JP2022014509A - Columnar floating body, columnar floating body erecting system, and columnar floating body erecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve a problem of a conventional technology, that is, to provide a columnar floating body capable of being erected at lower cost and with more ease compared to the conventional one, to provide a system for erecting the columnar floating body and a method for erecting the columnar floating body.SOLUTION: A columnar floating body composes a floating body type offshore wind power generation facility and includes a hollow columnar body with a weight installed in a bottom part and a communication pipe provided with a water intake opening and a water filler opening. The columnar body floats on a sea surface in a state of falling sideways inclined so that one portion on a bottom part side sinks below a sea water surface. In addition, the water intake opening is positioned in the sea water, a communication pipe is in a state filled with water and at the same time when the water filler opening is positioned below the sea water surface, the sea water flowing in from the water intake opening is injected inside the columnar body through the water filler opening by siphonage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a columnar floating body constituting a floating offshore wind power generation facility, and more specifically, a columnar floating body capable of injecting seawater into the inside by using a siphon action and a columnar type thereof. It relates to a system for raising a floating body and a method for raising it.

Electricity consumption in Japan once began to decline due to the impact of the global financial crisis of 2008, but has continued to increase since the oil crisis of 1973, and between 1973 and 2007. It has expanded to 2.6 times. The background to this is the spread of so-called home appliances such as air conditioners and electric carpets due to the improvement of living standards, and the spread of OA (Office Automation) equipment and communication equipment due to the increase in office buildings.

Until now, it has been the so-called fossil fuel power generation such as oil and coal that has mainly supported such an enormous amount of electricity demand. However, in recent years, the problem of fossil fuel depletion and environmental problems associated with global warming have attracted attention, and the power generation method has gradually changed accordingly. As a result, around 1973, which was explained earlier, power generation by oil and coal accounted for about 90% of the total, but in 2010, the ratio decreased to 66%. Instead, nuclear power generation, which accounts for more than 10% of the total (2010), has increased. Nuclear power generation has a remarkable effect of reducing greenhouse gases compared to conventional power generation methods, and since it can provide electric power at low cost, it has greatly contributed to Japan's electric power demand.

In addition, a power generation method using renewable energy has come to be adopted in that the emission of greenhouse gases can be suppressed. This renewable energy is an energy that can be literally regenerated such as solar power, wind power, geothermal power, small and medium-sized hydropower, and woody biomass, and it can be produced domestically while suppressing greenhouse gas emissions, so it is a promising low carbon energy. Expected.

Among renewable energies, the power generation method using wind power has a feature of high conversion efficiency of electric energy. Generally, the conversion efficiency of solar power generation is about 20%, woody biomass power generation is about 20%, geothermal power generation is 10 to 20%, while wind power generation is 20 to 40%. , Can convert energy into electricity with higher efficiency than other power generation methods. Another feature of wind power generation is that it can generate electricity day and night, unlike solar power generation. Due to these characteristics, wind power generation has already been widely used as a major power generation method in Europe, and in Japan, it will be responsible for 1.7% of the power generation composition in 2030 in the "energy mix" initiative. I am aiming for that.

Wind power generation is roughly divided into onshore wind power generation and offshore wind power generation depending on the installation location. Of these, onshore wind power generation is easier to install than offshore wind power generation, and therefore its cost can be reduced. .. On the other hand, offshore wind power generation has the advantage that it does not cause the noise problem of onshore wind power generation, it can avoid the risk of damage due to falls, etc., and above all, it can stably obtain a large amount of wind power compared to land. I have. Japan, which has the world's sixth-largest exclusive economic zone, is suitable for offshore wind power generation, and is considered to be a promising source of renewable energy in the future.

In addition, different types of offshore wind power generation are adopted depending on the installation location, and it is said that landing type offshore wind power generation is suitable for sea areas shallower than 50 m, and floating offshore wind power generation is suitable for sea areas deeper than 50 m. .. Of these, floating offshore wind power generation uses floating bodies that float on seawater, and is a method in which a power generation mechanism is installed on the floating bodies connected by mooring lines and power is generated by this power generation mechanism. Floating type includes pontoon type (barge type), semi-sub type, spar type (columnar type), tension mooring type (TLP: Tension Leg Platform), etc. Offshore, the columnar type tends to be mainly adopted.

FIG. 9 is a side view schematically showing a columnar type offshore wind power generation facility. As shown in this figure, a columnar offshore wind turbine is composed of a columnar floating body (spar type floating body) that floats in the sea and a tower, rotor, nacelle, etc. installed on it. The tower is a structure that supports the rotor and nacelle, and the columnar floating body functions as the foundation of the tower. Then, the rotor consisting of blades and hubs converts the wind into power, and the nacelle including the speed increaser, generator, transformer, etc. converts the power into electricity and transmits it to the land area through the submarine cable. be. The columnar floating body is generally moored by the weight of a catenary-shaped mooring line.

The main body portion constituting the columnar floating body is a long body having a larger axis (hereinafter referred to as “pillar axis”) direction dimension than the cross-sectional dimension, and has a hollow tubular inside. As shown in FIG. 9, the columnar floating body during operation is in a state in which the column axis direction is substantially vertical (including vertical) (hereinafter, referred to as "upright state"). Normally, since this columnar floating body is manufactured in land areas such as dry dock, it is necessary to transport it by sea to the operation site (wind farm: WF), but in some parts such as Scandinavia, the columnar floating body is transported in an upright state. In Japan, where the water depth around the land area is shallow, the columnar floating body will be transported in a state where the column axis direction is almost horizontal.

