Connection equipment adapter for a wind turbine tower section

Abstract

The following describes a supporting system for supporting a tower section of a wind turbine. The supporting system includes a connection plate including a tower connection portion and a support connection portion, wherein the support connection portion is configured for being coupled to a tower support device for supporting the tower section. The tower connection portion includes a tower connection hole for being coupleable to a tower hole extending through a shell section of the tower section. The supporting system further includes a clamping device being partially insertable in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

Claims

1. A supporting system for supporting a tower section of a wind turbine, the supporting system comprising a connection plate comprising a tower connection portion and a support connection portion, wherein the support connection portion is configured for being coupled to a tower support device for supporting the tower section having a cylindrical shape, wherein the tower connection portion comprises a tower connection hole for being coupleable to a tower hole extending radially outward along a radial direction through a circumferential flange provided on a cylindrical shell section of the tower section, a clamping device having at least one clamping fastener being partially insertable in and guidable through the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

2. The supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device comprises a plate washer arrangeable at a surface of the shell section of the turbine, wherein the clamping device having the at least one clamping fastener for clamping the plate washer to the tower connection portion of the connection plate and for thereby clamping the tower section between the plate washer and the tower connection portion.

3. The supporting system according to claim 2, wherein the plate washer comprises a curved contact surface for contacting the tower section, wherein the curved contact surface is adaptable to the curvature of the respective surface of the tower section.

4. The supporting system according to claim 2, wherein the connection portion of the connection plate comprises a curved contact surface for contacting the tower section, wherein the curved contact surface is adaptable to the curvature of the respective surface of the tower section.

5. The supporting system according to claim 2, wherein the clamping device comprises an adapter element being adapted to the cross section of the tower hole of the tower section, wherein the adapter element is insertable in the tower hole, wherein the adapter element comprises a through hole extending between the plate washer and the connection portion of the connection plate for inserting the at least one clamping fastener.

6. The supporting system according to claim 5, wherein the adapter element comprises at least two clamping elements for being clampable in the tower hole, wherein the clamping elements are configured for being adjustable with respect to each other, such that the adapter element is adaptable to the cross section of the tower hole.

7. The supporting system according to claim 5, wherein the adapter element comprises an elliptical cross section for being inserted in a respective tower hole having a respective elliptical cross section.

8. The supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the connection plate has as an L-shape and the tower connection portion and the support connection portion are formed perpendicular to each other.

9. The supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the tower support device comprises a coupling opening, wherein the clamping device comprises a further plate washer arrangeable at a surface of the support device, wherein the clamping device further comprises a further clamping fastener for clamping the further plate washer to the support connection portion of the connection plate and for thereby clamping the support device between the further plate washer and the support connection portion.

10. The supporting system according to claim 9, wherein the further plate washer comprises an elongated hole through which the further clamping fastener is guidable.

11. The supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the support device is a tower stabilization beam extending between two opposite sections of the shell section of the tower section.

12. The supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the support device is a support flange being coupleable to a tower section handling device.

13. The supporting system according to claim 12, wherein the tower section handling device is a transport vehicle or a support platform.

14. A tower section supporting arrangement, comprising a tower section comprising a tower hole extending through a shell section of the tower section, a tower support device configured for supporting the tower section, and the system according to claim 1, wherein the support connection portion is coupled to the tower support device, wherein the clamping device is partially inserted in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

15. A method of supporting a tower section of a wind turbine, the method comprising coupling a support connection portion of a connection plate to a tower support device, coupling a tower connection portion of the connection plate with a tower connection hole to a tower hole extending radially outward along a radial direction through a circumferential flange provided on a cylindrical shell section of the tower section having a cylindrical shape, and partially inserting and guiding a clamping device having at least one clamping fastener through and in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a tower section being clamped to support devices by the supporting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a tower section being clamped to an interface plate of a support flange 142 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a tower section being clamped to an interface plate of a support flange according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an L-shaped connection plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an adapter element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a supporting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of a further plate washer having an elongated hole according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a supporting system which couples a tower stabilization beam to the tower section according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a supporting system which couples a lashing to the tower section according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The illustrations in the drawings are schematically. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

