IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0968614
(2010-12-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-8197208
(2012-06-12)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sharples, William G.
- Tracy, Christopher H.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
13 인용 특허 :
34 |
초록
▼
A floating underwater support structure is disclosed. The underwater support structure includes a joint capable of rotation and angular movement along two or three axes coupled to a truss. The truss is capable of sustaining loads in tension, compression, and bending, and comprises one or more elonga
A floating underwater support structure is disclosed. The underwater support structure includes a joint capable of rotation and angular movement along two or three axes coupled to a truss. The truss is capable of sustaining loads in tension, compression, and bending, and comprises one or more elongate, rigid members. The elongate, rigid members are capable of sustaining loads in at least tension and compression. A buoyant member positioned between or around the members of the truss at a predetermined distance below the water provides a buoyant force that typically exceeds the weight of the entire structure. In deeper water, cross bracing may be provided between the members of the truss, and in particularly deep water, a single tendon may connect between the joint, typically anchored to the floor of the body of water, and the truss. The support structure may be used to support wind turbines and other structures.
대표청구항
▼
1. A buoyant underwater support structure assembly constructed and adapted to be located within a body of water, comprising: a generally elongated truss structure that is able to sustain loads in tension, compression, and bending and that is constructed from one or more elongate, rigid members that
1. A buoyant underwater support structure assembly constructed and adapted to be located within a body of water, comprising: a generally elongated truss structure that is able to sustain loads in tension, compression, and bending and that is constructed from one or more elongate, rigid members that are each able to sustain loads in at least tension and compression;a joint member that is attached to the truss structure at a lowermost portion thereof, the joint member being anchored directly to the floor of the body of water and being the sole means by which the floating underwater support structure assembly is secured to the floor of the body of water, the joint member being constructed and adapted to permit only angular movement about two or three axes;a buoyant member that is arranged between or around the one or more elongate, rigid members and that is connected to them, the buoyant member supplying a buoyant force greater than at least the combined weight of the floating underwater support structure assembly and a weight supported by the floating underwater support structure assembly so as to maintain the assembly in a generally upright configuration extending upwardly from the joint member; anda liquid-fillable mobile ballast member or a solid mobile ballast member;wherein the buoyant member and the truss structure are proportioned and arranged relative to one another such that the top of the buoyant member rests a predefined distance below water level. 2. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the joint member has a range of about 90° in each of pitch and roll, and a range of about 360° in yaw. 3. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the joint member comprises a universal joint or a ball joint. 4. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 3, wherein the joint member comprises a universal joint and further comprises a rotational bearing mounted to the universal joint. 5. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the truss structure comprises three or more elongate, rigid members capable of sustaining loads in tension, compression, and bending, the three or more members forming an inverted pyramid or frustum. 6. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 5, wherein the three or more members are generally tubular members of circular cross-section. 7. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 6, wherein one of the three or more members has a greater diameter than others of the three or more members. 8. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the buoyant member has a generally symmetrical shape. 9. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 8, wherein the buoyant member has a general shape of a torus. 10. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the truss structure is comprised of three or more elongate, rigid members and further comprises at least one unit of cross-bracing between the three or more members, each unit of cross-bracing including: a first set of cross-bracing members that extend between the three or more members in essentially the same plane; anda second set of cross-bracing members that extend between the three or more members, each of the second set extending from one of the members at or near the plane of the first set of cross-bracing members diagonally upwardly to an adjacent one of the members. 11. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the buoyant member has a track disposed therein and the mobile ballast member is repositionable along the track. 12. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the position of the mobile ballast member is laterally and controllably variable. 13. The buoyant underwater support structure assembly of claim 1, further comprising ballast placed on a low point of the truss structure so as to reduce load on the joint member. 14. A floating, wind energy generating structure constructed and adapted to be located within a body of water, comprising: a wind turbine; anda buoyant underwater support structure assembly connected to and supporting the wind turbine such that the wind turbine extends generally vertically from the buoyant underwater support structure assembly, the buoyant underwater support structure assembly comprising a generally elongated truss structure that is able to sustain loads in tension, compression, and bending and that is constructed from one or more elongate, rigid members that are each able to sustain loads in at least tension and compression,a joint member that is attached to the truss structure at a lowermost portion thereof, the joint member being anchored directly to the floor of the body of water and being the sole means by which the floating underwater support structure assembly is secured to the floor of the body of water, the joint member being constructed and adapted to permit only angular movement about two or three axes,a buoyant member that is arranged between or around the one or more elongate, rigid members and that is connected to them, the buoyant member supplying a buoyant force greater than at least the combined weight of the floating underwater support structure assembly and a weight supported by the floating underwater support structure assembly so as to maintain the assembly in a generally upright configuration extending upwardly from the joint member, anda ballast system constructed and arranged to controllably change at least a lateral position of a ballast mass,wherein the buoyant member and the truss structure are proportioned and arranged relative to one another such that the top of the buoyant member rests a predefined distance below water level; andone or more tension cable supports connected between the buoyant member at a lower end of an above-water support portion of the wind turbine and an upper end of the above-water support portion. 15. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 14, wherein the joint member has a range of about 90° in each of pitch and roll, and a range of about 360° in yaw. 16. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 14, wherein the joint member comprises a universal joint or a ball joint. 17. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 14, wherein the truss structure comprises three or more elongate, rigid members capable of sustaining loads in tension, compression, and bending, the three or more members forming an inverted pyramid or frustum. 18. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 14, wherein the buoyant member comprises a liquid-filled mobile ballast member or a solid mobile ballast member. 19. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 18, wherein the buoyant member has a track disposed therein and the ballast member comprises a mass that is repositionable along the track. 20. A floating, wind energy generating structure constructed and adapted to be located in a body of water, comprising: a wind turbine including a plurality of above-water support members connected to a buoyant underwater support structure assembly, the buoyant underwater support structure assembly comprising a generally elongated truss structure that is able to sustain loads in tension, compression, and bending and that is constructed from a plurality of elongate, rigid members that are each able to sustain loads in at least tension and compression, the plurality of elongate, rigid members corresponding in location and number with the plurality of wind turbine support members and being attached thereto,a joint member that is attached to the truss structure at a lowermost portion thereof, the joint member being anchored directly to the floor of the body of water and being the sole means by which the floating underwater support structure assembly is secured to the floor of the body of water, the joint member being constructed and adapted to permit only angular movement about two or three axes,a buoyant member having a generally symmetrical shape about a generally vertically-extending axis of rotation of the truss structure that is arranged between or around the one or more elongate, rigid members and that is connected to them, the buoyant member supplying a buoyant force greater than at least the combined weight of the floating underwater support structure assembly and a weight supported by the floating underwater support structure assembly so as to maintain the assembly in a generally upright configuration extending upwardly from the joint member, anda ballast system constructed and arranged to controllably change at least a lateral position of a ballast mass; andthe wind turbine further comprising an axle defined on or by at least one of the above-water members,a hub mounted for rotation on the axle, andtwo or more blades mounted on the hub, the blades being constructed and arranged such that the blades translate forces exerted by wind into rotation of the hub, anda generator mounted on or coupled to the hub to convert rotation of the hub into electrical energy;wherein the buoyant member and the truss structure are proportioned and arranged relative to one another such that the top of the buoyant member rests a predefined distance below water level. 21. The floating, wind energy generating structure of claim 20, wherein the generator comprises a direct drive generator mounted on the axle for 1:1 rotation with the hub.
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