FR3090753A1 - CARRIER STRUCTURE FOR IN SITU INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF MARINE ENERGY SENSOR MODULES - Google Patents

Abstract

Support structure and in situ installation of marine energy capture modules, in particular of at least one tidal turbine, comprising: at least one tidal turbine frame 10 comprising a pivoting support 12 along a substantially vertical axis, for at least one tidal turbine 13, integral with a sealed box 11 advantageously made of concrete, a ballast assembly 14a, 14b, allowing the control of the flotation during in situ installation and then the maintenance or removal on the ground of said tidal turbine frame 10 , a connection assembly 20 between at least two tidal turbine chassis 10 comprising for each of the two chassis 10, a longitudinal semi-rigid link 21a and a transverse semi-rigid link 21b, a configuration of said chassis 10 in a network, which chassis 10 being interconnected by said semi-rigid links 21a, 21b and associated with internal and peripheral boxes 30, 40.

Description

Description

Title of the invention: CARRIER STRUCTURE

FOR IN SITU INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF MARINE ENERGY COLLECTION MODULES

The present invention relates to a support structure for in situ installation and removal of marine energy capture modules, in particular of at least one tidal turbine.

This method applies in particular, but not exclusively, to the displacement and installation of marine energy capture modules and to deposition by immersion on the underwater soil, as well as to the removal of these. ci allowing maintenance and fairing.

In general, it is known that the modules for capturing marine energy, in particular tidal turbines, are transported, installed or removed from the unit either by porting on ship, or by towing a carrier barge; these operations are slow, perilous and moreover costly. These constraints are all the more important when the navigation conditions are difficult.

Furthermore, the establishment of a tidal turbine requires for its stability to be either secured to a fixed structure such as a pylon implanted by drilling or a massif built and placed on the underwater soil, or to constitute a individually weighted and massive entity.

Patent LR2949482 proposes a support foundation comprising a base, a tidal turbine support carried by the base and at least three support legs on the seabed and connected together by the base, each support leg comprising a hollow box and a member for adjusting the vertical position.

Patent LR3001742 proposes a tidal turbine chassis comprising: a support for at least one tidal turbine, made at least partially of concrete, a ballast assembly configured to cooperate with the support so as to maintain it on the subsoil sailor of the tidal turbine chassis.

Patent LR3003310 proposes a load-bearing structure for a tidal turbine, of the tripod type, comprising a chassis whose base is of generally triangular shape delimited by three peripheral elements, having at each of its vertices means for connection to the ground, the load-bearing structure having a reception element intended to receive a ventral part of a turbine, the reception element resting on an arm secured to the base, knowing that the reception element is connected to the base by three legs, and that the three peripheral elements and / or the arm and / or the three legs have tubular shapes in which is present a ballasting and / or stiffening material.

These three proposals meet the constraints of deposition by immersion of tidal turbine supports on the installation site, but do not respond to sea transport independently by simple towing.

We also know that the maintenance of marine energy capture modules periodically and systematically requires lifting and dry for the refit operations specific to any material permanently submerged in seawater; this aspect is an essential axis for the exploitation of these marine energy capture devices.

The invention therefore more particularly aims to eliminate these drawbacks. It offers a support structure for in situ installation and removal of marine energy capture modules, in particular at least one tidal turbine comprising: • a tidal turbine frame comprising a support pivoting along a substantially vertical axis, for at least one tidal turbine, integral with a watertight box advantageously made of concrete, a ballasting assembly allowing the control of the flotation during the installation in situ then the maintenance on the underwater ground or the removal of the tidal turbine chassis , • a connection assembly between at least two turbine structures comprising, for each of the two chassis, a longitudinal semi-rigid connection and a transverse semi-rigid connection, located in the watertight box near the ballasting assembly, l internal tightness and / or the maintenance within said sealed casing of said semi-rigid connections being ensured by flexible connections, • a configuration of said chassis in network, which chassis is ant interconnected by semi-rigid connections and associated with internal ballastable watertight boxes and peripherals by semi-rigid connections.

