© 2024 New Atlas
Environment

WindFlip proposes a unique method of deploying offshore wind turbines

By Ben Coxworth
January 03, 2012
WindFlip proposes a unique method of deploying offshore wind turbines
The proposed WindFlip system would use barges that sink stern-first into the ocean, for transporting and placing large offshore wind turbines
The proposed WindFlip system would use barges that sink stern-first into the ocean, for transporting and placing large offshore wind turbines
View 3 Images
The WindFlip system would start with fully-assembled turbines being loaded horizontally onto purpose-built barges
1/3
The WindFlip system would start with fully-assembled turbines being loaded horizontally onto purpose-built barges
The proposed WindFlip system would use barges that sink stern-first into the ocean, for transporting and placing large offshore wind turbines
2/3
The proposed WindFlip system would use barges that sink stern-first into the ocean, for transporting and placing large offshore wind turbines
The WindFlip barge would begin to fill with water once in place, sinking stern-first into the ocean, and flipping the turbine into position
3/3
The WindFlip barge would begin to fill with water once in place, sinking stern-first into the ocean, and flipping the turbine into position
View gallery - 3 images

While large offshore turbines can be very effective at harnessing the power of the wind, they do pose at least one challenge - how do you get them out into the ocean? One option is to bring them to their deployment site on board a ship, partially assembled, then put them together on location. Doing that kind of work on the pitching deck of a ship can be challenging, however, and requires crews to stay out at sea longer. Another option involves towing them from shore in their final, vertical orientation, but this requires an uninterrupted channel of deep water, and limits the speed at which they can be transported. Now, Norwegian company WindFlip is developing an alternative method that can accommodate shallow water, while allowing for relatively high transport speeds and a minimum amount of time spent putting the turbines in place.

At the heart of the WindFlip system are custom-designed 100 by 30-meter (300 by 90-foot) barges, which are towed behind conventional tugboats. A completely-assembled turbine can be loaded horizontally onto the deck cargo cradle of one of these barges, then towed at speeds of up to 8 knots (14.8 km/h or about 8 mph).

Once at the general location, a series of 29 ballast tanks within the barge start to fill with water, causing it to gradually sink stern-first into the water. This continues until the barge and the attached turbine have flipped 90 degrees, so that the turbine is sitting in its working, upright state. The turbine is then released from the barge and towed into its exact desired location by the tugboat, where it is secured in place using a pre-installed mooring system.

The WindFlip barge would begin to fill with water once in place, sinking stern-first into the ocean, and flipping the turbine into position
The WindFlip barge would begin to fill with water once in place, sinking stern-first into the ocean, and flipping the turbine into position

The barge, meanwhile, uses compressed air to blow the water out of its ballast tanks. This allows it to return to its normal horizontal orientation, so it can be towed back to shore and reused.

Currently, the WindFlip system is still a concept. However, its designers are reportedly working with Norway's Statoil, to optimize the system for use with that company's HyWind floating turbines.

The video below illustrates how the system would work.

Source: Clean Technica

WindFlip - a specialized barge for transportation of floating wind turbines

View gallery - 3 images

Tags

EnvironmentWind PowerWind turbineOcean
13 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

Most Viewed

Load More
13 comments
Slowburn
Nice idea but I think building an erector/launch cradle on one end and a set of ballast tanks on the end of a conventional barge would be more cost effective.
Richard Vahrman
Nice idea but ... what about 4 wind turbines connected together as a cross. By powering the turbines they become motors and you can then fly the assembly as a quadrocopter. Fly above where you want to put them, press a button to split and they fall towards the sea. A spike in the base of each, combined with the force due to acceleration, and each turbine should plant itself in the seabed.
Plan B - build the turbine/quatdorcopter as a group of 4 on a circular tube. Land the tube on water, then submerge with the tube becoming the base for the group
agulesin
@Richard - I thought we were trying to save power here? and how do you propose powering those blades while it\'s in the air? Sounds more like pie in the sky rather than wind turbine in the sky... *should plant itself in the seabed*... hard cheese if it doesn\'t!! LOL
Carlos Grados
This approach seems much faster and less labor intensive. I think it will be a winner.
CreativeApex
Richard, while some turbines are built upon foundations on the seabed, these are deep water turbines and therefore remain bouyant. So no spikes etc.
My one class in Naval Architecture tells me that both bodies would have to be ballasted such that upon detachment they do not slip relative to each other. That may seem simple but I bet in practice it is much more difficult.
This design reminds me of the US Navy\'s research vessel that uprights itself at sea to create a work platform. On that note, why does the barge have to support the entire tower? Why not use part of the bouyancy of the tower and create a smaller float at the generator end? It would seem to make uprighting the contraption much easier.
yrag
Wow--seems so obvious--of course--after someone else has worked out all the details.
Richard, I think you might have watched a bit too much of Inspector Gadget.
Peter Kowalchuk-Reid
Better yet why dont we just stick decommissioned helicopters in the ocean to generate power?
Slowburn
re; Peter Kowalchuk-Reid
I hope that is snark.
Stan Ubeki
Vahrman: lay off the weed, or at least don\'t post when stoned. In addition to failing to address the huge battery bank required to drive the blades, the fluid dynamics in the design of a blade to extract power from 30 mph winds at 6-8 rpm is far different than that of one designed to be driven by a 1,000 hp turbine engine at 300 rpm and tip speeds approaching mach 1.
Island Architect
Isn\'t is amazing that this very low efficiency approach to trying to extract energy from 3 bladed propellers designed in 1946 prevails.
It\'s asl if efficiency in the engineering world is being totally ignored... a rupture in logic that blindly continues.
The best way to extract energy from the wind is to resist it like a spinnaker not a damned propeller.
There is something corrupt in deep denial going on as if humanity is incapable of understanding the the Betz limit can be easily hit and never with these absurd contraptions.
Bill
Load More