IMULSE DAMPER FOR TALL, NARROW STRUCTURES AND INSTALLATIONS

Abstract

A novel impulse damper for reducing extreme vibrational events, in particular, in tall, narrow structures such as wind turbines. The impulse damper, according to the invention, operates on the impact-damping principle and is particularly suitable for damping the second natural frequency of the installation, preferably of the tower of a wind turbine.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An impulse damper suitable for damping vibration that occurs in an installation for a tower or in other tall, narrow structure, wherein the impulse damper is attached within the tower or the high, narrow structure, and the impulse damper comprises: (a) a horizontally movable damper mass, (b) a horizontally aligned support structure for the damper mass, which is firmly connected to the installation of the tower or the tall, narrow structure so that the movement of the installation, generated by the vibrational forces, are transferred to the damper mass that can be moved on the support structure, whereby, during impact of the moving damper mass, against elements of the support structure or the installation, an impulse, which is counter to a direction of movement of the installation, is generated so that the vibration that occurs is damped, and (c) additional damping elements that become effective when the damper mass comes into contact with the support structure or the installation, wherein the damper mass (6) is freely movable horizontally on a horizontally aligned support structure (4), via bearing elements (5) on the underside of the damper mass, and is annularly surrounded with a first rotationally symmetrical impact device (3, 7) which is fastened to its lateral circumference and is effective in the horizontal direction, and (ii) the support structure (4) is connected to a second, rotationally symmetrical impact device (3′, 7′) which is effective in the horizontal direction and which annularly encloses the first opposite impact device (3, 7) and the damper mass (6) at a distance defined in the idle state, wherein the first impact device (3, 7) comprises a first inflexible, horizontally aligned annular impact disk (3), which is distributed over its circumference, a plurality of individual first damping elements (7) firmly connected thereto, or a single annular first damping element (7) which is substantially continuous along the circumference of the impact disk (3), and the second impact device (3′, 7′) comprises a second inflexible, horizontally aligned annular impact disk (3′), which is distributed over its circumference, a plurality of individual second damping elements (7′) firmly connected thereto, or a single annular second damping element (7) which is substantially continuous along the circumference of the impact disk (3′), and the two impact devices (3, 7) and (3′, 7′) are arranged, in relation to one another, in such a way that, with any horizontal movement or deflection of the damper mass (6) along the support structure (4), the impact disk (3) fastened thereto can strike, with a lateral outwardly pointing edge thereof, against an opposite lateral edge of the impact disk (3′) running further outwards in a circumferential manner with simultaneous deformation or activation of the plurality of or single first and the second damping elements (7, 7′).

16. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the bearing elements (5), between the damper mass (6) and the support structure (4), are friction or sliding elements.

17. The impulse damper according to claim 16, wherein the friction and sliding elements (5) have a coefficient of friction which is designed, according to properties and operating conditions of the installation, so that sufficient energy dissipation occurs through friction from the vibrating installation.

18. The impulse damper according to claim 17, wherein the coefficient of friction of the sliding elements (5) is selected so that the damper mass (6) stands still during normal operation and only starts moving upon the occurrence of relatively larger vibration amplitudes.

19. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the bearing elements (5), between the damper mass (6) and the support structure (4), are frictionless, resilient shear elements.

20. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the first damping elements (7) or the single first damping element (7) are/is connected, on one hand, to the damper mass (6) and, on another hand, to the impact disk (3).

21. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the second damping elements (7′) or the single second damping element (7′) are/is connected, on one hand, to the support structure (4) and, on another hand, to the impact disk (3′).

22. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the first and the second damping elements (7, 7′) are one of spring elements, elastomer elements, friction elements, or hydraulic elements.

23. The impulse damper according to claim 15, wherein the first impact device (3, 7) has at least three individual first damping elements (7) and the second impact device (3′, 7′) has at least three second damping elements (7′), each damping element (7, 7′) is distributed along a circumference of each annular impact disk (3, 3′) such that a same stiffness and damping is present in all possible directions of vibration of the mass (6), and the first and the second damping elements having substantially the same damping properties.

24. The impulse damper according to claim 23, wherein the first damping elements (7) are each arranged opposite the second damping elements (7′).

