IP Library › Granted Patent US 12692837

Granted Patent B2

US 12692837 · App. 17/527,231 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Systems and methods for assembling and installing offshore wind turbines

Inventors: Robert Edward Clague (Sugar Land, TX); Shannon Michael Galway (Fulshear, TX); Ante Lovric (Houston, TX); Kyle Alan Littman (East Bernard, TX); Ernest Gene Kamp, III (Katy, TX)

Assignees: Friede & Goldman United B.V.; CCCC International Holding Limited

F03D13/10 B63B27/12 B63B27/16 B63B35/003 B66C23/185 E02B17/021 F03D13/25 E02B2017/0091 F05B2230/6102 F05B2240/95 Y02E10/727

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12692837
App. No.: 17/527,231
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

The systems and methods for assembling and installing multiple wind turbines from a single vessel are provided. Generally, the different embodiments use wind turbine components on the vessel that include blades, a nacelle assembly having a rotating hub, and a tower. A Turbine Installation Gantry System (T.I.G.S.) embodiment uses a gantry system having a truss sub-structure and at least one bridge crane on the elevated vessel for assembling the wind turbine blades on board to the nacelle hub supported above the seabed. A Skidding Turbine Installation Crane (S.T.I.C.) embodiment has a rotatable crane mounted on a skidding pedestal or cantilever structure to provide full access to the vessel deck and the blades outboard of the vessel for assembling each of the blades with the assembled nacelle assembly outboard. A Turbine Assembly and Positioning System (T.A.P.S.) embodiment includes a handling system and a crane both mounted onto a skidding cantilever structure for fastening blades to an assembled tower section and nacelle hub suspended cantilevered outboard of the vessel by the handling system. A combination embodiment uses selected components and systems from the T.I.G.S., S.T.I.C. and T.A.P.S. embodiments to provide redundancy and simultaneous movements of components and systems.

Claims (66)

1 . System configured for installing offshore wind turbine components, comprising a jack up vessel having a self-elevating system operably configured to elevate and lower said vessel relative to a seabed, comprising:

said vessel having a deck for supporting said wind turbine components;

a gantry structure fixedly positioned with said vessel deck so as not to move relative to said deck;

rails positioned with said gantry structure to define a centerline along a longitudinal direction of said vessel, one rail positioned on one side of said centerline and the other rail positioned on the other side of said centerline, a portion of both of said rails being cantilevered over a transom of said vessel;

at least one gripper for gripping said wind turbine components;

at least one hoist configured for use with said gripper for lifting said wind turbine components from said deck; and

at least one bridge crane movably positioned on said rails and adapted for use with said hoist, said bridge crane movable relative to said vessel deck between a lifting position for lifting said wind turbine components from said deck and an installing position where said hoist is operably positioned on said cantilevered rails to lower said wind turbine components lifted from said vessel deck without interference with said vessel deck, wherein when said bridge crane moves said wind turbine components, said wind turbine components are suspended from said hoist both below said rails and between said rails and said vessel deck.

2 . System of claim 1 , wherein said wind turbine components comprise at least one tower section, a first blade, and a nacelle assembly hub, said first blade configured to be lifted by said bridge crane hoist above said vessel deck between said rails to be aligned with said nacelle assembly hub positionable above said tower section for assembling said first blade with said nacelle assembly hub, and further comprising a second blade, wherein the nacelle assembly hub and the assembled first blade are rotated so that the bridge crane hoist can align the second blade between said rails and with the nacelle assembly hub for assembling the second blade with the nacelle assembly hub.

3 . System of claim 2 , wherein the tower section of the wind turbine components is configured to be positioned above the vessel deck between and below said rails for lifting by said bridge crane hoist.

4 . System of claim 1 , wherein said bridge crane is movable longitudinally relative to said rails and said hoist is movable laterally relative to said bridge crane to operable position said hoist at said installing position so that said hoist can lower said lifted wind turbine components without interference with said vessel deck.

5 . System of claim 1 , wherein said gantry structure comprises:

a first pair of supporting legs provided on said one side of said vessel and said one rail supported by said first pair of supporting legs; and

a second pair of supporting legs provided on said other side of said vessel and said other rail supported by said second pair of supporting legs, said other rail being substantially parallel to said one rail,

wherein said bridge crane moves along said rails.

6 . System configured for installing offshore wind turbine components, comprising a jack up vessel having a self-elevating system operably configured to elevate and lower said vessel relative to a seabed, comprising:

said vessel having a deck for supporting said wind turbine components;

a gantry structure fixedly positioned with said vessel deck so as not to move relative to said deck;

at least one gripper for gripping said wind turbine components;

at least one hoist configured for use with said gripper for lifting said wind turbine components from said deck; and

a first pair of supporting legs provided on said one side of said vessel and said one rail supported by said first pair of supporting legs; and

wherein said bridge crane moves along said rails.

7 . System of claim 6 , wherein said wind turbine components comprise at least one tower section, a first blade, and a nacelle assembly hub, said first blade configured to be lifted by said bridge crane hoist above said vessel deck between said rails to be aligned with said nacelle assembly hub positionable above said tower section for assembling said first blade with said nacelle assembly hub, and further comprising a second blade, wherein the nacelle assembly hub and the assembled first blade are rotated so that the bridge crane hoist can align the second blade between said rails and with the nacelle assembly hub for assembling the second blade with the nacelle assembly hub.

8 . System of claim 7 , wherein the tower section of the wind turbine components is configured to be positioned above the vessel deck between and below said rails for lifting by said bridge crane hoist.

9 . System of claim 6 , wherein said bridge crane is movable longitudinally relative to said rails and said hoist is movable laterally relative to said bridge crane to operable position said hoist at said installing position so that said hoist can lower said lifted wind turbine components without interference with said vessel deck.

10 . System configured for installing offshore wind turbine components, comprising a self-elevating vessel operably configured to elevate and lower said vessel relative to a seabed, comprising:

said vessel having a deck for supporting said wind turbine components;

a gantry structure positioned with said vessel deck so as not to move relative to said deck;

rails positioned with said gantry structure along a longitudinal direction of said vessel, one rail positioned on one side of said deck and the other rail positioned on the other side of said deck, a portion of both of said rails being cantilevered from said self-elevating vessel;

at least one gripper for gripping said wind turbine components;

at least one hoist configured for use with said gripper for lifting said wind turbine components from said deck; and

11 . System of claim 10 , wherein said wind turbine components comprise at least one tower section, a first blade, and a nacelle assembly hub, said first blade configured to be lifted by said bridge crane hoist above said vessel deck between said rails to be aligned with said nacelle assembly hub positioned above said tower section for assembling said first blade with said nacelle assembly hub.

12 . System of claim 11 , wherein the tower section is configured to be positioned above the vessel deck between and below said rails for lifting by said bridge crane hoist.

13 . System of claim 10 , wherein said bridge crane is movable longitudinally relative to said rails and said hoist is movable laterally relative to said bridge crane to operable position said hoist at said installing position so that said hoist can lower said lifted wind turbine components without interference with said vessel deck.

14 . System of claim 10 , wherein said gantry structure comprises:

a first pair of supporting legs provided on said one side of said vessel and said one rail supported by said first pair of supporting legs; and

wherein said bridge crane moves along said rails.

15 . System configured for installing offshore wind turbine components, comprising a self-elevating vessel configured to elevate and lower said vessel relative to a seabed, comprising:

said vessel having a deck for supporting said wind turbine components;

a gantry structure positioned with said vessel deck;

at least one gripper for gripping said wind turbine components;

at least one hoist configured for use with said gripper for lifting said wind turbine components from said deck; and

a first pair of supporting legs provided on said vessel and said one rail supported by said first pair of supporting legs; and

a second pair of supporting legs provided on said vessel and said other rail supported by said second pair of supporting legs, said other rail being substantially parallel to said one rail,

wherein said bridge crane moves along said rails.

16 . System of claim 15 , wherein said wind turbine components comprise at least one tower section, a first blade, and a nacelle assembly hub, said first blade configured to be lifted by said bridge crane hoist above said vessel deck between said rails to be aligned with said nacelle assembly hub positioned above said tower section for assembling said first blade with said nacelle assembly hub.

17 . System of claim 16 , wherein the tower section is configured to be positioned above the vessel deck between and below said rails for lifting by said bridge crane hoist.

18 . System of claim 15 , wherein said bridge crane is movable longitudinally relative to said rails and said hoist is movable laterally relative to said bridge crane to operable position said hoist at said installing position so that said hoist can lower said lifted wind turbine components without interference with said vessel deck.

19 . System configured for installing an offshore wind turbine component, comprising a jack up vessel having a self-elevating system operably configured to elevate and lower said vessel relative to a seabed, comprising:

said vessel having a deck for supporting said wind turbine component;

a gantry structure positioned with said vessel deck so as not to move relative to said deck;

rails positioned with said gantry structure along a longitudinal direction of said vessel, one rail positioned on one side of said vessel and the other rail positioned on the other side of said vessel, a portion of both of said rails being cantilevered over a side of said vessel;

at least one hoist configured for lifting said wind turbine component from said deck; and

at least one bridge crane movably positioned on said rails and adapted for use with said hoist, said bridge crane movable relative to said vessel deck between a lifting position for lifting said wind turbine component from said deck and an installing position where said hoist is operably positioned on said cantilevered rails to lower said wind turbine component lifted from said vessel deck without interference with said vessel deck, wherein when said bridge crane moves said wind turbine component, said wind turbine component is suspended from said hoist both below said rails and between said rails and said vessel deck, wherein said gantry structure comprises:

a first pair of supporting legs provided on said one side of said vessel and said one rail supported by said first pair of supporting legs; and

20 . System of claim 19 , wherein a plurality of wind turbine components are supported on said vessel deck, wherein said wind turbine components comprise at least one tower section, a first blade, and a nacelle assembly hub, said first blade configured to be lifted by said bridge crane hoist above said vessel deck between said rails to be aligned with said nacelle assembly hub positionable above said tower section for assembling said first blade with said nacelle assembly hub, and further comprising a second blade, wherein the nacelle assembly hub and the assembled first blade are rotated so that the bridge crane hoist can align the second blade between said rails and with the nacelle assembly hub for assembling the second blade with the nacelle assembly hub.

21 . System of claim 20 , wherein said tower section of said wind turbine components is configured to be positioned above said deck between and below said rails for lifting by said hoist.

22 . System of claim 20 , wherein said wind turbine components further comprise a nacelle assembly, wherein said nacelle assembly is configured to be movable from outboard of said vessel to between and below said rails for lifting of said nacelle assembly by said hoist.

23 . System of claim 19 , wherein said bridge crane is movable longitudinally relative to said rails and said hoist is movable laterally relative to said bridge crane to operably position said hoist at said installing position so that said hoist can lower said lifted wind turbine components without interference with said deck.