Patent ID: 8471396
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: B63B,E02B,E04H,F03D,F05B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A floating wind turbine platform comprising: a) at least three stabilizing columns, each column having an upper and a lower end, and an internal volume for containing a ballast; b) a tower having an upper end and a lower end that is coupled to the floating wind turbine platform; c) a turbine rotor coupled to an electrical generator, the turbine rotor and the electrical generator are mounted proximate to the upper end of the tower; d) main beams interconnected to the at least three stabilizing columns; e) water-entrapment plates, each of the plates attached to the lower end of one of the stabilizing columns; and f) a ballast control system for moving the ballast between the internal volumes of the at least three stabilizing columns to adjust a vertical alignment of the tower; wherein the tower is mounted in vertical alignment over one of the columns and the other columns are not directly under the tower, wherein the main beams comprise first, second, and third top main beams, and first, second, and third bottom main beams, and wherein the first top main beam extends between an upper end of the one of the columns over which the tower is mounted and an upper end of a first other column, the first bottom main beam is below the first top main beam and extends between a lower end of the one of the columns and a lower end of the first other column, the second top main beam extends between the upper end of the one of the columns and an upper end of a second other column, the second bottom main beam is below the second top main beam and extends between the lower end of the one of the columns and a lower end of the second other column, the third top main beam extends between the upper end of the first other column and the upper end of the second other column, and the third bottom main beam is below the third top main beam and extends between the lower end of the first other column and the lower end of the second other column.