Segmented tower section for a wind turbine and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The application discloses a split type tower drum of a wind turbine generator and a manufacturing method thereof. The split type tower drum comprises a plurality of tower drum pieces split along the direction of a tower drum axis. The inner wall of each tower drum piece is provided with vertical flanges, a plurality of horizontal connecting plates and vertical connecting plates on both sides respectively. The vertical flanges are welded to the inner wall of the tower drum piece and connected to the vertical flanges of adjacent tower drum pieces through bolts. The plurality of horizontal connecting plates are distributed equidistantly along the direction of the tower drum axis and welded to the vertical flanges and the vertical connecting plates respectively. The outer end surface of the vertical connecting plate coincides with the split surface of the tower drum piece, so that the outer end surfaces of the vertical connecting plates on the connected side of adjacent tower drum pieces are connected. The split type tower drum of the application plays the role of a reinforcing rib through the vertical flanges, improves the buckling resistance of the tower drum, and increases the friction contact surface of the bolt connection through the horizontal connecting plates and the vertical connecting plates, improves the connection performance of the bolt, and thus strengthens the connection strength between adjacent tower drum pieces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power generation technology, and more specifically to a segmented tower for a wind turbine and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous increase in the single-unit capacity of wind turbine generators, long-bladed and large-megawatt units have emerged, necessitating a continuous increase in tower height. Under constraints of cost control and transportation conditions, various high-tower technical solutions have emerged, including flexible steel towers (flexible towers), concrete towers (hybrid towers), truss structure towers, cable-stayed towers, and segmented towers. Among these, truss structure towers suffer from low installation efficiency, and their internal electrical components are exposed to the outside air, making them susceptible to weather conditions. Corrosion protection and bolt installation also present significant challenges. Hybrid towers require on-site factory construction and demand high quality control. Cable-stayed towers are less commonly used in the wind turbine industry, and their ability to withstand large loads remains to be verified. Therefore, designing a tower that can meet the requirements of higher hub heights while also being lighter, safer, and more reliable is urgently needed. Another pressing issue is transportation. Onshore wind turbines, constrained by load requirements, necessitate larger tower diameters for taller towers. However, transportation requirements strictly limit tower diameter; diameters exceeding 4.5m require rigorous road surveys to prevent the manufactured towers from reaching the site. Therefore, tower segmentation is imperative. Current segmentation solutions utilize vertical flanges with transverse bolt connections, including direct flange contact and gaps filled with other materials. Since tower segmentation reduces overall tower stiffness, improving the individual segment stiffness and connection reliability between segments while avoiding excessive costs is a critical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. The summary section of this invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0004] To at least partially solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a segmented tower for a wind turbine is provided, comprising multiple tower segments stacked and interconnected along the tower axis. Each tower segment includes multiple tower plates divided along the tower axis. Each tower plate has a vertical flange, multiple horizontal connecting plates, and a vertical connecting plate respectively provided on both sides of its inner wall. The vertical flange is welded to the inner wall of the tower plate and connected to the vertical flange of an adjacent tower plate by bolts. The multiple horizontal connecting plates are evenly spaced along the tower axis, and the two opposite sides of each horizontal connecting plate are respectively welded to the vertical flange and the vertical connecting plate. The outer end face of the vertical connecting plate coincides with the dividing surface of the tower plate, such that the outer end faces of the vertical connecting plates on the connected side of adjacent tower plates are engaged. The vertical connecting plate is provided with a through hole for the bolts to pass through.

[0005] Furthermore, all of the multiple transverse connecting plates are welded to the inner wall of the tower section.

[0006] Furthermore, a rounded corner is provided between the side of the plurality of transverse connecting plates welded to the vertical flange and the side of the plates welded to the inner wall of the tower section.

[0007] Furthermore, rounded corners are provided between the sides of the plurality of horizontal connecting plates welded to the inner wall of the tower section and the sides of the plates welded to the vertical connecting plates.

[0008] Furthermore, the sides of the multiple transverse connecting plates welded to the inner wall of the tower section are arc-shaped to match the contour of the inner wall of the tower section.

[0009] Furthermore, the vertical connecting plate is spaced a certain distance from the inner wall of the tower section.

