STEEL TOWER FOR A WIND TURBINE AND A METHOD FOR MAKING THE TOWER
20180179776 ยท 2018-06-28
Inventors
Cpc classification
Y02P70/50
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y02E10/728
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
B23D45/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F05B2230/50
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2240/40
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Y02E10/72
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
F05B2230/60
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2280/1071
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2230/604
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2240/912
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
E04H12/342
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
F05B2230/61
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F03D13/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05B2260/301
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
E04H12/34
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
Abstract
A method for making a tower for a wind turbine includes: making tower sections, which can be arranged one on top of another; defining two separation lines running in a longitudinal direction for one of the tower sections and providing a longitudinal profile for a separation line, wherein the profile is formed as a single piece with two legs running parallel at a mutual distance; connecting the profile to the tower section, wherein the legs are connected to the tower section on opposing separation line sides; severing the tower section along the separation line into segments mutually separated by a segment boundary, wherein the monolithic profile is severed and each of the legs remains connected to a segment on a different side of the boundary; connecting segments by the legs of the severed profile to a tower section; and, connecting several tower sections to form a tower.
Claims
1. A steel tower for a wind turbine, wherein the steel tower defines a longitudinal tower direction and a circumferential direction, the steel tower comprising: a plurality of tower sections in the longitudinal direction; each of said tower sections being either conical or cylindrical; at least one of said tower sections being divided in the circumferential direction into at least two section segments; each two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments defining a segment boundary therebetween; a longitudinal profile extending in the longitudinal tower direction; two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments being joined together by portions of said longitudinal profile; said longitudinal profile including two legs; each of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments having one of said legs of said longitudinal profile fastened thereto; said legs of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments being joined to each other across the segment boundary corresponding thereto; each of said legs of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments being arranged on a different side of the segment boundary corresponding thereto; each of said legs of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments including a web section extending up to said respective segment boundary; and, said web sections and said legs of said longitudinal profile forming a monolithic longitudinal profile prior to a severing of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments.
2. The steel tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said web sections each have a separation section at their mutually facing sides.
3. A steel tower for a wind turbine, wherein the steel tower defines a longitudinal tower direction and a circumferential direction, the steel tower comprising: a plurality of tower sections in the longitudinal direction; each of said tower sections being either conical or cylindrical; at least one of said tower sections being divided in the circumferential direction into two or more section segments; each two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments defining a segment boundary therebetween; a longitudinal profile extending in the longitudinal tower direction; two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments being joined together by portions of said longitudinal profile; said longitudinal profile including two legs; each of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments having one of said legs of said longitudinal profile fastened thereto; each of said legs of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments being arranged on a different side of the segment boundary corresponding thereto; each of said legs of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments having a separation section directed toward the segment boundary corresponding thereto on their mutually facing sides; and, said legs with said separation sections forming a monolithic longitudinal profile prior to a severing of said two mutually adjacent ones of said section segments.
4. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein: said at least one of said tower sections has at least two section pieces; said section pieces are welded together along their adjacent horizontal end faces and are welded to horizontal annular flanges along a free uppermost end face and along a free lowermost end face; and, said annular flanges being divided at predetermined positions into at least two annular flange segments.
5. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein: said at least one of said tower sections has at least two section pieces; said section pieces are welded together along their adjacent horizontal end faces and are welded to horizontal annular flanges along a free uppermost and along a free lowermost end face; and, said annular flanges being divided at predetermined positions into three annular flange segments.
6. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein: each section segment defines a respective upper end face and a respective lower end face; each section segment of said at least one tower section has at least one upper annular flange segment and one lower annular flange segment at said respective upper end face and said respective lower end face; and, said upper annular flange segment and said lower annular flange segment define a plurality of through holes for a connector.
7. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein said monolithic longitudinal profile is a U-profile, H-profile, C-profile, I-profile, cap profile or a double-T profile.
8. The steel tower of claim 6, wherein: said monolithic longitudinal profile has a web which includes said web sections; and, said web has an outward directed fillet in the longitudinal tower direction.
9. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein said monolithic longitudinal profile, prior to the severing of said section segments, has a profile body with a groove facing away from a tower wall and, after the severing of said section segments, said profile body has two separate legs, which have a separation section on their mutually facing sides, and, said separation section is formed during the mutual severing of said section segments and said profile body.
10. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein: said monolithic longitudinal profile, at each outwardly oriented transitions of its legs, has a bevel in the longitudinal tower direction configured to accommodate a welded seam.
11. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein: the steel tower includes a plurality of monolithic longitudinal profiles; and, said monolithic longitudinal profiles are welded in parallel to each other and the number of parallel longitudinal profiles is equal to the number of the section segments of a tower section.
12. The steel tower of claim 4, wherein: said longitudinal profile has a length; and, wherein for at least one of said two section pieces said length of said longitudinal profiles in the longitudinal tower direction is greater than a length of said at least one section piece.
13. The steel tower of claim 1, wherein at least one of said section segments of at least one of said tower sections is provided with preinstalled built-in elements.