Thus the structure of the tidal turbine chassis will initially allow displacement by towing to the installation site, then in a second step, immersion on the underwater soil, finally removal for maintenance and the fairing; moreover, the linkage assembly will allow towing of several tidal turbine chassis during the swell phase in the presence of swell, then during the immersion phase, positioning on uneven underwater ground.

More precisely, the tidal turbine chassis comprising a support pivoting along a substantially vertical axis, for at least one tidal turbine, will consist of a sealed box of parallelepipedal, trapezoidal or frustoconical shape, advantageously made of concrete, dimensioned so that, on the one hand, it keeps said support in buoyancy for at least one turbine, the center of gravity being as low as possible in order to contribute to its stability in navigation, and that on the other hand, it contributes in submerged phase when held on submarine soil, taking into account the underwater environment conditions.

More precisely, said tidal turbine chassis comprising a support for at least one tidal turbine, will be made up of a box of parallelepipedal, trapezoidal or frustoconical shape, advantageously produced in mechanically welded structure, dimensioned so that it maintains said support for at least one tidal turbine.

According to a feature of the invention, said watertight boxes supporting said tidal turbine chassis as well as said internal and peripheral waterproof boxes may be of cylindrical or elliptical, trapezoidal or frustoconical section, making it possible to reduce the penetration coefficient in the water; this is indeed crucial for the holding of the structure which will have a strong tendency to rip on the bottom, favoring the possible use of the frustoconical shape, especially if the orientation of the tidal turbines is different from that of the structure.

According to a feature of the invention, said ballast assembly, located in said watertight boxes supporting said turbine chassis as well as said internal and peripheral waterproof boxes, will be composed of a set of ballasts, each of said ballasts will include a or two sets of valves, preferably actuated with compressed air and surface-controlled so as to control the attitude of said support structure and installation in situ, said valves will be dimensioned to ensure the expulsion of compressed air by from surface vessels, which will allow filling or emptying of seawater as well as venting operations and may be, if necessary, of the assisted valve type.

According to a feature of the invention, said support for tidal turbine, located in the vicinity of the upper part of the watertight box, may include a pivot whose central axis will be vertical, allowing the orientation of the tidal turbine so as to optimize its efficiency; said upper part will be preserved to allow the implantation of any other type of fixing.

According to another feature of the invention, the supporting structure and in situ installation will be adaptable to the operation of different EMR modules such as wind turbines, wave energy sensors.

As such, the principle of mounting on a network on integral chassis can be retained for insane wind turbines, thus allowing the use of large or even indestructible foundations.

According to another feature of the invention, the elements of the support structure and in situ installation can be optimized to promote the shelter and development of marine life.

Thus, the supporting structure and in situ installation of marine energy capture modules according to the invention could constitute a coherent structure having great shape stability, thanks to a particularly wide hull or volume of hull volume. associated with a low center of gravity; this stability of the assembly will also have the advantage of allowing it to be installed on a slightly sloping ground, which is difficult to envisage for a tidal turbine on a tripod base.

The method of assembling the modules together will simultaneously ensure the maintenance of the support structure in an elastic manner, and that of each chassis constituting said support structure.

The balance in navigation mode and the support structure on the ground will be ensured on the sides as well as at the front and at the rear by connecting chassis of suitable dimensions; the staggered arrangement of the different chassis will minimize losses by turbulence between the propellers of the tidal turbines as well as the risks of resonance during the navigation phase.

Note the necessarily very high center of gravity of each module would only make it stable in the inverted position; the stability of the chassis will therefore be partly ensured by its shape stability, but mainly by the presence of the adjacent chassis due to the semi-rigid mechanical connections between the different chassis; This saving in weight will make ballasting control reasonably possible, in particular with regard to the compressed air reserves which will have to be loaded on service vessels of modest dimensions.

As such, said semi-rigid mechanical connections may consist of longitudinal or transverse or longitudinal tubes not necessarily having the same diameter because the forces to be compensated, in particular on the ground, due to the thrust exerted by the propellers, will not be the same; the transverse tubes may be of smaller diameter so as to reduce the drag of the entire supporting structure.

As an indication, for a tidal turbine whose diameter is close to 15 meters, the dimensions of the box allowing it to be supported will be close to 20 meters in width, from 20 to 25 meters in length, or an area of 400 to 500 m ² ; the height of said box will be close to 4 meters in order to obtain a volume sufficient to ensure the flotation of the whole taking into account the external structures and internal arrangements.

An embodiment of the method according to the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[fig.l] represents a sagittal section of a tidal turbine chassis associated with a first type of box,

[fig.2] represents a sagittal section of a tidal turbine chassis associated with a second type of box,

[fig.3a] represents a sagittal section of a first type of internal or peripheral connection box associated with a first connection assembly, [fig.3b] represents a sagittal section of a second type of internal or peripheral connection box associated with a second connection assembly,

[fig.3c] represents a sagittal section of a third type of internal or peripheral connection box associated with said first and second connection sets,

[fig.4] represents a schematic view of a grouping in an orthogonal network of a multitude of tidal turbine chassis associated mainly with the first connection assembly,

[fig.5] represents a schematic view of a grouping in a polygonal network of a multitude of tidal turbine chassis associated mainly with the second connection assembly,

[fig.6] represents a schematic view of a grouping in multimodal network of a multitude of turbine chassis, and

[Fig.7] Figures 7a, 7b show schematic views of the waterproof box supporting a turbine structure.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the supporting structure and installation for marine energy capture modules consists on the one hand of a tidal turbine frame 10 and on the other hand of a connection assembly 20 between at least two tidal turbine chassis.

The turbine structure includes a waterproof box 11, advantageously made of concrete, consisting of a lower slab 11a, an upper slab 11b, and four vertical walls 11c.

In the upper part of the waterproof box 11, in the vicinity of the upper slab 11b, a support pivoting about a substantially vertical axis, for a tidal turbine consists of an element 12a secured to the slab 11b and a pivoting element 12b , this pivoting element 12b constitutes the support of the tidal turbine 13.

The tidal turbine 13 consists of a cylindrical casing 13a secured to the pivoting element 12b, of a set of blades 13b associated with an electrical energy generator 13c.

In the lower part of the waterproof box 11, a ballast assembly 14a, 14b, represented schematically by two longitudinal ballasts 14a, 14b, each of said ballasts will include one or two redundant sets of valves, not shown, preferably actuated in air compressed and controlled at the surface, said valves will be sized to ensure the flushing of compressed air from surface vessels, which will allow filling or emptying of seawater as well as venting operations; these valves may, if necessary, be of the assisted valve type.

In the example shown in Figure 2, the support structure and installation for marine energy capture modules consists on the one hand of a tidal turbine frame 10 and on the other hand of a connection assembly 20 between at least two tidal turbine chassis.

The turbine structure includes a box 14, advantageously made of mechanically welded structure; in the vicinity of the upper part of the box 14, a support pivoting along a substantially vertical axis, for a tidal turbine consists of an element 12a secured to the waterproof box 14 and a pivoting element 12b; this pivoting element 12b constitutes the support for the tidal turbine 13.

The tidal turbine 13 consists of a cylindrical casing 13a secured to the pivoting element 12b, of a set of blades 13b associated with an electrical energy generator 13c.

The sealed box 14 also includes longitudinal tubes or longitudinal members 21a, 21b and transverse 21c, which are secured by connections 22 located at the periphery of the sealed box 14; the longitudinal beams 21b are integral with the longitudinal beams 21a, advantageously by means of sleeves 21d, thus allowing dimensional adaptation to the layout of the wind turbine chassis in a network; moreover, the longitudinal beams 21b comprise at their free end a male ball joint 21e, which will be associated with a female ball joint described below.