[0010] Furthermore, the end face area of ​​the vertical connecting plate is larger than the end face area of ​​the vertical flange.

[0011] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned segmented tower, the method comprising:

[0012] Welding vertical flanges: Multiple vertical flanges are welded to the inner wall of the tower section along the axial direction of the tower section. Each vertical flange extends from the upper end to the lower end of the tower section. Each vertical flange is separated from the adjacent nearest vertical flange by a first distance d, and each vertical flange is separated from the adjacent farthest vertical flange by a second distance D. The first distance d is less than the second distance D.

[0013] The tower section is divided into segments. The tower section is divided along the axial direction of the tower section between each vertical flange and the nearest adjacent vertical flange, so that the distance between the dividing surface and the adjacent vertical flanges on both sides is d / 2, so as to form multiple tower segments with the same shape and size.

[0014] Welding transverse connecting plates: Weld multiple transverse connecting plates to the end face of each vertical flange near the dividing face, so that the multiple transverse connecting plates are connected to the vertical flange at equal intervals and parallel to each other, and the end face of each transverse connecting plate is perpendicular to the end face of the vertical flange.

[0015] Weld the vertical connecting plate to each horizontal connecting plate on the vertical flange, so that the end face of the vertical connecting plate is perpendicular to the end face of each horizontal connecting plate, and the through hole of the vertical connecting plate is aligned with the bolt hole of the vertical flange.

[0016] Furthermore, the welding of the transverse connecting plates includes: welding multiple transverse connecting plates to the inner wall of the tower section respectively.

[0017] Furthermore, the welding of the vertical connecting plate includes: first, passing at least two positioning members through the bolt holes of the vertical flange and the through holes of the vertical connecting plate respectively, and then welding the vertical connecting plate to each horizontal connecting plate on the vertical flange.

[0018] The segmented tower of this invention, by incorporating vertical flanges, acts as a reinforcing rib, improving the tower's buckling resistance and enhancing the reliability of the wind turbine. Furthermore, the addition of horizontal and vertical connecting plates increases the frictional contact surface for bolted connections, improving bolt performance and thus strengthening the connection between adjacent tower segments. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The following figures are included as part of this invention for understanding its principles. The figures illustrate embodiments of the invention and their descriptions, serving to explain the apparatus and principles of the invention. In the figures,

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the segmented tower section structure of a wind turbine generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A shown in the image;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the segmented tower section of the wind turbine in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of region B shown in the image;

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of region C shown in the diagram;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the segmented tower of a wind turbine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of region D shown in the diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0027] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0028] To fully understand the present invention, detailed structures will be presented in the following description to illustrate it. Obviously, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below; however, the present invention may have other embodiments besides these detailed descriptions and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0029] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is intended only to describe particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. When the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” and similar expressions used in this invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0030] The ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" used in this invention are merely identifiers and do not have any other meaning, such as a specific order. Moreover, for example, the term "first component" does not imply the existence of "second component," and the term "second component" does not imply the existence of "first component."

[0031] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate representative embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0032] This invention provides a segmented tower for wind turbine generators. For example... Figure 1-7As shown, the segmented tower includes multiple tower sections stacked and interconnected along the tower axis. Each tower section includes multiple tower segments 1 divided along the tower axis. Each tower segment 1 has a vertical flange 2, multiple horizontal connecting plates 3, and a vertical connecting plate 4 on both sides of its inner wall. The vertical flange 2 is welded to the inner wall of the tower segment and connected to the vertical flange 2 of adjacent tower segments 1 by high-strength bolts 5. The multiple horizontal connecting plates 3 are evenly spaced along the tower axis, and the two opposite sides of each horizontal connecting plate 3 are welded to the vertical flange 2 and the vertical connecting plate 4, respectively. The outer end face 41 of the vertical connecting plate 4 coincides with the dividing surface 11 of the tower segment, such that the outer end faces 41 of the vertical connecting plates 4 on the connected side of adjacent tower segments 1 are joined. The vertical connecting plate 4 is provided with through holes 42 for the high-strength bolts 5 to pass through. According to an embodiment of the present invention, dividing the tower section into three tower segments along the tower axis can meet the overall transport height requirement. Preferably, the vertical flange 2, the multiple horizontal connecting plates 3, and the vertical connecting plate 4 are all made of the same steel material as the tower body.

