

The second part is the actual foundation, which e.g. is designed as a foundation element that can be anchored to the seabed or as a gravity foundation. The foundation absorbs the loads caused by the supporting structure, the tower and the wind turbine, discharges them into the seabed. The entire construction, consisting of foundation with foundation and supporting structure as well as tower and turbine, is called offshore wind energy plant (OWEA).

For example, lattice mast constructions are known from the prior art as support structures ( EP 2 067 913 A2 or DE 20 2011 101 599 U1 ), which are formed as three-dimensional frameworks.

When in the EP 2 067 913 A2 described lattice structure consists of the lattice structure of several truss frames, which in turn consist of vertical or slightly inclined support struts in the edge or corner areas and preferably diagonal struts to stiffen. Since the individual supporting stiffening struts of the truss frame collide at one point, separately manufactured knot parts are provided, with which the branching in different directions of the truss struts can be interconnected. In this case, the entire assembled from individual parts construction is designed for each specific case.

Also at the time of the DE 20 2011 101 599 U1 Known lattice construction, the struts of the individual truss frames are also by means of separate node parts together connected. From the document US4701075 a support structure with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known.

A disadvantage of these known lattice mast constructions is on the one hand the complex design, in which the struts of the individual truss frames must be connected to each other by means of separately manufactured knot parts. A further disadvantage is the complex adaptation of the construction to different static requirements, i. each individual productions are necessary, which require high planning, manufacturing and assembly costs and thus are not optimally designed from an economic point of view.

The object of the invention is to provide a support structure of an offshore structure, in particular a wind turbine, which is easily and inexpensively adaptable to different static requirements and significantly reduces the planning, production and assembly costs.

The teaching of the invention comprises a support structure of an offshore structure, in particular a wind turbine, consisting of at least one base module with a predetermined static load capacity, wherein the base module consists of at least two modular-like sub-modules with a predetermined static load capacity and the sub-modules of support plates with supporting struts arranged therebetween and between the support struts arranged stiffening struts are composed and wherein the stiffening struts are arranged with the support struts outside the connection points of the support struts with the support plates and thus node-free.

An embodiment of the invention provides that the support structure consists of at least two modularly stacked and / or juxtaposed and interconnected basic modules with a predetermined static load capacity in order to realize so various forms of foundation structures can.

Although the invention is advantageously suitable for offshore wind turbines, it is not limited thereto. Also conceivable is an advantageous use, e.g. as a support structure for drilling platforms.

With the proposed support structure, the invention involves a cost effective and time saving design which is flexible to different static requirements reacts and can be dispensed with separately prepared node parts.

According to the teaching of the invention, the main benefit lies in the fact that can be significantly reduced by the modular assembly of the support structure of statically predetermined submodules to a statically predetermined basic module and the juxtaposition of the individual basic modules ultimately to a support structure of the planning and production costs. According to the invention, the individual basic modules are stacked one on the other up to the required height, or e.g. for drilling platforms juxtaposed and connected to each other.

Since the sub-modules can be easily prefabricated according to the static requirements as a standard module and factory assembled into a basic module, the manufacturing cost and installation time is significantly reduced on the site, which significantly reduces the overall cost of manufacturing and assembly of the support structure.

Since the stiffening struts of the individual submodules of the support structure are arranged knot-free outside the joints of the support struts with the support plates, so no branches are required at the joints for static reasons, can be dispensed with node parts, which significantly reduces manufacturing costs.

Compared to known solutions, the support structure according to the invention is therefore much easier to implement faster and cheaper.

The floor plan of the basic modules can be flexibly adapted to the respective requirements. In addition to round, triangular, rectangular or square base areas, hexagonal, octagonal or polygonal base areas can also be realized. For flexible design of different base areas of the basic modules, the sub-modules in plan view are also arbitrarily designed, which are advantageously triangular, rectangular or square, so that they can be assembled as required to differently designed base surfaces of the basic module. It is thus possible, for example, to create a hexagonal, octagonal or polygon as a floor plan for the basic module of the supporting structure from a plurality of substructures that are triangular in plan view, so that a diverse geometrical layout of the supporting structure that can be adapted to the requirements is made possible.

While the support plates of the sub-modules e.g. can be made of heavy plate steel, the supporting and reinforcing struts are preferably made of seamless or welded steel tubes whose geometry (diameter, wall thickness) and material are adapted to the different static requirements.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the individual support struts are not formed from one, the static requirements correspondingly dimensioned single tube, but from a bamboo-like composite tube bundle. The individual tubes of the tube bundle are arranged like a bamboo, e.g. with a central tube with arranged over the circumference of other tubes. There are also annular structures conceivable in which pipes are fixedly arranged and connected to one another on a circular ring or on a plurality of concentric circles. As a result, an extremely high static and dynamic bending stiffness of the support structure, with smaller dimensions and comparatively low weight is achieved. This saves material and manufacturing costs. Especially with the occurring in offshore structures dynamic stresses from gusts and waves such structures have proven to be very beneficial.

