A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers

Abstract

This utility model discloses a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers, applied to wind turbine towers, comprising at least two arc-shaped reinforcement plates and multiple prestressed anchoring components. The inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcement plates is adapted to and fits the outer wall surface of the wind turbine tower. Multiple arc-shaped reinforcement plates are distributed circumferentially along the wind turbine tower and adjacent arc-shaped reinforcement plates are detachably fixed and connected by circumferential connectors to form a reinforcement ring around the tower. The prestressed anchoring components are anchored in the tower wall of the wind turbine tower and penetrate the arc-shaped reinforcement plates to apply radial pre-tightening pressure to the tower. This utility model uses prestressed anchoring and bolt connection, avoiding the quality risks and damage to the base material caused by high-altitude welding. By actively applying radial compressive stress to the tower wall through the prestressed anchoring components, it can effectively offset part of the tensile stress borne by the tower, inhibit crack propagation, and improve the fatigue strength and overall stiffness of the tower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of wind turbine tower reinforcement devices, specifically a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers. Background Technology

[0002] As a key supporting structure for wind turbine generators, wind turbine towers are subjected to various complex alternating loads, including wind loads and turbine operating loads, over long periods. This makes them prone to fatigue damage or structural cracks in stress concentration areas such as tower entrances, welds, and flange connections. With the trend towards larger wind turbines and increasingly taller towers, swaying and stress issues are becoming increasingly prominent.

[0003] Traditional reinforcement methods typically involve welding reinforcing plates to the outside of the tower. However, this method has significant drawbacks: First, high-altitude welding conditions are poor, making it difficult to guarantee weld quality, and the heat-affected zone may damage the original tower material properties; second, welding results in a rigid connection, making it impossible to effectively adjust the preload, and subsequent disassembly is not possible; finally, the welding process requires prolonged downtime, leading to substantial economic losses. Utility Model Content

[0004] (I) Technical Issues

[0005] This invention provides a reinforcement device that requires no welding, is easy to construct, can apply active prestress, and is easy to disassemble, in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] (II) Technical Content

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers, applied to wind turbine towers, comprising at least two arc-shaped reinforcement plates and multiple prestressed anchoring components; the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcement plates is adapted to and fits the outer wall surface of the wind turbine tower; multiple arc-shaped reinforcement plates are distributed along the circumference of the wind turbine tower and adjacent arc-shaped reinforcement plates are detachably fixedly connected by circumferential connectors to form a reinforcement ring surrounding the tower; the prestressed anchoring components are anchored in the tower wall of the wind turbine tower and penetrate the arc-shaped reinforcement plates to apply radial pre-tightening pressure to the tower.

[0008] Furthermore, the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plate is provided with an anti-slip structure, which is a uniformly distributed convex dot or mesh pattern.

[0009] Furthermore, the circumferential connector consists of a connecting plate and bolts. The connecting plate spans the butt joint of two adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates and is fixedly connected to the two arc-shaped reinforcing plates by bolts.

[0010] Furthermore, the prestressed anchoring assembly includes an anchor rod and a nut; one end of the anchor rod is pre-embedded and anchored in a pre-drilled hole inside the wind turbine tower wall, and the other end of the anchor rod passes through a pre-drilled hole in the arc-shaped reinforcing plate and is then locked by the nut.

[0011] Furthermore, stiffening ribs are provided at the through holes corresponding to the anchor rods on the arc-shaped reinforcing plate.

[0012] Furthermore, multiple reinforcing rings are provided along the height of the wind turbine tower.

[0013] (III) Technical Effects

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are as follows: the use of prestressed anchoring and bolt connection avoids the quality risks and damage to the base material caused by high-altitude welding. The prestressed anchoring component actively applies radial compressive stress to the tower wall, which can effectively offset part of the tensile stress borne by the tower, inhibit crack propagation, and improve the fatigue strength and overall rigidity of the tower. The arc-shaped reinforcing plate can be customized according to different tower diameters, and the modular design allows for flexible disassembly or replacement, which is conducive to the reuse of resources. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to this utility model.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to this utility model.

[0020] As shown in the figure: 1. Arc-shaped reinforcing plate; 2. Prestressed anchoring assembly; 3. Wind turbine tower; 4. Circumferential connector; 11. Anti-slip structure; 21. Anchor rod; 22. Nut; 12. Stiffening rib; 41. Connecting plate; 42. Bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0021] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "center", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation structure and operation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0022] In the description of this utility model, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "provided with," "installed," "connected," "linked," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Combined with appendix Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers, applied to a wind turbine tower 3, includes at least two arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 and multiple prestressed anchoring components 2; the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 is adapted to and fits against the outer wall surface of the wind turbine tower 3; the multiple arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 are distributed circumferentially along the wind turbine tower 3 and adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 are detachably fixedly connected by circumferential connectors 4, forming a reinforcing ring around the tower; the prestressed anchoring components 2 are anchored to the tower of the wind turbine tower 3. An arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 is inserted through the wall to apply radial pre-tightening pressure to the tower. Multiple reinforcing rings are arranged along the height direction of the wind turbine tower 3. According to the stress conditions and reinforcement requirements of different height sections of the tower, the assembled reinforcing rings are installed at the positions of the pre-set prestressed anchoring components 2. The multiple reinforcing rings act on different stress concentration areas of the tower and apply radial compressive stress to the tower through their respective prestressed anchoring components 2, forming a multi-point, segmented reinforcement system.

[0025] An anti-slip structure 11 is provided on the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1. The anti-slip structure 11 consists of uniformly distributed protrusions or a mesh pattern. The anti-slip structure 11 can increase the friction between the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 and the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3. When the wind turbine tower 3 experiences slight swaying or deformation due to load, the anti-slip structure 11 can effectively prevent relative slippage between the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 and the outer wall of the tower.