[0033] Since wind turbine towers are thin-walled structures, buckling and fatigue are two key factors affecting their reliability. Vertical flanges act as reinforcing ribs, improving the tower's buckling resistance and thus enhancing the wind turbine's reliability. Furthermore, by adding horizontal and vertical connecting plates, the frictional contact surface of the bolted connections is increased, improving the bolt's connection performance and strengthening the connection between adjacent tower sections.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, multiple transverse connecting plates 3 are welded to the inner wall of the tower section. On the one hand, the multiple transverse connecting plates 3 and the vertical flange 2 together act as reinforcing ribs, thereby improving the rigidity of a single tower section; on the other hand, based on the vertical weld formed between the vertical flange 2 and the inner wall of the tower section, multiple transverse welds are added between the transverse connecting plates 3 and the inner wall of the tower section, thereby strengthening the connection strength between the connecting components, including the vertical flange 2, the transverse connecting plates 3 and the vertical connecting plates 4, and the tower section 1. Preferably, the sides of the multiple transverse connecting plates 3 welded to the inner wall of the tower section are arc-shaped, matching the contour of the inner wall of the tower section, to ensure the welding strength between each transverse connecting plate and the inner wall of the tower section.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a fillet 31 is provided between the side of the plurality of transverse connecting plates 3 welded to the vertical flange 2 and the side of the plurality of transverse connecting plates 3 welded to the inner wall of the tower section. Further, a fillet 32 ​​is provided between the side of the plurality of transverse connecting plates 3 welded to the inner wall of the tower section and the side of the plurality of transverse connecting plates 3 welded to the vertical connecting plates. This arrangement effectively avoids the influence of component processing errors on welding quality and reduces stress concentration. In addition, the fillet 32 ​​separates the weld between the transverse connecting plates 3 and the inner wall of the tower section from the dividing surface 11 of the tower section 1, avoiding or reducing thermal deformation of the dividing surface 11 of the tower section 1 due to welding, and ensuring the connection accuracy between the tower sections.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vertical connecting plate 4 is spaced a certain distance from the inner wall of the tower section. Welding the vertical connecting plate 4 only to multiple horizontal connecting plates 3 simplifies the manufacturing process, and the high-strength bolt connection between the vertical flanges 2 on adjacent tower sections ensures the frictional contact strength between the two vertical connecting plates 4 that are joined together, avoiding the influence of excessive welding on the connection strength between the tower sections.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the side 43 of the vertical connecting plate 4 near the inner wall of the tower section is flush with the fillet 32, such that the vertical connecting plate 4 is spaced from the inner wall of the tower section by a distance approximately equal to the radius of the fillet 32. This arrangement facilitates accurate positioning of the relative position of the vertical connecting plate 4 and the horizontal connecting plate 3 in the radial direction. Furthermore, the end face width of the vertical connecting plate 4 is set to be equal to the width of the side of the horizontal connecting plate 3 welded to the vertical connecting plate 4, to ensure accurate positioning and reliable welding between the vertical connecting plate 4 and the horizontal connecting plate 3.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the end face area of ​​the vertical connecting plate 4 is larger than the end face area of ​​the vertical flange 2. Increasing the joint end face area between the vertical connecting plates can strengthen the fastening effect of the bolt connection, thereby strengthening the connection strength between adjacent tower sections. Since the vertical connecting plate 4 is spaced a certain distance from the inner wall of the tower section, and the end face width of the vertical connecting plate 4 is larger than the end face width of the vertical flange 2, and the position of the through hole 42 of the vertical connecting plate 4 corresponds to the position of the bolt hole of the vertical flange 2, the distance between the side of the vertical connecting plate 4 near the inner wall of the tower section and the through hole 42 is smaller than the distance between the side of the vertical connecting plate 4 away from the inner wall of the tower section and the through hole 42. Preferably, the distance between the center of the through hole 42 and the side of the vertical connecting plate 4 away from the inner wall of the tower section is more than twice the distance between the side of the vertical connecting plate 4 near the inner wall of the tower section and the through hole 42. Correspondingly, the side length of the transverse connecting plate 3 welded to the vertical connecting plate 4 is greater than the side length welded to the vertical flange 2.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the vertical flange 2 is greater than the thickness of the horizontal connecting plate 3, and the thickness of the horizontal connecting plate 2 is greater than the thickness of the vertical connecting plate 4. Both the vertical flange 2 and the horizontal connecting plate 3 are welded to the inner wall of the tower section 1, serving as reinforcing ribs. Furthermore, the vertical flange 2 and the horizontal connecting plate 3 extend in mutually perpendicular directions, enhancing the connection strength between adjacent tower sections and thus improving the overall rigidity of the tower. The vertical connecting plate 4 is only welded to the horizontal connecting plate 3 and is spaced a certain distance from the inner wall of the tower section. Its main function is to increase the frictional contact surface of the bolted connection, thereby further strengthening the connection strength between adjacent tower sections. Therefore, the vertical connecting plate 4 is configured with an end face area greater than that of the vertical flange 2, while its thickness is less than that of the vertical flange 2 and the horizontal connecting plate 3. Preferably, the thickness of the vertical flange 2 is more than three times the thickness of the vertical connecting plate 4.