It should be noted that said longitudinal tubes or longitudinal members 21a, 21b and transverse 21c may be located in the same plane; moreover, the ball joint device, described above, can advantageously be replaced by a cardan type device or with a single joint if only one degree of freedom is required.

In the example shown in Figure 3a, a first type of internal or peripheral connection box 30 associated with a first connection assembly 20, consists of an upper wall 31 in the form of an inverted V, and a V-shaped bottom wall 32, which is integral, in the vicinity of its lower part, with a sole 33, mainly constituting the ballast of the waterproof box; the two walls 31, 32 constitute a ballast cavity in the upper part 34a and in the lower part 34b.

The internal or peripheral connection box 30 is also crossed, in the vicinity of the central area, by a longitudinal beam 21a and a transverse beam 21b, which are integral with the connection box 30 by flexible connections 22.

In the example shown in Figure 3b, a second type of internal or peripheral connection box 40 associated with a second connection assembly 20, consists of an upper wall 41 in the form of an inverted V, and a lower wall 41 in the form of a V, which is integral, in the vicinity of its lower part, with a sole 33, constituting the ballast of the waterproof box; the two walls 41 constitute a ballast cavity 43.

The internal or peripheral connection box 40 comprises, in the vicinity of the lower zone, two longitudinal beams 21b secured to male ball joints 21e, which are secured to the connection box 40 by connections 22 equipped with female ball joints.

In the example shown in Figure 3c, a third type of internal or peripheral connection box 30 associated with said first and second connection assemblies 20, consists of an upper wall 31 in the form of an inverted V, and d 'A lower wall 32 in the form of a V, which is integral, in the vicinity of its lower part, with a sole 33, constituting the ballast of the waterproof box; the two walls 31, 32 constitute a ballast cavity in the upper part 34a and in the lower part 34b.

The internal or peripheral connection box 30 is also crossed, in the vicinity of the central area, by a longitudinal beam 21a and a transverse beam 21b, which are integral with the connection box 30 by flexible connections 22.

Furthermore, the internal or peripheral connection box 30 comprises, in the vicinity of the lower zone, a longitudinal beam 36a secured to a male ball joint 36b, which is secured to the connection box 30 by a link 35 equipped with a female patella.

In the example shown in Figure 4, semi-rigid mechanical connections 21, consisting of beams or transverse and longitudinal tubes, maintain the various chassis 11 of the turbine 13 in a coherent manner while allowing implantation on a slightly sloping floor.

Said semi-rigid mechanical connections 21 are of three types:

• longitudinal 21a, parallel to the main axis of the network structure, • transverse 21b, perpendicular to the main axis of the network structure, • external 21c, defining the outer limit of the network structure.

Connection boxes 30, 40 located at the periphery of the network structure, and flexible connections 50 located between the different chassis 11 of the turbine 13, ensure a certain rigidity of the network structure, knowing that the connections between the chassis 11 of the turbine 13, the side members 21a, 21b, 21c, and the flexible connections 50, are produced by flexible connections.

Two towing devices 23 are secured respectively downstream and upstream of the network structure.

In the example shown in Figure 5, semi-rigid mechanical connections 21, consisting of beams or internal and external tubes, maintain the various chassis 14 of the turbine 13 in a consistent manner while allowing implantation on a slightly sloping floor.

Said semi-rigid mechanical connections 21 are of two types:

• internal 21a, oblique to the main axis of the network structure, • external 21c, defining the outer limit of the network structure.

Connection boxes 30, 40 located internally and at the periphery of the network structure, make it possible to ensure a certain rigidity of the network structure, knowing that the connections between the chassis 14, the side members 21a, 21b, are made by flexible connections.

Two towing devices 23 are secured respectively downstream and upstream of the network structure.

In the example shown in Figure 6, different turbine structures are associated by connecting assemblies to form a grouping in multimodal network; this arrangement, deduced from the two previously described, constitutes the example proposed ideally for profitable operation of a multitude of turbines.

In the example shown in Figures 7a, 7b, the sealed box 11, shown previously in the rectangular shape of square section, may be of trapezoidal shape according to Figure 7a, side view, and may be of circular shape according to FIG. 7b, top view, thus making it possible to reduce the coefficient of penetration into the water during the displacement phase by towing.

Claims (1)

Claims [Claim 1] Supporting structure and in situ installation of marine energy capture modules, in particular at least one tidal turbine, characterized in that it comprises: • at least one wind turbine frame (10) comprising a support pivoting (12) along a substantially vertical axis, for at least one tidal turbine (13), integral with a watertight box (11) advantageously made of concrete, a ballasting assembly (14a, 14b) allowing the control of the flotation during the installation in situ then the maintenance or removal on the ground of said tidal turbine frame (10), • a connection assembly (20) between at least two chassis tidal turbine (10) comprising for each of the two frames (10), a longitudinal semi-rigid connection (21a) and a transverse semi-rigid connection (21b), located in the watertight box (11) near the assembly ballasting (14a, 14b), the internal sealing and / or the maintenance within said sealed box (11) of said semi-rigid connections (21a, 21b) being provided by flexible connections (22), • a configuration of said networked chassis (10), which chassis (10) being interconnected by said semi-rigid connections (21a, 21b) and associated with internal ballastable and peripheral watertight boxes (30, 40) by semi-rigid connections (21a, 21b, 21c). [Claim 2] Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said tidal turbine frame (10) comprising a support (12) for at least one tidal turbine (13), consists of a sealed box (11) of parallelepiped, trapezoidal or frustoconical shape , advantageously made of concrete, dimensioned so that on the one hand, it keeps the support (12) in buoyancy for at least one tidal turbine (13), and that on the other hand, it contributes in the submerged phase to the holding on the underwater soil. [Claim 3] Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said tidal turbine frame (10) comprising a support (12) for at least one tidal turbine (13), consists of a box (14) of parallelepiped, trapezoidal or frustoconical shape, advantageously carried out in mechanically welded structure, dimensioned so that it maintains the support (12) for at least one tidal turbine (13). [Claim 4] Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said watertight box (11) comprises said ballasting assembly (14a, 14b) comprising at least two longitudinal ballasts (14a, 14b), each of said ballasts (14a, 14b) comprising one or two sets of valves, preferably actuated with compressed air and controlled at the surface, said valves are dimensioned to ensure the flushing of compressed air from surface vessels, allowing filling or emptying by seawater as well as venting operations, and are, where appropriate, of the assisted valve type. [Claim 5] Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said internal or peripheral watertight boxes (30, 40) comprise a ballasting assembly (34a, 34b, 43) each of said ballasts (34a, 34b, 43) comprising one or two sets of taps, preferably actuated with compressed air and controlled at the surface, said taps are dimensioned to ensure the flushing of compressed air from surface ships, allowing the filling or emptying of seawater as well as venting operations, and are, where appropriate, of the assisted valve type. [Claim 6] Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said boxes (11, 14) comprise, in the vicinity of the upper part, a pivot (12b) whose central axis is vertical, allowing the orientation of the tidal turbine (13) so as to optimize its efficiency, said upper part allowing the implantation of any other type of attachment. [Claim 7] Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting structure (10, 20) and in situ installation consists of semi-rigid mechanical connections (21a, 21b, 21c) from longitudinal beams or tubes and transverse associated by flexible connections (22), said semi-rigid mechanical connections (21a, 21b, 21c) being arranged orthogonally. [Claim 8] Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting structure (10, 20) and in situ installation consists of semi-rigid mechanical connections (21a, 21b, 21c) from longitudinal beams or tubes and transverse associated by flexible connections (22), said semi-rigid mechanical connections (21a, 21b, 21c) being arranged triangularly. 1/8