[0026] In this embodiment, as a preferred technical solution, the circumferential connector 4 consists of a connecting plate 41 and a bolt 42. The connecting plate 41 spans the joint between two adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 and is fixedly connected to the two arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 by the bolt 42.

[0027] In this embodiment, as a preferred technical solution, the prestressed anchoring assembly 2 includes an anchor rod 21 and a nut 22; one end of the anchor rod 21 is pre-embedded and anchored in a pre-drilled hole inside the tower wall of the wind turbine tower 3, and the other end of the anchor rod 21 passes through a pre-drilled hole on the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 and is locked by the nut 22; stiffening ribs 12 are provided on the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 at the through hole corresponding to the anchor rod 21.

[0028] The working principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0029] 1. During the manufacturing stage of the wind turbine tower 3, the prestressed anchoring components 2 are pre-installed in areas requiring reinforcement (such as stress concentration points like tower doors, welds, and flange connections). Specifically, holes are drilled at predetermined locations on the tower wall of the wind turbine tower 3, and one end of the anchor rod 21 in the prestressed anchoring component 2 is permanently anchored into the drilled hole in the tower wall of the wind turbine tower 3 using a pre-embedded method. This ensures a firm and secure connection between the anchor rod 21 and the tower wall, with the other end of the anchor rod 21 extending outwards from the tower to provide a connection interface for the subsequent installation of the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1. This completes the pre-installation of the prestressed anchoring components 2 on the wind turbine tower 3.

[0030] 2. Based on the pre-set anchor bolt 21 and the tower diameter of the wind turbine tower 3, select at least two arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 whose inner arc surfaces are compatible with the outer wall surface of the wind turbine tower 3, and pre-drill through holes on the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 corresponding to the position and size of the anchor bolt 21. During installation, align the through holes of the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 with the pre-extended anchor bolt 21 on the wind turbine tower 3, and fit the through holes of the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 onto the anchor bolt 21, so that the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 is tightly fitted to the area of ​​the wind turbine tower 3 that needs reinforcement, ensuring that there is no gap between the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 and the outer wall of the tower.

[0031] 3. Using a circumferential connector 4, two adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 distributed around the circumference of the wind turbine tower 3 are detachably fixed. In specific operation, the connecting plate 41 is straddled at the joint of the adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1, so that the connecting plate 41 covers the joint edge of the two arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 at the same time. Then, bolts 42 are passed through the pre-set mounting holes on the connecting plate 41 and the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 and tightened until all the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 together form a complete reinforcing ring around the wind turbine tower 3 through the circumferential connector 4, forming a ring-shaped support structure for the local area of ​​the tower. Stiffening ribs 12 are provided at the through holes on the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 corresponding to the anchor rods 21. The stiffening ribs 12 can enhance the local structural strength of the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 at the through hole positions, and prevent the arc-shaped reinforcing plates 1 from deforming or being damaged due to excessive local stress when prestressing is applied later.

[0032] 4. After the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 is assembled through the circumferential connector 4 and fitted onto the anchor rod 21, prestressing is applied. A nut 22 is fitted onto the end of the anchor rod 21 extending from the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 in the prestressed anchoring assembly 2. The nut 22 is tightened using a special tool. During tightening, the nut 22 generates axial pressure on the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1. This pressure is transmitted through the arc-shaped reinforcing plate 1 to the outer wall of the wind turbine tower 3, ultimately causing the prestressed anchoring assembly 2 to apply radial prestressing pressure to the tower wall of the wind turbine tower 3. This radial prestressing pressure actively generates compressive stress within the tower wall. When the wind turbine tower 3 is subjected to complex alternating loads such as wind loads and turbine operating loads over a long period, and tensile stress is generated in the stress concentration area, the radial compressive stress applied by the prestressed anchoring assembly 2 can effectively offset some of the tensile stress, reducing the actual peak stress on the tower wall, thereby inhibiting fatigue damage and the propagation of structural cracks.

[0033] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive. The accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention. In short, if a person skilled in the art is inspired by this description and designs a similar structure and embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention, such design should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers, applied to wind turbine towers (3), characterized in that, It includes at least two arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) and multiple prestressed anchoring components (2); the inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plate (1) is adapted to and fits the outer wall surface of the wind turbine tower (3); multiple arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) are distributed along the circumference of the wind turbine tower (3) and adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) are detachably fixedly connected by circumferential connectors (4) to form a reinforcing ring around the tower; the prestressed anchoring components (2) are anchored in the tower wall of the wind turbine tower (3) and penetrate the arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) to apply radial pre-tightening pressure to the tower.

2. The reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner arc surface of the arc-shaped reinforcing plate (1) is provided with an anti-slip structure (11), which is a uniformly distributed convex dot or mesh pattern.

3. A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The circumferential connector (4) consists of a connecting plate (41) and a bolt (42). The connecting plate (41) spans the butt joint of two adjacent arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) and is fixedly connected to the two arc-shaped reinforcing plates (1) by the bolt (42).

4. The reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The prestressed anchoring assembly (2) includes an anchor rod (21) and a nut (22); one end of the anchor rod (21) is pre-embedded and anchored in a pre-drilled hole inside the tower wall of the wind turbine tower (3), and the other end of the anchor rod (21) passes through a pre-drilled hole on the arc-shaped reinforcing plate (1) and is locked by the nut (22).

5. A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to claim 4, characterized in that: The arc-shaped reinforcing plate (1) is provided with stiffening ribs (12) at the through holes corresponding to the anchor rod (21).

6. A reinforcement device for wind turbine towers according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple reinforcing rings are provided along the height direction of the wind turbine tower (3).

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