[0040] To enhance the connection strength between tower sections, bolt holes are provided on the vertical flanges 2 between every two adjacent horizontal connecting plates 3, and the interval between two adjacent horizontal connecting plates 3 is smaller than the distance between two interconnected vertical flanges 2, ensuring a sufficient number of high-strength bolt connections between the tower sections. Furthermore, the end face of the vertical connecting plate 4 used for engaging with another vertical connecting plate can undergo surface treatment such as sandblasting to increase the friction coefficient of this end face, making the friction coefficient of the engaging end face higher than that of other surfaces of the vertical connecting plate 4, thereby improving the connection strength between the tower sections and thus increasing the load-bearing capacity of the tower.

[0041] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned segmented tower, the method comprising:

[0042] Welding vertical flanges 2: Weld multiple vertical flanges 2 along the axial direction of the tower section on the inner wall of the tower section. Each vertical flange 2 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the tower section. Each vertical flange 2 is separated from the adjacent closer vertical flange by a first distance d, and each vertical flange is separated from the adjacent farther vertical flange by a second distance D. The first distance d is less than the second distance D.

[0043] The tower section is divided into segments. The tower section is divided along the axial direction of the tower section between each vertical flange 2 and the adjacent nearest vertical flange 2, so that the distance between the dividing surface and the adjacent vertical flanges 2 on both sides is d / 2, so as to form multiple tower segments 1 with the same shape and size.

[0044] Welding transverse connecting plates 3, welding multiple transverse connecting plates 3 to the end face of each vertical flange 2 near the dividing surface, so that the multiple transverse connecting plates 3 are equally spaced and parallel to each other connected to the vertical flange 2, and the end face of each transverse connecting plate 3 is perpendicular to the end face of the vertical flange 2.

[0045] Weld the vertical connecting plate 4 to each horizontal connecting plate on the vertical flange, so that the end face of the vertical connecting plate is perpendicular to the end face of each horizontal connecting plate, and the through hole 42 of the vertical connecting plate is aligned with the bolt hole of the vertical flange.

[0046] Since the stiffness of the segmented tower sections is significantly lower than that of the overall annular tower, the deformation problem caused by the reduced stiffness of the segmented tower is particularly prominent. Welding the vertical flanges first can significantly improve the stiffness after segmentation, which is beneficial for the subsequent assembly of the tower.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned welding of the transverse connecting plate 3 includes: welding a plurality of transverse connecting plates 3 to the inner wall of the tower plate respectively. By welding the adjacent sides of each transverse connecting plate 3 to the vertical flange 2 and the inner wall of the tower plate respectively, the connection strength between the connecting assembly including the vertical flange 2, the transverse connecting plates 3 and the vertical connecting plate 4 and the tower plate 1 can be strengthened.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, welding the vertical connecting plate 4 includes: first, passing at least two positioning elements through the bolt holes of the vertical flange 2 and the through holes 42 of the vertical connecting plate 4, respectively; and then welding the vertical connecting plate 4 to each of the transverse connecting plates 3 on the vertical flange 2. The relative position between the vertical connecting plate 4 and the vertical flange 2 needs to ensure that the through holes 42 are aligned with the bolt holes. Therefore, using positioning elements helps to accurately position the vertical connecting plate 4 and improve welding efficiency.

