Freestanding Internal Structure Assembly for a Wind Turbine Tower

Abstract

A tower assembly for a wind turbine includes a tower and a freestanding internal tower structure assembly. The tower has a tower wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface separated by a tower wall thickness, with the inner surface defining a tower interior. The internal tower structure assembly is positioned within the tower interior. The tower structure assembly includes a plurality of stackable support structures configured to support one or more internal tower components. Further, the tower structure assembly is freestanding within the tower interior.

Claims

1. A tower assembly for a wind turbine, the tower assembly comprising: a tower comprising a tower wall having an inner surface and an outer surface separated by a tower wall thickness, the inner surface defining a tower interior; and, an internal tower structure assembly positioned within the tower interior, the tower structure assembly comprising a plurality of stackable support structures configured to support one or more internal tower components, the tower structure assembly being freestanding within the tower interior.

2. The tower assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of stackable support structures comprises one or more alignment pins arranged on a top surface thereof that is configured to secure the stackable support structure to an adjacent stackable support structure.

3. The tower assembly of claim 2, wherein the top surface of each of the plurality of stackable support structures defines a plurality of corners, each corner comprising one of the alignment pins.

4. The tower assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one bumper component coupled to the tower support structure and contacting the inner surface of the tower wall, the bumper component configured to reduce oscillations of the tower structure assembly within the tower interior.

5. The tower assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more internal tower components comprise at least one of one or more ladders, one or more platforms, a service lift, cables, a plurality of cable trays, a drip loop, a fall arrest system, or one or more wind turbine electrical components, the one or more wind turbine electrical components comprising at least one of a power converter, a transformer, a fan, or a wind turbine controller.

6. The tower assembly of claim 5, further comprising at least one cross beam positioned in the tower interior for supporting the service lift.

7. The tower assembly of claim 5, further comprising one or more attachment arms extending from one or more of the plurality of stackable support structures for supporting the one or more ladders.

8. The tower assembly of claim 5, wherein one or more of the plurality of stackable support structures comprises a first side defining the plurality of cable trays.

9. The tower assembly of claim 5, wherein a stackable base support structure of the tower structure assembly fits over the power converter.

10. The tower assembly of claim 9, further comprising a base platform comprising an aperture configured to receive the stackable base support structure of the tower structure assembly.

11. The tower assembly of claim 10, further comprising a grating platform positioned atop the stackable base support structure to allow the fan to exhaust.

12. The tower assembly of claim 11, further comprising an additional ladder extending from a foundation of the tower through the base platform.

13. A wind turbine, comprising: a nacelle; a rotor mounted to the nacelle, the rotor comprising a rotatable hub and at least one rotor blade; a tower assembly supporting the nacelle, the tower assembly comprising: a tower comprising a tower wall having an inner surface and an outer surface separated by a tower wall thickness, the inner surface defining a tower interior; and, an internal tower structure assembly positioned within the tower interior, the tower structure assembly comprising a plurality of stackable support structures configured to support one or more internal tower components, the tower structure assembly being freestanding within the tower interior.

14. The wind turbine of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of stackable support structures comprises one or more alignment pins arranged on a top surface thereof that is configured to secure the stackable support structure to an adjacent stackable support structure.

15. The wind turbine of claim 13, further comprising at least one bumper component coupled to the tower support structure and contacting the inner surface of the tower wall, the bumper component configured to reduce oscillations of the tower structure assembly.

16. The wind turbine of claim 13, wherein the one or more internal tower components comprise at least one of one or more ladders, one or more platforms, a service lift, cables, a plurality of cable trays, a drip loop, a fall arrest system, or one or more wind turbine electrical components, the one or more wind turbine electrical components comprising at least one of a power converter, a transformer, a fan, or a wind turbine controller.

17. The wind turbine of claim 16, further comprising one or more attachment arms extending from one or more of the plurality of stackable support structures for supporting the one or more ladders.

18. The wind turbine of claim 16, wherein one or more of the plurality of stackable support structures comprises a first side defining the plurality of cable trays.

19. The wind turbine of claim 16, wherein a stackable base support structure of the tower structure assembly fits over the power converter.

