Semi-submersible type self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete combined structure wind power tower drum

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of wind power generation, and particularly discloses a semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete combined structure wind power tower drum which comprises a floating foundation, a combined tower drum and universal spherical hinges. The floating foundation and the combined tower drum are movably connected through the universal spherical hinge; a plurality of dampers are arranged on the floating foundation, one end of each damper is hinged to the floating foundation, and the other end of each damper is hinged to the combined tower drum; the dampers are obliquely arranged and used for dissipating swing energy and maintaining the stability of the combined tower drum, and a self-resetting vibration reduction structure is formed under the combined action of the universal spherical hinge and the dampers; the semi-submersible type self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete combined structure wind power tower drum has the advantages that the tower drum structure is efficient in bearing capacity, large in lateral stiffness and not prone to resonance, the bearing capacity of offshore wind power is facilitated, development of the offshore wind power industry is facilitated, and obvious social and economic benefits are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power generation technology, specifically to a semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower. Background Technology

[0002] As a clean energy source, wind power is experiencing increasing demand, leading to a trend towards larger installed capacities to reduce generation costs and improve power output and efficiency. However, this also means increased loads on wind turbine towers, rendering traditional steel towers no longer the optimal choice for offshore wind power. The main reasons for this are as follows: 1. Steel structure towers are prone to buckling failure; 2. Steel structures have a low mass-to-load ratio, and the only way to increase the load-bearing capacity is to increase the wall thickness and diameter, but this will lead to higher transportation and construction costs. 3. Steel structures have large amplitude vibrations under load, and increasing the height will exacerbate structural fatigue problems; 4. The steel structure tower and the wind turbine's natural frequency are close, making them prone to resonance.

[0003] To address these technical issues, a semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower. This tower structure, with its high load-bearing capacity, large lateral stiffness, and resistance to resonance, will benefit the load-bearing capacity of offshore wind power, promote the development of the offshore wind power industry, and have significant socio-economic benefits.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower includes: a floating foundation, a composite tower, and a universal ball joint.

[0006] The floating foundation and the combined tower are configured to be movably connected via the universal ball joint.

[0007] Multiple dampers are installed on the floating foundation. One end of each damper is hinged to the floating foundation, and the other end of each damper is hinged to the combined tower.

[0008] The damper is inclined to dissipate oscillation energy and maintain the stability of the combined tower. Under the combined action of the universal ball joint and the multiple dampers, a self-resetting vibration reduction structure is formed.

[0009] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower is provided, wherein the composite tower includes an outer pipe layer, an inner pipe layer, and a high-strength concrete layer.

[0010] The high-strength concrete layer is fixedly disposed between the outer pipe layer and the inner pipe layer.

[0011] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, the outer tube layer is arranged in a conical tubular shape.

[0012] The inner tube layer is configured as a straight circular tube.

[0013] The high-strength concrete layer is wedge-shaped.

[0014] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, both the outer tube layer and the inner tube layer are welded to the universal ball joint.

[0015] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, the floating foundation includes a main buoy, multiple secondary buoys, and multiple horizontal connecting rods.

[0016] One end of each horizontal connecting rod is fixedly connected to the secondary buoy, and the other end of each horizontal connecting rod is fixedly connected to the main buoy.

[0017] The multiple secondary buoys are arranged in a circular array with the central axis of the main buoy as the array center.

[0018] The universal ball joint is movably connected to the main buoy.

[0019] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, the number of dampers is the same as the number of secondary floats, and the dampers correspond one-to-one with the secondary floats.

[0020] A lower connecting seat is fixedly provided at the top of the secondary pontoon.

[0021] An upper connecting seat is fixedly installed on the combined tower.

[0022] The two ends of the damper are hinged to the lower connecting seat and the upper connecting seat, respectively.

[0023] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, three dampers and three secondary floats are provided.

[0024] The damper is a hydraulic damper.

[0025] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, a diagonal brace is also provided between the main buoy and the secondary buoy.

[0026] The two ends of the diagonal brace are fixedly connected to the main buoy and the secondary buoy, respectively.

[0027] In at least one embodiment of the semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower provided by this disclosure, each of the secondary floats and the main float has two horizontal connecting rods.

[0028] The diagonal brace is located between the two horizontal connecting rods.

[0029] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By mitigating the dynamic response of the floating foundation to the upper wind turbine structure through its sway and pitch, the floating foundation and the combined tower are connected by a universal ball joint, releasing a certain degree of freedom at the connection. At the same time, hydraulic dampers support the relative sway amplitude of the floating foundation and the combined tower, thereby ensuring the basic stability of the tower.

[0030] The interior is a straight circular steel cylinder, and the exterior steel pipe is a frustum-shaped steel cylinder, thus forming two wedge-shaped cavities. The cavities are filled with concrete. This is mainly because the stress state of wind turbine towers generally presents a gradient. The bending moment and shear force on the bottom section are often greater than those on the top section. The bottom section of the wedge-shaped tower has a higher stiffness than the top section, which is consistent with the stress state of wind turbine towers. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a top view of a semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view of a floating foundation.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the combined tower.

