Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/24—Anchors
  • B63B21/26—Anchors securing to bed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
  • B63B21/502—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers by means of tension legs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
  • B63B2021/505—Methods for installation or mooring of floating offshore platforms on site
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
  • B63B2035/4433—Floating structures carrying electric power plants
  • B63B2035/446—Floating structures carrying electric power plants for converting wind energy into electric energy
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/20—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
  • F03D13/25—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors specially adapted for offshore installation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/93—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a structure floating on a liquid surface
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/95—Mounting on supporting structures or systems offshore
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/97—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a submerged structure
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/70—Wind energy
  • Y02E10/72—Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/70—Wind energy
  • Y02E10/727—Offshore wind turbines

Definitions

• an offshore anchor system comprising two or more helical anchors, each having a predetermined length; and a template acting as a base connecting the two or more helical anchors.
• Some embodiments further comprising a skirt protruding from the periphery of the template in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the two or more helical anchors thereby providing additional lateral support.
• the skirt protrudes from the template in the same direction as the two or more helical anchors, wherein the skirt protrudes about 5% to about 50% of the length of the two or more helical anchors.
• the template and the skirt are separate items that can be assembled on site.
• the offshore anchor system comprising two or more helical anchors, each having a predetermined length; a template acting as a base connecting the two or more helical anchors, and a skirt protruding from the periphery of the template in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the two or more helical anchors and for a distance of about 5% to about 50% of the length of the helical anchor thereby providing additional lateral support.
• Some embodiments provide a method of anchoring an offshore floating platform comprising anchoring such anchor systems to the seafloor and mooring a floating platform thereto. [0009] These and other aspects will be apparent from this disclosure.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of a wind turbine and anchoring system in accordance with an embodiment described herein.
• FIG. 2 is a partial cut-away view of an anchoring system as described herein.
• the proposed system employs multiple small easily manufactured helical anchors in close proximity combined with template and an optional skirt. Such a combination is not used in the offshore floating wind sector.
• the systems disclosed herein use multiple small helical anchors, a template, and an optional skirt to provide the uplift and lateral capacities required to moor a floating wind platform.
• the invention is made up of three components to provide the capacities needed for the offshore wind sector; helical anchors, a template, and an optional skirt.
• the anchor system will be installed by a subsea remote tool.
• the helical anchors provide the majority of the uplift capacity for the system.
• Helical anchors are installed by applying torque and crowd (down force) and screwing them into the seabed.
• the template is a base platform that holds all the helical anchors together and provides a mooring connection for the floating platform or to which the rigid components are connected.
• the template also provides the base for the subsea tool to sit on while each anchor is installed.
• the template will provide some uplift and lateral capacities but compared to the overall system will have relatively small benefits.
• the main purpose of the template is to provide stability and load transfer from anchor to anchor from the mooring connection point.
• the skirt will provide increased lateral capacity for the system.
• Each helical anchor comprises of a shaft, and a helical plate.
• Shaft lengths may range from approximately 5-20 feet and may be connected by couplers.
• the helical plate is designed and positioned such that twisting the anchor forces the shaft downward into the seabed.
• Multiple anchors maybe employed in a single anchor system held together via the template.
• the template comprises a base portion that may be made of any suitable material, such as, but not limited to concrete and/or metal.
• the template engages and connects each of the multiple anchors together as a system.
• the template and anchors may be transported separately and assembled in place, making the system easy to transport, use, and install, as well as making it scalable depending on site needs.
• the skirt comprises an exterior shell ranging in size and thickness attached to the circumference of the template, made of suitable material which includes but is not limited to metal, stone, or concrete.
• FIG. 1 depicts a schematic view of a single wind turbine moored to the seafloor using an anchoring system as described herein.
• a wind turbine is affixed to a floating platform at or near the waterline. Any suitable turbine and floating device may be used.
• Various turbine (single or multiple) and floating devices e.g. floating platform, Dutch tri-floater, barge, spar, mono-hull TLP, etc. may be used in conjunction with the anchoring system described herein.
• the floating platform is affixed to one or more anchoring systems via one or more mooring lines.
• Each anchoring system comprises a plurality of helical anchors, each of which is embedded in the seabed and coupled to the template.
• a skirt is provided at the periphery of the template such that the skirt is also embedded in the seabed to provide additional lateral support.
• the depth of the skirt, as with the helical anchors themselves, is determined on a case by case basis in light of the site where they are installed, factors such as depth, seabed composition, currents, and more may come into consideration.
• the skirt extends into the seabed up to 5% of the length of the anchor shaft, in some embodiments the skirt extends 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, or up to 50% of the length of the anchor shaft.
• the template is circular and the accompanying skirt is a hollow cylinder. Any shape may be used, including oval, square, rectangle, etc. for the template, with sidewalls extending therefrom to form the skirt in a complimentary shape.
• a single mooring attachment and mooring line is affixed to the template.
• multiple mooring lines may be affixed to the template.
• the combination of the plurality of helical anchors, the template and the optional skirt create a secure anchoring arrangement that is easy to manufacture, ship, and install.
• two or more anchoring systems are used to moor the same platform.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Sustainable Energy (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Foundations (AREA)
• Wind Motors (AREA)
• Piles And Underground Anchors (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=75975115

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (1)

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• 2020
  • 2020-11-23 WO PCT/US2020/061834 patent/WO2021118798A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2020-11-23 JP JP2022529429A patent/JP7704749B2/ja active Active
  • 2020-11-23 BR BR112022009851A patent/BR112022009851A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2020-11-23 EP EP20900513.1A patent/EP4061697A4/en active Pending
  • 2020-11-23 US US17/101,978 patent/US12330752B2/en active Active
• 2022
  • 2022-06-22 CO CONC2022/0008720A patent/CO2022008720A2/es unknown
• 2024
  • 2024-10-21 US US18/921,503 patent/US20250050979A1/en active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-06-20 JP JP2025104788A patent/JP2025131898A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (1)

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