25. The impulse damper according to claim 23, wherein the first and the second damping elements (7, 7′) are at least one of deformable, cylindrical, or conical elastomer elements.

26. Use of an impulse damper according to claim 15 for damping vibrations of a second natural frequency of the installation to be damped or of the tall, narrow structure.

27. A tower or narrow, tall building comprising the impulse damper according to claim 15.

28. A wind turbine comprising a tower, a nacelle, and a rotor blade system having a drive, according to claim 15, wherein the impulse damper is attached in the tower at a height of 40-80% of a total height of the tower.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The figures are briefly described below:

[0057] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the design of the impulse damper (10) according to the invention:

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a corresponding top view of the impulse damper according to the invention in accordance with FIG. 1.

[0059] FIG. 3 schematically shows a wind turbine with tower, nacelle, and rotor.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0060] The round damper mass (6) is mounted by usually a plurality of bearing elements (5) on a horizontally aligned plate-shaped support structure (4), which bearing elements are connected to the tower wall (1) via support brackets (2).

[0061] In this embodiment, the bearing elements are friction or sliding bearings with a coefficient of friction that corresponds to the desired requirements. The damper mass can move freely in all directions according to the friction values of the bearings (5) on the plate, provided that the necessary forces, generated by the movement of the installation, occur. The mass (6) is freely movable horizontally.

[0062] The mass (6) has, on its lateral circumference, an annular, rotationally symmetrical first impact device (3)(7) of the impulse damper, which is substantially formed by resilient damping elements (7) and hard, non-resilient impact elements (3).

[0063] In this embodiment, the damping elements (7) are represented by a multiplicity of elastomer elements which are attached in an evenly distributed manner around the mass.

[0064] The impact device (3)(7) is connected to the mass by a bracket.

[0065] In the embodiment shown, the mass (6) has a circumferential recess on the side, which serves as a bracket. In this recess, cylindrical or conical elastomer elements (7) are preferably firmly attached to their outwardly pointing end to the upper and also to the lower part of the recess. Said elastomer elements (7) are firmly connected, with the end pointing inwards, to the likewise circumferential impact disk (3), which is thus arranged centrally in the recess or bracket. However, the design can also deviate from the one specifically described herein, as long as the functionality is maintained.

[0066] The impact disk (3) protrudes over the edge of the recess. Instead of the recess in the damper mass (6), a correspondingly designed circumferential bracket for the impact device (3)(7) can also be provided.

[0067] In the specific case, the impact device (3)(7) comprises cylindrical elastomer elements which are preferably symmetrically opposite each other and are separated from one another by the impact disk (3) to which they are firmly connected. The mass can now move horizontally in all directions according to the acting forces until the impact disk (3) strikes the opposite impact disk (3′).

[0068] The impulse damper according to the invention also has an annular, rotationally symmetrical second impact device (3′)(7′). An annular impact disk (3′) is connected to the support structure (4) and via the support brackets (2) to the installation to be damped, in this case the wall (1) of a tower.

[0069] The annular impact disk (3′) is aligned horizontally to the support structure (4) and is arranged opposite the impact disk (3) of the mass part (6) in such a way that the side edges of the disks (3′) and (3) face each other. The impact ring (3′) is connected on its underside to preferably cylindrical or conical elastomer elements (7′) at their upper end, which preferably correspond in number and arrangement to the opposite elastomer elements (7) on the damper mass (6). The elastomer elements (7′) are firmly connected at their lower end to the support structure (4). When the impulse damper is in the idle state, the disks (3′)(3) have a defined distance, the value of which depends on the size of the damper and its desired damping properties. When force is applied, the disks (3′) and (3) strike against one another at their side edges due to the movement of the mass (6) on the horizontal surface of the support plate (4). The movement space between the impact elements (3) and (3′) can be selected according to the desired conditions, but in the case of a wind turbine is approximately 5 mm-200 mm, preferably 20 mm-100 mm.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a corresponding top view of the impulse damper according to the invention in accordance with FIG. 1.

[0071] FIG. 3 schematically shows a wind turbine with tower, nacelle, and rotor.

[0072] The impulse damper (10) according to the invention is also shown schematically. The rectangular frame indicates the range of the possible position of the impulse steamer according to the invention in relation to the tower height, in which the second natural frequency of the installation can be effectively damped.