TRANSIÇÃO PARA UMA TURBINA EÓLICA

Abstract

The invention relates to a new transition piece for a wind turbine, formed by a hollow cylindrical monotubular segment (1) with multiple connected rings (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e), the upper part of the transition piece being the tower ferrule (11), the upper third comprising platforms (7, 8) and ribs (12), and the bottom part being a radial platform (9) with brackets. The transition piece also comprises three bracing posts (2), each comprising a bracing connector (4) and a corner connector (5), and six radial posts (3), which are horizontal tubes narrower than the bracing posts (2). The bracing connector (4) is a piece that connects the monotubular segment (1) by means of an internally threaded joint into blind holes, and the upper part of the bracing post (2) by means of a circular joint. The corner connector (5) is a piece with three joints: a first joint connecting to the bottom part of the bracing post (2); a second joint connecting to the ground or to modules that complete a lower truss tower; and a third joint connecting the two radial posts (3) that extend horizontally to the monotubular segment (1). All the joints are circular joints. An X-shaped radial connector (6) is a cast iron piece with two joints: a joint connecting the monotubular segment (1) by means of a flat joint; and a joint connecting the two radial posts (3) by means of a circular joint.

Description

/ 7 TRANSITION TO A WIND TURBINE Field of Invention

[001] The present invention describes a piece used to support a tubular tower and its respective wind turbine, consisting of a nacelle, hub and blades. This piece can be the base of said wind turbine, anchored to the ground by means of its corresponding foundation, or it can be a transition piece to increase the height of the tower by means of truss modules inserted through its lower part, forming a hybrid wind turbine with a tubular upper part. Fundamentals

[002] From the existing state of the art known and studied by the applicant, the following patents stand out: Patent EP2944810A1 discloses connections used in a lattice tower. These are primarily bolted shear connections and correspond to the corner columns of the tower with the cross members.

[003] Patent EP3369925A1 presents the connection between uprights, which are auxiliary legs, and the central pillar corresponding to the tubular tower of a wind turbine. The connection is presented by means of a closed curved structure 11 and a central crossbar 13, with a web 9 and a cap 10, in which the upright cap is fixed to the central pillar.

[004] Patent WO2021084143 presents a central truncated cone-shaped piece 7 fixed to an upper ring 8 and a lower ring 9. These rings are, in turn, fixed to radial and horizontal crossbars, which are joined by cast connectors. The radial beams 11 form a specific angle to better support loads.

[005] The main differences between the new transition and the state of the art are the savings in material and, consequently, in costs. For this, the cast connectors used to connect all the elements used in Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 29 / 37 / 7 patent WO2021084143 are minimized, and the upper and lower rings and the quadrangular horizontal beams are eliminated. The new castings are very small and preferably made of iron.

[006] All elements are tubular to standardize manufacturing, eliminating the need for design changes for square parts. Description

[007] It is a transition platform for 5 to 6 inch wind turbines MW and can be expanded to future 7 MW platforms with heights of 200 m.

[008] The tubular segment is composed of several hollow segments joined together and is cylindrical, which improves its torsional properties. It has reinforcing intercostals between two platforms, which are formed by plates arranged perpendicularly to the tubular segment. The inner platforms of the tubular segment are working plates so that operators can easily bolt on the remaining elements that make up the transition.

[009] The new transition is as low as possible to better support existing loads due to the lean design of the tubular tower on which the nacelle and blades are mounted. It has a leg spacing ratio of 18 meters, compared to a height of 10 meters.

[0010] The leg connections are at ground level, rather than elevated, in cases where they serve as the base of the wind turbine and are anchored directly to the ground by means of their corresponding foundations.

[0011] All connections are bolted, with threaded holes that are screwed in from the inside. Their circular connections are all shear connections.

[0012] From all that has been stated above, the following advantages result: - The moment of toppling is due to the small diameter of the tower, which supports a large vertical force due to the weight of the nacelle and the... Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 30 / 37 / 7 blades, is fully compensated for by this tripod-type transition, with a leg spacing ratio greater than its height.

[0013] - Another advantage is that half the number of vehicles needed to transport the new transition. From eight trucks, it is reduced to four. All parts can be transported in conventional trucks. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] A brief description of a series of drawings will be presented below, which are useful for a better understanding of the invention and which expressly refer to an embodiment of said invention that is presented as a non-limiting example thereof.

[0015] Figure 1a shows an elevation view.

[0016] Figure 1b shows a plan view.

[0017] Figure 2 shows the interior of the tubular segment.

[0018] Figure 3 shows a section of the upper part of the tubular segment.