Therefore, in order to put it into an operational state, it is necessary to rotate the columnar floating body from a substantially horizontal state to an upright state (hereinafter referred to as "standing up"). Since the wind farm is expected to receive a considerable amount of wind power, it is not suitable as a place to raise a columnar floating body, and it is raised on the sea in a quiet area selected in advance. In addition, towers, rotors, nacelles, etc. are manufactured separately from the columnar floating body and transported to the wind farm, and are installed on the raised columnar floating body using a crane vessel or the like. The structure, which is almost completed as an offshore wind power generation facility, is transported to the wind farm in the operating state (that is, the columnar floating body is in the upright state).

Conventionally, when raising a columnar floating body, as shown in Patent Document 1, ballast water (for example, seawater) is injected into the main body portion of the columnar floating body by injecting ballast water (for example, seawater) into the main body portion of the columnar floating body.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-201217

FIG. 10 is a step diagram showing a conventional procedure performed for raising a columnar floating body. The conventional procedure for raising a columnar floating body will be described with reference to this figure. First, as shown in FIG. 10A, a columnar floating body manufactured by a dry dock or the like is transported by a tugboat to the sea in a quiet area selected in advance. When the columnar floating body is transported to the target quiet area, seawater is injected into the main body using a pump as shown in FIG. 10 (b). Since a weight made of concrete or the like is provided at the bottom of the columnar floating body, the columnar floating body is in an inclined state in which the bottom side is slightly sunk even before the start of seawater injection. Therefore, as the injection of seawater progresses, the inclination angle (intersection angle between the horizontal plane and the column axis direction of the columnar floating body) increases as shown in FIG. 10 (c), and finally shown in FIG. 10 (d). As described above, the columnar floating body is in an upright state. Then, seawater injection is further advanced from the state shown in FIG. 10 (d), and the columnar floating body is submerged until the planned draft is obtained.

By the way, when carrying out various offshore constructions, it is necessary to always pay attention to tidal currents and waves, and it cannot be expected that the sea level will stabilize for a long period of time. Therefore, efforts will be made to complete one process in the shortest possible time. Of course, it is desirable to complete the work of raising the columnar floating body in a short period of time, and it is not uncommon for the construction period to be planned in a few days (for example, 1 to 2 days).

However, the columnar floating body constituting the floating offshore wind power generation facility has a considerable diameter and axial length, and therefore the columnar floating body cannot be submerged to the planned draft unless a considerable amount of seawater is injected. .. That is, in order to inject a large amount of seawater in a short period of time, a considerable number of pumps are required. Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 10 (d), the required lift is high immediately after the columnar floating body is in an upright state (before reaching the planned draft), and a pump with a relatively large output must be prepared. Must be.

For example, when a columnar floating body having a diameter of about 10 m and a total length of about 120 m is submerged to the planned draft, 17,000 m ³ of seawater is injected. The draft immediately after the columnar floating body is in an upright state is about 60 m, and therefore a large-scale pump capable of pumping seawater at a height of 60 m (120 m-60 m) or more (for example, discharge rate 3 m ³ /). min class) is required. If the water injection work is planned for one day, 17 pumps with a discharge rate of 3 m ³ / min class must be prepared, assuming that the workable time per day is 6 hours.

In this way, the conventional technique of injecting seawater into the main body of a columnar floating body using a pump requires a large number of large-scale pumps to be prepared. Moreover, the pontoon for mounting the pump and the power equipment for operating the pump become large, and a considerable number of workers are required to control the pump. In other words, the cost of pumps and pontoons (losses, fuel costs, etc.) and labor costs are high, and the conventional water injection work requires a considerable budget. In addition, since many pumps are used, the number of hoses to be handled naturally increases, and the work of arranging, controlling, and removing the hoses is extremely complicated and difficult, and it has been regarded as a problem in terms of safety. ..

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, that is, a columnar floating body that can be easily raised at a lower cost than the conventional technique, a system for raising the columnar floating body, and a system for raising the columnar floating body. It is to provide a way to stand up.

The present invention has been made focusing on the point that seawater is injected into the columnar body of the columnar floating body by utilizing the siphon action, and has been made based on an unprecedented idea. ..

The columnar floating body of the present invention constitutes a floating offshore wind power generation facility, and includes a hollow columnar main body having a weight installed at the bottom and a communication pipe provided with an intake port and a water injection port. It is a thing. The water intake is located outside the columnar body, the water injection port is located inside the columnar body and near the bottom, and the columnar body is tilted sideways so that part of the bottom side sinks below the sea level. Float on the surface of the sea. When the intake port is located in the seawater, the communication pipe is filled with water, and the water injection port is located below the sea level, the seawater flowing in from the intake port due to the siphon action is injected into the columnar main body through the water injection port. ..

In the columnar floating body of the present invention, the communication pipe may be configured to include an intake pipe, a water injection pipe, and an upper relay pipe. The water intake pipe is provided with an intake port, the water injection pipe is provided with a water injection port, and the water intake pipe and the water injection pipe are connected by an upper relay pipe. In this case, the intake pipe that is substantially parallel (including parallel) to the column axis direction of the columnar body is arranged outside the columnar body, and the seawater flowing in from the intake port rises in the intake pipe and passes through the upper relay pipe. And flow down in the water injection pipe.

In the columnar floating body of the present invention, the intake pipe may be arranged inside the columnar body. In this case, a part of the intake pipe on the intake port side is formed as a curved pipe, and the intake pipe is arranged outside the columnar main body by penetrating the columnar main body.

In the columnar floating body of the present invention, the communication pipe may be configured to include a middle stage detour pipe. The middle detour pipe connects the intake pipe and the water injection pipe, and is arranged so as to be below the upper relay pipe when a predetermined amount of seawater is injected and the columnar main body is in an upright state. When the height of the upper relay pipe from the sea surface exceeds the limit height (for example, 10 m) in the siphon action, the seawater that has risen in the intake pipe flows down in the water injection pipe via the middle detour pipe.

The columnar floating body of the present invention may have a check valve provided in the vicinity of the intake port in the communication pipe. This check valve can prevent backflow of seawater from the intake pipe to the intake port.

In the columnar floating body of the present invention, the intake port may be arranged in the seawater even when the columnar body is in an upright state.

The columnar floating body of the present invention may further include an air opening / closing plug that controls the inflow and outflow of air into and out of the communication pipe. This air opening / closing plug is provided so as to be located in the air inside the columnar body even when a predetermined amount of seawater is injected and the columnar body reaches the planned height.

The columnar floating body erecting system of the present invention is a system for erecting the columnar floating body of the present invention so as to be in an upright state with seawater, and is a system provided with an air opening / closing plug control means and a water injection means. The air opening / closing plug control means is a means capable of controlling the air opening / closing plug by remote control of the operator, and the water injection means is a means capable of injecting seawater into the communication pipe by remote control of the operator. When the operator operates the water injection means with the columnar body lying down, seawater is injected into the communication pipe while removing the air in the air communication pipe (the state in which the air opening / closing plug is opened). Further, when the operator closes the air opening / closing plug by the air opening / closing plug control means while the communication pipe is filled with water, the seawater flowing from the intake port by the siphon action is injected into the columnar main body through the water injection port. Then, when the operator opens the air opening / closing plug by the air opening / closing plug control means, the injection of water into the columnar main body by the siphon action is stopped.

The columnar floating body raising method of the present invention is a method of raising the columnar floating body of the present invention so as to be in an upright state with seawater, and is a method including an in-pipe water injection step and an in-main body water injection step. In this in-pipe water injection step, seawater is injected into the communication pipe while the air in the communication pipe is evacuated with the columnar body laid on its side. In the water injection process inside the main body, the siphon action is used by filling the communication pipe with water, and the seawater flowing in from the intake port is injected into the columnar main body through the water injection port.

The columnar floating body raising method of the present invention may be a method further including a water injection stop step. In this water injection stop step, the air opening / closing plug is opened when the columnar main body in the upright state is arranged at the planned height by the water injection step in the main body. In this case, in the in-pipe water injection step, seawater is injected into the communication pipe while removing the air in the communication pipe by opening the air opening / closing plug, and the air opening / closing plug is closed when the inside of the communication pipe is full. In the water injection stop step, air is sent into the communication pipe by opening the air opening / closing plug, and water injection into the columnar main body by the siphon action is stopped.

The columnar floating body raising method of the present invention may be a method further including a water intake pipe removing step and an opening closing step. In this intake pipe removing step, the columnar main body is brought to the planned height by the water injection step in the main body, and then the intake pipe arranged on the outside of the columnar main body is removed. Further, in the opening closing step, the opening of the columnar body generated after the intake pipe is removed is closed with a sealing material.

The columnar floating body, the columnar floating body raising system, and the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention have the following effects.
(1) Since seawater is injected into the main body of the columnar floating body, it is not necessary to use a large-scale and large-scale pump, and the cost and labor cost for pumps, pontoons, and other equipment can be reduced, that is, The construction cost for water injection can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional technology.
(2) Since water is injected using the siphon action, complicated control is not required, and it is possible to suppress work interruption due to malfunction of electrical equipment or other unforeseen circumstances, that is, to smoothly perform a series of work. Can be done.
(3) Since it is not necessary to handle a large number of pumps and hoses, the workability is improved and the safety thereof is also improved as compared with the conventional technology.

The step diagram which showed each step until the columnar floating body of the present invention stands up. A side view schematically showing a columnar floating body of the present invention. A side view schematically showing a communication pipe. A side view schematically showing a columnar floating body of the present invention in which an intake pipe is arranged inside a columnar main body. A side view schematically showing a columnar floating body of the present invention provided with a middle stage detour pipe. (A) is a side view schematically showing a direct type columnar floating body 200 laid on its side, and (b) is a side view schematically showing a direct type columnar floating body 200 in an upright state. The block diagram which shows the main structure of the columnar floating body elevating system of this invention. The flow chart which shows the main process of the columnar floating body raising method of this invention. A side view schematically showing a spar type offshore wind power generation facility. A step diagram showing a conventional procedure for raising a columnar floating body.

An example of an embodiment of the columnar floating body (spar type floating body), the columnar floating body raising system, and the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The columnar floating body of the present invention can be particularly preferably carried out when it is used as a configuration of a floating offshore wind power generation facility. This can be particularly preferably carried out when the columnar floating body of the present invention is raised.

1. 1. Overall Overview First, an outline of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a step diagram showing each stage until the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention is raised. The columnar floating body 100 of the present invention is configured to include a columnar body 110, a communication pipe 120, and a weight 130, and if the inside is hollow as shown in FIG. 1 (a), the columnar floating body 100 is laid on its side (if seawater is not injected). Float on the sea in the state of. However, since the weight 130 is provided at the bottom of the columnar main body 110, the column axis direction is not horizontal and the columnar main body 110 is inclined so as to sink so as to float on the sea.

Further, in FIG. 1A, the intake port 121E provided at one end of the communication pipe 120 is located in the seawater (seawater), and the water injection port 122E provided at the other end of the communication pipe 120 is below the sea level. Is located in. When the communication pipe 120 is filled with water in this state, seawater flows in from the intake port 121E and flows through the communication pipe 120 according to the siphon principle, and water is injected into the columnar main body 110 from the water injection port 122E.

As described above, since the columnar main body 110 having a hollow inside is inclined so that the bottom side sinks, the inclination angle (horizontal plane and the column axis direction of the columnar main body 110) as shown in FIG. 1 (b) when seawater injection progresses. The columnar floating body 100 rotates on a substantially vertical (including vertical) plane (rotates counterclockwise in the figure), that is, the columnar floating body 100 is gradually raised. go. When a predetermined amount of seawater is injected into the columnar main body 110, the columnar main body 110 is raised in an "upright state" in which the column axis direction is substantially vertical (including vertical) as shown in FIG. 1 (c). For convenience, here, the state when the columnar main body 110 finishes rotating (that is, immediately after it becomes an upright state) is referred to as an "initially upright state". Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 (c) and 1 (d), the space (cavity) in the columnar floating body 100 in which seawater does not collect (that is, there is no seawater) is referred to as an “aerial part”. And.

Since the water injection by the siphon action is continued even after the columnar main body 110 is initially in the upright state, the columnar floating body 100 further sinks in the sea in the upright state. Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (d), when the columnar floating body is submerged to the planned draft height, the siphon state is eliminated by sending air into the communication pipe 120, that is, seawater is injected into the columnar body 110. To stop. For convenience, here, the state in which the columnar floating body 100 is sunk to the height of the planned draft is referred to as the "planned height state".

2. 2. Column-shaped floating body Next, the column-shaped floating body 100 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The columnar floating body raising system of the present invention is a system for raising the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention, and the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention is a method of raising the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention. .. Therefore, first, the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention will be described, and then the columnar floating body raising system of the present invention and the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the columnar floating body 100 of the present invention includes a columnar body 110, a communication pipe 120, and a weight 130, and further includes a first air on-off plug 140, a check valve 150, and a reduced diameter body 160. It can also be configured to include a connecting body 170 and a second air opening / closing plug 180. Hereinafter, each of the main elements constituting the columnar floating body 100 will be described.

(Column body)
As shown in FIG. 2, the pillar body 110 is a long body having a larger pillar axial dimension than the cross-sectional dimension, and the inside is hollow, that is, the outer shape is generally tubular. Further, the pillar body 110 is a so-called bottomed opening pipe in which one end (lower end in the figure) is closed and the other end (upper end in the figure) is open. A weight 130 is installed at the bottom of the pillar body 110. The weight 130 is made of a material having a large unit volume weight, and may be made of concrete or steel, for example. The section in which the weight 130 is installed has a larger weight per unit length in the column axial direction than the other sections of the column body 110 (section in which the weight 130 is not installed). The pillar body 110 may have a cylindrical cross section with a circular cross section, or may have a prismatic cross section on a polygon.

(Communicating pipe)
FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing the communication pipe 120. The communication pipe 120 is a pipe that allows seawater outside the pillar body 110 to flow into the pillar body 110, and an intake port 121E is provided at one end (lower right in the figure) and at the other end (lower left in the figure). A water injection port 122E is provided. Further, the communication pipe 120 can be composed of an intake pipe 121 provided with an intake port 121E, a water injection pipe 122 provided with a water injection port 122E, and an upper relay pipe 123 connecting the intake pipe 121 and the water injection pipe 122. .. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the intake pipe 121 and the water injection pipe 122 are arranged substantially along the pillar axial direction of the pillar main body 110, and the upper relay pipe 123 is substantially perpendicular to the pillar axial direction of the pillar main body 110. It is good to arrange it like this. When arranged in this way, for example, when the pillar main body 110 is in an upright state, the intake pipe 121 and the water injection pipe 122 are oriented in a substantially vertical direction (including the vertical direction), and the upper relay pipe 123 is substantially horizontal (horizontal) above the main body 110. (Including) direction.

As described above, when the intake port 121E is located in the seawater and the water injection port 122E is located below the seawater surface and the communication pipe 120 is filled with water in that state, the seawater flows into the columnar main body 110 due to the siphon action. go. That is, in order to inject seawater into the columnar main body 110 from the state of being laid on its side as shown in FIG. 1A, the water injection port 122E is inside the pipe of the columnar main body 110 and is near the bottom (that is, a weight). It is preferable to place it in the vicinity of 130). Due to the effect of the weight 130, a part of the columnar body 110 on the bottom side sinks below the sea level, and along with this, the water injection port 122E arranged near the weight 130 may also be located below the sea level. You can do it.

Since the intake port 121E into which seawater flows is in contact with seawater, it is naturally arranged outside the pipe of the columnar main body 110. Further, since it is necessary to continuously inject water until the columnar floating body 100 reaches the planned height state (FIG. 1 (d)), in other words, even if the columnar floating body 100 reaches the planned height state, the intake port 121E Since it is necessary to be located in seawater, the intake port 121E should be arranged as close to the bottom of the columnar main body 110 as possible (relatively lower position of the columnar main body 110 in the upright state). For example, in FIG. 2, the position (height) is substantially the same as the water injection port 122E, and the position is distant from the bottom (that is, a higher position) than the water injection port 122E. Of course, the water intake port 121E is not limited to the vicinity of the water injection port 122E but near the middle of the columnar main body 110 (that is, from the water injection port 122E) if the columnar floating body 100 can be located in the seawater even when the columnar floating body 100 is in the planned height state. Can be placed arbitrarily, such as at a significantly higher position).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a check valve 150 may be installed in the vicinity of the intake port 121E in the intake pipe 121. The check valve 150 can prevent backflow of seawater from the inside of the intake pipe 121 to the intake port 121E. In particular, backflow of seawater is likely to occur at the initial stage when the siphon action starts, and by providing the check valve 150, this initial backflow can be prevented and smooth water injection can be continued, which is preferable.

In order to inject water by siphon action, it is necessary to forcibly fill the communication pipe 120 with water. Therefore, a means for sending out water (seawater) (for example, a pump or the like), an inflow port for pumping water (seawater) into the communication pipe 120, and the like are provided. Since the inflow port provided in the communication pipe 120 needs to be closed when water is injected by siphon action, it is necessary to provide an on-off plug (opening / closing valve) capable of controlling the open state and the closed state. good.

Further, while water (seawater) is flowing into the communication pipe 120, it is necessary to send the air in the communication pipe 120 to the outside, while when injecting water by siphon action, the water is injected from the outside to the communication pipe 120. It is necessary to block the inflow of air. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a first air opening / closing plug 140 (opening / closing valve) in a part of the communication pipe 120. The first air opening / closing plug 140 can control the opened state and the closed state. When the plug is opened, the air in the communication pipe 120 is sent out to the outside, and when the communication pipe 120 is closed, the air is sent from the outside. The inflow of air into the communication pipe 120 can be blocked.

When the columnar floating body 100 reaches the planned height, water injection by the siphon action is stopped. At this time, if the communication pipe 120 is provided with the first air opening / closing plug 140, by opening the first air opening / closing plug 140, air is sent from the outside into the communication pipe 120 to eliminate the siphon state. It is good to do it. The first air opening / closing plug 140 may be specified to be controlled by remote control of the operator, or may be specified to be directly operated by the operator, of course. In the case where the operator directly operates the first air opening / closing plug 140, the first air opening / closing is performed so that the columnar floating body 100 is located in the air inside the columnar main body 110 even when the columnar floating body 100 is in the planned height state. It is advisable to provide a stopper 140. As a result, the first air opening / closing plug 140 can be operated by normal aerial work without requiring diver work.

The intake pipe 121 constituting the communication pipe 120 can be arranged outside the columnar main body 110 as shown in FIG. 2, or may be arranged inside the columnar main body 110 as shown in FIG. When the intake pipe 121 is arranged outside the columnar main body 110 (FIG. 2), the upper relay pipe 123 may penetrate the columnar main body 110. On the other hand, when the intake pipe 121 is arranged inside the columnar main body 110 (FIG. 4), a part of the intake pipe 121 on the intake port 121E side is formed as a curved pipe, and this curved pipe portion is formed as a columnar main body. The intake port 121E may be arranged on the outside of the pipe by penetrating the 110. Further, the water injection pipe 122 can be arranged outside the column body 110 together with the communication pipe 120. In this case, a part of the water injection pipe 122 on the water injection port 122E side may be formed as a curved pipe, and the water injection port 122E may be arranged inside the pipe by penetrating the curved pipe portion through the columnar main body 110.

According to the siphon principle, the liquid can be raised, so to speak, but it cannot be raised above the height at which atmospheric pressure can push up the liquid in the pipe (hereinafter referred to as "limit height"). This limit height depends on the specific gravity of the liquid, which is 760 mm for mercury and 10 m for water. Here, depending on the axial length (length in the column axial direction) of the columnar floating body 100, the height difference between the sea level and the upper relay pipe 123 is the limit height when the columnar floating body 100 is initially in the upright state (FIG. 1 (c)). May exceed. For example, in FIG. 5, since the upper relay pipe 123 is located at a position exceeding the limit height from the sea surface, a part of the pipe is in a vacuum state, and water is not injected into the columnar main body 110.

In the case where the upper relay pipe 123 is expected to exceed the limit height from the sea level, it is preferable to provide the middle stage detour pipe 124 as shown in FIG. The middle stage detour pipe 124 is, so to speak, a pipe that relays between the middle of the intake pipe 121 and the middle of the water injection pipe 122, and is arranged so as to be lower than the upper relay pipe 123 when the columnar main body 110 is in the upright state. Moreover, it is arranged so as to be below the limit height from the sea surface when it is initially in an upright state. As a result, when the height of the upper relay pipe 123 exceeds the limit height from the sea surface, the seawater that has risen in the intake pipe 121 flows down in the water injection pipe 122 via the middle detour pipe 124. Can be done.

(Reduced body and connecting body)
The reduced diameter body 160 is connected to a tower (FIG. 9) that supports the rotor and the nacelle, and is a so-called adjustment section for changing the large diameter of the pillar body 110 to the small diameter of the tower. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the reduced diameter body 160 is provided on the upper end side of the column body 110 in the upright state, and has a cross-sectional area from the column body 110 toward the outside (upper side in the figure) in the column axial direction. Is considered to be a frustum shape (that is, a tapered shape) that shrinks. Further, the connecting body 170 is a member connected to the tower, and is a columnar column having a small diameter adjusted by the reduced diameter body 160.

By the way, during the water injection work into the columnar main body 110, the opening on the connecting body 170 side of the columnar main body 110 may be closed by the lid. In this case, when water is injected into the columnar main body 110, air cannot be sent out. Therefore, it is advisable to provide a second air on-off plug 180 (opening / closing valve) for exhausting the air in the columnar main body 110 to the outside. The second air opening / closing plug 180 can control the opened state and the closed state. When the plug is opened, the air inside the columnar main body 110 is sent out, and when the closed state is set, the air is sent to the outside. The inflow and outflow of air in the columnar main body 110 can be blocked. As shown in FIG. 1A, the second air opening / closing plug 180 is on the upper side when the columnar floating body 100 is laid on its side so that the intake pipe 121 (intake port 121E) is on the lower side. It is good to install it so that it becomes.

(Modification example)
Up to this point, the columnar floating body 100 capable of injecting seawater into the columnar body 110 by using the siphon action has been described. Here, a columnar floating body (hereinafter, referred to as “direct columnar floating body 200” for convenience) capable of directly injecting seawater into the columnar main body 110 without using the siphon action will be described with reference to FIG. do. FIG. 6A shows a direct columnar floating body 200 that is laid on its side, and FIG. 6B shows a direct type columnar floating body 200 that is in an upright state.

As shown in FIG. 6, the direct columnar floating body 200 is configured to include a columnar body 210 and a weight 230 like the columnar floating body 100, and further includes a reduced diameter body 250, a connecting body 260, and a second air opening / closing plug 270. Can also be configured to include. However, unlike the columnar floating body 100, it does not have a communication pipe 120, but instead has a direct water injection port 220 and an opening control means 240.

The direct water injection port 220 is an opening that can be changed between an open state and a closed state. When the cap is opened, seawater can flow into the columnar body 210, and when the columnar body is closed, the columnar body can flow into the columnar body 210. The inflow of seawater into the 210 is blocked. The opening control means 240 is a means that can directly control either the opening state or the closed state of the water injection port 220. For example, the opening control means 240 shown in FIG. 6 is composed of an operation culm 241 and a transmission shaft 242, and the transmission shaft 242 is operated by the operator operating the operation culm 241 so that the water injection port 220 is directly opened. Or closed. The opening control means 240 is not limited to a mechanical control type as shown in FIG. 6, and may be a type in which the state of the water injection port 220 is directly controlled by an electric signal.

In FIG. 6A, the direct water injection port 220 is in the opened state, and seawater is injected into the columnar main body 210 through the direct water injection port 220. Similar to the columnar floating body 100, the direct type columnar floating body 200 having a hollow inside is inclined so that the bottom side sinks due to the effect of the weight 230. The columnar floating body 200 is gradually raised. When a predetermined amount of seawater is injected into the columnar main body 210, the direct columnar floating body 200 is raised upright as shown in FIG. 6B. Even after the direct columnar floating body 200 is initially in the upright state, the direct water injection port 220 is in the open state. Therefore, since the direct water injection of seawater is continued, the direct columnar floating body 200 remains in the upright state. Further sinking in the sea. Then, when the direct columnar floating body 200 reaches the planned height state, the operator operates the opening control means 240 to close the direct water injection port 220 and stop the seawater injection into the columnar body 110.

3. 3. Column-shaped floating body raising system Next, the column-shaped floating body raising system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7. The columnar floating body erecting system of the present invention is a system for erecting the columnar floating body 100 described so far. Therefore, avoiding the explanation overlapping with the contents described in the columnar floating body 100, the columnar floating body of the present invention is used. Only the contents peculiar to the standing system will be explained. That is, the contents not described here are the same as those described in "2. Column-shaped floating body".

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the columnar floating body raising system 300 of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the columnar floating body raising system 300 is configured to include a water injection means 310 and a first air opening / closing plug controlling means 320, and may also be configured to include a second air opening / closing plug controlling means 330. .. Hereinafter, each of the main elements constituting the columnar floating body raising system 300 will be described.

(Water injection means)
As described above, in order to inject water by siphon action, it is necessary to forcibly fill the communication pipe 120 with water. The water injection means 310 is a means for forcibly filling the communication pipe 120 with water, and includes a water injection control means 311 and a water injection pump 312. Of these, the water injection pump 312 is a means for pumping water (seawater) into the communication pipe 120, and a conventionally used submersible pump or the like can be used. On the other hand, the water injection control means 311 is a means for controlling the pressure feeding of water by the water injection pump 312, and can be remotely controlled by an operator. That is, the water injection control means 311 is installed at a place away from the water injection pump 312 (for example, at sea), and the operator operates the water injection control means 311 to communicate the water injection pump 312 arranged in the sea. Pump water into the 120 or stop pumping water.

(Air opening / closing plug control means)
The first air opening / closing plug control means 320 is a means for controlling the first air opening / closing plug 140 provided in a part of the communication pipe 120, and can be remotely controlled by an operator. That is, the first air opening / closing plug control means 320 is installed at a place away from the first air opening / closing plug 140 (for example, at sea), and the operator operates the first air opening / closing plug controlling means 320. The first air opening / closing plug 140 is opened or closed. When the first air opening / closing plug 140 is opened, for example, the air inside the pipe can be sent out while the water (seawater) is flowing into the communication pipe 120, and when the first air opening / closing plug 140 is closed. The inflow of air from the outside into the communication pipe 120 can be blocked.

The second air opening / closing plug control means 330 is a means for controlling the second air opening / closing plug 180, and can be remotely controlled by an operator. That is, the second air opening / closing plug control means 330 is installed at a place away from the second air opening / closing plug 180 (for example, at sea), and the operator operates the second air opening / closing plug controlling means 330. The second air opening / closing plug 180 is opened or closed. When the second air opening / closing plug 180 is opened, for example, when water is injected into the columnar body 110, the air inside is sent out, and when the second air opening / closing plug 180 is closed, the outside and the columnar body 110 The inflow and outflow of air can be blocked.

4. Column-shaped floating body raising method Subsequently, the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The columnar floating body raising method of the present invention is a method of raising the columnar floating body 100 described so far, and therefore, the description overlapping with the contents described in the columnar floating body 100 and the columnar floating body raising system 300 is described. To avoid this, only the contents peculiar to the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention will be described. That is, the contents not described here are the same as those described in "2. Column-shaped floating body" and "3. Column-shaped floating body raising system".

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the main steps of the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention. In this figure, the steps directly related to the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention are surrounded by a solid line frame, and the other steps are surrounded by a broken line frame. As shown in this figure, first, a columnar floating body 100 is manufactured in a dry dock or the like (Step 401 in FIG. 8). Then, aiming at a time when the environment is good such as the tide level and the tidal current, the columnar floating body 100 in a sideways state is towed to a quiet area selected in advance by the tugboat (Step 402 in FIG. 8), and the columnar floating body 100 is towed on the spot. Temporarily moored (Step 403 in FIG. 8). At this time, the columnar floating body 100 is temporarily moored while lying down, and due to the effect of the weight 130, a part of the columnar body 110 on the bottom side floats on the sea surface in a state of being inclined so as to sink below the sea surface. ing.

