Dynamic cable support for floating offshore wind turbines
An apparatus that a wind turbine configured for floating on a surface of water, wherein the wind turbine is operable to generate electrical energy. The wind turbine can include a floating base configured to support the wind turbine on the surface of water, and a cable configured to transmit the electrical energy. The wind turbine can also include a first sheave configured to support a part of the cable, and a second sheave configured to support a part of the cable. The cable is reeved between the first sheave and second sheave, and the first sheave is operable to impart a predetermined force to the cable to thereby maintain the cable at a predetermined tension.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a wind turbine configured for floating on a surface of water, wherein the wind turbine is operable to generate electrical energy, and wherein the wind turbine comprises:
a floating base configured to support the wind turbine on the surface of water;
a cable configured to transmit the electrical energy;
a first sheave configured to support at least one first part of the cable; and
a second sheave configured to support at least one second part of the cable,
wherein the cable is reeved between the first sheave and the second sheave,
wherein the first sheave is operable to impart a predetermined force to the cable to thereby maintain the cable at a predetermined tension,
wherein, when movement of the water causes an increased tension in the cable, the increased tension in the cable forces the first sheave to move toward the second sheave decreasing the distance between the first sheave and the second sheave to thereby permit the cable to be pulled out from between the first sheave and second sheave and move with the water; and
wherein, when the water does not cause the increased tension in the cable, the first sheave moves away from the second sheave increasing the distance between the first sheave and the second sheave to thereby retract the cable to between the first sheave and the second sheave.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first sheave and the second sheave are disposed within the floating base.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one first part of the cable includes a plurality of first parts of the cable;
the first sheave is or comprises a first sheave block configured to support the plurality of first parts of the cable;
the at least one second part of the cable includes a plurality of second parts of the cable; and
the second sheave is or comprises a second sheave block configured to support the plurality of second parts of the cable.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first sheave is operable to move away from the second sheave at the predetermined force to thereby maintain the cable at the predetermined tension.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the second sheave is operable to move away from the first sheave at the predetermined force to thereby maintain the cable at the predetermined tension.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wind turbine further comprises an actuator operable to move the first sheave away from the second sheave at the predetermined force to thereby maintain the cable at the predetermined tension.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the actuator is or comprises a hydraulic piston and rod assembly operatively connected to the first sheave.