Offshore station, foundation for an offshore station, and method for building an offshore station

• US 8,534,958 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Max Bã¶Gl Bauunternehmung GmbH & Company KG (Hamax Vermögensverwaltungs GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Max Bã¶Gl Bauunternehmung GmbH & Company KG (Hamax Vermögensverwaltungs GmbH)
• Inventors: Reichel, Dieter, Bogl, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): LAGMAN, FREDERICK LYNDON
• Application Number:
  US13/435,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20120243943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 405/195.1, 405/203, 405/204, 405/205, 405/206, 405/209
• US Class Current: 405/205
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/0017 Means for protecting offshore constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/02 placed by lowering the supporting construction to the bottom, e.g. with subsequent fixing thereto
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/025 Reinforced concrete structures E02B17/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0065 Monopile structures
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0078 Suction piles, suction cans
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0086 Large footings connecting several legs or serving as a reservoir for the storage of oil or gas
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0091 Offshore structures for wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/42 Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys sockets or holders for poles or masts per se E04H12/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/425 specially adapted for wind motors masts wind motors per se F03D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/22 Foundations specially adapted for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/95 offshore
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/727 Offshore wind turbines

Abstract

An offshore wind power station has a floatable foundation that can be sunk by flooding a hollow chamber, and a superstructure on which functional units of the station are arranged. The foundation includes a base that projects from the water surface in the sunk state of the foundation and on which the superstructure can be mounted. A floodable floating device surrounds the base in the shape of a ring. In a method for building an offshore station a floatable foundation is prefabricated in a harbor zone, is towed to a mounting location and sunk, whereupon the station is completed with a superstructure and functional units at the mounting location.

Claims

1. An offshore wind power station, comprising:

a superstructure mounted atop a foundation at an offshore mounting location, the foundation further comprising;

a bottom slab;

a base arranged on the bottom slab with an upright height so as to extend above the surface of the water when the foundation is sunk at the mounting location, the base configured for mounting of the superstructure atop thereof; and

the base comprising a plurality of stacked prefabricated annular concrete components braced dry against each other without additional sealing materials between the stacked annular concrete components.

2. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, wherein a bottommost one of the base concrete components is braced dry against the bottom slab.

3. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, further comprising ground contact points defined between adjacent ones of the base concrete components.

4. The offshore wind power station as in claim 3, further comprising at least a partial shear interlocking between adjacent ones of the base concrete components.

5. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, wherein the superstructure comprises a plurality of stacked prefabricated annular concrete components braced dry against each other.

6. The offshore wind power station as in claim 5, further comprising ground contact points defined between adjacent ones of the superstructure concrete components.

7. The offshore wind power station as in claim 6, further comprising at least a partial shear interlocking between adjacent ones of the superstructure concrete components.

8. The offshore wind power station as in claim 5, further comprising bracing elements for at least one of the base concrete components or superstructure concrete components, the bracing elements arranged outside of an outer wall of the base or superstructure concrete components.

9. The offshore wind power station as in claim 8, wherein the bracing elements comprise anchor points at various heights on the base or superstructure, wherein the base or superstructure are braced only over a partial length thereof.

10. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises an annular fastening flange at a top thereof configured for mounting the superstructure to the base.

11. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, wherein the bottom slab comprises a circular, ring-shaped contact area on an underside thereof.

12. The offshore wind power station as in claim 1, wherein the foundation further comprises an annular floating body arranged on the bottom slab around the base, the floating body configured for being flooded to sink the foundation with the base in an upright position at the mounting location.

13. The offshore wind power station as in claim 12, wherein the floating body comprises annularly segmented containers arranged around the base.

14. The offshore wind power station as in claim 13, wherein the containers comprise barrel-shaped containers arranged around the base.

15. A method for erecting an offshore wind power station, comprising;

prefabricating a foundation with a bottom slab and a base formed on the bottom slab;

at an offshore mounting location, erecting a superstructure atop of the base;

wherein the base is prefabricated by stacking and dry bracing a plurality of annular concrete components against each other on the bottom slab without the use of additional sealing materials between the stacked annular concrete components.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein a bottommost one of the base concrete components is braced dry against the bottom slab.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the superstructure is erected from a plurality of stacked prefabricated annular concrete components dry braced against each other.

18. The method as in claim 17, further comprising grinding contact points defined between adjacent ones of the base or superstructure concrete components prior to dry bracing the concrete components.

19. The method as in claim 17, further comprising bracing at least one of the base concrete components or superstructure concrete components with bracing elements arranged outside of an outer wall of the base or superstructure concrete components.