Tower section arrangement for a guyed tower of a wind turbine, guyed wind turbine tower, wind turbine and method for assembling a wind turbine

Abstract

Provided is a tower section arrangement for a guyed tower of a wind turbine, the tower section arrangement including: a tower section including a wall having an outer surface with a circumference, at least two brackets attached to the outer surface of the wall at different locations on its circumference, and at least two stay cables, wherein each stay cable is connected at its first end to one of the brackets and is configured for connection at its second end to a cable foundation, and wherein an angle (?) between each stay cable and a tangent to the outer circumference at the respective bracket has, in a top view of the erected wind turbine, a value of 90? when the respective stay cable is guyed.

Claims

1. A tower section arrangement for a guyed tower of a wind turbine, the tower section arrangement comprising: a tower section including a wall comprising an outer surface with a circumference; at least two brackets attached to the outer surface of the wall at different locations on the circumference, wherein each of the at least two brackets comprises a single plate structure extending vertically between a first cross member and a second cross-member, the first cross member and the second cross-member being physically connected to the single plate structure and extending laterally from the single plate structure to adapt to a curvature of the tower section; at least two stay cables; wherein each stay cable is connected at a first end to one of the at least two brackets and is configured for connection at a second end to a cable foundation; wherein an angle (a) between each stay cable and a tangent to the circumference at the respective bracket has, in a top view of the erected wind turbine, a value of 90? when the respective stay cable is guyed.

2. The tower section arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least two brackets are attached to the outer surface of the wall by bolts.

3. The tower section arrangement according to claim 2, comprising attachment means welded to the outer surface of the wall, wherein the at least two brackets are bolted to the attachment means.

4. The tower section arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the wall includes wall through holes, and the at least two brackets are bolted to the outer surface of the wall by bolts inserted through the wall through holes.

5. The tower section arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least two brackets are welded to the outer surface of the wall.

6. The tower section arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: each of the single plate structures is arranged, in a top view of the erected wind turbine, at an angle (?) of 90? with respect to a tangent to the circumference at the respective plate-like structure, each of the single plate structures comprises a bracket through hole in a direction parallel to the tangent; and each of the bracket through holes is configured for connection with the first end of the respective stay cable.

7. The tower section arrangement according to claim 6, wherein: each of the at least two stay cables is connected at the first end with a clevis comprising two clevis through holes, each clevis is arranged such that the two clevis through holes and the respective bracket through hole are aligned with each other; and each of the at least two stay cables is connected to one of the brackets by a pin being inserted through the respective two clevis through holes and the respective bracket through hole.

8. The tower section arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tower section comprises one or more reinforcement elements at an inner surface of the wall and opposite the at least two brackets attached at the outer surface of the wall.

9. The tower section arrangement according to claim 1, comprising: three stay cables; and three brackets attached to the outer surface of the wall and arranged at intervals corresponding to angles (?) of 120? along the circumference.

10. A wind turbine tower configured for being guyed by stay cables, the tower comprising the tower section arrangement according to claim 1.

11. A wind turbine, comprising: the wind turbine tower according to claim 10; and at least two cable foundations; wherein each of at least two stay cables of the tower section arrangement of the tower is connected at the first end to a bracket of the tower section of the tower section arrangement, and is connected at the second end to one of the cable foundations, each of the at least two stay cables is guyed between the respective bracket and the respective cable foundation; and an angle (?) between each stay cable and a tangent to an outer circumference of the wall at the respective bracket has, in a top view of the erected wind turbine, a value of 90?.

12. A method for assembling a wind turbine, comprising the steps of: a) providing a tower section, the tower section including at least two brackets attached to an outer surface of a tower section wall and at different locations on a circumference, the at least two brackets each comprising a single plate structure extending vertically between a first cross member and a second cross-member, the first cross member and the second cross-member being physically connected to the single plate structure and extending laterally from the single plate structure to adapt to a curvature of the tower section; b) connecting at least two stay cables to the at least two brackets, wherein an angle between each stay cable and a tangent to the circumference at the respective bracket has, in a top view of an erected wind turbine, a value of 90? when the respective stay cable is guyed; and c) lifting the tower section with the attached stay cables onto a further already erected tower section.

13. The method according to claim 12, including, before step a), the step of attaching the at least two brackets to the tower section at an erection site of the wind turbine.

14. The method according to claim 12, including, after step c), the step of connecting each of the at least two stay cables to a cable foundation.

