TOWER SEGMENT AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A TOWER

Abstract

A tower segment, in particular for a tower of a wind power installation, to a tower, in particular a tower of a wind power installation, to a wind power installation and to a method for constructing a tower. In particular, the invention relates to a tower segment, in particular for a tower of a wind power installation, for attaching to a support structure, in particular to a foundation, comprising a tower base element having an upper end and a lower end, and a threaded opening arranged at the lower end, a flange, which is arranged at the lower end, having a first flange opening and a second flange opening, wherein the tower base element and the flange are connected by a fastening element arranged in the threaded opening and the first flange opening, and wherein the second flange opening is formed in such a way that a connecting element of the support structure can extend through the second flange opening.

Claims

1. A tower segment for a tower of a wind power installation and for attaching to a support structure, comprising: a tower base element having: an upper end and a lower end, and a threaded opening arranged at the lower end, a flange, arranged at the lower end and having a first flange opening and a second flange opening, wherein the tower base element and the flange are connected by a fastening element arranged in the threaded opening and the first flange opening, and wherein the second flange opening is formed in such a way that a connecting element of the support structure is configured to extend through the second flange opening.

2. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the threaded opening is arranged terminally at the lower end of the tower base element, and/or the first flange opening is arranged on the flange in such a way that the first flange opening it-terminally adjoins the lower end.

3. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the tower base element or the flange has an annular cross section.

4. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the flange has a third flange opening, the first flange opening is arranged in a radial direction between the second flange opening and the third flange opening such that the second flange opening has in the radial direction a smaller spacing from a centerpoint of the tower segment than the third flange opening in the radial direction from this centerpoint, and the third flange opening is arranged in such a way that a connecting element of the support structure is configured to extend through the third flange opening.

5. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, comprising: a load element arranged on the flange and having a first load element opening and/or a second load element opening, wherein the fastening element is partially arranged within the first load element opening, and/or the second load element opening has a common through-passage axis with the second flange opening, and wherein the load element has a third load element opening having a common through-passage axis with the third flange opening.

6. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the load element is annular or partly annular in form, and/or the flange and the load element are formed integrally.

7. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the fastening element is a screw, and/or the fastening element has a threaded bolt and a nut, wherein the threaded bolt is screwed into the threaded opening and extends through the first flange opening and is screwed to the nut on the side of the flange that faces away from the tower base element, and/or the fastening element has a threaded bolt, a cross bolt, with a cross bolt opening, and a nut, wherein the threaded bolt is screwed into the threaded opening and extends through the first flange opening and, on the side of the flange that faces away from the tower base element and extends through the cross bolt opening and is screwed to the nut.

8. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dimension of the first flange opening in the radial direction is smaller than a thickness of the tower base element in the radial direction.

9. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the tower base element has at the lower end, a thickened portion having a radial extent that is greater than a radial extent of a tower wall, and/or the upper end of the tower base element is configured for arranging a tower wall.

10. The tower segment as claimed in claim 9, comprising: a tower wall having an annular cross section, wherein the tower wall is arranged at the upper end of the tower base element and is welded to the tower base element, and/or the tower wall has a smaller radial extent than the tower base element, than the thickened portion of the tower base element.

11. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connection of the tower base element to the flange and of the flange to the load element is configured to be free of a welded connection.

12. The tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange is a segmented flange and has at least two horizontally adjacent flange segments.

13. A tower of a wind power installation, comprising: at least one tower segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure is a foundation, the connecting element fixedly connected to the support structure, wherein the first connecting element extends through the second flange opening, and through the second load opening, and wherein the connecting element is connected to a corresponding second connecting element on the side of the flange that faces away from the support structure in such a way that a fixed connection is formed between the flange and the support structure.

14. The tower as claimed in the preceding claim 13, wherein at least one first connecting element is a plurality of first connecting elements fixedly connected to the support structure, and wherein one or more of the plurality of first connecting elements extends through the third flange opening, and through the third load element opening, and is connected to a corresponding second connecting element on the side of the flange that faces away from the support structure in such a way that a fixed connection is formed between the flange and the support structure.

