Mooring arrangement for a tension leg platform
A buoyant tension leg platform arranged to support a renewable energy capturing device when the platform is submerged in a body of water. The platform has at least three vertices or lateral extents, at least three of the vertices or lateral extents have a mooring arrangement. The mooring arrangement includes a first mooring line extending between the vertex or lateral extent and a first anchor point in communication with a bed of the body of water. The first mooring line extends at an angle relative to the bed and a second mooring line extending from the vertex or lateral extent to a second anchor point. The second mooring line extends at an angle relative to the bed, such that the mooring arrangement of the corresponding vertex or lateral extent defines a triangle.
1 . A buoyant tension leg platform arranged to support a renewable energy capturing device when the platform is submerged in a body of water, the platform having at least three vertices or lateral extents, wherein each vertex or lateral extent is a region of the platform located about outer edges of the platform, the at least three vertices or lateral extents each having a mooring arrangement;
wherein each mooring arrangement comprises:
a first mooring line extending from a vertex or lateral extent of the at least three vertices or lateral extents to a first anchor point in communication with a bed of the body of water, the first mooring line extending at an acute angle relative to the bed; and
a second mooring line extending from the vertex or lateral extent to a second anchor point in communication with the bed of the body of water, the second mooring line extending at the acute angle relative to the bed,
such that each mooring arrangement of a corresponding vertex or lateral extent defines a separate triangle positioned on a separate plane, wherein each of the separate planes are spaced apart from, and parallel to, each other and extend upward from the bed of the body of water toward a surface of the body of water; and
wherein an apex of the triangle formed at the corresponding vertex or lateral extent of each mooring arrangement is positioned vertically aligned with a center point of a side of the triangle tracking along the bed of the body of water between the first anchor point and the second anchor point.
2 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein each vertex or lateral extent of the platform has a corresponding mooring arrangement.
3 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the first and second mooring lines of each mooring arrangement are positioned at 45° relative to the bed, and further positioned at 90° relative to one another.
4 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the first anchor point and the second anchor point are positioned equidistant from a central axis of each mooring arrangement, the central axis extending vertically from the corresponding vertex or lateral extent of each mooring arrangement.
5 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the planes are oriented perpendicular to a most common wave direction and/or a most common wind direction.
6 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the mooring lines comprise a mooring line material, the mooring line material being at least one of a chain, a metal rope, a synthetic rope, and a dyneema rope.
7 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises a buoyancy member positioned on or adjacent each vertex or lateral extent.
8 . The platform of claim 7 , wherein the buoyancy member is arranged to provide an adjustable buoyancy of the respective vertex or lateral extent.
9 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein each mooring arrangement is configured to secure the platform in a submerged position within the body of water.
10 . The platform of claim 1 , wherein the side of the triangle tracking along the bed of the body of water between the first anchor point and the second anchor point is a hypotenuse.