15. The method according to claim 14, including the step of tensioning the at least two stay cables.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine according to an embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a partial cross-section view of a tower section arrangement of the wind turbine of FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a bracket of the tower section arrangement of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of the tower section arrangement of FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a clevis-and-pin connection of a stay cable and a bracket of the tower section arrangement of FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a partial cross-section view of a tower section arrangement of the wind turbine of FIG. 1 according to a second embodiment;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a bracket of the tower section arrangement of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a partial cross-section view of a tower section arrangement of the wind turbine of FIG. 1 according to a third embodiment;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a bracket of the tower section arrangement of FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates a method for assembling the wind turbine of FIG. 1; and

(12) FIG. 11 shows a flowchart illustrating the method for assembling the wind turbine of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 1 according to an embodiment.

(14) The wind turbine 1 comprises a rotor 2 having, for example, three rotor blades 3. The rotor blades 3 are connected to a hub 4 of the wind turbine 1. The rotor 2 is connected to a generator (not shown) arranged inside a nacelle 5. The nacelle 5 is arranged at the upper end of a tower 6 of the wind turbine 1. The nacelle 5 is connected to the tower 6, for example by a yaw bearing (not shown) such that the nacelle 5 can rotate relative to the tower 6. The tower 6 is, for example, erected on a monopile 7 driven into the ground. The wind turbine 1 is, in particular, an onshore wind turbine.

(15) The wind turbine 1 converts the wind's kinetic energy into electrical energy. The higher the hub 4, i.e. the higher the tower 6, the more electrical energy can be generated with a wind turbine at a given wind harvesting site.

(16) The tower 6 has, for example, a height of 120-180 meters. The tower 6 comprises, for example, several tower sections such as the tower sections 8, 9, 10 shown schematically in FIG. 1. The tower 6 is a guyed tower comprising stay cables 11. Each stay cable 11 is tethered between the tower section 9 and a respective cable foundation 12. The cable foundations 12 include, for example, concrete blocks buried in the ground.

(17) The stay cables 11 are connected to the tower section 9 as described in the following.

(18) FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a tower section arrangement 13. The tower section arrangement 13 comprises the tower section 9, the stay cables 11 and brackets 14. The tower section arrangement 13 comprises, for example, three stay cables 11 and three brackets 14.

(19) The brackets 14 of the first embodiment are welded to an outer surface 15 of a wall 16 of the tower section 9. Each bracket 14 comprises a bracket through hole 17 for connection with a respective stay cable 11.

(20) The tower section 9 further comprises reinforcement elements 18 such as reinforcement circumferential rings at an inner surface 19 of the tower section wall 16.

(21) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of one of the brackets 14 of the first embodiment. The bracket 14 includes a plate-like structure 20 and several cross members 21. The plate-like structure 20 comprises the bracket through hole 17.

(22) As shown schematically in FIG. 4, the plate-like structure 20 of each bracket 14 is arranged, in a top view of the vertical tower section 9 (i.e. in a top view of the erected wind turbine 1), at an angle ? of 90? with respect to a tangent 22 to the outer circumference 23 at the respective plate-like structure 20. Further, each of the bracket through holes 17 (FIG. 2) is arranged in a direction parallel to the tangent 22 (FIG. 4).

(23) In the example of FIG. 4, the tower section arrangement 13 comprises three brackets 14 attached to the outer surface 15 at different locations A, B, C on its circumference 23. In particular, the brackets 14 are arranged at even intervals corresponding to angles ? of 120? along its circumference 23.

(24) The cross members 21 of each bracket 14 (FIG. 3) are formed such that they adapt to the curvature of the outer circumference 23 of the tower section wall 16 (FIG. 4).

(25) Each stay cable 11 is connected at its first end 24 to one of the brackets 14 (FIGS. 1, 2), and is connected at its second end 25 to one of the cable foundations 12 (FIG. 1).

(26) As shown in FIG. 5, each stay cable 11 is connected at its first end 24 to the respective bracket 14, for example, by a clevis 26 and a pin 27 and pin retainer 28. The clevis 26 is fixed to the first end 24 of the stay cable 11 by a flange tube 29 and an anchor block 30. The clevis 26 has a U-shaped portion 31 comprising two legs 32. Each leg 32 comprises a through hole 33 (in FIG. 5 only one of the two through holes 33 is visible).

(27) Each clevis 26 is arranged such that its two clevis through holes 33 and the respective bracket through hole 17 (FIG. 2) are aligned with each other. Further, the pin 27 is inserted through the aligned two clevis through holes 33 and the bracket through hole 17 (FIG. 5). The pin 27 is secured with the pin retainer 28. The connection of the stay cable 11 and the bracket 14 by the clevis 26 and the pin 27 allows rotation of the stay cable 11 in a direction D (FIG. 5) before the stay cable 11 is fixed at its other end 25 to the cable foundation 12 (FIG. 1).

