A multi-directional vibration damping device for a wind turbine tower

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-directional vibration damping device for a wind turbine tower, belonging to the technical field of wind turbine generators. The device comprises a wind turbine tower and a vibration damper; the vibration damper is provided on the wind turbine tower; the vibration damper comprises a vibration damping seat and a vibration damping body; the vibration damping seat is constructed with a mounting cavity, and a vibration damping airbag is provided on the inner side wall of the mounting cavity; the vibration damping seat is covered with a cover plate, and the vibration damping body is movably installed in the mounting cavity; the present invention installs the vibration damper on the wind turbine tower. When the wind turbine tower vibrates, the vibration damping seat is driven to vibrate, and the vibration damping body moves freely and irregularly in two-dimensional directions in the vibration damping seat. When the vibration damping body collides with the vibration damping airbag, the momentum exchange during the collision and the plastic deformation of the vibration damping airbag convert the vibration kinetic energy of the wind turbine tower into heat energy or other forms of energy dissipation. This process is repeated to absorb and damp the vibration of the wind turbine tower, thereby effectively suppressing vibration and protecting the wind turbine tower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wind turbines, and in particular to a multi-directional vibration damping device for a wind turbine tower. Background Art

[0002] A wind turbine is a type of power machine that converts wind energy into mechanical energy.

[0003] A wind turbine typically consists of a tower, a wind turbine mounted on it, and other components. The tower is a tall structure characterized by low overall stiffness and a low resonant frequency. During tower installation and operation, when natural wind blows through the cylindrical tower, boundary layer separation generates vortices, leading to vortex-induced vibration (lateral vibration) of the tower. This vibration becomes increasingly severe as wind speed increases.

[0004] When the frequency of vortex shedding at the top of the tower matches the overall turbine frequency, the entire unit will experience lateral resonance perpendicular to the wind direction. Long-term resonance can cause fatigue damage to the wind turbine, which in turn shortens the service life of the tower and causes premature fatigue. This means the actual tower lifespan will be much shorter than its designed lifespan.

[0005] Currently, to eliminate the destructive lateral vibration of wind turbine towers caused by natural wind, the tower's stiffness is typically increased. While increasing the tower's stiffness does have a certain vibration reduction effect, it is ineffective for the entire unit and significantly increases the cost of wind turbine operation, significantly reducing the unit's economic viability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve or partially solve the problems existing in the related art, the present invention provides a multi-directional vibration damping device for a wind turbine tower, which is intended to reduce the vibration of the wind turbine tower.

[0007] The above-mentioned wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device comprises a wind turbine tower and a vibration damper;

[0008] The wind turbine tower is provided with a vibration damper, and the vibration damper is distributed at a position 1 / 3 away from the top of the wind turbine tower;

[0009] The vibration damper includes a vibration damping seat and a vibration damping body;

[0010] The vibration damping seat is provided with a mounting cavity, and a vibration damping airbag is provided on the inner side wall of the mounting cavity; the vibration damping seat is provided with a cover plate to close the mounting cavity;

[0011] A vibration damper is movably installed in the installation cavity, the height of the vibration damper matches the height of the installation cavity, and the size of the vibration damper is adjustable, so as to adjust the gap between the vibration damper and the vibration damping airbag;

[0012] When the wind turbine tower vibrates, the vibration-damping seat is driven to vibrate, thereby causing the vibration-damping body to move in the installation cavity and collide with the vibration-damping airbag.

[0013] In some solutions, the vibration damping body includes a base plate, an adjustment screw, and a collision plate;

[0014] A central helical gear is rotatably mounted in the middle of the base plate;

[0015] The bottom plate is provided with adjusting screws at even intervals around its circumference, and the adjusting screws extend in the radial direction of the bottom plate. A small helical gear is provided at one end of the adjusting screw, and the small helical gear is meshed with the central helical gear; a ball screw push plate is provided on the adjusting screw;

[0016] A push rod is provided on the ball screw push plate. The push rod is extended along the radial direction of the base plate. A collision plate is provided at the outer end of the push rod.

[0017] In some embodiments, the bottom plate is evenly distributed with counterweight boxes.

[0018] In some solutions, an adjusting rod is provided on the central bevel gear, and the upper end of the adjusting rod passes through the cover plate and extends upward.

[0019] In some embodiments, a lubrication pad is provided on the bottom plate.

[0020] In some embodiments, the collision plate is arc-shaped, and an elastic pad is provided on the outer side of the collision plate.

[0021] In some embodiments, a connecting ear is provided on the outer circumference of the vibration damping seat.

[0022] The technical solution provided by the present invention can have the following beneficial effects:

[0023] The present application installs a vibration damper on the wind turbine tower. When the wind turbine tower vibrates, the vibration damping seat is driven to vibrate. The vibration damping body moves freely and irregularly in two-dimensional directions in the vibration damping seat, that is, moves upward, downward, leftward and rightward. When the vibration damping body collides with the vibration damping airbag, the vibration kinetic energy of the wind turbine tower is converted into heat energy or other forms of energy dissipation through momentum exchange and plastic deformation of the vibration damping airbag during the collision process. This process is repeated to absorb and damp the vibration of the wind turbine tower, thereby effectively suppressing the vibration and protecting the wind turbine tower.

[0024] The technical solution provided by the present invention may also include the following beneficial effects:

[0025] 1. The vibration damper can move freely within a plane and has multi-directional vibration reduction capabilities, which can meet the auxiliary vibration reduction requirements of the multi-directional vibrations suffered by the wind turbine tower. However, the movable bodies of most collision-type vibration dampers on the market will be restricted in vibration direction by slide rails or guide rails, thus failing to meet the vibration reduction requirements of the multi-directional vibrations generated by the wind turbine tower.

[0026] 2. The overall size of the shock absorber is small. Although a single shock absorber cannot effectively reduce vibration, the shock absorber can be installed flat in the horizontal direction and stacked in the vertical direction, so that it can be flexibly assembled according to the needs of actual working conditions.

[0027] 3. The ball screw of the vibration damper has a certain self-locking ability. When the vibration damper collides, the collision plate will basically not rebound to the vibration damper due to the reaction force of the collision with the vibration damping airbag.

[0028] 4. A counterweight box is provided inside the vibration damper, which can increase or decrease the mass of the vibration damper according to working conditions.

[0029] 5. The cover plate is provided with through holes at the position corresponding to the telescopic length range of the collision plate of the shock absorber, which makes it possible to visualize the collision gap between the shock absorber and the airbag when it is necessary to adjust it, and to adjust it directly without removing the large top cover.

[0030] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals generally represent like components throughout the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of the installation of a vibration damper of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vibration damper of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a vibration damper of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vibration damping body of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a bottom plate of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of an adjusting screw, a ball screw push plate, and a push rod of a wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of point A;

[0039] Reference numerals:

[0040] 1. Wind turbine tower; 2. Vibration absorber; 201. Vibration damping seat; 2011. Mounting cavity; 2012. Connecting ear; 2013. Lubrication pad; 2014. Cover plate; 202. Vibration damping body; 2021. Bottom plate; 2022. Adjusting screw; 2023. Collision plate; 2024. Center bevel gear; 2025. Small bevel gear; 2026. Counterweight box; 2027. Adjusting rod; 2028. Ball screw push plate; 2029. Push rod; 203. Vibration damping airbag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents described above.

[0042] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the present application provides a multi-directional vibration damping device for a wind turbine tower, wherein a vibration damper 2 is provided on the wind turbine tower 1. Specifically, the number and position of the vibration damper 2 are set according to the vibration state of the wind turbine tower 1, and are generally set at a position where a larger vibration amplitude will be generated, such as arranging the vibration damper 2 at a position 1 / 3 away from the top of the wind turbine tower 1, and evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wind turbine tower 1.

[0043] The shock absorber 2 includes a shock absorber seat 201 and a shock absorber body 202; the shock absorber seat 201 is roughly a hollow cylindrical structure with a closed lower end. The internal hollow cavity is an installation cavity 2011, and a shock absorber airbag 203 is provided on the inner wall of the installation cavity 2011. The shock absorber airbag 203 is in a circular ring shape and completely covers the inner wall of the installation cavity 2011.

[0044] The vibration damping seat 201 is covered with a cover plate 2014 to close the installation cavity 2011 so that the components in the installation cavity 2011 will not fall out of the installation cavity 2011; in some specific embodiments, the cover plate 2014 is provided with a through hole to facilitate staff to observe the condition of the components in the installation cavity 2011.