(12) FIG. 1 shows tower section supporting arrangement with a tower section 150 being clamped to support devices 140 by the supporting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(13) The supporting system supports the tower section 150 of a wind turbine. The supporting system comprises a connection plate 100 comprising a tower connection portion 101 and a support connection portion 102, wherein the support connection portion 102 is configured for being coupled to the tower support device 140 for supporting the tower section 150. The tower connection portion 101 comprises a tower connection hole for being coupleable to a tower hole 151 extending through a shell section 152 of the tower section 150. The supporting system further comprises a clamping device 110 being partially insertable in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion 101 and the tower hole 151 for detachably clamping the connection plate 100 to the tower section 150.

(14) The tower section 150 has a cylindrical shape. The tower section 150 comprises a center axis defining an axial direction a. Accordingly, perpendicular to the axial direction a, a radial direction r extends from the center point to the outer shell section of the tower section. The circumferential direction c is the direction in perpendicular to the radial direction r and the axial direction a. The tower section supported by the inventive supporting system comprises respective tower holes 151 that are formed in the shell section 152 of the tower section 150 instead of a front face of the tower section. The shell section 152 comprises a welded circumferential flange 213 welded to a lateral end of the skin of the shell section 152. Hence, the tower holes 151 extend along the radial direction r through the shell section 152, i.e., the skin surface or surface shell, of the tower section 150.

(15) A tower support device 140 is a device that supports the tower section 150 during transportation. Therefore, the tower support device 140 is configured to stabilize the tower section 150 and/or to provide a coupling to a transportation device.

(16) As shown in FIG. 1, the support device is a support flange 142 being coupleable to a tower section handling device, in particular a transport vehicle or a support platform. The support flange 142 may have standardized connections with a transport device and thereby forms a Universal Tower Transport Equipment (UTTE). Furthermore, an interface plate 144 of the support flange 142 may provide a coupling area for the tower section 150 so that a plurality of connection plates 100 and clamping devices 110 of the supporting system can be used between the interface plate 144 and the tower section 150 to provide a stable support.

(17) Furthermore, the support device 140 is a tower stabilization beam 141 extending between two opposite sections of the shell section 152 of the tower section 150. The tower stabilization beam 141 thereby enforces the tower section during transportation. The tower stabilization beam 141 functions as an Anti Ovalization Equipment (AO).

(18) The inventive supporting system enables the tower stabilization beam 141 to be mounted to the connection plate 100, and thereby ensuring that no excessive ovalization happens on these otherwise very slender and ovalization prone tower sections 150 occur. For mounting the tower stabilization beam 141, the tower section 150 is lifted in the top to de-ovalize it, next, the adapter bolts (further clamping fasteners 211) are then installed in the identified support portion holes (this can be done by hand by a technician). Then the tower stabilization beam 141 is lifted into place horizontally, using a forklift or similar, the connection plates 100 and the tower stabilization beam 141 are then bolted together and the tower section 150 is release from lifting.

(19) Furthermore, the support device 140 may also provide a coupling to respective standard lashing elements 143. The lashing elements 143 are used to fix lashing strips to secure the tower section 150 e.g., from roll and pitch motions during sea and land transport. For mounting, a technician will be lifted to the top of the tower section 150 to insert the clamping fastener 210 together with the connection plate 100. To the connection plate 100, the lashing elements 143 are already attached into the designated holes in the support connection portion 102. The lashing strips are then attached to their brackets and tightened up against anchors in the deck of the ship or in points of the vehicle.

(20) Summarizing, a plurality of connection plates 100 and clamping devices 110 of the supporting system can be used to fix one of the support devices 140 and the tower section 150 to provide a stable support. For example, the tower connection portion 101 of the connection plates 100 can be arranged onto an inner surface of the shell section 152 (see for example the connection of the support flange 142 and the lashings 143) or onto an outer surface of the tower section 150 (see for example the connection of the tower stabilization beam 141).

(21) FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a tower section 150 being clamped to an interface plate 144 of a support flange 142 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The interface plate 144 is fixed by screw 301 to a foot and the support flange 142, respectively. In a similar manner, the supporting system may also couple other support devices supporting the tower section 150.