20. An internal tower structure assembly for a hollow tower, the internal tower structure assembly comprising: a plurality of support structures stackable atop each other in a vertical direction, each of the plurality of support structures comprising at least one alignment pin for connecting to an adjacent support structure, wherein, when stacked in the vertical direction, the plurality of support structures forms a freestanding structure for placement in the hollow interior, the freestanding structure configured to support one or more internal tower components.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a wind turbine according to the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an internal, perspective view of one embodiment of a tower assembly of a wind turbine according to the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a stackable support structure of an internal tower structure assembly for a wind turbine according to the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an internal tower structure assembly constructed of a plurality of stackable support structures stacked in a vertical direction for a wind turbine according to the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a partial, perspective view of one embodiment of an internal tower structure assembly within a wind turbine tower according to the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a stackable base support structure of an internal tower structure assembly for a wind turbine tower according to the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates a partial, perspective view of one embodiment of an internal tower structure assembly within a wind turbine tower according to the present disclosure, particularly illustrating a cross beam mounted within the tower for supporting a service lift;

[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of a bumper component of an internal tower structure assembly according to the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of another embodiment of a bumper component of an internal tower structure assembly according to the present disclosure; and

[0027] FIG. 10 illustrates a partial, perspective view of one embodiment of an internal tower structure assembly within a wind turbine tower according to the present disclosure, particularly illustrating a plurality of bumper components positioned within the tower for reducing oscillations of the structure assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0029] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a wind turbine 10 according to the present disclosure. As shown, the wind turbine 10 includes a tower 12 extending from a support surface 14, a nacelle 16 mounted on the tower 12, and a rotor 18 coupled to the nacelle 16. The rotor 18 includes a rotatable hub 20 and at least one rotor blade 22 coupled to and extending outwardly from the hub 20. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the rotor 18 includes three rotor blades 22. However, in an alternative embodiment, the rotor 18 may include more or less than three rotor blades 22. Each rotor blade 22 may be spaced about the hub 20 to facilitate rotating the rotor 18 to enable kinetic energy to be transferred from the wind into usable mechanical energy, and subsequently, electrical energy. For instance, the hub 20 may be rotatably coupled to the nacelle 16, which encloses an electric generator (not shown) to permit electrical energy to be produced.

[0030] In certain embodiments, as shown, the tower 12 may be formed of a plurality of tower sections 24 assembled atop one another. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, each tower section 24 may have a tower wall 25 defining an inner surface 26 and an outer surface 27 separated by a tower wall thickness 28. Thus, as shown, the inner surface 26 may define a tower interior 29. In such embodiments, the tower 12 may be made of any number of tower sections 24. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the tower 12 includes four tower sections 24. In further embodiments, the tower 12 may be made of less than four or more than four tower sections 24. In addition, one or more tower sections 24 may include a platform 30 that provides operators safe access to areas of the wind turbine 10 that may require servicing, maintenance, and inspection.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 2, an internal, perspective view of one embodiment of a tower assembly 32 for the wind turbine 10 according to the present disclosure is illustrated. As shown, the tower assembly 32 includes the tower 12 and a freestanding internal tower structure assembly 34 positioned within the tower interior 29. The tower structure assembly 34 includes a plurality of stackable support structures 36 stacked atop one another and designed to support one or more internal tower components. For example, as shown, the internal tower component(s) may include one or more ladders 38, one or more platforms 30, a service lift 40, cables 60, a plurality of cable trays 42, a drip loop, a fall arrest system, and/or one or more wind turbine electrical components, including for example, a power converter 44, a transformer, a fan 43, and/or a wind turbine controller.

[0032] Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, perspective views of the freestanding internal tower structure assembly 34 are illustrated. FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a single support structure 36 of the tower structure assembly 34 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a plurality of support structures 36 of the tower structure assembly 34 stacked atop each other in a vertical direction 45 according to the present disclosure. Thus, the freestanding internal tower structure assembly 34 of the present disclosure does not require welded-on bosses (or any other mechanical connections) to attach the internal tower components within the tower 12. As used herein, freestanding generally encompasses its plain and ordinary meaning and refers to the fact that the tower structure assembly 34 is not secured to tower 12 via a mechanical connection. Rather, in one embodiment, the structure assembly 34 stands alone within the tower interior 29 and is not mechanically fastened or connected to the tower wall 25.