[0049] The tower section is divided into segments, which solves the transportation problem. After the tower section 1 is transported to the unit installation site, the tower sections 1 are connected by high-strength bolts 5 to form tower sections. Then, the tower sections are connected vertically to form the tower of the unit.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. Terms such as “part” or “component” appearing herein can refer to a single part or a combination of multiple parts. Terms such as “installation” or “installation” appearing herein can refer to one component being directly attached to another component or one component being attached to another component via an intermediary. A feature described in one embodiment herein may be applied, alone or in combination with other features, to another embodiment, unless that feature is not applicable in that other embodiment or is otherwise stated.

[0051] The present invention has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention to the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and many variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A segmented tower for a wind turbine, characterized in that, The system comprises multiple tower sections stacked and interconnected along the tower axis. Each tower section includes multiple tower plates divided along the tower axis. Each tower plate has vertical flanges, multiple horizontal connecting plates, and vertical connecting plates on both sides of its inner wall. The vertical flanges are welded to the inner wall of the tower plate and connected to the vertical flanges of adjacent tower plates by bolts. The multiple horizontal connecting plates are evenly spaced along the tower axis, and the two opposite sides of each horizontal connecting plate are welded to the vertical flanges and the vertical connecting plates, respectively. The outer end face of the vertical connecting plate coincides with the dividing surface of the tower plate, such that the outer end faces of the vertical connecting plates on the connecting side of adjacent tower plates are joined. The connecting plate is provided with through holes for the bolts to pass through; the plurality of transverse connecting plates are all welded to the inner wall of the tower section, and the sides of the plurality of transverse connecting plates welded to the inner wall of the tower section are arc-shaped to match the contour of the inner wall of the tower section, so that the plurality of transverse connecting plates and the vertical flange together act as reinforcing ribs to improve the rigidity of the individual tower section; a rounded corner is provided between the sides of the plurality of transverse connecting plates welded to the inner wall of the tower section and the sides welded to the vertical connecting plates, and the side of the vertical connecting plate near the inner wall of the tower section is flush with the rounded corner; the end face area of ​​the vertical connecting plate is larger than the end face area of ​​the vertical flange to increase the friction contact surface of the bolt connection between the tower sections.

2. The segmented tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple horizontal connecting plates are provided with rounded corners between the side of the vertical flange where they are welded and the side of the tower plate where they are welded.

3. The segmented tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical connecting plate is spaced a certain distance from the inner wall of the tower section.

4. A method for manufacturing a segmented tower according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method includes: Welding vertical flanges: Multiple vertical flanges are welded to the inner wall of the tower section along the axial direction of the tower section. Each vertical flange extends from the upper end to the lower end of the tower section. Each vertical flange is separated from the adjacent nearest vertical flange by a first distance d, and each vertical flange is separated from the adjacent farthest vertical flange by a second distance D. The first distance d is less than the second distance D. The tower section is divided into segments. The tower section is divided along the axial direction of the tower section between each vertical flange and the nearest adjacent vertical flange, so that the distance between the dividing surface and the adjacent vertical flanges on both sides is d / 2, so as to form multiple tower segments with the same shape and size. Weld horizontal connecting plates: Weld multiple horizontal connecting plates to the end face of each vertical flange near the dividing face, so that the multiple horizontal connecting plates are connected to the vertical flange at equal intervals and parallel to each other. The end face of each horizontal connecting plate is perpendicular to the end face of the vertical flange, and the multiple horizontal connecting plates are welded to the inner wall of the tower plate respectively. Weld the vertical connecting plate to each horizontal connecting plate on the vertical flange, so that the end face of the vertical connecting plate is perpendicular to the end face of each horizontal connecting plate, and the through hole of the vertical connecting plate is aligned with the bolt hole of the vertical flange.

5. The method for manufacturing a segmented tower according to claim 4, characterized in that, The welding of the vertical connecting plate includes: first, passing at least two positioning pieces through the bolt holes of the vertical flange and the through holes of the vertical connecting plate respectively, and then welding the vertical connecting plate to each horizontal connecting plate on the vertical flange.

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