(22) The connection plate 100 has a platelike structure defining the tower connection portion 101, to which the tower section 150 can be mounted, and a support connection portion 102, to which the support device 140 can be mounted. The tower connection portion 101 comprises a tower connection hole that can be matched or overlaid with the tower hole 151, when the tower connection portion 101 is attached to a surface of the shell section 152 of the tower section 150. Hence, the tower connection hole in the tower connection portion 101 extends along a radial direction r of the tower section 150.

(23) The support connection portion 102 does also comprise a through hole, through which a further clamping fastener 211 (such as a screw or bolt) can be guided for fixing the support device 140 to the support connection portion 102.

(24) The clamping device 210 comprises at least one clamping fastener which is guidable at least through the tower hole 151 and the tower connection hole.

(25) Specifically, the clamping device 110 is configured for detachably mounting the connection plate 100 to the tower section 150 and the support device 140. Hence, a tower section 150, which comprises radial directed tower holes 151 in the shell section 152, can be detachably connected by the clamping device to a respective (temporary) support device 140.

(26) In the shown example, the clamping device 110 comprises a plate washer 310 arrangeable at a surface of the shell section 152 of the turbine tower 150. A clamping fastener 210 (for example a threaded bolt or a screw) can be screwed to the plate washer 310 and to the tower connection portion 101 of the connection plate 100 to thereby clamping the tower section 150 between the plate washer 310 and the tower connection portion 101. The clamping fastener 210 is guided through the tower hole 151, the tower connection hole and a hole in the plate washer 310. The hole in the plate washer 310 may comprise a respective thread for providing a screw connection with the clamping fastener 210.

(27) Additionally, an intermediate contacting plate 212 can be interposed between the shell section 152 and the connection portion 101 or a further intermediate contacting plate 311 can be interposed between the shell section 152 and the plate washer 310. One surface of the contacting plates 212, 311 may be adapted to the curvature of the shell section 152 of the tower section 150. The contacting plates 212, 311 may be made of a deformable and elastic material, such as bonded foam and/or hard rubber. The elastic material is compressed by the clamping device 110 and adopts the tower section curvature shape. The contacting plates 212, 311 can be glued to the respective connection portions 101, 102 of the connection plate 100. The further contacting plate 311 may also be glued onto the plate washer 310.

(28) The connection plate 100 has as an L-shape and the tower connection portion 101 and the support connection portion 102 are formed perpendicular to each other. Hence, a supporting hole or through opening of the support connection portion may have a hole extension perpendicular to the radial hole extension of the tower hole 151.

(29) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an L-shaped connection plate 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The clamping device 110 comprises an adapter element 410 being adapted to the (oval) cross section of the tower hole 151 of the tower section 150, wherein the adapter element 410 is insertable in the tower hole 151. The adapter element 410 comprises a through hole extending between the plate washer 310 and the tower connection portion 101 of the connection plate 100 for inserting the clamping fastener 210. The adapter element 410 is a solid body which fills the inner volume of the tower hole 151. Hence, relative movements of the adapter element 410 inside the tower hole 151 and therefore also relative movements between the parts of the clamping device 110 and the connection plate 100 are reduced.

(30) The adapter element 410 comprises at least two clamping elements 411, 412 for being clampable in the tower hole 151. The clamping elements 411, 412 are configured for being adjustable with respect to each other, such that the adapter element 410 is adaptable to the cross section of the tower hole. For example, the clamping elements 411, 412 are movable with respect to each other. The clamping elements 411,412 comprise respective clamping surfaces which may be pressed against the inner surfaces of the tower hole 151.

(31) Specifically, the tower holes 151 in the shell section 152 are formed in a long hole, i.e., elongated hole, design. The adapter element 410 comprises a respective cross section for being for being insertable in a respective tower hole 151 having a respective long hole shaped cross section. Specifically, the above-described clamping elements 411, 412 of the adapter element 410 are configured to be movable along a major axis of the elliptical or elongated hole cross section of the tower hole 151.

(32) For example, in order to mount the support device, first the adapter elements 410 are inserted into the long hole shaped tower holes 151, and the back plate washers 310 are fastened. For example, in a next step the tower support device 140, such as the support flange 142 (UTTE) can then be mounted horizontally, like it would have been for an Lflange, and the remaining bolts, i.e., clamping fasteners 210, can be fastened on the top side of the adapter element 410. The tower section 150 can now be moved by lifting the support flange 142 with a tower mover.