15. A wind power installation, comprising: a tower as claimed in claim 13, and a nacelle coupled to the tower.

16. A method for constructing a tower of a wind power installation, the method comprising: providing a support structure, in particular a foundation, having a first connecting element, arranging a flange having a first flange opening and a second flange opening at a terminal lower end of a tower base element which has a threaded opening, fastening the flange to the lower end, in particular the terminal lower end, of the tower base element by arranging a fastening element in the threaded opening and the first flange opening, and arranging the flange on the support structure such that the first connecting element extends through the second flange opening.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, comprising: arranging a load element between the support structure and the flange having a first load element opening and/or a second load element opening, arranging the fastening element at least partially within the first load element opening and/or guiding the first connecting element through the second load element opening, and guiding a second connecting element of the support structure through a third load element opening of the load element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] Preferred exemplary embodiments will be explained by way of example on the basis of the appended figures, in which:

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a wind power installation;

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic, two-dimensional view of a tower segment;

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a schematic, two-dimensional sectional view of a tower segment;

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a schematic, two-dimensional view of a tower segment known in the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a wind power installation 100. FIG. 1 shows a wind power installation 100 having a tower 102 and a nacelle 104. On the nacelle 104 there is arranged a rotor 106 with three rotor blades 108 and a spinner 110. In operation, the rotor 106 is set into a rotational movement by the wind and thereby drives a generator in the nacelle 104.

[0059] The tower 102 has a tower segment 103 at an end thereof that faces away from the nacelle 104. The tower segment 103 has a tower base element with an upper end, which faces the nacelle 104, and a lower end which faces the foundation 112. At the lower end of the tower base element, the latter has a large number of threaded openings. Between the tower base element and the foundation 112 there is further arranged a flange having a first flange opening and a second flange opening.

[0060] The tower base element is connected to the flange by means of a fastening element. For this purpose, the tower base element has the threaded opening and the flange has the first flange opening. The foundation 112 has, furthermore, connecting elements which extend through the second flange openings. The connecting elements are designed in such a way that a fixed connection is able to be produced between the flange and the foundation 112. A force acting on the tower 102 or a moment acting on the tower 102 is thus channeled via the tower base element into the flange and from the latter into the foundation 112.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic, two-dimensional view of a tower segment. The tower segment 200 has a tower base element 210, a flange 230 and a load element 260. The tower segment 200 is arranged on a foundation 300. At an upper end 212 of the tower base element 210 there is arranged a tower wall 202.

[0062] The tower base element 210 extends in its longitudinal direction from the upper end 212 to the lower end 214. The longitudinal extent of the tower base element 210 is substantially parallel to a height H of the tower segment 200. The height H is substantially vertically oriented in the operating state shown.

[0063] The tower segment 200 is preferably annular in form and has a centerpoint. The centerpoint is not shown here and is for example on the left in the image. The arrangement of the centerpoint can be gathered in particular from FIG. 3 described below. The extent from the centerpoint to the tower segment 200 is oriented in the radial direction R. The tower base element 210 has a threaded opening 216. The threaded opening 216 is arranged terminally at the lower end 214 of the tower base element 210. The tower base element 210 is designed to be terminally planar in form. The tower base element 210 further has, in a region adjoining the lower end 214, a thickened portion 218 and tapers from the thickened portion 218 to the upper end 212.

[0064] The flange 230 is terminally arranged at the lower end 214 of the tower base element 210. The flange 230 has the first flange opening 232, the second flange opening 234 and the third flange opening 236. The first flange opening is arranged substantially centrally with respect to the radial extent in the radial direction R of the flange 230. The second flange opening 234 has in the radial direction R a larger spacing from the centerpoint of the flange 230 than the third flange opening 236. In the state shown, the third flange opening 236 faces an inner circumferential surface of the tower base element 210. The second flange opening 234 faces an outer circumferential surface of the tower base element 210.

[0065] Between the flange 230 and the foundation 300 there is arranged the load element 260. In the vertical direction, the load element 260 is arranged between the flange 230 and the foundation 300. The load element 260 has a first load element opening 262, a second load element opening 264 and a third load element opening 266.

[0066] The first load element opening 262 is arranged substantially centrally with respect to the radial extent in the radial direction R of the load element 260. In particular, the first load element opening 262 is arranged in such a way that it has a common longitudinal axis with the first flange opening 232 and the threaded opening 216. The second load element opening 264 and the third load element opening 266 are spaced apart from the first load element opening 262 in the radial direction R. In particular, the second load element opening 264 is spaced further apart from the above-defined centerpoint than the third load element opening 266.

[0067] The flange 230 is connected to the tower base element 210 by means of a fastening element taking the form of a screw 250. The screw 250 has a screw shank 252 and a screw head 254. The screw shank 252 extends through the first flange opening 232 and is screwed into the threaded opening 216. The screw head is arranged so as to bear against a horizontal surface of the flange 230 that faces away from the tower base element 210. A force fit can thus be produced between the tower base element 210 and the flange 230.

