US 12,331,719 B2
Installation of a wind turbine on a floating foundation
Diederick Bernardus Wijning, Schiedam (NL); and Joop Roodenburg, Schiedam (NL)
Assigned to ITREC B.V., Schiedam (NL)
Appl. No. 18/033,097
Filed by Itrec B.V., Schiedam (NL)
PCT Filed Oct. 19, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/078995
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 21, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/084344, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 28, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2026733 (NL), filed on Oct. 22, 2020; and application No. 2027280 (NL), filed on Jan. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0392584 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. F03D 13/25 (2016.01); F03D 13/10 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 13/256 (2023.08) [F03D 13/112 (2023.08); F03D 13/126 (2023.08); F03D 13/139 (2023.08); F05B 2230/604 (2013.01); F05B 2240/93 (2013.01); F05B 2240/95 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for installation of a wind turbine on a floating foundation that is in floating condition and subject to sea-state induced motions,
wherein the wind turbine to be installed comprises at least a part of a wind turbine mast having a lower end portion, and comprises a rotor assembly with rotor blades, the rotor assembly being mounted on the wind turbine mast,
wherein the floating foundation comprises a mast mounting structure configured to mount the mast of the wind turbine thereon and having an upwardly directed mounting axis,
wherein use is made of a vessel which comprises:
a floating hull; and
a crane arranged on the hull,
wherein the crane is provided with a hoisting system adapted to support a weight of the wind turbine and suspend the wind turbine from the crane, the hoisting system being adapted to raise and lower the wind turbine in a controllable manner,
wherein the crane comprises a heave compensation device that is adapted to compensate for sea-state induced heave motion of the wind turbine mast relative to the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation,
wherein the vessel comprises a mast alignment system configured to engage on the mast of the suspended wind turbine and to bring and maintain the mast of the wind turbine in alignment with the mounting axis of the floating foundation in order to compensate for sea-state induced motions, at least including tilt motions in one or more vertical planes, of the wind turbine mast relative to the mounting axis of the floating foundation,
wherein the method comprises, with the hull of the vessel in floating condition and the floating foundation in floating condition, the steps of:
restraining the floating foundation in a horizontal plane relative to the vessel by a restraining system;
suspending the wind turbine from the crane by means of the hoisting system;
positioning the lower end of the mast of the suspended wind turbine above the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation;
operating the heave compensation device so as to compensate for sea-state induced heave motion of the wind turbine mast relative to the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation;
operating the mast alignment system so as to bring and maintain the mast of the wind turbine in alignment with the mounting axis of the floating foundation in order to compensate for sea-state induced tilt motions of the wind turbine mast relative to the mounting axis of the floating foundation;
whilst the heave compensation device and the mast alignment system are in operation, operating the hoisting system and thereby lowering the suspended wind turbine with the lower end portion of the mast onto the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation; and
fastening the mast with the lower end portion thereof to the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation.