Fan tower reinforcement device, tower and wind turbine

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of wind power generation, and in particular to a wind turbine tower reinforcing device, a tower and a wind turbine. The wind turbine tower reinforcing device comprises a reinforcing body, a first connecting flange and a second connecting flange. The reinforcing body is configured with a cavity for accommodating high-performance concrete. The first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively connected to the two ends of the reinforcing body, and the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively used for connecting with two tower flanges, and the two tower flanges are arranged along the axial direction of the tower. The wind turbine tower reinforcing device is applied to the tower of the wind turbine, which can reinforce the tower, has a simple structure, is flexible and convenient to use, and has low use cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power generation technology, and more specifically, to a wind turbine tower reinforcement device, a tower, and a wind turbine generator. Background Technology

[0002] During the service life of a wind turbine tower, if the tower is subjected to external impacts, such as blade sweeping or impacts from hoisting equipment, the tower body will develop dents. Such a tower with dents is called a defective tower. Currently, the conventional solutions for defective towers are to perform tower dent correction and repair, or to simply discard the tower section.

[0003] The correction and repair of dented tower sections involves flattening the dented area. However, the degree of strength recovery of the tower section is usually difficult to assess because dents are often accompanied by plastic deformation of the tower steel. Tower sections with plastic deformation are very prone to buckling instability under pressure, which can lead to tower collapse. If the tower section is scrapped and a new section is purchased, the cost is very high. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a wind turbine tower reinforcement device, a tower, and a wind turbine generator. The wind turbine tower reinforcement device is applied to the tower of a wind turbine generator, which can reinforce the tower. It has a simple structure, is flexible and convenient to use, and has low operating costs.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a wind turbine tower reinforcement device, which includes a reinforcement body, a first connecting flange and a second connecting flange.

[0007] The reinforced body is equipped with a cavity for accommodating high-performance concrete; the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively connected to the two ends of the reinforced body, and the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively used to connect to the two tower flanges, and the two tower flanges are spaced apart along the axial direction of the tower.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the first connecting flange or the second connecting flange has a through hole communicating with the cavity.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, both the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are provided with at least one flange connection hole, which is used to connect with the flange connection bolts of the tower flange.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, both the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are provided with at least one temporary connecting hole, which is used to install fixing bolts for connecting to the tower flange.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device further includes a wall connector for connecting to the tower wall;

[0012] The cylinder wall connector is connected to the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange; or, the cylinder wall connector is connected to the reinforced body.

[0013] In optional embodiments, the cross-section of the reinforced body is circular, elliptical, polygonal, or fan-shaped.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device further includes reinforcing ribs that extend along the centerline of the reinforcement body and are built into the cavity.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a tower, the tower comprising a cylinder and at least one of the above-mentioned wind turbine tower reinforcement devices;

[0016] The cylinder body consists of multiple cylinder sections, and adjacent cylinder sections are connected by tower flanges;

[0017] The wind turbine tower reinforcement device is placed inside the tower body, and the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively connected to the two tower flanges, and one or more tower sections are distributed between the two tower flanges.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the tower includes multiple wind turbine tower reinforcement devices, which are spaced apart around the axial direction of the tower.

[0019] Thirdly, the present invention provides a wind turbine generator, which includes a wind turbine assembly and the aforementioned tower.

[0020] The wind turbine assembly is connected to the top of the tower.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device, tower, and wind turbine generator provided in this embodiment of the invention include:

[0022] This wind turbine tower reinforcement device includes a reinforcement body, a first connecting flange, and a second connecting flange. The reinforcement body is equipped with a cavity for accommodating high-performance concrete. The first and second connecting flanges are respectively connected to both ends of the reinforcement body and are used to connect to two tower flanges, which are spaced apart along the axial direction of the tower. This wind turbine tower reinforcement device is applied to the tower of a wind turbine generator, effectively reinforcing the tower. It features a simple structure, flexible and convenient use, and low operating costs. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device provided in this embodiment;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the reinforced main body provided in this embodiment;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the reinforced body and the first connecting flange provided in this embodiment;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the reinforced body and the second connecting flange provided in this embodiment;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tower structure provided in this embodiment;

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial schematic diagram at point A in the middle;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the wind turbine tower reinforcement device and the tower flange provided in this embodiment.

[0031] Icons: 100-Wind turbine tower reinforcement device; 110-Reinforcement body; 120-First connecting flange; 130-Second connecting flange; 111-High-performance concrete; 112-Cavity; 200-Tower; 210-Tower flange; 121-Through hole; 122-Flange connection hole; 211-Flange connection bolt; 123-Temporary connection hole; 124-Fixing bolt; 220-Cylinder body; 221-Cylinder section. Detailed Implementation

[0032] During the service life of a wind turbine tower, if the tower is subjected to external impacts, such as blade sweeping or impacts from hoisting equipment, the tower body will develop dents. Such a tower with dents is called a defective tower. Currently, the conventional solutions for defective towers are to correct and repair the dents or simply discard the tower section. Correcting and repairing dented towers involves flattening the dent. However, the degree of strength recovery from this method is often difficult to assess because dents are often accompanied by plastic deformation of the tower steel. A tower with plastic deformation is very prone to buckling instability under pressure, leading to tower collapse. Discarding the tower and purchasing a new section is extremely expensive.

[0033] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100, which can reinforce the tower 200. This device can be used to repair and reinforce defective towers, thereby improving the structural strength and buckling strength of the defective towers and reducing repair costs.

[0034] In addition, the wind power industry often sees "small-to-large" upgrades, where a larger rotor and a higher-power turbine head replace the original turbine head. When this is done, the strength margin of the tower 200 is often near the critical value. Current technology often requires purchasing a new tower 200 in such cases. However, the aforementioned wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can strengthen the existing tower 200, thereby improving its structural strength and buckling strength, and thus reducing the cost of the "small-to-large" upgrade.

[0035] The present invention aims to provide a tower 200 and a wind turbine generator. The wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is applied to the tower 200 of the wind turbine generator, which can reinforce the tower 200. It has a simple structure, is flexible and convenient to use, and has low operating cost.

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0037] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0038] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed, they are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0042] Please refer to Figures 1-7 This embodiment provides a wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100, which includes a reinforcement body 110, a first connecting flange 120 and a second connecting flange 130.

[0043] The reinforced body 110 is equipped with a cavity 112 for accommodating high-performance concrete 111; the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively connected to the two ends of the reinforced body 110, and the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively used to connect to two tower flanges 210, and the two tower flanges 210 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the tower 200.

[0044] Please refer to Figures 1-7 The working principle of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is as follows:

[0045] The wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 includes a reinforcement body 110, a first connecting flange 120, and a second connecting flange 130. The reinforcement body 110 is equipped with a cavity 112 for accommodating high-performance concrete 111. The first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively connected to both ends of the reinforcement body 110, and the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively used to connect to two tower flanges 210, and the two tower flanges 210 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the tower 200. Thus, through the aforementioned structural arrangement, the structural strength and buckling strength of the reinforcement body 110 and the high-performance concrete 111 inside it can be increased after solidification. Therefore, when the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively connected to two spaced tower flanges 210, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 installed thereon can be reinforced.

[0046] Therefore, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is applied to the tower 200 of the wind turbine generator. It can reinforce the tower 200, and has a simple structure, is easy to process, transport and hoist, and is flexible and convenient to use, and has low operating cost.

[0047] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the reinforcing body 110 is a steel pipe, the purpose of which is to enable the reinforcing body 110 itself to have a reinforcing function. Moreover, the structural shape of the reinforcing body 110 can be adjusted according to the usage requirements. That is, the cross-section of the reinforcing body 110 can be circular, elliptical, polygonal, or fan-shaped. Therefore, its specific selection can be adjusted according to actual needs. Due to the sealing effect of the reinforcing body 110, the internal concrete does not require much curing. Furthermore, the material of the reinforcing body 110 can also be made of materials with different strengths. In this embodiment, steel is used, but in other embodiments of the present invention, other types of materials can be selected based on cost or strength, combined with usage requirements.

[0048] Furthermore, when filling the reinforced body 110 with high-performance concrete 111, the purpose is to enhance its structural strength and buckling strength. Therefore, the high-performance concrete 111 can be dense, high-strength concrete with strong shrinkage resistance; it can be concrete with a strength grade of at least C60. In addition, when meeting usage requirements, active auxiliary cementitious materials prepared from industrial waste, such as fly ash and recycled powders, can be considered. This aims to save cement, silica fume, and energy resources, effectively reducing costs and improving the relevant properties of the concrete. Furthermore, waste glass powder can also be used as a cement substitute to prepare self-compacting concrete, improving its strength and workability.

[0049] It should also be noted that, based on the above, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be used to repair and reinforce defective towers, and can also be applied to small-to-large upgrades in the wind power field. That is, it can be used to upgrade and renovate existing towers 200, and can also incorporate the structural design of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 into the existing tower 200 structure. The purpose is to improve the strength of the tower 200, reduce its use and installation costs, and facilitate future maintenance or upgrades.

[0050] Further, please refer to Figures 1-7 In this embodiment, when configuring the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130, a through hole 121 communicating with the cavity 112 can be provided in either the first connecting flange 120 or the second connecting flange 130. This arrangement facilitates the addition of high-performance concrete 111 into the reinforced body 110, i.e., it facilitates concrete injection or venting. This arrangement is based on the fact that the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are prefabricated structures with the reinforced body 110, and that the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are welded to the reinforced body 110 before concrete injection. Furthermore, based on this structure, when injecting concrete, if the first connecting flange 120 is located above the second connecting flange 130, the through hole 121 is opened in the first connecting flange 120, i.e., concrete can be injected through the upper through hole 121, while the lower end of the reinforced body 110 is blocked by the second connecting flange 130.

[0051] In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, if concrete is injected before welding the first connecting flange 120 or the second connecting flange 130 to the reinforcing body 110, the lower end of the reinforcing body 110 can be sealed first, or one of the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 can be welded to the reinforcing body 110 first, and then the other of the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 can be welded to the reinforcing body 110 after the concrete is injected or after the concrete has solidified.

[0052] Therefore, based on the above, it can be seen that the welding of the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 to the reinforcing body 110, as well as the sequence of concrete injection, can be flexibly adjusted according to actual usage requirements.

[0053] To facilitate the connection between the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 and the tower flange 210, both the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are provided with at least one flange connection hole 122. The flange connection hole 122 is used to connect with the flange connection bolts 211 of the tower flange 210. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, to improve the connection strength, multiple flange connection holes 122 are provided on both the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130, and they are evenly distributed to improve the structural connection strength, as well as the uniformity and stability of the connection.

[0054] It should be noted that the flange connection hole 122 needs to be compatible with the flange connection bolt 211 of the corresponding tower flange 210. Therefore, the flange connection hole 122 can be set based on the size of the flange connection bolt 211 of the corresponding tower flange 210.

[0055] To simplify the installation process when installing the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100, both the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are provided with at least one temporary connecting hole 123. The temporary connecting hole 123 is used to install the fixing bolt 124 that connects to the tower flange 210. This arrangement allows the fixing bolt 124 to be installed through the temporary connecting hole 123 before connecting the device to the tower flange 210 via the flange connecting hole 122 and the flange connecting bolt 211. In other words, the fixing bolt 124 installed in the temporary connecting hole 123 can be used to connect to the tower flange 210 for temporary fixation during the hoisting of the tower 200, thus providing positioning and temporary fixation, which improves installation efficiency. Furthermore, after assembly, the fixing bolt 124 used for temporary fixation can be removed or retained.

[0056] Further, please refer to Figures 1-7In this embodiment, based on the above structure, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 may further include a wall connector for connecting to the wall of the tower 200; the wall connector may be connected to the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130; or, the wall connector may be connected to the reinforcement body 110; wherein, when configuring the wall connector, multiple wall connectors may be provided, such that one or more are correspondingly provided on the first connecting flange 120, the second connecting flange 130 and the reinforcement body 110, and connected to the wall of the tower 200 through the wall connector; or the aforementioned wall connector may be provided on one or more of the first connecting flange 120, the second connecting flange 130 and the reinforcement body 110. This configuration allows the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 to be fixedly connected to the tower flange 210 and also connected to the wall of the tower 200, thereby increasing the strength of the tower 200 on which the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is installed. There are several ways to configure the cylinder wall connectors. For example, the cylinder wall connectors can be several nail fasteners connected to the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130. The nail fasteners can be connected to the cylinder wall of the tower 200 to increase its stability. Alternatively, they can be set as nail fasteners with clamps or welded connections connected to the outside of the reinforcement body 110.

[0057] In addition, based on the above structure, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 may also include reinforcing ribs that extend along the centerline of the reinforcement body 110 and are built into the cavity 112, the purpose of which is to increase the structural strength of the reinforcement body 110.

[0058] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the reinforcement body 110 is a steel round tube with a thickness of 5mm and a diameter of 200mm, which is filled with dense high-strength concrete. The first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are both made of 30mm thick Q355 structural steel. The diameter of the corresponding through hole 121 is 20mm. The tower flange 210 on the tower 200 is an L-shaped flange.

[0059] In summary, when installing the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100, it can be transported to the wind turbine location for installation after the concrete strength has stabilized. During installation, the wind turbine head is first hoisted away, and several small blind holes are drilled on the original tower 200 flange for temporary bolt fixing. Then, the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is hoisted into the tower 200 from the top of the tower and fixed with temporary bolts. The installation process may require the assistance of other mechanical equipment, such as electric or manual hoists. Finally, the flange connecting bolts 211 of the tower 200 are tightened and the wind turbine head is hoisted. After tightening the tower flange 210 bolts, the fixing bolts 124 can be retained or removed.

[0060] Based on the above, please refer to Figures 1-7 This embodiment also provides a tower 200, which includes a cylinder 220 and at least one of the above-mentioned wind turbine tower reinforcement devices 100; the cylinder 220 includes a plurality of cylinder sections 221, and adjacent cylinder sections 221 are connected by tower flanges 210.

[0061] The wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is placed inside the cylinder 220, and the first connecting flange 120 and the second connecting flange 130 are respectively connected to two tower flanges 210, and one or more cylinder sections 221 are distributed between the two tower flanges 210, that is, one or more cylinder sections 221 correspond to the same wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100; or one or more cylinder sections 221 correspond to one or more wind turbine tower reinforcement devices 100.

[0062] Therefore, as can be seen from the above, by adopting the aforementioned wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100, the tower 200 can increase its structural strength, improve its buckling strength, enhance its operational stability, and extend its service life. Furthermore, during use, the length of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be adapted to the length of a single section 221 of the tower body 220, or to the sum of the lengths of multiple sections 221, based on its structure. That is, during use, it can strengthen the structural strength of a single section 221, or, according to operational requirements, strengthen the structural strength of multiple sections 221.

[0063] In addition, it should be noted that in this embodiment, the tower 200 can be either a defective tower or an existing tower 200, and the structural form of the tower 200 can be a segmented or lattice-type tower.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the tower 200 includes multiple wind turbine tower reinforcement devices 100, the multiple wind turbine tower reinforcement devices 100 can be arranged at intervals around the axial direction of the tower 200, the purpose of which is to increase the stability of its structure.

[0065] Based on the above, please refer to Figures 1-7 This embodiment also provides a wind turbine generator, which includes a wind turbine assembly and the aforementioned tower 200; the wind turbine assembly is connected to the top of the tower 200.

[0066] By adopting the aforementioned tower 200 design, the wind turbine can increase the structural stability of the tower 200 and facilitate flexible upgrades and modifications to the tower 200 as needed, in the event of performance upgrades or parameter changes in wind turbine components. This helps to reduce the cost of using and upgrading the wind turbine.

[0067] In summary, please refer to Figures 1-7 When the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is applied to the tower 200 of a wind turbine generator, it has the following advantages: the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 is lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to process, transport, install, and hoist; the cross-sectional shape and number of installations of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs; the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be installed only in a portion of the tower 200 section to increase the strength of the tower 200; the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 retains the original tower 200 flange connection to the greatest extent; the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 requires less welding and is less prone to welding fatigue failure; the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be used not only for the reinforcement of conventional tower 200, but also for the reinforcement of segmented tower 200 or lattice tower;

[0068] It should also be noted that: the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing body 110 of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be replaced with an elliptical, polygonal, fan-shaped, or other shapes; the size and number of installations of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can vary; the arrangement and size of the flange connection holes 122 of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can vary; the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be used for the reinforcement of conventional wind turbine towers 200, as well as for the reinforcement of segmented towers 200 or lattice towers, and can also be used for the repair of defective towers; the reinforcing body 110 of the wind turbine tower reinforcement device 100 can be replaced with iron pipes or other materials with equivalent effects, and the high-strength concrete filling it can also be concrete of various strength grades or materials with equivalent effects.

[0069] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1.A wind turbine tower reinforcing device, characterized in that: the wind turbine tower reinforcing device comprises a reinforcing body, a first connecting flange and a second connecting flange; the reinforcing body is configured with a cavity for accommodating high-performance concrete; the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively connected to two ends of the reinforcing body, and the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively used for connecting with two tower flanges which are arranged along the axial direction of the tower; the first connecting flange or the second connecting flange is provided with a through hole which is in communication with the cavity; the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are each provided with at least one flange connecting hole which is used for connecting with a flange connecting bolt of the tower flange; the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are each provided with at least one temporary connecting hole which is used for mounting a fixing bolt connected with the tower flange; the wind turbine tower reinforcing device further comprises a tower wall connecting member which is used for connecting with the tower wall; the tower wall connecting member is connected to the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange; or, the tower wall connecting member is connected to the reinforcing body. 2.The wind turbine tower reinforcing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the reinforcing body has a circular, elliptical, polygonal or sector cross section. 3.The wind turbine tower reinforcing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the wind turbine tower reinforcing device further comprises a reinforcing rib which extends along the center line direction of the reinforcing body and is arranged inside the cavity. 4.A tower, characterized in that: the tower comprises a tower body and at least one wind turbine tower reinforcing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; the tower body comprises a plurality of tower segments, and adjacent tower segments are connected through tower flanges; the wind turbine tower reinforcing device is arranged in the tower body, and the first connecting flange and the second connecting flange are respectively connected with two tower flanges, and one or more tower segments are arranged between the two tower flanges. 5.The tower according to claim 4, characterized in that: the tower comprises a plurality of wind turbine tower reinforcing devices which are arranged along the axial direction of the tower. 6.A wind turbine, characterized in that: the wind turbine comprises a wind turbine assembly and a tower according to claim 4 or 5; the wind turbine assembly is connected to the top end of the tower.

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