(28) FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a tower section arrangement 113. The tower section arrangement 113 comprises a tower section 109, stay cables 11 and brackets 114. The tower section arrangement 113 comprises, for example, three stay cables 11 and three brackets 114.

(29) The brackets 114 of the second embodiment are bolted to an outer surface 115 of a wall 116 of the tower section 109. Each bracket 114 comprises a bracket through hole 117 for connection with a respective stay cable 11. The stay cables 11 are, for example, connected to the through hole 117 by a clevis-and-pin system similar as shown in FIG. 5.

(30) The tower section 109 may further comprise reinforcement elements 118 at an inner surface 119 of the tower section wall 116 similar to the reinforcement elements 18 according to the first embodiment.

(31) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of one of the brackets 114 of the second embodiment. Each bracket 114 includes a plate-like structure 120 having the bracket through hole 117. The bracket 114 further includes several cross members 121 and a back plate 34.

(32) The plate-like structure 120 of the second embodiment is arranged similar as the plate-like structure 20 of the first embodiment with respect to the angle ? of 90? relative to the tangent 22, as shown in FIG. 4.

(33) The back plate 34 comprises several thorough holes 35 (FIG. 7) for a bolt connection with the wall 116 of the tower section 109 (FIG. 6). Some of the through holes 35 of the back plate 34 are denoted with a reference sign in FIG. 7. Further, the tower section wall 116 comprises several wall through holes 36. The bracket 114 is bolted to the wall 116 by bolts 37 inserted in the respective through holes 35 of the bracket 114 and the wall through holes 36 of the wall 116.

(34) FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of a tower section arrangement 213. The tower section arrangement 213 comprises a tower section 209, stay cables 11 and brackets 214. The tower section arrangement 213 comprises, for example, three stay cables 11 and three brackets 214.

(35) The brackets 214 of the third embodiment are bolted to an outer surface 215 of a wall 216 of the tower section 209. Each bracket 214 comprises a bracket through hole 217 for connection with a respective stay cable 11. The stay cables 11 are, for example, connected to the through hole 217 by a clevis-and-pin system similar as shown in FIG. 5.

(36) The tower section 209 may further comprise reinforcement elements (not shown) at an inner surface 219 of the tower section wall 216 similar to the reinforcement elements 18 according to the first embodiment.

(37) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of one of the brackets 214 of the third embodiment. Each bracket 214 includes a plate-like structure 220 having the bracket through hole 217. The plate-like structure 220 of the third embodiment is arranged similar as the plate-like structure 20 of the first embodiment with respect to the angle ? of 90? relative to the tangent 22, as shown in FIG. 4.

(38) The bracket 214 further includes several cross members 221 having through holes 38. Furthermore, the plate-like structure 220 also includes several through holes 39. Some of the through holes 38 and 39 are denoted with a reference sign in FIG. 9. The through holes 38 and 39 are configured for a bolt connection with attachment means 40, 41 welded to the wall 216 of the tower section 209 (FIG. 8).

(39) The attachment means 40 include, for example, one or more vertical plates with through holes 42. The attachment means 40 are bolted to the plate-like structure 220 of the bracket 214 by bolts 43 inserted in the through holes 42 and 39. The attachment means 41 include, for example, one or more circumferential rings or partial circumferential rings. The attachment means 41 are bolted by bolts 44 to the cross members 221 (FIG. 9).

(40) In the following, a method for assembling the wind turbine 1 of FIG. 1 is described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

(41) In step S1 of the method, the tower section 9, 109, 209 is transported by a vehicle 45 to an erection site of the wind turbine 1, as shown in FIG. 10. In this example, the tower section 9, 109, 209 already comprises the brackets 14, 114, 214 prior to transportation. Alternatively, the tower section 9, 109, 209 might be transported without the brackets 14, 114, 214 to the erection site. In this case, the brackets 14, 114, 214 are attached to the tower section 9, 109, 209 at the erection site.

(42) In step S2 of the method, the stay cables 11 are connected at their first end 24 to the brackets 14, 114, 214 when the tower section 9, 109, 209 is in a vertical position, as shown in FIG. 10.

(43) In step S3 of the method, the tower section arrangement 13, 113, 213 (i.e. the tower section 9, 109, 209, the brackets 14, 114, 214 and the stay cables 11) is lifted by a crane 46 onto a further already erected tower section 8.

(44) In step S4 of the method, each of the stay cables 11 is connected to a cable foundation 12 (FIG. 1).

(45) In step S5 of the method, each of the stay cables 11 is tensioned between the respective bracket 14, 114, 214 and cable foundation 12.

(46) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(47) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements.