Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D27/00—Foundations as substructures
  • E02D27/32—Foundations for special purposes
  • E02D27/52—Submerged foundations, i.e. submerged in open water
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D27/00—Foundations as substructures
  • E02D27/32—Foundations for special purposes
  • E02D27/42—Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D27/00—Foundations as substructures
  • E02D27/32—Foundations for special purposes
  • E02D27/42—Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys
  • E02D27/425—Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys specially adapted for wind motors masts
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D27/00—Foundations as substructures
  • E02D27/32—Foundations for special purposes
  • E02D27/52—Submerged foundations, i.e. submerged in open water
  • E02D27/525—Submerged foundations, i.e. submerged in open water using elements penetrating the underwater ground
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D29/00—Independent underground or underwater structures; Retaining walls
  • E02D29/06—Constructions, or methods of constructing, in water

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a support foundation for a tidal turbine, intended to be placed on the bottom of a body of water, the support foundation comprising:
• each support leg On the bottom of the body of water, connected to each other by the base, each support leg having a hollow box.
• Such a support foundation is intended to be placed in abutment on the bottom of a body of water, in which hydraulic or marine currents are present.
• This body of water may be for example an ocean, or a sea, in which case the hydraulic or marine currents result in particular tides or swell.
• the body of water is a river or river, in which the hydraulic or marine currents result in particular from the flow between the source and the mouth of the body of water.
• the support foundation carries and fixes on the bottom of the body of water a tidal turbine comprising a turbine and an alternator.
• the tidal turbine is able to collect the hydraulic energy resulting from the circulation of water into a mechanical energy of rotation using the turbine, then to transform the mechanical energy into electrical energy using the alternator .
• the support foundation maintains the tidal turbine very firmly in position on the bottom of the body of water, keeping as much as possible the orientation tidal turbine to optimize its energy production.
• These support foundations include a central base carrying the tidal turbine and three vertical legs for sinking into the bottom of the body of water. Each leg includes a box open down which sinks into the bottom of the body of water, once the foundation support placed on the bottom.
• the box is further ballasted to stabilize the support foundation on the bottom of the body of water.
• Such support foundations are well suited for substantially flat bottoms and having sufficient rigidity to prevent too much depression of the support foundation in the bottom.
• An object of the invention is to obtain a tidal turbine support foundation that can be arranged simply and inexpensively on any type of seabed, including those having a bottom provided with reliefs and / or soft areas.
• each support leg further comprises:
• the support foundation according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or according to any combination (s) technically possible (s):
• each adjusting member comprises a deployable element towards the bottom of the body of water with respect to the box before the installation of the support foundation on the bottom of the body of water;
• each adjusting member comprises a fixed element relative to the caisson, the deployable element being mounted movable relative to the fixed element before the installation of the support foundation on the bottom of the body of water, the fixed element and the deployable element being in particular formed by telescopic tubes;
• Each box comprises at least one bottom wall and a side wall defining an internal volume to be filled with gas to ensure proper buoyancy to the support foundation on the body of water;
• the box comprises an upper wall closing up the internal volume, the box having at least one injection nozzle and / or purge fluid in the interior volume.
• the internal volume opens constantly upwards above the lateral wall
• one of the cooperation members delimits a cavity opening downwards, intended to be inserted into the bottom of the body of water;
• the cavity is delimited by a hollow receptacle opening downwards and presenting an upper closing wall towards the top of the cavity;
• one of the cooperation members comprises a totally solid bottom surface, in particular a convex surface, to oppose the penetration of the cooperation member into the bottom of the body of water.
• the invention also relates to an underwater device for generating electric power, characterized in that it comprises:
• a tidal turbine mounted on the tidal turbine support.
• the invention also relates to a method of setting up a support foundation as defined above comprising the following steps:
• the method according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in any combination (s) technically possible (s):
• the transport step is performed by maintaining the support foundation partially immersed in the body of water under the effect of its own buoyancy.
• FIG. 1 is a partially exploded top perspective view of a first electric power generating device comprising a support foundation according to the invention placed on the bottom of a body of water;
• Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, before its installation on the bottom of the body of water;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view along a median vertical plane of a leg of the support foundation of Figure 1;
• FIG. 5 to 9 are views similar to FIG. 4 of variants of support foundation legs according to the invention.
• FIG. 10 is a front view of a tidal turbine clean to be carried by the support foundation of Figure 1;
• FIG. 1 1 is a perspective view of three-quarter face of another clean water turbine to be carried by the support foundation of Figure 1;
• FIG. 12 is a side view showing a laying ship and a support foundation according to the invention, in a first step of a first method of placing the support foundation according to the invention;
• FIG. 13 is a view similar to Figure 12, in a second step of the first implementation method
• FIG. 14 is a side view of a laying ship and a support foundation in a first step of a second implementation method according to the invention
• Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 in a second step of the second implementation method.
• Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 14 in a third step of the second implementation method.
• This device 10 is intended to be placed on the bottom 12 of a body of water
• the body of water 14 is for example a body of salt water having hydraulic or marine currents, such as an ocean or a sea, or a body of fresh water in circulation, such as a river or a river.
• the minimum depth of the water body 14 in the region where the device 10 is placed is greater than 5 m and is generally between 20 m and 60 m.
• the bottom 12 of the body of water is delimited by solid material such as rocks or sediments. It has an upper surface which, in the example shown in FIG. 2, is provided with asperities such as steps
• 16A, 16B, 16C extending at different depths relative to the surface of the body of water 14.
• the bottom 12 of the body of water 14 may also have relatively more rigid areas and relatively more flexible areas facing the underwater device 10.
• the underwater device 10 is totally immersed under the surface of the body of water 14. It comprises a support foundation 20 fixed in support on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14 and a tidal turbine 22, sometimes referred to as
• the tidal turbine 22 comprises a base body 24 fixed on the support foundation 20 by means of a fixing stud 26.
• It comprises a hydraulic turbine 28 rotatably mounted about an axis
• A-A substantially horizontal on the base body 24 to transform the hydraulic energy present in the body of water 14 into a mechanical energy rotation.
• the tidal turbine 22 further comprises an alternator 30 adapted to convert the mechanical energy resulting from the rotation of the turbine 28 into an electric power.
• the base body 24 comprises a fairing 32 capable of guiding the flow of water towards the turbine 28 along its axis of rotation AA 'and a turbine support. 34 disposed in the fairing 32.
• the turbine 28 comprises a hub 36 rotatably mounted about the axis A-A 'in the turbine support 34 and a plurality of blades 38 which protrude radially into the shroud 24 from the hub 36.
• the base body 24 is devoid of fairing and the turbine 28 is mounted at one end of the turbine support 34.
• the axis A-A 'of rotation of the turbine 28 is vertical.
• the fixing stud 26 comprises a substantially cylindrical upper portion 40 carrying the base body 24, an intermediate guiding portion 42 of convergent shape downwards, and a substantially cylindrical lower portion 44 for to be inserted in the support foundation 20.
• the lower portion 44 has a transverse dimension, taken perpendicularly to a vertical axis, less than the transverse dimension of the upper portion 40.
• the fixing stud 26 comprises, along a generatrix of the lower portion 44, a vertical guide rib 46 for indexing angularly the tidal turbine 22 on the support foundation 20 as will be seen below.
• the tidal turbine 22 is removably mounted on the support foundation 20 so that it can be raised to the surface of the body of water 14, for its periodic maintenance, without having to go up the foundation. 20.
• the tidal turbine 22 is fixed permanently on the support foundation 20.
• the support foundation 20 comprises a perforated base 50, at least three substantially vertical legs 52 of support on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14, interconnected by the base 50, and a Turbine support 54 carried by the base 50.
• the base 50 has a substantially polygonal outer contour, the legs 52 being arranged at the vertices of the polygon.
• the base 50 has a triangle shape advantageously equilateral or isosceles and the support foundation 20 has three legs arranged at the top of the base 50.
• the number of legs 52 is greater than three to further increase the stability of the support foundation 20.
• the base 50 is formed by a plurality of ribs 6OA, connecting the tug support 54 to each leg 52, and a plurality of ribs 6OB connecting each leg 52 to two adjacent legs 52.
• the base 50 comprises at least two inclined ribs 6OA, connecting the base 54 to each leg 52 and at least two substantially horizontal ribs 6OB connecting one leg 52 to an adjacent leg 52.
• the ribs 6OA, 6OB delimit between them water circulation spaces to minimize the resistance of the support foundation 20 to the hydraulic or marine currents.
• each leg 52 comprises a hollow upper box
• Each leg 52 further comprises an element 76 for attachment to a line of descent of the supporting foundation 20 in the body of water 14.
• each box 70 delimits an internal volume 78 of buoyancy and ballasting, intended to be filled selectively with a gas to ensure the buoyancy of the support foundation 20 during its transport and by a solid or a liquid of ballast to ensure the stability of the support foundation 20 on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14 after the laying of the support foundation.
• Each box 70 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a vertical axis B-B '. It thus comprises a bottom wall 80, a peripheral lateral wall 82 and an upper wall 84, the walls 80, 82 and 84 internally defining the volume 78.
• each box 70 is for example between
• the casing 70 further comprises a nozzle 85A for injecting liquid or solid into the volume 78 and a purge tap 85B of the volume 78 opening into the internal volume 78 above the injection nozzle 85A.
• the taps 85A, 85B are provided with valves to selectively block the access to the volume 78.
• the adjusting member 72 is fixed on the casing 70.
• the member 72 comprises in this example a first tubular element 86 fixedly mounted in the casing 70 through the internal volume 78 between the bottom wall 80 and the upper wall 84 and a lower tubular element 88, deployable from the fixed element 86 before or during the installation of the support foundation 20, to adjust the vertical position of the box 70 above the bottom 12 of the body of water.
• the fixed element 86 and the movable element 88 are formed by telescopic tubes mounted sliding one inside the other along a vertical axis.
• the deployable member 88 is movable relative to the fixed member 86 to protrude downwardly beyond the housing 70 between a retracted position in the well 70, shown in FIG. 3, and a plurality of deployed positions under the box 70 at a chosen height.
• the deployable element 88 is temporarily or permanently immobilized in a deployed position chosen relative to the fixed element 86 and relative to the box 70, to maintain the box 70 at a fixed position. vertical position chosen relative to the bottom 12 of the body of water.
• This vertical position is for example between 0.5 m and 5 m above the bottom 12.
• the immobilization of the fixed element 86 relative to the deployable element 88 is for example provided by welding, screwing, riveting, or by plastic deformation.
• the boxes 70 can be held with their bottom walls 80 substantially at a vertical position chosen so that the base 50 and the support 56 have a determined orientation in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane.
• the base 50 is kept substantially horizontal, the boxes 70 being all arranged substantially at the same depth with respect to the surface of the body of water 14.
• the projecting height of the adjusting members 72 between the box 70 and the cooperation member 74 may be different from one leg 52 to the other. This height is for example between 1/10 times and 1 times the height of the box 70.
• the support foundation 20 comprises at least two adjustment members
• the cooperation member 74 has a maximum transverse dimension, taken horizontally in FIG. 2, greater than the maximum transverse dimension of the rigid adjustment member 72.
• the cooperation member 74 is formed by a shoe 90 fixed to the lower end of the adjustment member 72.
• the shoe 90 is placed in abutment on the bottom 12 of the body of water. It has a bottom surface 92, convex and convex, directed downwards to prevent or at least limit the depression of the leg 52 in the bottom 12, especially if the bottom 12 is movable.
• the pad 90 is formed by a cone pointing downwards, delimiting a bottom surface 92 full.
• a conical shoe 90 is particularly adapted to a bottom 12 constituted or comprising a large amount of rocks 94.
• the cooperation member 74 is formed by a hollow receptacle 94 turned downwards delimiting a cavity 96 for receiving the bottom 12.
• the cavity 96 opens out downwards to allow the receptacle 94 to sink into the bottom 12.
• the height of the receptacle 94 is advantageously relatively small, for example less than the height of the box 70.
• the hollow wall delimiting the receptacle 94 is solid facing the volume 98 delimited between the receptacle 94 and the bottom 12 in the cavity 96.
• the receptacle 94 comprises a tapping 100 opening into the volume 98 through an upper region of the hollow wall forming the receptacle 94.
• the tapping 100 is intended to be connected to a pump for sucking up the fluid present in the volume 98 and drive the receptacle 94 into the bottom 12, which forms a suction anchor.
• the height of the receptacle 94 is then advantageously greater than that of the box 70.
• the cooperation member 74 is formed by a mass 102 of cement which is injected through the upper tubular element 86 and through the lower tubular element 88 whose end is first introduced. by drilling into the bottom 12 of the body of water 14.
• the mass 102 extends around the lower tubular element 88 between its lower end and the mass of water 14.
• a cooperation member 74 adapted to the nature of the soil below the leg 52 is used.
• the support foundation 20 may therefore comprise legs 52 having cooperation members 74 of distinct structures. This makes it possible to ensure good stability, in particular horizontal stability, of the support foundation 20 on the bottom 12 of the mass of water 14.
• the box 70 is open upwards along the upper edge of the side wall 82. It thus has no upper wall 84 above the side wall 82.
• the interior volume 78 can be filled with liquid and / or solid ballast through the opening of the box 70 located above the side wall 82.
• the tidal turbine support 54 comprises a nacelle 1 10 substantially cylindrical, and a sleeve 1 12 for guiding the attachment stud 26 inserted into the nacelle 1 10
• the nacelle 1 10 is formed by a hollow wall opening upwards. It extends along a nacelle axis C-C which, in this example, is vertical and passes substantially in the vicinity of the center of gravity of the base 50.
• the members 6OA connecting the support 54 to each leg 52 are fixed on the outer surface of the nacelle 1 10 being angularly distributed around the axis of the nacelle.
• the guide sleeve 1 12 is disposed in the nacelle 1 10. It comprises a lower region 1 14 for receiving the lower portion 44 of the stud 26 and an upper region 1 16 divergent upwards for the support of the converging intermediate portion 42 of the pad 26.
• the sleeve 1 12 further delimits a vertical slot 1 18 for receiving the indexing rib 46, the slot 1 18 opening upwards through a diverging cavity 120 for guiding the groove 46 towards the slot 118.
• the lower region 114 delimits a central cylindrical cavity of cross section substantially conjugated to the cross section of the lower portion 44.
• the upper region 116 also delimits a central cavity diverging upwards and having a shape complementary to the shape of the intermediate portion 42.
• the slot 1 18 extends through the lower region 1 14 and partially through the upper region 1 16. It has a width conjugate to that of the rib 46 to lock the stud 26 in rotation about the axis CC when the rib 46 is received in the slot 1 18.
• the divergent cavity 120 is formed in the upper region 1 16 at the upper end of the slot 1 18.
• the stud 26 has been partially introduced into the nacelle 1 10.
• the lower portion 44 is housed in the lower region 14 and the intermediate portion 42 rests on the upper region 16. .
• the rib 46 is immobilized angularly in the slot 1 18 providing an angular indexing of the tidal turbine 22 in a determined position around the axis C-C.
• FIGS. 12 and 13 A first method of setting up a device 10 for generating electrical power according to the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13.
• This method is implemented using a laying ship 130 provided with lifting gear 132, such as cranes.
• the machines 132 have deployable lines 133 capable of lowering the device 10 in the body of water 14.
• This method comprises a step of transporting the support foundation 20 to the surface of the body of water 14 to a point situated opposite a laying region 134 of this foundation on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14.
• the method then comprises a step of total immersion of the support foundation 20 in the body of water 14 from the laying ship 130, and a step of placing the support foundation 20 resting on the bottom 12 of the mass of water. water 14.
• the support foundation 20 is loaded on the ship 130.
• the adjustment members 72 of the legs 52 are retracted into the caissons 70, so that the vertical space requirement of the support foundation 20 is minimal.
• the lower tubular elements 88 are held in the retracted position in the upper tubular elements 86.
• the cooperation members 74 are kept close to the boxes 70.
• the topography of the laying region 134 is determined before the establishment of the support foundation 20.
• each adjusting member 72 projecting under the box 70 is calculated for each leg 52 as a function of the topography determined to maintain the base 50 in a given orientation with respect to a vertical plane and with respect to a horizontal plane on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14.