(33) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an adapter element 410 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The adapter element 410 comprises a clamping rim 510 arranged at a top end and having a larger cross section than the main body part of the adapter element. Therefore, the clamping rim 510 has a larger cross section than the cross section of the tower hole 151, such that the clamping rim 510 firms an attachment surface by which the clamping rim 510 can be laid onto a surface of the tower connection portion 101 and the shell section 152, respectively. Hence, a further plate washer below the clamping fastener 210 is not necessary. The clamping rim 510 and the adapter element 410 may be monolithically formed of one piece. Alternatively, the clamping rim 510 and the adapter element 410 may be made of separate parts. Hence, the adapter element 410 and the clamping rim 510 may be e.g., welded together.

(34) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a supporting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 6 shows a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(35) A support flange 142 is shown which is coupled to a tower section handling device, in particular a transport vehicle or a support platform. The support flange 142 may have standardized connections with a transport device and thereby forms a Universal Tower Transport Equipment (UTTE). Furthermore, an interface plate 144 of the support flange 142 may provide a coupling area for the tower section 150 so that a plurality of connection plates 100 and clamping devices 110 of the supporting system can be used between the interface plate 144 and the tower section 150 to provide a stable support.

(36) Furthermore, a tower stabilization beam 141 is shown extending between two opposite sections of the shell section 152 of the tower section 150. The tower stabilization beam 141 thereby enforces the tower section during transportation. The tower stabilization beam 141 functions as an Anti Ovalization Equipment (AO). For example, the connection plate and in particular the support connection portion 102 is mounted to an outer surface of the shell section 152 of the turbine tower 150.

(37) Furthermore, a plurality of couplings to respective standard lashing elements 143 are shown. The lashing elements 143 are used to fix lashing strips for securing the tower section 150 e.g. from roll and pitch motions during sea and land transport.

(38) FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of the further plate washer 610 having an elongated hole 702 for fixing the interface plate 144 shown in FIG. 6.

(39) The support device 140, in the example the interface plate 144 of the support flange 140 comprises a through opening 701, wherein the clamping device 110 comprises a further plate washer 610 arrangeable at a surface of the interface plate 144. The clamping device 110 further comprises a further clamping fastener 211 (for example a threaded bolt or a screw) for clamping the further plate washer 610 to the support connection portion 102 of the connection plate 100 and for thereby clamping the interface plate 144 between the further plate washer 701 and the support connection portion 102. The further clamping fastener 211 is guided through the coupling opening 701, a supporting hole or through opening in the support connection portion 102 and a hole in the further plate washer 610. The support connection portion 102 may comprise two through holes for fixing two further clamping fasteners 211. The respective coupling opening 701 is large enough for guiding the two further clamping fasteners 211 through it.

(40) The hole in the further plate washer 610 comprises an elongated hole 702 through which the further clamping fastener 211 is guidable. Hence, the relative coupling positions may be adjusted such that a flexible fixation location can be provided.

(41) FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a supporting system which couples a tower stabilization beam 141 to the tower section 150 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in detail in FIG. 8, a contacting plate 212 and the further plate washer 310 are arranged at the inner surface of the shell section 152 of the tower section 150. In the shown example, in each second elongated tower hole 151 of the shell section 152, a respective adapter element 410 of the clamping device 110 can be arranged. Hence, a robust removable connection between the tower section 150 and the tower stabilization beam 141 is provided.

(42) FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a supporting system which couples lashing elements 143 to the tower section 150 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The lashing elements 143 are used to fix lashing strips to secure the tower section 150 from roll and pitch motions during sea and land transport.

(43) The support device 140 couples respective lashing elements 143 for fixing standard lashing brackets with attached lashing strips. The lashing element 143 is a thin plate, e.g. made of metal material, comprising two through holes, wherein in one through hole the further clamping fastener 211 is coupled and the second though hole is used for fixing a lashing bracket of the bracket strips. One of the two through holes of the support connection platform may be unused or may be used for coupling a second lashing element 143.

(44) 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.

(45) 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.