When the columnar floating body 100 is temporarily moored in a quiet area, the first air opening / closing plug 140 is opened and the communication pipe 120 is forcibly filled with water (Step 404 in FIG. 8). At this time, the first air opening / closing plug 140 is opened by using the first air opening / closing plug control means 320 of the columnar floating body raising system 300 of the present invention, and the water injection means 310 is used to enter the communication pipe 120. Water (seawater) should be pumped.

When the communication pipe 120 is filled with water, the intake port 121E is located in the seawater (seawater), and the water injection port 122E is located below the sea level, water injection by the siphon principle is started (Step 405 in FIG. 8). .. More specifically, seawater flows in from the intake port 121E, flows through the communication pipe 120, and is injected into the columnar main body 110 from the water injection port 122E.

When water is injected into the columnar main body 110 and finally the columnar floating body 100 reaches the planned height, the water injection by the siphon action is stopped (Step 406 in FIG. 8). For example, by opening the first air opening / closing plug 140 provided in the communication pipe 120, air may be sent from the outside into the communication pipe 120 to eliminate the siphon state and stop water injection. At this time, the operator can directly operate the first air opening / closing plug 140, or the first air opening / closing plug 140 can be controlled by remote control of the operator. In the case of remote control by the operator, the first air opening / closing plug 140 may be opened by using the first air opening / closing plug control means 320 of the columnar floating body raising system 300 of the present invention.

When the columnar floating body 100 reaches the planned height, the intake pipe 121 may be removed (Step 407 in FIG. 8). In particular, in the case where the intake pipe 121 is arranged outside the columnar main body 110 (FIG. 2), it is desirable to remove the intake pipe 121 because it is expected that the intake pipe 121 will have an unexpected effect on the columnar floating body 100. When removing the intake pipe 121, it is possible to perform diver work, but if the water depth is considerably deep, it is preferable to use an underwater robot or a ROV ship (Remotley Operated Vehicle). If an opening remains in the columnar main body 110 such as a trace of removal of the water intake pipe 121, the opening is closed with a steel closing plate or the like (Step 408 in FIG. 8).

After the columnar floating body 100 is in the planned height state, a ballast material such as crushed stone is put into the columnar body 110 and excess seawater is discharged from the columnar body 110 (Step 409 in FIG. 8). After that, a tower, a rotor, a nacelle (Fig. 9), etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "upper body") are installed above the columnar floating body 100 to construct a completed body consisting of the upper body and the columnar floating body 100. (Step 410 in FIG. 8), and temporarily moor in a quiet area (Step 411 in FIG. 8). Then, aiming at a time when the environment is good such as the tide level and tidal current, the completed body is towed to the WF by a tugboat (Step 412 in FIG. 8), and the columnar floating body 100 completed body is moored by the WF (Step 413 in FIG. 8). A submarine cable (FIG. 9) is installed on the body (Step 414 in FIG. 8).

The columnar floating body, the columnar floating body raising system, and the columnar floating body raising method of the present invention can be particularly preferably used for floating offshore wind power generation in a sea area deeper than 50 m. According to the invention of the present application, since the floating offshore wind power generation facility can be easily installed at low cost, a more positive motive for offshore wind power generation can be expected, and thus the emission of greenhouse gas is suppressed. Considering the stable supply of energy, the invention of the present application can be said to be an invention that can be used not only industrially but also can be expected to make a great contribution to society.

100 Columnar floating body of the present invention 110 (columnar floating body) Columnar body 120 (columnar floating body) communication pipe 121 (communication pipe) intake pipe 121E (communication pipe) intake port 122 (communication pipe) water injection pipe 122E Water injection port (for communication pipe) 123 Upper relay pipe (for communication pipe) 124 Middle stage detour pipe (for communication pipe) 130 (for columnar floating body) Weight 140 (for columnar floating body) First air opening / closing plug 150 (columnar type) Floating check valve 160 (columnar floating) reduced diameter 170 (columnar floating) connecting 180 (columnar floating) second air switch 200 Direct type columnar floating body 210 (direct type) of the present invention Columnar body 220 (for direct columnar float) Direct water inlet 230 (for direct columnar float) Weight 240 (for direct columnar float) Opening control means 241 (for direct columnar float) ) Operation 祈 242 (in the opening control means) transmission shaft 250 (in the direct columnar floating body) reduced diameter body 260 (in the direct type columnar floating body) connecting body 270 (in the direct type columnar floating body) second air opening / closing plug 300 The columnar floating body elevating system of the present application 310 (of the columnar floating body elevating system) Water injection means 311 (of the water injection means) Water injection control means 312 (of the water injection means) Water injection pump 320 (of the columnar floating body elevating system) No. 1 Air open / close control means 330 Second air open / close control means (of the columnar floating body elevating system)

Claims (11)

In a columnar floating body that constitutes a floating offshore wind power generation facility,
A hollow columnar body with a weight installed at the bottom,
It is equipped with a communication pipe with an intake port and a water injection port.
The water intake is arranged outside the columnar body and is arranged.
The water inlet is located inside the columnar body and near the bottom.
The columnar body floats on the sea surface in a state of being tilted sideways so that a part of the bottom side thereof sinks below the sea surface.
When the intake port is located in the seawater, the communication pipe is filled with water, and the water injection port is located below the sea level, the seawater flowing in from the intake port due to the siphon action enters the columnar main body through the water injection port. Water is poured into
A columnar floating body characterized by this. The communication pipe is configured to include an intake pipe provided with the water intake port, a water injection pipe provided with the water injection port, and an upper relay pipe connecting the water intake pipe and the water injection pipe.
The intake pipe parallel to or substantially parallel to the column axis direction of the column body is arranged outside the column body.
The seawater flowing in from the intake port rises in the intake pipe, passes through the upper relay pipe, and flows down in the water injection pipe.
The columnar floating body according to claim 1. The communication pipe is configured to include an intake pipe provided with the water intake port, a water injection pipe provided with the water injection port, and an upper relay pipe connecting the water intake pipe and the water injection pipe.
The intake pipe parallel to or substantially parallel to the column axis direction of the column body is arranged inside the column body.
A part of the intake pipe on the intake port side is formed as a curved pipe, and the intake pipe is arranged outside the columnar body by penetrating the columnar body.
The seawater flowing in from the intake port rises in the intake pipe, passes through the upper relay pipe, and flows down in the water injection pipe.
The columnar floating body according to claim 1. The communication pipe further includes a middle detour pipe connecting the intake pipe and the water injection pipe.
The middle stage detour pipe is arranged so as to be lower than the upper relay pipe when a predetermined amount of seawater is injected to bring the columnar body into an upright state.
When the height of the upper relay pipe from the sea surface exceeds the limit height in the siphon action, the seawater that has risen in the intake pipe flows down in the water injection pipe via the middle stage detour pipe.
The columnar floating body according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the columnar floating body is characterized by the above. A check valve is provided in the vicinity of the intake of the intake pipe.
The check valve can prevent backflow of seawater from the intake pipe to the intake.
The columnar floating body according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the columnar floating body is characterized by the above. The intake port is arranged so as to be inside the seawater even when a predetermined amount of seawater is injected and the columnar main body is in an upright state.
The columnar floating body according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the columnar floating body is characterized by the above. Further provided with an air opening / closing plug for controlling the inflow and outflow of air into and out of the communication pipe.
The air opening / closing plug is provided so as to be located in the aerial part in the columnar body having a planned height by being injected with a predetermined amount of seawater.
The columnar floating body according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the columnar floating body is characterized by the above. In a system that raises a columnar floating body that constitutes a floating offshore wind power generation facility so that it stands upright in seawater.
The columnar floating body has a hollow columnar body having a weight installed at the bottom, an intake port arranged outside the columnar body, and a water injection port arranged inside the columnar body and near the bottom. It has a communication pipe provided with a communication pipe and an air opening / closing plug for controlling the inflow and outflow of air into the communication pipe.
The columnar body that floats on the sea surface in a state of lying down is inclined so that a part of the bottom side is submerged below the sea surface, the intake port is located in the sea water, and the water injection port is located below the sea water surface. ,
An air opening / closing plug control means capable of controlling the air opening / closing plug by remote control of an operator, and
A water injection means capable of injecting seawater into the communication pipe by remote control of the operator is provided.
When the operator operates the water injection means with the columnar body laid on its side, seawater is injected into the communication pipe while removing air from the communication pipe in which the air opening / closing plug is opened.
When the operator closes the air opening / closing plug by the air opening / closing plug control means while the communication pipe is filled with water, the seawater flowing in from the intake port by the siphon action is injected into the columnar main body through the water injection port. Being done
When the operator opens the air opening / closing plug by the air opening / closing plug controlling means, the injection of water into the columnar main body by the siphon action is stopped.
A columnar floating body raising system characterized by this. In a method of erecting a columnar floating body that constitutes a floating offshore wind power generation facility so that it stands upright in seawater.
The columnar floating body has a hollow columnar body having a weight installed at the bottom, an intake port arranged outside the columnar body, and a water injection port arranged inside the columnar body and near the bottom. Has a communication pipe, which is provided with
The columnar body that floats on the sea surface in a state of lying down is inclined so that a part of the bottom side is submerged below the sea surface, the intake port is located in the sea water, and the water injection port is located below the sea water surface. ,
An in-pipe water injection step of injecting seawater into the communication pipe while removing air from the communication pipe with the columnar body laid on its side.
It is provided with an in-main body water injection step of injecting seawater flowing from the intake port into the columnar main body through the water injection port by utilizing the siphon action by filling the communication pipe with water.
By injecting a predetermined amount of seawater into the columnar body, the columnar body in a sideways state is raised so as to be in an upright state.
A columnar floating body raising method characterized by this. The columnar floating body has an air opening / closing plug that controls the inflow and outflow of air into and out of the communication pipe.
When the columnar main body in an upright state is arranged at a planned height by the water injection step in the main body, a water injection stop step for opening the air opening / closing plug is further provided.
In the in-pipe water injection step, seawater is injected into the communication pipe while removing the air in the communication pipe by opening the air opening / closing plug, and when the communication pipe is full, the air opening / closing plug is closed.
In the water injection stop step, air is sent into the communication pipe by opening the air opening / closing plug, and water injection into the columnar main body by the siphon action is stopped.
The method for raising a columnar floating body according to claim 9. The communication pipe is configured to include an intake pipe provided with the water intake port, a water injection pipe provided with the water injection port, and an upper relay pipe connecting the water intake pipe and the water injection pipe.
The intake pipe parallel to or substantially parallel to the column axis direction of the column body is arranged outside the column body.
An intake pipe removal step of removing the intake pipe after arranging the columnar main body in an upright state at a planned height by the water injection step in the main body.
Further provided with an opening closing step of sealing the opening of the columnar body generated after the intake pipe is removed with a sealing material.
The method for raising a columnar floating body according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the columnar floating body is raised.

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