• the adjustment members 72 are then deployed at the surface for each leg 52, by adjusting their height as a function of the height values calculated for each leg 52.
• the lower tubular elements 88 are immobilized at the height determined on the upper tubular elements 86 by welding or by plastic deformation on the surface of the body of water, for example on the laying ship 130.
• the actuating lines 133 are then fixed on the hook members 76 and the cranes 132 are operated to extract the support foundation 20 from the ship 130 and place it facing the laying region 134 above or partially immersed in the water body 14.
• a selected quantity of solid and / or liquid ballast is then introduced into the interior volume 78 of each box 70 and the support foundation 20 is lowered into the body of water 14.
• the tidal turbine 22 is previously mounted on its support 54 by introducing the attachment stud 26 in the nacelle 1 10 as described above.
• the support foundation 20 is lowered and placed on the bottom 12 before the tidal turbine 22, the tidal turbine 22 then being lowered into the body of water 14 after the support foundation 20 has been placed on the bottom 12.
• the support foundation 20 is totally immersed in the body of water 14, then descends to the region 134 while being hung on the lines 133 to have the cooperation members 74 in contact with the bottom 12 of the body of water.
• the support foundation 20 is positioned very precisely and robust on the bottom 12 of the body of water 14.
• the cost of laying the support foundation 20 and the device 10 is reduced and the laying operation is facilitated.
• the support foundation 20 is lowered while keeping the adjustment members 72 retracted.
• the support foundation 20 reaches a chosen position with at least one leg 52 located away from the bottom 12 of the body of water, the lower tubular elements 88 are released to deploy towards the bottom 12 of the mass of water. until the cooperating member 74 comes into contact with the bottom 12.
• the lower elements 88 are immobilized relative to the upper elements 86, for example by plastic deformation and lines 133 are raised.
• the interior volume 78 of the buoyancy chambers 70 is filled with a sufficient amount of gas to provide sufficient buoyancy to the support foundation 20 to keep it partially immersed in the surface of the body of water 14, under the effect of its own buoyancy.
• this own buoyancy is also sufficient to maintain the tidal turbine 22 above the surface of the mass. of water when this tidal turbine 22 is initially carried by the support foundation
• the laying ship 130 then pulls the support foundation 20 partially immersed in the body of water 14 by means of a traction line 140 to a point situated in look at the region of implantation 134.
• the ship 130 be equipped with lifting gear 132 of high capacity, capable of allowing the lifting of the support foundation 20.
• the fluid injection taps 85A of each box 70 are open to inject liquid or solid ballast into the interior volume 78, replacing at least part of the gas present in this volume 78.
• the buoyancy of the support foundation 20 decreases, causing its total immersion in the vicinity of the surface.
• the ship 130 is then placed above the support foundation 20.
• a down line 146 deployed with the aid of a winch from the ship 130, is then connected to the control members. hung 76 and the water lines 142 can be detached hooks 76.
• the support foundation 20 is then gradually lowered by the line of descent 146 to the region 134, to arrange the legs 52 resting on the bottom 12 of the body of water as described above.
• the immersion of the support foundation 20 and its removal on the bottom 12 are carried out exclusively using the water lines 142, without using a line of descent 146 from the ship 130.
• the immersion of the support foundation 20 is then automatically controlled by the buoys 144 present on the water lines 142.
• the adjustment members 72 may be deployed either before the lowering of the support foundation 20 in the water mass 14, if the topography of the region 134 has been previously studied, or alternatively, when the support foundation 20 is disposed in the mass of water 14 in the vicinity of the region 134 with at least one leg at the distance from the bottom 12.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Paleontology (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
• Foundations (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-08-28 FR FR0955893A patent/FR2949482B1/fr active Active
• 2010
  • 2010-08-26 BR BR112012004336A patent/BR112012004336A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2010-08-26 WO PCT/FR2010/051776 patent/WO2011023907A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2010-08-26 US US13/392,820 patent/US20120282037A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-08-26 EP EP10763752A patent/EP2470723A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-08-26 CN CN201080046132.8A patent/CN102575450B/zh active Active
  • 2010-08-26 KR KR1020127005351A patent/KR20120092564A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

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