Vessel for transporting wind turbines and methods thereof

Abstract

A vessel having the capability of storing, transporting, and installing between one and ten wind turbines is provided. Such a vessel includes a hull having a hull periphery. The vessel further includes at least two rear jack-up legs, and at least one forward jack-up leg, movably attached to the hull, as well as a jacking mechanism connected to each of the jack-up legs for elevating and lowering each jack-up leg relative to the hull between elevated and lowered positions. The vessel also includes at least two rear azimuthing thrusters affixed to a lower side of the transom; and at least one front azimuthing thruster affixed to a lower side of the bow. The vessel further includes at least four, preferably at least six, wind-turbine-column foundations, and at least two wind-turbine-blade brackets individually mounted to the side of the transport vessel.

1 ) A vessel comprising:
 a hull having a hull periphery, wherein the hull periphery has a bow, a center section, a transom, an extended transom, a bow sloped section between the bow and the center section, and a transom sloped section between the transom and the center section, and the transom is wider, along the vertical axis, than the bow, and the bow and transom are at least half as deep as the center section;   at least two rear jack-up legs movably attached to the hull;   at least one forward jack-up leg movably attached to the hull;   a powered jacking mechanism connected to each of the jack-up legs for elevating and lowering each jack up leg relative to the hull between elevated and lowered positions;   at least two rear azimuthing thrusters affixed to a lower side of the transom;   at least one front azimuthing thruster affixed to a lower side of the bow;   at least four wind-turbine-column foundations; and   at least two wind-turbine-blade brackets individually affixed to the side of the transport vessel.   
     
     
         2 ) The vessel of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a crane support having at least two vertical members with each vertical member having a first and second end, the first end of the first vertical member is affixed to a first track, the first end of the second vertical member is affixed to a second track, the first and second tracks are affixed to a deck of the vessel, the second end of the first vertical member is affixed to a first side of a platform, the second end of the second vertical member is affixed to a second side of the platform; and   a column having a proximate and distal end, the proximate end is affixed to the platform, and the crane is rotatably affixed to the distal end of the column, the platform has a lower side disposed at least about 2 meters above the deck, the crane support apparatus is movable along the track.   
     
     
         3 ) The vessel of  claim 1 , having at least six wind-turbine-column foundations. 
     
     
         4 ) The vessel of  claim 3 , having at least three wind-turbine-blade brackets individually affixed to the side of the transport vessel. 
     
     
         5 ) The vessel of  claim 4 , having eighteen wind-turbine blades, six wind-turbine nacelles, and six wind-turbine columns. 
     
     
         6 ) The vessel of  claim 2 , having eighteen wind-turbine blades, six wind-turbine nacelles, six wind-turbine columns, and six wind-turbine column foundations, wherein a first three of the six wind-turbine nacelles are stowed behind a first rear jack-up leg, a second three of the six wind-turbine nacelles are stowed between the first and second tracks and the six wind-turbine column foundations are stowed behind a second rear jack-up leg. 
     
     
         7 ) A method of transporting a wind turbine via a vessel comprising:
 securing at least one wind-turbine column to a wind-turbine foundation affixed to the deck of the vessel;   securing at least one wind-turbine nacelle to the deck of the vessel; and   securing at least one wind-turbine blade to at least two wind-turbine-blade brackets, wherein each wind-turbine-blade brackets is individually mounted to a side of the vessel.   
     
     
         8 ) The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least four wind-turbines columns are individually secured to at least four wind-turbine foundations. 
     
     
         9 ) The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least six wind-turbines columns are individually secured to at least six wind-turbine foundations. 
     
     
         10 ) A method of erecting a wind turbine offshore comprising:
 using a crane to lift a wind-turbine column from a wind-turbine foundation affixed to a deck of a vessel and secure the wind-turbine column to an offshore wind-turbine base, wherein the crane includes a crane support having at least two vertical members with each vertical member having a first and second end, the first end of the first vertical member is affixed to a first track, the first end of the second vertical member is affixed to a second track, the first and second tracks are affixed to a deck of the vessel, the second end of the first vertical member is affixed to a first side of a platform, the second end of the second vertical member is affixed to a second side of the platform; and a column having a proximate and distal end, the proximate end is affixed to the platform, and the crane is rotatably affixed to the distal end of the column, the platform has a lower side disposed at least about 2 meters above the deck, the crane support apparatus is movable along the track;   using the crane to lift a nacelle from the deck of the vessel and secure the nacelle to the wind-turbine column; and   using the crane to lift at least one blade from the vessel and secure the at least one blade to the wind-turbine nacelle.   
     
     
         11 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vessel is held in station within ten meters of an offshore wind-turbine base, the method of holding a vessel in station, wherein the vessel has at least three azimuthing thrusters, comprising:
 using at least one attitude measuring device to determine an initial position of the vessel, wherein the at least one attitude measuring device is in communication with a computer;   using at least one attitude measuring device to determine subsequent positions of the vessel;   using the computer to measure the subsequent positions of the vessel relative to the initial position;   using the computer to determine an amount of force and a vector direction that must be exerted on the vessel to move the vessel back to the initial position; and   transmitting an electrical signal to the at least three azimuthing thrusters to move the vessel in the determine force and vector direction, wherein the vessel remains within at least a five meter radius from the initial position.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a jack-up location is selected prior to erecting the wind turbine offshore, the method of selecting a jack-up location comprising:
 moving the vessel within proximity to an offshore wind-turbine base;   mapping at least a portion of a sea floor near the offshore wind-turbine base;   using the mapped portion of the sea floor to determine a jack-up location;   moving the vessel to the determined jack-up location; and   jacking-up the vessel.