[0045] A vibration damper 202 is movably installed in the installation cavity 2011. Specifically, the vibration damper 202 is roughly cylindrical, and the height of the vibration damper 202 matches the height of the installation cavity 2011. The diameter of the vibration damper 202 is smaller than the inner diameter of the installation cavity 2011, and the size is adjustable, so as to adjust the gap between the outer circumference of the vibration damper 202 and the vibration damping airbag 203. The adjustable gap has the following advantages: 1. By adjusting the gap, the relative speed and contact time during the collision can be controlled, thereby adjusting the efficiency of energy dissipation. For example, a larger gap allows for greater displacement, resulting in higher collision speeds and potentially enhanced energy absorption capacity. A smaller gap shortens collision time and reduces peak impact force, making it suitable for light-load or high-frequency vibration scenarios. 2. Adjusting the gap in response to load changes (such as heavy or light loads), environmental conditions (temperature and humidity), or equipment operating modes (such as start and stop) under different working conditions can ensure that the shock absorber maintains optimal performance in different scenarios. 3. A reasonable gap can reduce the impact force during a collision and prevent fatigue or damage to the shock absorber or connecting components due to long-term overload. 4. Changing the gap can adjust the system's natural frequency to avoid resonance with external excitation frequencies, thereby suppressing vibration amplification. Compared to a fixed-size shock absorber 202, this application can adapt to variable working conditions (load, frequency, environment); dynamically adjust energy absorption and impact force to optimize the vibration reduction effect; and support active adjustment to enhance the system's dynamic response capability.

[0046] When the wind turbine tower 1 vibrates, the vibration damping seat 201 is driven to vibrate, and the vibration damping body 202 will perform irregular free movement in the vibration damping seat 201 in two-dimensional directions, that is, move upward, downward, leftward, and rightward. When the vibration damping body 202 collides with the vibration damping airbag 203, the vibration kinetic energy of the wind turbine tower 1 is converted into heat energy or other forms of energy dissipation through momentum exchange and plastic deformation of the vibration damping airbag 203 during the collision process, and this process is repeated to absorb and damp the vibration of the wind turbine tower 1, thereby effectively suppressing the vibration and protecting the wind turbine tower 1.

[0047] During use, since the vibration reduction effect of a single vibration absorber 2 is limited, multiple vibration absorbers 2 can be installed horizontally or vertically stacked on the surface of the wind turbine tower 1 according to actual needs to achieve the required vibration reduction effect.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2-Figure 7 As shown, the vibration damping body 202 includes a base plate 2021, an adjusting screw 2022, and a collision plate 2023;

[0049] A central helical gear 2024 is rotatably mounted in the middle of the base plate 2021; adjusting screws 2022 are evenly spaced around the circumference of the base plate 2021. Specifically, four adjusting screws 2022 are provided, and the adjusting screws 2022 extend in the radial direction of the base plate 2021; a small helical gear 2025 is provided at the inner end of the adjusting screw 2022, and the small helical gear 2025 is meshed with the central helical gear 2024; a ball screw push plate 2028 is provided on the adjusting screw 2022, and the adjusting screw 2022 and the ball screw push plate 2028 constitute a ball screw mechanism;

[0050] A push rod 2029 is provided on the ball screw push plate 2028, and the push rod 2029 is extended along the radial direction of the base plate 2021. A collision plate 2023 is provided at the outer end of the push rod 2029. Specifically, the number of collision plates 2023 is the same as the number of ball screws, that is, four, in an arc shape. The circle surrounded by the four collision plates 2023 is adapted to the size of the base plate 2021.

[0051] When the center bevel gear 2024 is rotated, the center bevel gear 2024 drives the adjusting screw 2022 to rotate through the small bevel gear 2025, thereby driving the ball screw push plate 2028 to move along the adjusting screw 2022, and then driving the collision plate 2023 to approach the middle of the base plate 2021 or away from the middle of the base plate 2021. In this process, since the collision plate 2023 is the outermost component of the vibration damping body 202, when the collision plate 2023 moves outward, the overall diameter of the vibration damping body 202 increases, and the gap between the collision plate 2023 and the vibration damping airbag 203 becomes smaller, that is, the gap between the vibration damping body 202 and the vibration damping airbag 203 becomes smaller, thereby achieving the purpose of adjustable size of the vibration damping body 202.

[0052] In this specific embodiment, the base plate 2021 is evenly distributed with counterweight boxes 2026. Specifically, the counterweight boxes 2026 are composed of a box body and a box cover. When in use, different materials can be put into the counterweight boxes 2026 as needed, thereby changing the overall weight of the vibration damper 202; by increasing or decreasing the mass of the counterweight boxes 2026, the total mass of the vibration damper 202 is changed, thereby adjusting the natural frequency of the vibration damper, so that the natural frequency of the vibration damper 202 avoids the external excitation frequency (such as equipment operation vibration) and avoids resonance amplification of vibration; the mass change of the vibration damper 202 directly affects the inertial force and energy transfer efficiency during collision, for example, increasing the mass can enhance the inertial effect and enhance the absorption capacity of low-frequency and large-amplitude vibrations; while reducing the mass can reduce the inertia, which is suitable for rapid response to high-frequency and small-amplitude vibrations; it can adapt to variable working conditions and adjust the mass to match the vibration characteristics under different working conditions according to load changes; the residual kinetic energy of the vibration damper after collision may cause secondary vibration, and the motion attenuation process after collision can be optimized by mass adjustment. Therefore, such a design gives the present application the following advantages: 1. It can dynamically adapt to changes in load, frequency, and working conditions according to the needs of different working conditions; 2. It can flexibly avoid the resonance zone through mass adjustment and suppress the resonance as much as possible; 3. It can optimize the energy dissipation of the vibration reduction device according to different impact speeds and amplitudes of the main mechanical structure; 4. It can balance the inertia effect of the vibration reduction body and reduce the unbalanced vibration of the vibration reduction body; 5. By adjusting the mass of the vibration reduction body during long-term use, the life of the components can be extended and the replacement cost can be reduced.

[0053] In this specific embodiment, an adjustment rod 2027 is provided on the center bevel gear 2024, and the upper end of the adjustment rod 2027 passes through the cover plate 2014 and extends upward to facilitate the user to rotate the center bevel gear 2024, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the size of the gap between the vibration damping body 202 and the vibration damping airbag 203.

[0054] In this specific embodiment, a lubricating pad 2013 is provided on the bottom plate 2021 to effectively reduce the friction between the contact surfaces when the vibration damper 202 moves freely in the vibration damper seat 201, making the collision of the vibration damper 202 smoother.

[0055] In this specific embodiment, an elastic pad is provided on the outer side of the collision plate 2023 to assist in vibration reduction when the collision plate 2023 collides with the vibration-damping airbag 203 .

[0056] In some specific embodiments, a connecting ear 2012 is provided on the outer circumference of the vibration damping seat 201 to facilitate the installation of the vibration damper 2 .

[0057] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or improvements to existing technologies, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device, characterized by: It includes a wind turbine tower (1) and a vibration damper (2); A vibration damper (2) is provided on the wind turbine tower (1), and the vibration damper (2) is distributed at a position 1 / 3 away from the top of the wind turbine tower (1); The vibration damper (2) comprises a vibration damping seat (201) and a vibration damping body (202); The vibration damping seat (201) is provided with a mounting cavity (2011), and a vibration damping airbag (203) is provided on the inner side wall of the mounting cavity (2011); the vibration damping seat (201) is covered with a cover plate (214) to seal the mounting cavity (2011); A vibration damping body (202) is movably installed in the installation cavity (2011), the height of the vibration damping body (202) matches the height of the installation cavity (2011), and the size of the vibration damping body (202) is adjustable, thereby adjusting the gap between the vibration damping body (202) and the vibration damping airbag (203); When the wind turbine tower (1) vibrates, the vibration damping seat (201) is driven to vibrate, thereby causing the vibration damping body (202) to move within the installation cavity (2011) and collide with the vibration damping airbag (203); The vibration damping body (202) comprises a base plate (2021), an adjusting screw (2022), and a collision plate (2023); A central helical gear (224) is rotatably mounted in the middle of the base plate (221); Adjustment screws (2022) are evenly spaced around the circumference of the base plate (2021), and the adjustment screws (2022) extend in the radial direction of the base plate (2021). A small helical gear (2025) is provided at one end of the adjustment screw (2022), and the small helical gear (2025) is meshed with the central helical gear (2024). A ball screw push disc (2028) is provided on the adjustment screw (2022). A push rod (2029) is provided on the ball screw push disc (2028), and the push rod (2029) is extended along the radial direction of the base plate (2021). A collision plate (2023) is provided at the outer end of the push rod (2029).

2. The wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom plate (2021) is evenly distributed with counterweight boxes (2026).

3. The wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An adjusting rod (2027) is provided on the central bevel gear (2024), and the upper end of the adjusting rod (2027) passes through the cover plate (2014) and extends upward.

4. The wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A lubrication pad (2013) is provided on the bottom plate (2021).

5. The wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collision plate (2023) is in an arc shape, and an elastic pad is provided on the outer side surface of the collision plate (2023).

6. The wind turbine tower multi-directional vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting ear (2012) is provided on the outer circumference of the vibration damping seat (201).

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