[0019] Figure 4 shows a section of the connection of the segment to the bracing column.

[0020] Figure 5 shows a detail of the upper part of the segment seen from the outside.

[0021] Figure 6 shows a detail of the corner connector.

[0022] Figure 7a shows a detail of the radial connector seen from above.

[0023] Figure 7b shows a detail of the radial connector seen from the bottom.

[0024] Figure 8 is a perspective view of part of the invention. Detailed Description

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the transition is formed by: - A hollow, cylindrical tubular segment (1) formed by several Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 31 / 37 / 7 connected rings (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e).

[0026] - Three bracing columns (2), each with a bracing connector (4) and a corner connector (5).

[0027] - Six radial columns (3), which are horizontal tubes that are narrower than the bracing columns (2).

[0028] - The bracing connector (4) is a cast piece that joins the top of the tubular segment (1) with a rectangular connection and the top of the bracing column (2) with a circular connection.

[0029] - The corner connector (5) is a cast piece with three connections: one at the bottom of the bracing column (2), another on the floor or on the modules that complete the lower truss tower and the third on the two radial columns (3) that extend horizontally to the tubular segment (1). All connections are circular.

[0030] - The X-shaped radial connector (6) is a cast piece with two connections: one to the tubular segment (1) via a flat connection, and the other to the two radial columns (3) via a circular connection.

[0031] Figure 2 shows the hollow interior of the cylindrical element that forms the tubular segment (1). The ring (1a) is the upper ring and is connected to the tower flange (11). The ring (1b) is a thicker ring, with three quadrangular connection areas (13), two annular platforms (7, 8): one for the upper bracing (7) and one for the lower bracing (8), and several intercost plates (12). The intercost plates (12) are plates arranged perpendicularly to the annular platforms (7, 8), so that each connection area (13) has the two annular platforms (7, 8) and two intercost plates (12), and the connection holes for the bolts are located around the edges. The rings (1c, 1d) are intermediate rings of constant thickness and are the tallest in the assembly. The ring (1e) is the lower ring and has a radial platform (9) with a central hole of larger diameter, reinforced with several supports (not shown in the drawing) and three Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 32 / 37 / 7 sections of peripheral through holes (10). All platforms (7, 8 and 9) are annular, that is, they have an internal hole to allow the passage of the tension cables, the elevator and the maintenance ladder of the wind turbine.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a section of the tower flange (11) crowning the top of the tubular segment (1). The thicker ring (1b) has a thicker wall to accommodate all the holes where the fastening bolts are inserted. Limiting each of the quadrangular joining areas (13) are two rows of holes (14) above and one below the upper bracing platform (7). The lower bracing platform (8) has only holes (15) on its upper part, limiting each of the quadrangular joining zones (13). The intercostals (12) between the platforms (7, 8) also have holes (16) on the sides that limit the quadrangular area (13) mentioned above.

[0033] Figure 4 shows the connection between the cast part of the bracing connector (4) with the bracing column (2) at one end and with the upper part of the tubular segment (1) at the other end. All connections are bolted. At the end of the bracing column (2), there are circular flange-to-flange connections, and at the end of the tubular segment (1), these are through the upper holes (14), the side holes (16) and the lower holes (15). All holes are blind to prevent corrosion. For a good connection, the upper end of the bracing connector (4) has a concave rectangular shape to join the walls of the tubular segment (1). The intercostals (12) and the internal platforms (7, 8) reinforce the connection.

[0034] As illustrated in Figure 5, the bracing connector (4) is attached internally with a row of protrusions on the cast part (14') that correspond to the upper holes (14) and are added so that the screws are blind and allow for a thinner area. The remaining hardware is attached inside the tubular segment (1). Petition 870250084837, dated 19 / 09 / 2025, page 33 / 37 / 7 using platforms (7, 8) so that operators can move and screw the fastening elements corresponding to the side blind holes (16) and the bottom blind holes (15). The bracing connector (4) is joined at the bottom to the top of the bracing column (2) with a circular joint (17).

[0035] Figure 6 shows the corner connector (5). All its ends have a flat circular shape to complete bolted flange-to-flange connections. At the top end, it is connected to the bottom of the bracing column (2) by a circular joint (18). Beyond the top end, it forms an elbow, and two smaller diameter flat circular connections (19) extend radially from its sides, which connect axially to the corresponding horizontal columns (3).The lower end of the corner connector (5) has a circular joint (20) that can be mounted on a foundation, forming the base of the wind turbine, or it can be mounted with truss modules that are inserted below the transition. Two cone-shaped ends (21) extend from the sides of the corner connector (5) and join the horizontal columns (3) via the narrow circular connection (19). These ends (21) are fully integrated into the corner connector (5) and are part of the same casting.