[0068] The foundation 300 has a first connecting element 302 and a third connecting element 306. The first connecting element 302 and the third connecting element 306 projects substantially vertically out of the foundation 300 in the upward direction. The first connecting element 302 extends through the second load element opening 264 and through the second flange opening 234. The first connecting element 302 exits the second flange opening 234 vertically. At this point, the first connecting element 302 is coupled to a second connecting element 304 taking the form of a nut. The nut is screwed onto a thread at the distal end of the first connecting element 302. As a result, a fixed connection of the flange 230 via the load element 260 to the foundation 300 is made possible.

[0069] Analogously to this, the third connecting element 306 extends through the third load element opening 266 and through the third flange opening 236 and is secured to a fourth connecting element 308, in the present case likewise a nut. The force fit occurs in that forces of the tower base element 210 can be transmitted to the flange 230, in particular by means of the screw 250. A force is in turn transmitted from the flange via the load element into the foundation 300, wherein this connection between the flange 230, load element 260 and foundation 300 occurs by means of the connecting elements 302, 304, 306, 308.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a schematic, two-dimensional sectional view of the tower segment 200. The tower segment 200 has a centerpoint 204. The tower base element 210, the flange 230 and the load ring 260 have a substantially annular cross section. The tower base element 210, the flange 230 and the load ring 260 likewise have the centerpoint 204. The tower base element 210 additionally forms the inner circumferential surface 222 facing the centerpoint 204 and the outer circumferential surface 220 facing away from the centerpoint. The height H of the tower segment 200 is oriented orthogonally to the drawing plane. FIG. 3 reveals in particular the arrangement of the first connecting elements 302 and of the third connecting elements 306 and also of the second flange opening 234 and of the third flange openings 236. The flange openings 234, 236 are designed as a circle of holes.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a schematic, two-dimensional view of a tower segment known in the prior art. The tower segment 600 comprises the tower base element 610 on which a flange 630 is fixedly arranged. On an underside of the flange 630 there is arranged a load element 660. The flange 630 and the load element 660 each have through-openings through which connecting elements 702, 706 can extend, these being secured on the flange 630 by further connecting elements 704. The connecting elements 702, 706 are fastened to the foundation 700.

[0072] The tower segment 600 shown here has the disadvantage that the flange 630 determines the largest diameter of the tower segment 600 and not the tower wall 602. As a result, the tower wall 602 has to be designed to be smaller in diameter, which can lead to losses in strength and/or stiffness. Alternatively, the tower segment 600 has to be segmented in the horizontal direction.

[0073] The tower segment 103, 200 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 allows, inter alia, optimized logistics. In particular, the respective tower base element 210 can be designed to a maximum transportable diameter, in particular 4.30 m. In particular, for this dimension, it is not the diameter of the flange 230 which is limiting, since said flange is first fastened to the tower base element 210 at a set-up site of the wind power installation 100. The tower segment 103, 200 according to the disclosure can thus be transported in a simpler and more favorable manner. Moreover, this allows a better strength-related design of a wind power installation tower 102. In addition, more cost-effective mounting of a wind power installation tower 102 on a foundation 112, 300 is possible.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0074] 100 Wind power installation

[0075] 102 Tower

[0076] 103 Tower segment

[0077] 104 Nacelle

[0078] 106 Rotor

[0079] 108 Rotor blades

[0080] 110 Spinner

[0081] 112 Foundation

[0082] 200 Tower segment

[0083] 202 Tower wall

[0084] 204 Centerpoint

[0085] 210 Tower base element

[0086] 212 Upper end

[0087] 214 Lower end

[0088] 216 Threaded opening

[0089] 218 Thickened portion

[0090] 220 Outer circumferential surface

[0091] 222 Inner circumferential surface

[0092] 230 Flange

[0093] 232 First flange opening

[0094] 234 Second flange opening

[0095] 236 Third flange opening

[0096] 250 Screw

[0097] 252 Screw shank

[0098] 254 Screw head

[0099] 260 Load element

[0100] 262 First load element opening

[0101] 264 Second load element opening

[0102] 266 Third load element opening

[0103] 300 Foundation

[0104] 302 First connecting element

[0105] 304 Second connecting element

[0106] 306 Third connecting element

[0107] 308 Fourth connecting element

[0108] 600 Tower segment

[0109] 602 Tower wall

[0110] 610 Tower base element

[0111] 630 Flange

[0112] 660 Load element

[0113] 700 Foundation

[0114] 702 First connecting element

[0115] 704 Second connecting element

[0116] 706 Third connecting element

[0117] H Height

[0118] R Radial direction