To protect against corrosion, all components of the supporting structure may advantageously be provided with a coating and / or with cathodic corrosion protection (KKS).

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the basic modules are made from already prefabricated sub-modules, which significantly reduces the construction time and thus the production costs. For this purpose, first the support plates are cut according to the floor plan of the basic modules or the support structure to be produced for the individual sub-modules and then arranged the supporting and reinforcing struts between the support plates and welded.

The prefabricated sub-modules are then assembled according to the required floor plan of the basic module. In this case, a basic module already have the required floor plan of the entire support structure or the floor plan of the support structure is generated by joining together several basic modules in a plane.

To simplify the positioning and connection of the support struts with the support plates It is advantageous to provide the support plates at the appropriate places with sleeve-like receptacles, by means of which the support struts are quasi connected with positive guidance with the support plates. These sleeve-like receptacles may be, for example, with the support plates welded pipe sections which have a slightly larger diameter than the support struts to be introduced therein. The support struts then the stiffening struts are arranged in such a way that they are outside the joints of support struts and support plates of the stacked basic modules , so that can be dispensed on node parts. The stiffening struts are advantageously oriented diagonally in the vertical direction and connect each two support struts of a sub-module.

The required total height of the supporting structure is achieved by a stacking of the individual basic modules, wherein the support plates of the assembled from the submodules basic module, which is placed on the respective lower, act as intermediate plates.

To simplify the assembly, these intermediate plates advantageously on both the top and on the bottom sleeve-like receptacles for the respectively above and below the support plates to be connected support struts.

In order to realize a pyramidal structure of the overall construction, ie a structure tapering from the seabed to the tower, the basic modules to be stacked on each have a decreasing base area.

When placing the basic modules, it is advantageous if seen in the vertical direction, the support struts of the sub-modules are not arranged one above the other, but offset in the plane, as this advantageously contributes to increasing the rigidity of the overall construction.

In addition to an active or passive corrosion protection of the support structure, the connection points of the support struts with the support plate with the sleeve-like receptacles can be additionally protected separately. For this purpose, the support plates of the sub-modules or of the base module according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention in the edge regions on a collar, creating a trough, which can be filled with cement mortar, for example, which surrounds the joints and thus protects against corrosion.

But it is also possible to provide only a limited area around the respective connection points of the support struts with the support plate with an additional corrosion protection.

The present invention will be further clarified by means of embodiments and further aspects and in conjunction with the following figures, without, however, being limited thereto. The embodiments, including their variants, as well as the further aspects of the invention can be combined with one another as desired, unless the contrary clearly results from the context.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Teilmoduls einer Tragstruktur in dreieckiger Form,

Figur 2:

eine schematische Darstellung rechteckförmiger, aus dreieckförmigen Teilmodulen baukastenartig zusammengesetzter Grundmodule einer Tragstruktur,

Figur 3:

eine schematische Darstellung der Draufsicht einer 3-etagigen Tragstruktur aus aufeinandergesetzten Grundmodulen für eine Windenergieanlage, bestehend aus kreisförmig angeordneten und zu Grundmodulen zusammengesetzten dreieckförmigen Teilmodulen,

Figur 4:

wie Figur 3 jedoch in einer 3-D-Ansicht.

Show it:

FIG. 1:

a schematic representation of a sub-module according to the invention of a support structure in triangular shape,

FIG. 2:

FIG. 2 a schematic representation of rectangular basic modules of a support structure assembled in modular fashion from triangular submodules,

FIG. 3:

1 is a schematic representation of the plan view of a three-level supporting structure of stacked basic modules for a wind energy plant, consisting of circularly arranged triangular submodules assembled to form basic modules,

FIG. 4:

as FIG. 3 however in a 3-D view.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a sub-module according to the invention of a support structure in triangular shape. The sub-module 1 according to the invention consists of support plates 4, 4 ', between which support struts 2 and stiffening struts 3 are arranged. According to the invention, the stiffening struts 3 with the support struts 2 are knot-free outside the connection points of the support struts 2 with the support plates 4, 4 '.

FIG. 2 shows, as an example, a schematic representation of a rectangular base module 5 composed of triangular submodules 1, which is joined together with another basic module 5 to form a supporting structure which can be used, for example, for a drilling platform.