14. A method for making a steel tower for a wind turbine, the method comprising the steps of: making several tower sections, which can be arranged one on top of another in a longitudinal tower direction, each of the several tower sections being either conical or cylindrical; defining at least two planned separation lines running in the longitudinal tower direction for one of the tower sections and providing a longitudinal profile for the planned separation line, having two legs running parallel and at a distance from each other, wherein the longitudinal profile is formed as a single piece with its legs so as to form a monolithic longitudinal profile; connecting the longitudinal profile to the tower section, wherein the legs are connected to the tower section on opposite sides of the separation line; severing the tower section along the separation line into section segments separated from each other by a segment boundary, wherein the monolithic longitudinal profile is also severed and each of the legs remains connected to a section segment on a different side of the segment boundary; connecting two or more section segments by the legs of the severed longitudinal profile to a tower section; and, connecting several tower sections in the longitudinal tower direction to form a steel tower.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the monolithic longitudinal profile has two legs running parallel to each other and joined together by a web, wherein the web is also severed during the severing of the tower section.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the longitudinal profile prior to the severing of the section segments has a profile body with a groove arranged on a side facing away from a tower wall and after the severing of the section segments the longitudinal profile has two legs, which have a separation section on their mutually facing sides, which has been formed during the mutual severing of the section segments and the longitudinal profile.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the tower section is placed via a hoist or an industrial truck above at least one movable cutting device and set down on a support such that the first planned separation line is positioned in a 6 o'clock position.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of welding a closed annular flange disposed in a predetermined position with respect to the circumferential direction for the forming of a tower section onto at least one of the tower section and one end surface of a section piece, the annular flange having a reduced cross section at predetermined positions and the predetermined positions coinciding with the planned separation lines of the tower section.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of: connecting each closed annular flange at the end face to a receiving wheel; and, rotating the tower section into a desired position via the receiving wheels.
20. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of placing the tower section onto a supporting device with two bearing regions spaced apart from each other via a hoist or an industrial truck, the tower section being positioned such that the first planned separation line runs between bearing regions in a 6 o'clock position.
21. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of moving at least one movable cutting device into a starting position near a first annular flange; and, after moving at least one movable cutting device into the starting position, bringing a cutting tool into contact with the first annular flange at a first predetermined position via a vertically movable tool holder.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first annular flange is severed via the cutting tool at a first predetermined position with a reduced cross section and immediately thereafter the cutting tool is moved continuously along the first separation line through a tubular wall as well as the longitudinal profile connected to the tubular wall.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
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[0053] As can furthermore be noticed in
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[0057] Another advantageous arrangement, not shown, has in place of a U profile 33 per
[0058] Besides the above profiles of
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[0060] For the connecting of the tower sections 7, 8, 9 to each other, annular flanges 12 are provided in the form of L-annular flanges 64, having two legs 65, 66 arranged at right angles to each other, as shown in
[0061] The choice of the connection means 39 is not limited to threaded bolts 39a, washers 39b and nuts 39c, but rather many other connection means are likewise suitable, especially screw connections such as threaded rods with nuts provided on both sides, threaded sleeves with threaded bolts provided at both sides, et cetera.
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[0065] One sample embodiment not shown has separate height-adjustable punches for lifting the tower section mounted in the supporting device in order to compensate for a buckling resulting from the force of gravity of the tower section mounted between its bearing points. In order to position the punches optimally in heightin the sense of a straight cutting lineat least one optical sensor is provided, which is connected to a control circuit for controlling the punch height. The cutting device 90 is mounted and guided movably on rails via at least one feeding drive. Thanks to the punches which are independent of the cutting device 90, the loading on the cutting device is considerably reduced, especially thanks to the force of gravity not needing to be supported. The cutting device according to this second sample embodiment can be more simple in configuration than the cutting device 90 in the sample embodiment of
[0066] Another especially advantageous supporting device, not shown, has two spaced apart, horizontally arranged girders as a bearing bed for a tower section 7, 8 being machined, having slanting or concave receiving portions arranged in pairs. The spacing of the girders is larger than the greatest width of the cutting device, so that it can move freely on the rails beneath the tower section, the rails being preferably laid in a channel in the floor as a kind of subfloor. The cutting device can be driven by at least one feeding drive. This cutting device in turn can be more simple in configuration than the cutting device 90 of the sample embodiment in
[0067] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0068] 1 Wind turbine [0069] 2 Tubular steel tower [0070] 3 Foundation [0071] 4 Nacelle [0072] 5 Rotor hub [0073] 6 Rotor blade [0074] 7, 8, 9 Tower section [0075] 10 Tower entrance door opening [0076] 11 Section separation [0077] 12 Annular flange [0078] 13 Longitudinal profile [0079] 18 Section segment [0080] 19 Separation line [0081] 21, 22, 23 Annular flange segment [0082] 28 Section piece [0083] 29 Borehole [0084] 31 Borehole [0085] 32, 36 Slot [0086] 33, 53 U-profile [0087] 33a, 33b Leg [0088] 33c, 53c Web [0089] 34a, 34b, 54a, 54b Welded seam [0090] 34c, 34d Welded seam [0091] 35 Fillet [0092] 37 Spacing element [0093] 38 Tubular wall [0094] 39 Connection means [0095] 39a Threaded bolt [0096] 39b Washer [0097] 39c Nut [0098] 40, 60 Through hole [0099] 43 H-profile [0100] 43a, 43b Leg [0101] 43c Web [0102] 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d Welded seam [0103] 46 Slot [0104] 61 Web [0105] 62, 67 Segment connection [0106] 63, 68 Slot [0107] 64 L-annular flange [0108] 65, 66 Leg [0109] 69 T-annular flange [0110] 70 Adapter plate [0111] 80 Machining station [0112] 81 Receiving wheel [0113] 82 Wheel hub [0114] 83 Spoke [0115] 84 Rail [0116] 85, 86 Roller bearing [0117] 90 Separating device [0118] 91 Cross beam [0119] 92, 93 Driving frame [0120] 94, 95 Support roller lifting device [0121] 96 Tool holder [0122] 97 Support roller [0123] 98 Guide roller [0124] 99 Cutting tool