FR3064973A1 - HYBRID OFFSHORE WIND FLOAT - Google Patents

Abstract

This hybrid float including offshore wind, comprising at least four columns, including a central column and three outer columns (4) connected to the central column by pontoon-shaped branches, is characterized in that at least some of the columns (4) are made from modular sections (9, 10) fixed on each other.

Description

© Publication number: 3,064,973 (to be used only for reproduction orders) © National registration number: 17 53091 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : B 63 B 35/44 (2017.01), F 03 D 13/25

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 10.04.17. (© Priority: © Applicant (s): DONS ENERGIES— FR. @ Inventor (s): MOIRET CYRILLE. (© Date of public availability of the request: 12.10.18 Bulletin 18/41. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): DCNS ENERGIES. ©) Extension request (s): (© Agent (s): LAVOIX.

? 4) HYBRID OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE FLOAT.

(5 /) This hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine, comprising at least four columns, including a central column and three external columns (4) connected to the central column by branches in the form of a pontoon, is characterized in that at at least some of the columns (4) are made from modular sections (9, 10) fixed on each other.

FR 3 064 973 - A1

HYBRID OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE FLOAT

The present invention relates to a hybrid float, especially an offshore wind turbine.

Such floats are already known in the state of the art, as for example by the document WO 2014/031009.

This document describes such a float which comprises at least four columns, for example of steel, including a central column, and three outer columns, connected to the central column by branches in the form of a concrete pontoon.

In this document, the outer columns are connected to the central column in a star configuration.

The outer columns and the pontoon-shaped branches of this float then also include ballasts, making it possible to adjust the level of buoyancy of this float.

This allows for example the transport and installation of this wind turbine on an electricity production site.

Floats of this nature are said to be hybrid because they use a mixed structure, for example steel for the columns and concrete for the pontoon-shaped branches, between them.

In the prior document mentioned above, means for pumping out these ballasts are also provided.

These pumping means make it possible to pump water out of these ballasts to modify the buoyancy of the assembly.

This prior document therefore generally describes the concept of a hybrid float.

The present invention aims to advance the definition of this type of floats.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine, comprising at least four columns, including a central column and three outer columns connected to the central column by branches in the form of a pontoon, characterized in that at least some of the columns are made from modular sections fixed on each other.

According to other characteristics of the float according to the invention, taken alone or in combination:

- At least the outer columns are made from modular sections fixed on each other;

- the opposite ends of the column sections include fixing flanges;

- The fixing flanges have holes for passage of means for fixing the sections on one another;

the fixing means comprise bolts;

- sealing means are placed between the flanges opposite the ends of the sections;

- The sealing means comprise at least one elastomer O-ring seal;

- one end of one of the column sections facing the other has a centering flange on the other section to facilitate its mounting;

- the pontoon-shaped columns and branches are made of different materials;

the pontoon-shaped branches are made of concrete and the columns are of steel.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a hybrid offshore wind turbine float according to the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a sectional view of part of this float;

- Figure 3 shows a detail view on an enlarged scale illustrating the fixing of modular column sections one on the other.

There is indeed illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a hybrid float including offshore wind turbine.

This offshore wind turbine is designated by the general reference 1 in these figures, and the float thereof is designated by the general reference 2.

In the present application, the term hybrid is used to describe a float using two different materials to make parts of it.

Thus and as indicated in the prior document mentioned previously, such a float 2 comprises at least four columns, for example of steel, including a central column, designated by the general reference 3, and three outer columns designated by the references 4, 5 and 6.

These external columns are connected to the central column, by branches in the form of a concrete pontoon, two of which, for example 7 and 8, are illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Of course, other materials such as for example composite materials can be used.

As indicated previously also, the central column and the external columns can be columns for example of steel or other and have a cylindrical section while the pontoon-shaped branches can be made of concrete and have a polygonal section such as rectangular or square example.

Also conventionally, in this type of float, the outer columns and the pontoon-shaped branches include ballasts.

We also see appearing in these figures, the difference in the nature of the materials for producing these elements, namely the columns for example of steel or other and the branches in the form of a pontoon for example of concrete or other.

In fact and to facilitate handling, assembly and in general any intervention on this type of floats, using limited means, for example at least some of the columns of this float are made from modular sections fixed to each other. on the others.

An exemplary embodiment of this float has been illustrated in FIG. 3, where it can be seen for example that the outer column 4 is produced from modular sections fixed one on the other, such as for example the sections 9 and 10, placed one on top of the other.

The junction between the two sections is then made for example above the splash level to avoid any risk of corrosion.

In the example described, two column sections attached to one another are illustrated.

It goes without saying of course that a different number of sections can be envisaged.

In the example described in the figures, the outer columns are made from modular sections.

It goes without saying of course that other embodiments can be envisaged.

In fact and as illustrated, the sections for example 9 and 10 of columns for example 4, have at their ends facing each other, fixing flanges.

These fixing flanges are for example designated by the references 11 and 12 respectively, and include through holes for example 13 and 14, for means for fixing the column sections on each other.

The most conventional fixing means that can be used are for example 5 constituted by bolts passing through these flanges and making it possible to tighten them against each other, after assembly of the sections.

It will also be noted that sealing means, such as for example means designated by the general reference 15 in FIG. 3, can be arranged in corresponding grooves in these flanges opposite the ends of these column sections.

Also usually, such sealing means 15 may comprise at least one O-ring, for example made of elastomer.

Also illustrated in this FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment in which one end of one of the column sections facing the other section has a centering flange on the other section to facilitate its mounting.

Thus, for example, in the illustrated case, the upper column section 10 comprises a flange designated by the general reference 16, making it possible to center and facilitate the mounting of this section 10 on the column section 9.

It goes without saying of course that very many other alternative embodiments of these means and of these columns can be envisaged.

As indicated above, the pontoon-shaped columns and branches can be made from different materials such as, for example, steel and concrete respectively.

Still other embodiments can be envisaged.

Claims (10)

1. -Hybrid float (2) in particular offshore wind turbine (1), comprising at least four columns, including a central column (3) and three external columns (4, 5, 6) connected to the central column by branches in pontoon shape (7, 8), characterized in that at least some of the columns (4) are made from modular sections (9, 10) fixed to each other. 2. - hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the outer columns (4, 5, 6) are made from modular sections (9,10) fixed on each other . 3. - Hybrid float including offshore wind turbine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the opposite ends of the column sections (9, 10) have fixing flanges (11, 12). 4. - Hybrid float including offshore wind turbine according to claim 3, characterized in that the fixing flanges (11, 12) have holes (13, 14) for passage of means for fixing the sections on each other. 5. - Hybrid float including offshore wind turbine according to claim 4, characterized in that the fixing means comprise bolts. 6. - Hybrid float including offshore wind turbine according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that sealing means (15) are placed between the flanges facing the ends of the sections. 7-. Hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine according to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing means (15) comprise at least one elastomer O-ring. 8-. Hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one end of one of the column sections (10) facing the other (9) comprises a flange (16) of centering of the other section to facilitate its assembly. 9-. Hybrid float, especially offshore wind turbine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the columns and branches in the form of a pontoon are made of different materials. 10-. Hybrid float, in particular offshore wind turbine according to claim 9, characterized in that the pontoon-shaped branches are made of concrete and the columns are made of steel. 1/2