[0037] In the picture: 10. Floating foundation; 11. Main buoy; 12. Secondary buoy; 13. Horizontal connecting rod; 14. Diagonal brace; 121. Lower connecting seat 20. Combined tower; 21. Outer pipe layer; 22. Inner pipe layer; 23. High-strength concrete layer; 201. Upper connecting seat; 30. Universal ball joint; 40. Dampers. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments, not all embodiments.

[0039] Example like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower, including a floating foundation 10, a composite tower 20, and a universal ball joint 30.

[0040] Specifically, the floating foundation 10 and the combined tower 20 are configured to be movably connected by a universal ball joint 30, forming a flexible node with a certain degree of freedom. A damper 40 is installed on the floating foundation 10, with one end of the damper 40 hinged to the floating foundation 10 and the other end of the damper 40 hinged to the combined tower 20. The damper 40 is inclined to dissipate oscillating energy and maintain the stability of the combined tower 20, and under the combined action of the universal ball joint 30 and the damper 40, a self-resetting vibration reduction structure is formed.

[0041] The dynamic response of the combined tower 20 caused by the roll and pitch of the floating foundation 10 is weakened by the self-resetting vibration reduction structure. The floating foundation 10 and the combined tower 20 are connected by a universal ball joint to release a certain degree of freedom at the connection. At the same time, the relative swing amplitude of the floating foundation 10 and the combined tower 20 is supported by the damper, thereby ensuring the basic stability of the tower.

[0042] The structure of the combined tower 20 will be further disclosed below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] like Figure 5 As shown, the combined tower 20 includes an outer pipe layer 21, an inner pipe layer 22, and a high-strength concrete layer 23.

[0044] Specifically, the high-strength concrete layer 23 is fixedly disposed between the outer tube layer 21 and the inner tube layer 22. The outer tube layer 21 is a tapered tube, the inner tube layer 22 is a straight circular tube, and the high-strength concrete layer 23 is wedge-shaped.

[0045] The stress state of wind turbine towers generally exhibits a gradient, with the bending moment and shear force at the bottom section often being greater than that at the top section. In contrast, the bottom section of a wedge-shaped tower has a higher stiffness than the top section, which aligns with the stress state of wind turbine towers. Furthermore, steel-concrete towers are "rigid-flexible" structures, with natural frequencies typically between 1P and 3P. Here, 1P is the maximum rotational frequency Pmax of the wind turbine rotor, and 3P refers to three times the minimum rotational frequency of the wind turbine rotor. This is also the frequency at which the blades sweep across the tower, and this range is often considered and avoided during design. The structure's natural frequency avoids the resonant frequency range with the wind turbine, effectively preventing resonance risks. The wedge-shaped cavity between the outer tube layer 21 and the inner tube layer 22 is filled with a high-strength concrete layer 23. This material design improves the structure's load-bearing efficiency, corrosion resistance, ductility, and fatigue performance. This is due to the high ductility and corrosion resistance of stainless steel, the high load-bearing efficiency of high-strength steel, and the inhibitory effect of the cavity-confined high-strength concrete on the buckling of the steel cylinder.

[0046] The outer tube layer 21 is preferably made of austenitic S304 stainless steel, which has excellent corrosion resistance, ductility, and fatigue resistance, making it suitable for long-term exposure to marine environments. This effectively protects the internal high-strength concrete layer 23, inner tube layer 22, and other internal electromechanical equipment from marine corrosion, thereby extending the structure's durability and reducing maintenance costs.

[0047] The inner tube layer 22 is preferably made of high-strength steel of grade Q460 or above. This material has excellent load-bearing efficiency and helps to reduce the self-weight of the structure.

[0048] The high-strength concrete layer 23 is preferably made of high-strength concrete of grade C60 or higher. The high-strength concrete layer 23 provides circumferential support for the outer pipe layer 21 and the inner pipe layer 22, effectively preventing local buckling. Simultaneously, the outer pipe layer 21 and the inner pipe layer 22 effectively limit the circumferential deformation and cracking of the high-strength concrete layer 23, thereby improving the strength and ductility of the concrete. The combined effect of these three elements fully utilizes the material's performance. Furthermore, the high-strength concrete layer 23 is designed as a wedge-shaped structure with a smaller upper section modulus and a larger lower section modulus, meaning the bottom bending capacity is higher than the top section. Under horizontal loads (such as wind loads, pitch and yaw of the wind turbine), the wind turbine tower is often subjected to a gradient bending moment, with the lower part larger than the upper part. Therefore, the wedge-shaped cavity's characteristic of a lower bending capacity aligns with the actual wind power load conditions, which is beneficial for further improving the structure's load-bearing efficiency. Moreover, the wedge-shaped cavity design increases the amount of concrete used while reducing the amount of high-strength steel used in the inner layer, and since the cost of concrete is lower than that of steel, it is beneficial for cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

[0049] In this embodiment, both the outer tube layer 21 and the inner tube layer 22 are welded to the universal ball joint 30.

[0050] The structure of the combined tower 20 will be further disclosed below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the floating foundation 10 includes a main buoy 11, a secondary buoy 12, and a horizontal connecting rod 13.

[0052] Specifically, one end of each horizontal connecting rod 13 is welded to the secondary buoy 12, and the other end of each horizontal connecting rod 13 is welded to the main buoy 11.

[0053] Specifically, the secondary floats 12 are arranged in a ring array with the central axis of the main floats 11 as the array center.

[0054] Specifically, the main float 11 is provided with a movable groove that matches the universal ball joint 30. The ball head of the universal ball joint 30 is assembled in the movable groove, and the main float 11 and the universal ball joint 30 are movably connected through the movable groove. The universal ball joint 30 transforms the traditional rigid node into a flexible node, thereby isolating vibration and achieving a vibration reduction effect. Stainless steel is preferentially selected as the material for the universal ball joint 30 to enhance the durability of the node.

[0055] Specifically, three dampers 40 and three secondary floats 12 are provided, with each damper 40 corresponding to one of the three secondary floats 12. The angle between the secondary floats 12 and the main float 11 is 120°. The buoyancy provided by the main float 11 and the three secondary floats 12 provides vertical bearing capacity for the combined tower 20.

[0056] Specifically, a lower connecting seat 121 is fixedly provided at the top of the secondary buoy 12; an upper connecting seat 201 is fixedly provided on the combined tower 20; and the two ends of the damper 40 are respectively hinged to the lower connecting seat 121 and the upper connecting seat 201.

[0057] For example, both the upper connecting seat 201 and the lower connecting seat 121 are provided with shafts, and both ends of the damper 40 are provided with shaft holes that match the shafts. Both the upper connecting seat 201 and the lower connecting seat 121 are hinged to the damper 40 through the shafts and shaft holes.

[0058] Specifically, three dampers 40 are also provided. The dampers 40 are hydraulic dampers 40.

[0059] Specifically, a diagonal brace 14 is provided between the main buoy 11 and the secondary buoy 12, with both ends of the diagonal brace 14 welded to the main buoy 11 and the secondary buoy 12 respectively; each buoy 12 has two horizontal connecting rods 13 between it and the main buoy 11, and the diagonal brace 14 is located between the two horizontal connecting rods 13.

[0060] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, the scope of protection of this invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be conceived without inventive effort should be covered within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless expressly stated otherwise, no element, action or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or necessary.

Claims

1. A semi-submersible, self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower, characterized in that, include: Floating foundation, combined tower and universal ball joint; The floating foundation and the combined tower are configured to be movably connected via the universal ball joint; Multiple dampers are installed on the floating foundation. One end of the damper is hinged to the floating foundation, and the other end of the damper is hinged to the combined tower. The damper is inclined to dissipate oscillation energy and maintain the stability of the combined tower. Under the combined action of the universal ball joint and the multiple dampers, a self-resetting vibration reduction structure is formed.

2. The semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The combined tower comprises an outer pipe layer, an inner pipe layer, and a high-strength concrete layer. The high-strength concrete layer is fixedly disposed between the outer pipe layer and the inner pipe layer.

3. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite structure wind turbine tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer tube layer is configured in a tapered tubular shape; The inner tube layer is configured as a straight circular tube; The high-strength concrete layer is wedge-shaped.

4. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the outer and inner tube layers are welded to the universal ball joint.

5. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The floating foundation includes a main buoy, multiple secondary buoys, and multiple horizontal connecting rods; One end of each horizontal connecting rod is fixedly connected to the secondary buoy, and the other end of each horizontal connecting rod is fixedly connected to the main buoy. The multiple secondary pontoons are arranged in a circular array with the central axis of the main pontoon as the array center; The universal ball joint is movably connected to the main buoy.

6. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of dampers is the same as the number of secondary floats, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the dampers and the secondary floats; A lower connecting seat is fixedly provided at the top of the secondary pontoon; An upper connecting seat is fixedly provided on the combined tower; The two ends of the damper are hinged to the lower connecting seat and the upper connecting seat, respectively.

7. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 6, characterized in that, Three dampers and three secondary floats are provided; The damper is a hydraulic damper.

8. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 5, characterized in that, A diagonal brace is also provided between the main buoy and the secondary buoy; The two ends of the diagonal brace are fixedly connected to the main buoy and the secondary buoy, respectively.

9. A semi-submersible self-resetting wedge-shaped stainless steel-concrete composite wind turbine tower according to claim 8, characterized in that, Each of the secondary floats has two horizontal connecting rods between it and the main float; The diagonal brace is located between the two horizontal connecting rods.

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