Proposed solutions:
The technical solutions offered by EKO-PRO are a result of many years' comprehensive analyses of all key elements of a wind power plant.
They offer the great advantage of better spread of the forces which act on the tower and the foundation in strong wind conditions as compared to the existing solutions, which have been applied to date. A description thereof is provided below.
Rotary tower
Due to the proposed shape of the rotary tower which is attached to the rotary sleeve on joints, the pressure force of the wind on the rotor is transferred from the level of the rotor's axis to the level of the pins fixed at the bottom of the rotary sleeve, around which the tower tiltls under the pressing force of the wind.
As a consequence, the elements of the tower receive mainly compression or stretching forces and not bending forces.
Monopile foundation with a resistance plate
On the foundation of a wind power plant with a rotary tower as per the design of EKO-PRO acts a horizontal force of a very short arm being in aggregate approx. 10 m + water depth; therefore, the loads it carries to the ground are several times smaller than in the case of a foundation with a stationary tower of the same height.
The special structure of the monopile foundation with a resistance plate according to the EKO-PRO design allows to use such monopile foundation in the currently erected wind power plants with a stationary tower and the power output of 5 MW at the depth of the sea to 35 m; the diameter of the foundation does not exceed 4.75 m and thus is not too big for the drilling machines that are available.
With the application of a rotary tower, the monopile foundation with a resistance plate may be used even in an offshore wind power plant of power output 2x5=10 MW, and the diameter of the foundation pile shall not be bigger than those currently applied.
Assembly of an offshore wind power plant
The assembly of a wind power plant with the power output of 5 MW at sea poses considerable problems, which are often difficult to solve if one uses the technology that bases on crane facilities.
EKO-PRO proposes an entirely new method of assembly of an offshore wind power plant. The whole wind power plant is assembled in the dockyard on floats made especially for that purpose and then hauled to its location. In the final phase of the assembly, the power plant is lifted to an upward position with a winch placed on a barge which is moored to the foundation of a neighbouring wind power plant.
The above-described method of assembly allows to place a wind power plant of power output 2x5=10 MW with a rotary tower on its foundation in a vertical position with the use of machines that are currently available in the market.
Presently, the assembly of an offshore wind power plant of power output larger than 5 MW with the use of traditional crane facilities does not seem possible.