FIG. 3 shows as a further application example, the top view of a 3-tier support structure of stacked basic modules 5 ', 5 ", 5'" of a wind turbine, consisting of circular and arranged to basic modules 5 ', 5 ", 5"' triangular sub-modules 1. The essentially circular basic modules 5 ', 5 ", 5'" are stacked in tiers, wherein the base areas of each stacked basic modules 5 ', 5 ", 5"' are smaller, so that there is a pyramidal shape, as shown in the 3-D View in FIG. 4 can be seen. In the stacked basic modules 5 ', 5 ", 5'" it can be seen that the lowermost base module 5 'at the top and bottom each have the same size support plates 4, 4', wherein the upper support plates 4 of the base module 5 'as the lower support plates For the basic module 5 ", the support struts 2 are then arranged in a circle in such a way that a smaller base area of the basic module 5" placed on the basic module 5 'results on the tra plates 4 of the basic module 5'. The support plates 4 "arranged on the support struts 2 of the basic module 5" then again form the lower support plates of the basic module 5 "'provided with an even smaller base area.

It can be seen in FIG. 4 In addition, seen in the vertical direction, the support struts 2 of the sub-modules 1 are not arranged one above the other in alignment, but are offset in the plane at an angle, which advantageously contributes to increasing the rigidity of the overall construction. Furthermore, the FIG. 4 can be seen that the support struts 2 in sleeve-like receptacles 6, which are arranged on or below the support plates, positioned and thus firmly connected.

1. a) gegenüber dem heutigen Stand der Technik deutlich geringere Planungs- und Montagezeiten,
2. b) kostengünstige werkseitige Vorfertigung von statisch vorbestimmten Teil- und Grundmodulen, was die Gesamtkosten der Herstellung und Montage der Tragkonstruktion deutlich reduziert,
3. c) Materialersparnis durch einwirkungsoptimierte Struktur der Tragkonstruktion.

In summary, the following advantages of the foundation structure according to the invention may be mentioned:

1. a) compared to the current state of the art significantly lower planning and assembly times,
2. b) cost-effective factory prefabrication of statically predetermined partial and basic modules, which significantly reduces the total cost of manufacturing and assembly of the support structure,
3. c) Material savings through optimized structure of the supporting structure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

sub-module

2

supporting strut

3

Versteifungsstrebe

4, 4 ', 4 ", 4'"

support plate

5, 5 ', 5 ", 5'"

basic module

6

sleeve-like recording

Claims (13)

1. A supporting structure of an offshore structure, in particular a wind energy plant, wherein the supporting structure comprises at least one base module (5, 5', 5", 5"') having a predetermined structural load-bearing capacity and the base module (5, 5', 5", 5"') comprises at least two modularly assembled sub-modules (1) having a predetermines structural load-bearing capacity, characterised in that the sub-modules (1) are assembled from supporting plates (4, 4', 4", 4"') having supporting struts (2) arranged between them and stiffening struts (3) arranged between the supporting struts (2) and in that the stiffening struts (3) are arranged outside the connecting point between the supporting struts (2) and the supporting plate (4, 4', 4" , 4"') and therefore without nodes.
2. The supporting structure according to Claim 1, characterised in that
   the supporting structure comprises at least two base modules (5, 5', 5", 5"'), which are placed on top of one another in a modular manner and/or arranged adjacent to one another and connected to one another, and which have a predetermined structural load-bearing capacity.
3. The supporting structure according to Claim 1, characterised in that
   the base modules (5, 5', 5", 5"') are assembled from already prefabricated sub-modules (1).
4. The supporting structure according to Claim 1 and 2, characterised in that
   the supporting plates (4, 4', 4", 4"') have sleeve-like receiving means for amounting the supporting struts (2) of the sub-modules (1).
5. The supporting structure according to one of Claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that
   the sub-module (1) has a triangular or rectangular or square base area.
6. The supporting structure according to one of Claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that
   the base module (5, 5', 5", 5"') has a triangular or rectangular, square or polygonal base area.
7. The supporting structure according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in that
   the supporting plate (4, 4', 4", 4"') is manufactured from heavy plate steel and the supporting struts (2) and the stiffening struts (3) are manufactured from seamless or welded steel tubes.
8. The supporting structure according to Claim 6, characterised in that the individual supporting struts (2) comprise bundles of a plurality of tubes.
9. The supporting structure according to Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that
   the supporting plate (4, 4', 4", 4"') is of a traugh-like design and is filled with grouting protecting the connecting points with the supporting struts (2) from corrosion.
10. A supporting structure according to one of Claims 1 to 8,
    characterised in that,
    to realise a pyramidal arrangement of the individual base modules (5, 5' , 5", 5"') placed on top of one another, these have a diminishing base area in each case.
11. The supporting structure according to one of Claims 1 to 9,
    characterised in that
    it is provided with a passive and/or active corrosion protection.
12. The use of a supporting structure according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10 for wind energy plants or offshore drilling platforms .
13. A method for manufacturing a supporting structure for an offshore structure according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11,
    comprising the step of producing prefabricated structurally determined sub-modules, assembling the sub-modules to form one or more structurally determined base modules, placing the base modules on top of one another or against one another and connecting them together, without nodes, up to a specified height of the supporting structure.

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