[0033] Referring still to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the plurality of stackable support structures 36 may include one or more alignment pins 46 arranged on a top surface 48 or a bottom surface 50 thereof. Thus, as shown, each support structure 36 may also include corresponding recesses 52 on the top and/or bottom surfaces 48, 50 thereof. As such, the alignment pins 46 of one of the stackable support structures 36 are configured to fit within the corresponding recesses 52 of an adjacent stackable support structure 36 such that the adjacent support structures 36 can be easily stacked and secured together. More specifically, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the top and/or bottom surfaces 48, 50 of each of the plurality of stackable support structures 36 may define a plurality of corners 54, with each corner 54 containing one of the alignment pins 46 and/or the corresponding recesses 52. It should be further understood that the support structures 36 may have any suitable alignment features for aligning, stacking, and/or securing each of the support structures to another.

[0034] The support structures 36 of the present disclosure may also have any suitable shape. For example, as shown, each of the support structures 36 has a generally rectangular shape formed of a plurality of side walls each comprising a plurality of cross arms. In alternative embodiments, the support structures 36 may have a cylindrical shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the tower interior 29. Therefore, the support structures 36 of the present disclosure can be modified to accommodate any number and/or type of internal tower component.

[0035] Referring still to FIGS. 3 and 4, one or more of the stackable support structures 36 may include one or more attachment arms 39 extending therefrom for supporting one or more ladders 38 within the tower interior 29. Thus, as shown, the ladder 38 can be easily mounted to the attachment arms 39 at various heights such that personnel can use the ladder(s) 38 to access the various internal tower components described herein. In another embodiment, one or more of the stackable support structures 36 may have a first side 43 defining the plurality of cable trays 42. For example, as shown, the first side 43 may include a plurality of parallel support members 45 that form the cable trays 42 for supporting the various cables and/or drip loop within the tower interior 29.

[0036] Referring now to FIG. 5, the tower structure assembly 34 may further include a stackable base support structure 37 that is sized to fit over the power converter 44. Thus, as shown, the stackable base support structure 37 may be larger than remaining support structures 36. Alternatively, the base support structure 37 may be the same size as the remaining support structures 36. In such embodiments, the tower structure assembly 34 may further include a base platform 31 having at least one aperture 33 or opening that allows the base support structure 37 to pass through. For example, as shown, the base platform 31 generally includes at least four openings 33 that receive each of the legs 49 of the base support structure 37.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 6, the tower structure assembly 34 may further include one or more grating platforms 35. As used herein, a grating platform generally refers to a platform having a grid structure with one or more openings. Therefore, grating platforms are beneficial when used as stairways, walkways, and/or flooring in slippery, thermally-challenging, and steam-filled environments. Thus, as shown, the tower structure assembly 34 includes a grating platform positioned atop the stackable base support structure 37 so as to allow the fan 43 of the power converter 44 to exhaust therethrough. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the tower structure assembly 34 may also include an additional ladder 41 extending from the foundation 14 of the tower 12 through the base platform 31 and up to the grating platform 35. Thus, the additional ladder 41 allows personnel easy access from the base platform 41 to the internal tower structure assembly 34 and to any of the necessary internal tower components described herein.

[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, the tower structure assembly 34 may also include at least one bumper component 56 coupled thereto and contacting the inner surface 26 of the tower wall 25. As such, the bumper component(s) 56 is configured to reduce oscillations of the tower structure assembly 34. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the bumper components 56 may be attached to one or more of the support structures 36 and may include one or more arms 62 that extend radially outward to a circular bumper 64 that contacts the inner surface 26 of the tower wall 25. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the bumper 64 may have a generally circular shape that matches the shape of the inner surface 26. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, each of the radial arms 62 may include a point bumper 64 such that the bumper component 60 only contacts the inner surface 26 at a few select locations. As such, the bumper component(s) 60 as described herein limit oscillations of the tower structure assembly 34 without requiring mechanical connections to the tower wall 25.

[0039] Referring now to FIG. 10, the tower structure assembly 34 may also include at least one cross beam 58 positioned in the tower interior 29 for supporting the service lift 40. For example, as shown, the cross beam is mounted across the tower interior 29 to the inner surface 26 of the tower wall 25 such that one or more cables 60 and/or associated pulleys (not shown) can be secured thereto. As such, the service lift 40 may be easily lifted and/or lowered within the tower interior 29 and through the internal tower structure assembly 34.

[0040] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.