TW201920813A - Reusable offshore installation template and use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reusable offshore installation template for the installation of offshore wind turbine foundations, in particular monopiles. The template comprises a sleeve with a sleeve extending through the sleeve in a sleeve direction and adapted to receive the monopile and guide it in the sleeve direction through the sleeve, and a support assembly comprising a base defining a landing surface and a support frame extending from the base. The installation template is adapted to reorient the sleeve direction S relative to the landing plane of the base based on a force applied to the sleeve. The invention further relates to a method for installing an offshore wind turbine foundation, in particular a monopile, by means of the reusable offshore installation template.

Description

Reusable offshore installation template and its use

The invention relates to a reusable offshore installation template, which is used to install an offshore wind turbine base, especially a single pile, in an underwater formation. The invention also relates to a method for installing an offshore foundation, in particular a single pile, in an underwater formation by means of an offshore installation template.

Such templates are known, for example, from EP 2,309,063 and WO 2013/043055. These prior art documents disclose pre-piling forms for installing a sheath base by means of a plurality of casings along the circumference of a structure connecting the casings. However, this formwork is not designed for installation of single piles and is not suitable for installation of single piles in anomalous or locally corrugated seabeds in underwater formations. The abnormal or partial wavy shape of the sea floor may cause the formwork to be supported at an undesired angle with respect to the horizontal plane, which may cause the single pile to be installed in an undesired non-vertical position.

A template, as known from US 8,672,587, comprises a base and a sleeve composed of two substantially semi-cylindrical sleeved portions, as described in WO 99/11872. Each sleeved part is connected to the base by a pair of positioning members, and each positioning member is composed of a length-adjustable element and a joint element. By adjusting the length of the pair of positioning members, the sleeve will be pivoted about a pivot axis defined between the two pairs of positioning members, and the sleeve can be tilted.

A known problem with the above-mentioned formwork is that when an offshore wind turbine base is inserted into an underwater casing of the formwork, the base may be affected by water flow and / or ship motion when installed from a floating ship. The single pile foundation can move due to the aforementioned forces and make the insertion of the single pile more difficult or even hinder the insertion, or cause installation in an undesired, non-vertical direction. In addition, it is also possible to apply undesired forces to the floating vessel in this way.

Object of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an offshore installation template that solves the above problems. In addition, it is desirable to allow the single pile to be installed in a predetermined (vertical) position relative to the formwork base. Summary of invention

Therefore, in a first aspect of the present invention, an offshore installation template for installing a single pile in an underwater formation is provided. The template includes: a casing having a casing passage extending through the casing in a casing direction, the casing passage being adapted to receive a single pile and pass the single pile through the casing in the casing direction; And a support assembly including a base defining a ground surface and a support frame extending from the base to support the casing.

The mounting template also includes a positioning member adapted to reposition the casing direction relative to the ground surface, the positioning member being adapted to be relative to the ground based on the force applied to the casing, such as the magnitude or (transverse) component of the force The surface repositions the casing. In this way, although a relatively large force is applied to the casing and a relatively large pressure is applied to the casing during installation, a single pile can be installed from an offshore installation vessel with a desired predetermined (vertical) positioning. The relatively large forces applied to the casing during installation may be the result of fluctuations or dynamic forces, that is, forces that change over time, and are greater than the relatively low forces determined to be applied to the casing before the single pile is introduced into the casing .

According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the positioning member is adapted to reposition relative to the ground surface when the force applied to the sleeve passes a threshold, i.e. when the threshold is exceeded or falls below the threshold. Direction of casing. In this way, the mounting template is adapted to perform a corrective action to ensure the mounting direction of the single pile when a relatively large force is being or has been applied to the casing.

According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the positioning member is adapted to reposition the casing direction relative to the ground surface in the direction of the force acting on the casing when the threshold is exceeded.

According to another embodiment, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the positioning member is adapted when the force applied to the sleeve drops below a threshold value or below a second threshold value, and preferably during a predetermined time When staying below this threshold, the orientation of the casing relative to the ground surface is repositioned towards the vertical orientation relative to the environment, especially the offshore environment.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the positioning member extends between the support frame and the sleeve of the support assembly, and preferably, at least three positioning members are rotationally symmetric in the positioning plane . This makes it possible to efficiently position the casing. In a preferred embodiment, the risk of failure is also reduced by the presence of at least two positioning members, which can orient the sleeve in a particular manner. In addition, a single pile can be installed vertically in an underwater formation regardless of the shape of the sea floor.

In another embodiment, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the positioning member is a hydraulic cylinder arranged to adapt to its pressure level based on the force applied to the sleeve, particularly when a predetermined threshold is exceeded. In particular, the positioning member is a hydraulic cylinder, which is adapted to release the pressure through an overpressure valve / hose rupture valve if the pressure in the cylinder becomes too high due to the force applied to the sleeve, The hose rupture valve may be pilot-controlled. This has the advantage that allowing the damped movement of the sleeve is similar to that in a damped mass spring system.

In other embodiments, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the mounting template includes a sensor adapted to determine a parameter related to the force applied to the sleeve. In this embodiment, the force applied to the casing can be determined in a simple manner, and the casing direction S can be redirected by the template based on this parameter. Optionally, the mounting template also includes individual control devices to control the positioning member using the control signals based on the sensor signals of the sensors.

According to a second aspect of the invention, which may appear in combination with other aspects and embodiments of the invention described herein, there is provided an offshore mounting template in which the sleeve and support assembly together includes a spherical hinge element, a spherical hinge element Together define the sockets for the ball and ball joint and allow the sleeve to rotate about the point of rotation relative to the support assembly.

In this way, the positioning direction of the casing can be changed relative to the base, such as for vertical installation on uneven or locally undulating seabeds of underwater formations. In addition, this structure has the advantage that the sleeve can be positioned efficiently. In addition, because the ball can be composed of multiple hinge surfaces, the sleeve can also extend through the ball hinge. And this has the advantage that the ball hinge can be formed tightly.

According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the socket is formed by a hinge element provided on a sleeve and the ball is formed by a hinge element provided on a support assembly.

According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the spherical hinge element of the sleeve is formed by a plurality of hinge arms which are arranged rotationally symmetrically on the outer surface of the sleeve and which support the spherical shape of the assembly The hinge member is formed of a plurality of spherical surfaces, which are disposed on the base of the support assembly rotationally symmetrically.

According to another embodiment, the rotation point of the spherical hinge coincides with the point of the passage opening of the base, which passage opening is provided for passing a single pile into the underwater formation. As a result, the positioning direction of the casing direction S will always include the point of the base. This has the advantage that the target position determined by this point can be maintained as it is when the orientation of the sleeve is changed. For example, if the template orients the casing such that the force applied to the casing is damped, the casing is still deployed to guide the single pile to the correct target location.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with other aspects and embodiments of the present invention described herein, there is provided an offshore installation formwork, wherein the support assembly includes at least one formwork leg for stable support The position of the component relative to the sea floor of the underwater formation. When the sea floor is uneven, you can grasp the sea floor with the help of formwork feet. In addition, the template can be preloaded by means of at least one template foot, so that a predetermined surface pressure is applied to the sea floor for a certain time.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, which may appear in combination with other aspects and embodiments of the present invention described herein, an offshore installation template is provided in which the size of the sleeve in the direction of the sleeve is adjustable .

In this way, for example, the height of the casing can be adjusted so that it always extends a sufficient length above the water surface in an offshore environment. This has the advantage that the formwork can be seen on offshore installations, for example during the insertion of a single pile into the formwork. In addition, a casing that extends above the water surface will also have a beneficial effect on sound transmission during hammering of a single pile in the soil.

According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a mounting template as described above, wherein the sleeves are arranged in a module by a body portion and a top connected thereto. In this embodiment, the size of the sleeve can be adjusted in a simple manner. According to another embodiment, the top is connected to the main body portion by at least one modularized portion. This embodiment determines, in a simple manner, a plurality of discrete sizes in which the sleeve is adjustable. Another advantage is that these modular sleeve sections are easy to store because they can be stacked together.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, which may appear in combination with other aspects and embodiments of the invention described herein, a support assembly for mounting a template is provided, the support assembly including a positioning member for The grounding surface repositions the casing direction of the casing, the positioning member being adapted to reorient the casing direction relative to the grounding surface based on the force applied to the casing.

A sixth aspect of the present invention, which may appear in combination with other aspects and embodiments of the invention described herein, provides the use of an offshore installation template according to the present invention in a marine environment including a seabed Strata and water layer with water surface. The base of the support assembly is located on the sea floor of the formation, and the casing extends through the water surface of the water layer.

Because the casing extends above the water surface, the single pile does not start to oscillate through the water and waves. This makes it easier to insert the single pile into the casing. In addition, it is also an advantageous structure to prevent the propagation of sound waves in the water layer. In particular, the sleeve of the mounting template according to the present invention may further be provided with a sound absorbing device so as to more effectively block the propagation of sound waves. The sound absorbing device may be, for example, a coating of a sleeve, a harmonic resonator, a bubble screen, or the like.

A seventh aspect of the present invention, which may appear in combination with other aspects and embodiments of the invention described herein, provides a method for installing a single pile in an underwater formation through an installation template, including the following steps: The step of installing the base of the installation template on the subsea floor to introduce a single pile into the casing channel extending through the casing of the installation template, and more preferably, when the force applied to the casing exceeds a threshold, based on the The force of the casing can redirect the casing direction relative to the ground surface of the base adjacent to the sea floor.

According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a method as described above, including the step of positioning the casing direction relative to the ground contact surface by positioning the member before the step of introducing a single pile.

According to another implementation method, the invention relates to a method as described above by means of an offshore installation template according to the invention.

FIGS. 1-3 show a formwork 100 including a sleeve 200 and a support assembly 300. FIG. 2 illustrates that the template is in a storage location for storing a stopped service template. FIG. 3 illustrates a template in a preloaded position for preloading an underwater formation 500.

The sleeve 200 has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape surrounding the sleeve direction S, wherein the sleeve 200 includes a sleeve passage for passing the single pile 400. In this casing passage, there may be clamping and / or guiding means to assist in installing the single post 400. The sleeve 200 further includes a main body portion 210, a top 230, and a plurality of modular sleeve portions 220; 221, 222, 223, the plurality of modular sleeve portions 220; 221, 222, 223 connect the top 230 to the body in a non-destructive and removable manner Section 210 uses, for example, bolts and nuts. The main body portion 210 is provided with a plurality of hinge arms 240 on an outer surface of the sleeve, the hinge arms 240 defining a socket of the ball-and-socket joint or at least a portion thereof.

The support assembly 300 has a substantially cylindrical frame 320 with an annular base 310 around the support direction O at the proximal end of the support frame 320. The base 310 defines a ground surface that is established on the sea floor of an underwater formation during use. The support assembly 300 further includes a plurality of legs 350 for supporting and stabilizing the formwork 100. The embodiment shown is provided with four legs 351, 352, 353, 354, which are arranged rotationally symmetrically about the support direction O.

The support assembly 300 also includes a positioning member 330 in the form of a hydraulic cylinder that extends between the support frame 320 of the support assembly 300 and the outer surface of the sleeve 200. The positioning member 330 defines a positioning plane perpendicular to the support direction O.

The positioning member 330 is provided to position the sleeve direction S relative to the ground-contacting surface of the base 310. The embodiment shown comprises four positioning members 331, 332, 333, 334, which are arranged rotationally symmetrically about the support direction O in an orientation plane. As a result, the risk of failure can be reduced by the presence of at least two positioning members, which can bring the sleeve into the adjusted orientation. In particular, the positioning member 330 is directly connected to the sleeve 200.

The support assembly 300 further includes a spherical hinge surface 340 that defines a ball of a ball and socket joint or at least a portion thereof. The embodiment shown comprises four spherical surfaces 341, 342, 343, 344, which are arranged rotationally symmetrically about the bearing direction O. In particular, the positioning members 330 and the spherical hinge surface 340 are alternately provided in the circumferential direction of the template 100.

FIG. 4 shows the formwork in a lowered position on the sea floor 510 of the formation 500. The ground surface of the base 310 is supported by the sea floor 510. The feet 350 are engaged with the sea floor 510 by means of a hydraulic cylinder to further support the formwork 100. Alternatively, one or more feet 350 may also be used to preload the subsurface formation 500.

In an offshore environment with a horizontally flat sea floor 510, the casing direction S will coincide with the bearing direction O to align correctly with the vertical installation direction V determined by the environment, and more specifically the water surface 610 of the water layer 600. . The sleeve 200 has a predetermined height in the vertical mounting direction V such that in the lowered position, the top 230 is located at least partially above the water surface 610. Since the formwork protrudes from the water, the single pile will not start to oscillate due to water flow and waves. This makes it easier to insert the single pile into the casing.

5A-D illustrate the various steps in the method for installing a single pile 400 in an underwater formation 500, such as performed by a heavy lifting vessel (eg, a lifting vessel), during use during FIGS. 1-3示 的 Template100.

FIG. 5A shows the formwork 100 at a lowered position on the uneven seabed 510 at the level of the formation 500 after the formwork 100 is lowered from an outboard position relative to a heavy lifting vessel. In this lowered position, the casing direction S coincides with the support direction O almost perpendicular to the sea floor.

FIG. 5B shows the template after positioning the sleeve 200 relative to the ground-contacting surface of the base 310. In order to correctly align the casing direction S, the casing is positioned by the positioning member 330 so that the casing direction S coincides with the vertical installation direction V. This makes it possible to install the single pile 400 in the vertical direction despite the unevenness of the sea floor 510 horizontally.

Fig. 5C shows the formwork 100 during the step of introducing a single post 400 into the oriented sleeve 200 shown in Fig. 5B. The single pile 400 descends from the outboard position to the formation 500, and the single pile 400 is aligned with the casing direction S to install the single pile 400 through the positioned casing 200 in the vertical installation direction V. For example, the single pile 400 may be lowered using a crane of a heavy lifting ship.

During insertion, the single pile 400 may deviate from its intended direction, ie, the vertical installation direction V. For example, ship motion due to waves and currents. In principle, the formwork will correct this deviation and force the single pile into the casing direction S that coincides with the vertical installation direction V.

However, if the lateral deviation of a single pile becomes too large, the force exerted on the casing may exceed a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the mounting template 100 is adapted to temporarily reposition the casing direction S when the lateral force component applied to the casing 200 is too large—for example, when the threshold relative to the lateral force component is exceeded. If the force on the formwork due to the deviation of the single pile becomes too large, the positioning member 330 (for example, a hydraulic cylinder) may perform a damping motion by allowing the casing to follow the single pile movement. Therefore, the relatively large movement of the single pile 400 in the casing 200 will be able to be damped, and it is possible to install the single pile 400 in the vertical installation direction V.

Once the single pile is fully inserted into the casing and contacts the sea floor, the casing maintains its vertical position. Heavy cranes are now disconnected from single piles and picking up hammer tools. The hammer drives the single pile down into the sea floor, while the casing remains in an upright position.

FIG. 5D illustrates the formwork 100 during the retrieval of the formwork 100 after the single pile 400 is installed in the underwater formation 500. This template can be reused for installing another single pile.

If the other single pile is of a different type or is installed in a different environment, the template 100 needs to be adjusted for this purpose. For example, the position of the feet 350 relative to the base can be adjusted according to the nature of the seabed 510. In addition, the casing can also be adjusted. For example, the height of the casing 200 can be adjusted to the water level by the modularized casing portion 220, or another casing can be used in combination with the same component. Preferably, the height of the adjusting sleeve should be raised above the water level.

Other alternatives and equivalent embodiments of the present invention are conceivable within the concept of the present invention, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the scope of the accompanying patent applications.

100‧‧‧Template

200‧‧‧ Casing

210‧‧‧Main body

220‧‧‧Modular casing

230‧‧‧Top

240‧‧‧ Hinged Arm

300‧‧‧ support assembly

310‧‧‧Ring base

320‧‧‧ support frame

330‧‧‧Positioning member

340‧‧‧Spherical hinge surface

350‧‧‧ feet

400‧‧‧ single pile

500‧‧‧ underwater formation

510‧‧‧Seabed

600‧‧‧ water layer

610‧‧‧ surface

O‧‧‧Support direction

R‧‧‧ rotation point

S‧‧‧Sleeve direction

V‧‧‧Vertical installation direction

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which illustrative embodiments are shown. They are intended for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the inventive concepts defined by the scope of the attached patent application. Figure 1 shows a simplified representation of a reusable offshore installation template in a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a template shown in Figure 1 in a storage position in a side view; Figure 3 is A side view of the template shown in FIG. 1 in the “preloaded” position; FIG. 4 shows the template shown in FIG. 1 being used on the seabed of an underwater formation; and FIGS. 5A-D show the template shown in the previous figure In the various steps of a method for installing a single pile in an offshore environment.

Claims (18)

An offshore installation template (100) for installing a single pile (400) in an underwater formation (500), comprising:-a casing (200) having a casing extending through the casing in the direction (S) of the casing; A casing passage of a casing, the casing passage being adapted to receive a single pile (400) and pass the single pile (400) through the casing (200) in the casing direction (S);-a support assembly (300), The support assembly includes a base (310) defining a ground surface and a support frame (320) extending from the base (310), wherein the mounting template (100) includes a housing for repositioning the sleeve relative to the ground surface A positioning member (330) in the direction (S), the positioning member (330) being adapted to reorient the casing direction (S) relative to the ground surface based on a force applied to the casing. The offshore installation template (100) according to claim 1, wherein the positioning member (330) is adapted to reposition the casing direction relative to the ground surface when a threshold of a force applied to the casing is exceeded ( S). The offshore installation template (100) according to claim 2, wherein the positioning member (330) is adapted to re-position relative to the ground surface in the direction of the force acting on the casing when the threshold is exceeded. Orienting the sleeve direction (S), and / or wherein the positioning member (330) is adapted when the force applied to the sleeve drops below a threshold value or a second threshold value less than the threshold value, and at a predetermined When staying below this threshold for a better time, the casing direction (S) is repositioned relative to the ground surface in the direction of the vertical installation direction (V) relative to the environment, especially the offshore environment. The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the positioning member (330) is between the support frame (320) of the support assembly (300) and the sleeve (200) The extension, preferably at least three positioning members (331,332,333,334) are rotationally symmetrical in the orientation plane. The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the positioning member (330) is a hydraulic cylinder arranged to be based on a force applied to the casing, in particular in excess of When the threshold is predetermined, the pressure level of the cylinder is adapted. The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the installation template (100) includes a sensor adapted to determine and apply a pressure on the sleeve. Force-related parameters. The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sleeve (200) and the support assembly (300) together include a spherical hinge element, which together defines a spherical joint Ball and socket, and allows the sleeve to rotate relative to the support assembly (300) about a point of rotation (R). The offshore installation template (100) according to claim 7, wherein the socket is formed by a hinge element provided on the sleeve (200), and the ball is formed by a hinge element provided on the support element (300) form. According to the offshore installation template (100) according to claim 8, the spherical hinge element of the sleeve is formed by a plurality of hinge arms (240), the plurality of hinge arms are arranged rotationally symmetrically on the sleeve (200) And the spherical hinge element of the support assembly is formed by a plurality of spherical surfaces (340), which are disposed on the base (310) of the support assembly (300) rotationally symmetrically. The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein a rotation point (R) of the spherical hinge coincides with a point of a passage opening of the base (310), and the passage opening is provided for use. The single pile (400) is passed into the underwater formation (500). The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support assembly (300) includes at least one leg (350) for stabilizing the support assembly (300) with respect to the water Location of the sea floor in the lower stratum (500). The offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the size of the casing (200) in the casing direction (S) is adjustable. The offshore installation template (100) according to claim 12, wherein the casing (200) is arranged in a module by a main body portion (210) and a top portion (230) connected thereto. The offshore installation template (100) according to claim 13, wherein the top portion (230) is connected to the main body portion (210) by at least one modularized portion (220). A use of an offshore installation template (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 in an offshore environment, the offshore environment comprising a stratum (500) with a sea floor (510) and a water surface (610) ) Water layer (600), wherein the base (310) of the support assembly (300) is located on the sea floor (510) of the formation (500), and wherein the casing (200) extends through the water layer (600) Water surface (610). A method for installing a single pile (400) in an underwater formation (500) by an installation formwork (100), comprising the following steps:-providing an installation formwork (510) on the sea floor (510) of the underwater formation (500) 100) of the base (310);-introducing the single pile (400) into a casing channel extending through the casing (200) of the mounting template (100); and-preferably, when exceeding the When the threshold value of the force of the casing (200) is based on the force applied to the casing (200), the casing direction (S) is repositioned relative to the ground surface of the base (310) adjacent to the sea floor. According to the method for installing a single pile (400) according to claim 16, before the step of introducing the single pile, the following steps are included:-positioning the casing direction relative to the ground surface by the positioning member (330) ( S). The method for single pile (400) installation according to claim 16 or 17, performed by means of an offshore installation template (100) according to any of claims 1 to 14.