[0036] As shown in Figures 7a and 7b, the radial columns (3) connect to the base of the tubular segment (1) at its last ring (1e), the lower ring, by means of the X-shaped cast piece, the radial connector (6). Said radial connector (6) has two flat circular ends (19') for connection to the radial columns (3) which are identical to those of its opposite end (19) and a flat V-shaped joint (22) for connection to the radial platform (9) with three peripheral through-hole sectors (10) corresponding to the holes (10') of said flat joint (22), which is shear resistant.

[0037] Figure 8 shows the perspective of the transition, whose base forms an equilateral triangle with one side longer than the height of the tubular segment. Petition 870250084837, dated 19 / 09 / 2025, page 34 / 37 / 7 (1), which facilitates load absorption. The tubular segment (1) is cylindrical with its base at ground level and its bracing columns (2) bolted to the first third of said tubular segment (1). The radial joints (3) extend horizontally and are anchored to the base of the tubular segment (1) by means of the radial connector (6), specifically a flat V-shaped joint (22) with three peripheral through-hole sections (10). The upper part of the tubular segment (1) is free; two platforms (7, 8) are arranged in the upper third and one platform (9) is arranged at the base. All platforms are parallel to each other and parallel to the ground. Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, pages 35 / 37

Claims

1 / 3 CLAIMS 1. Transition to a wind turbine supporting a tubular tower crowned by its corresponding nacelle, hub and blades, and having a tripod shape, characterized by the fact that it has a leg-to-leg ratio greater than the height of the piece itself and comprises: - a tubular segment (1) which is a hollow cylinder formed by several joined rings (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e), the upper part of which is the tower flange (11), in the first third there are annular platforms (7, 8) and its lower part is a radial base platform (9), - three bracing columns (2), each with a bracing connector (4) and a corner connector (5), - six radial columns (3) formed by horizontally arranged tubes, narrower than the bracing columns (2),wherein: - the bracing connector (4) is a piece that joins the upper third of the tubular segment (1) by means of a concave rectangular joint screwed internally into blind holes and the upper part of the bracing joint (2) with a circular joint (17), - the corner connector (5) is a cast piece with three circular joints: one at the bottom of the bracing column (2), another on the ground or on the modules that complete the lower truss tower and the third narrow connection (19) on the two radial columns (3) that extend horizontally to the radial connector (6) fixed to the tubular segment (1), and wherein - the X-shaped radial connector (6) is a piece with two joints: one at the base of the tubular segment (1) and another on the two radial columns (3).

2. Transition according to the previous claim, characterized in that the upper ring (1a) is joined to the flange of the tower (11), the thicker ring (1b) has three quadrangular joining zones (13), two annular shaped platforms (7, 8): one for the upper bracing (7) and the other for the lower bracing (8) and two plates per window that are arranged perpendicularly to the platforms forming intercostals (12), the rings (1c, 1d) are intermediate rings of constant thickness and greater height than the rest, and the lower ring (1e) has at its base a radial platform (9) in annular shape with three sectors of through holes (10) reinforced with several supports.

3. Transition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracing connector (4) has a concave rectangular shape to join the walls of the tubular segment (1) and the intercostals (12) and the existing platforms (7, 8) internally reinforce the joint which is made with internally bolted joints with blind holes that correspond to the lateral through holes (16) and the lower through holes (15) and with a row of protrusions (14') that correspond to the upper holes (14), which are added so that this area has less thickness and are blind joints.

4. Transition according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper end of the corner connector (5) is connected by a circular joint (18) to the lower part of the bracing joint (2), an elbow is formed behind the upper end and two smaller diameter flat circular connections (19) extend radially from its sides, which connect in shear with the corresponding horizontal joints (3), the lower end of the corner connector (5) has a circular joint (20) to be mounted on a foundation or truss module and two cone-shaped ends (21) extend from the sides of the corner connector (5) which are joined with the horizontal joints (3) through the circular connection (19).

5. Transition according to claim 1, characterized Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, p. 19 / 37 3 / 3 by the fact that the radial joints (3) connect to the lower ring (1e) by means of the X-shaped cast piece, the radial connector (6), which has two flat circular ends (19') for connection to the radial joints (3) and which has a flat V-shaped joint (22) with through holes (10') for connection to the radial platform (9).

6. Transition according to claim 1, characterized in that all platforms (7, 8 and 9) have an internal hole to allow the passage of the tension cables and the elevator and maintenance ladder of the wind turbine. Petition 870250084837, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, p. 20 / 37

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