Offshore wind turbine tower environmental control device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an offshore wind power tower drum environment control device, it includes annular base, multidirectional flow guide component, partition sensing support and adjustable dehumidification channel, annular base is located in tower drum inner wall middle section, is distributed vertical through groove on it and is connected water collecting disc, multidirectional flow guide component contains flow guide plate, rotating shaft and linkage gear ring, realizes flow guide plate synchronous deflection, and partition sensing support is equipped with the temperature and humidity probe of circumferential arrangement, and adjustable dehumidification channel includes main air duct, branch air pipe and the adjusting baffle of linkage control by flow guide plate. The present application can realize the independent monitoring and local airflow regulation of the temperature and humidity of multiple areas in the tower drum.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wind power engines, and in particular to an environmental control device for offshore wind turbine towers. Background Technology

[0002] As a key structure supporting wind turbine generators, the internal environmental control of offshore wind turbine towers plays a crucial role in ensuring the long-term stable operation of the equipment. In the harsh environment of high humidity and salt spray at sea, moisture and corrosive gases easily accumulate inside the tower, potentially adversely affecting electrical equipment, metal components, and control systems. To maintain a suitable working environment inside the tower, measures such as ventilation, dehumidification, or sealing are typically employed for environmental control. Existing environmental control devices mostly use fans or dehumidification units to replace or treat the air inside the tower as a whole, reducing humidity and suppressing corrosion risks. However, in practical applications, these devices often struggle to achieve precise zoned control based on temperature and humidity changes in different areas inside the tower. Furthermore, their response speed and adjustment accuracy are limited when dealing with sudden moisture intrusion or localized condensation, thus affecting the stability and reliability of the overall environmental control effect. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this utility model is to provide an environmental control device for offshore wind turbine towers, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] This utility model is implemented as follows: an environmental control device for offshore wind turbine towers, comprising an annular base, multi-directional flow guide components, zoned sensing supports, and adjustable dehumidification channels, wherein:

[0005] The annular base is fixedly installed in the middle section of the inner wall of the tower, with its outer circumferential surface fitting against the inner wall of the tower and its inner circumferential surface forming an annular cavity. The upper surface of the annular base has multiple vertical through grooves evenly distributed along the circumference, each vertical through groove penetrating the upper and lower end faces of the annular base. The bottom of the annular base is provided with a water collection tray, the edge of which is sealed to the bottom surface of the annular base to collect condensate droplets.

[0006] The multi-directional flow assembly includes several guide plates, a rotating shaft, and a linkage gear ring. The number of guide plates is the same as the number of vertical through slots. Each guide plate is vertically arranged in the corresponding vertical through slot, and its upper and lower ends are rotatably connected to the upper and lower inner walls of the vertical through slot, respectively. The rotating shaft passes through the middle of the guide plate and is fixed thereto. The two ends of the rotating shaft extend beyond the upper and lower surfaces of the annular base, respectively. The linkage gear ring is sleeved on the lower end of all rotating shafts and meshes with the gears at the lower end of each rotating shaft, so that the rotation of any guide plate drives the other guide plates to deflect synchronously.

[0007] The partitioned sensing bracket is fixedly connected above the annular base and includes a horizontal support ring, several sensing arms, and temperature and humidity probes. The outer diameter of the horizontal support ring is smaller than the inner diameter of the tower, and its lower surface is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the annular base. The sensing arms extend outward at equal intervals along the circumference of the horizontal support ring, and a temperature and humidity probe is fixedly installed at the end of each sensing arm. The temperature and humidity probes face different areas of the inner wall of the tower and are used to collect local environmental parameters.

[0008] The adjustable dehumidification channel includes a main air duct, branch air ducts, and adjusting baffles. The main air duct is vertically arranged along the tower axis, with its lower end passing through an annular base and connecting to an external dehumidification device, and its upper end extending upward to near the top of the tower. The number of branch air ducts is the same as the number of vertical through slots. One end of each branch air duct is connected to the side wall of the main air duct, and the other end passes through the corresponding vertical through slot and faces a specific area on the inner wall of the tower. The adjusting baffles are hinged at the outlet of each branch air duct, and their rotation angle is controlled by the position of the corresponding guide plate to adjust the outlet cross-sectional area of ​​the branch air duct.

[0009] Optionally, the surface of the guide plate is provided with a micropore array, the pore size of the micropore array gradually increases from the center of the guide plate to the edge, so as to form a gradient negative pressure zone when the airflow passes through, thereby enhancing the adsorption capacity for local humid air.

[0010] Optionally, an angle indicator disk is fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft. An angle scale line is engraved on the outer edge of the angle indicator disk. A fixed pointer is provided on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring for reading the current deflection angle of the guide plate.

[0011] Optionally, the bottom of the water collection tray is provided with a drain interface, which is connected to the drainage system at the bottom of the tower through a hose. The inner bottom surface of the water collection tray is conical, and the top of the cone is located directly above the drain interface to facilitate the collection and discharge of condensate.

[0012] Optionally, the inner wall of the main air duct is coated with an anti-corrosion coating, which is composed of epoxy resin and nano-silica, and has a thickness of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0013] Optionally, an electric heating wire is embedded inside the wall of the branch duct. The electric heating wire is spirally arranged along the axial direction of the branch duct to preheat the outflowing gas under low temperature and high humidity conditions and prevent condensation at the outlet.

[0014] Optionally, a protective cover is also fixedly installed on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring. The protective cover is a hemispherical shell with its opening facing downwards, covering all the sensing arms and temperature and humidity probes. Several ventilation slits are provided on the side wall of the protective cover. The width of the ventilation slits is less than five millimeters to block salt spray particles from entering while allowing air to circulate.

[0015] Optionally, the outer side of the linkage gear ring is provided with a manual adjustment handle, which passes through the guide hole in the side wall of the annular base and has anti-slip texture at its outer end, for manually adjusting the angle of the guide plate when there is no power supply.

[0016] Optionally, the inner circumferential surface of the annular base is provided with an annular sealing strip, which is made of fluororubber and has a rectangular cross-section. The sealing strip is used to fill the assembly gap between the annular base and the inner wall of the tower to prevent untreated humid air from flowing around it.

[0017] The environmental control device for offshore wind turbine towers provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] This offshore wind turbine tower environmental control device, through the coordinated arrangement of a ring-shaped base and multi-directional airflow components, divides the internal space of the tower into multiple independent airflow sensing and processing zones. Temperature and humidity probes on the zone sensing brackets acquire environmental data for each zone in real time. Operators manually adjust the angle of the guide vanes based on the data, changing the degree of obstruction of the branch duct outlets by the guide vanes, thereby controlling the suction intensity of each branch duct. When a sudden increase in humidity or signs of condensation occur in a certain area, the opening of the branch duct in that area can be increased accordingly, allowing the negative pressure airflow in the main duct to preferentially draw in humid air from this area. After being treated by external dehumidification equipment, the air is then discharged back into the tower, achieving localized rapid humidification. Intervention; the micropore array on the surface of the guide plate generates a Venturi effect under the action of airflow, further enhancing the capture efficiency of air in high humidity areas; the design of the water collection tray and the conical bottom surface ensures that condensate is discharged in time and avoids secondary evaporation; the electric heating wire built into the branch duct can be activated in the cold season to maintain the outlet temperature above the dew point and prevent the pipe opening from freezing and blocking; the breathable slit structure of the protective cover effectively isolates salt spray corrosion and ensures long-term stable operation of the sensing elements; the entire device does not rely on electronic controllers or complex algorithms, but achieves zoned response and precise control through mechanical linkage and structural design alone, significantly improving the reliability and adaptability of the internal environmental control of offshore wind turbine towers. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the annular base in this utility model.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0024] 1. Annular base; 2. Vertical through groove; 3. Water collection tray; 4. Drainage interface; 5. Guide plate; 6. Rotating shaft; 7. Linkage gear ring; 8. Angle indicator; 9. Fixed pointer; 10. Horizontal support ring; 11. Sensor arm; 12. Temperature and humidity probe; 13. Protective cover; 14. Ventilation slit; 15. Main air duct; 16. Branch air duct; 17. Adjustable baffle; 18. Micropore array; 19. Annular sealing strip; 20. Manual adjustment handle; 21. Guide hole; 22. Anti-corrosion coating; 23. Electric heating wire. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 4 This utility model provides an environmental control device for offshore wind turbine towers. The device is installed in the middle section of the offshore wind turbine tower and is used to sense temperature and humidity and selectively extract humid air from different locations and heights within the tower. The overall structure of the device includes four main parts: a ring-shaped base 1, a multi-directional airflow assembly, a zoned sensing support, and an adjustable dehumidification channel. These parts are mechanically connected and work in conjunction with the airflow channel to form an environmental control system that can achieve zoned response without the need for an electronic control unit.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 The annular base 1 is a circular structural component, with its outer circumferential surface tightly fitted to the inner wall of the tower, and its inner circumferential surface enclosing an annular cavity. Multiple vertical grooves 2 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the upper surface of the annular base 1, each groove 2 penetrating the upper and lower end faces of the annular base 1, forming a channel for airflow. A water collection tray 3 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular base 1, with its edge sealed to the bottom surface of the annular base 1, forming a closed space for condensate collection. The inner bottom surface of the water collection tray 3 is conical, with the apex facing the drain port 4. The drain port 4 is located at the center of the bottom of the water collection tray 3 and is connected to the drainage system at the bottom of the tower via a flexible hose. An annular sealing strip 19, made of fluororubber and with a rectangular cross-section, is also provided on the inner circumferential surface of the annular base 1 to fill the assembly gap between the annular base 1 and the inner wall of the tower, preventing untreated humid air from flowing around the gap into the annular cavity.

[0028] Reference Figure 2The multi-directional flow assembly includes a flow guide plate 5, a rotating shaft 6, a linkage gear ring 7, an angle indicator 8, a fixed pointer 9, gears, and a manual adjustment handle 20. The number of flow guide plates 5 matches the number of vertical through slots 2. Each flow guide plate 5 is vertically positioned inside its corresponding vertical through slot 2, with its upper and lower ends rotatably connected to the upper and lower inner walls of the vertical through slot 2 via bearings. The rotating shaft 6 passes through the middle of each flow guide plate 5 and is fixedly connected thereto. Its upper and lower ends extend beyond the upper and lower surfaces of the annular base 1, respectively. A gear is fixedly mounted at the lower end of the rotating shaft 6. All gears mesh with the same linkage gear ring 7, which is fitted inside the bottom of the annular base 1. A manual adjustment handle 20 is located on its outer edge, passing through a guide hole 21 in the side wall of the annular base 1. The outer end of the manual adjustment handle has anti-slip textures for easy manual operation. When the manual adjustment handle 20 is rotated, the linkage gear ring 7 drives all gears to rotate synchronously, thereby driving all flow guide plates 5 to deflect synchronously by the same angle. An angle indicator disk 8 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 6. An angle indicator disk 8 has angle scale lines engraved on its outer edge. A fixed pointer 9 is provided on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring 10. The fixed pointer 9 points to the scale line of the angle indicator disk 8 and is used to read the current deflection angle of the guide plate 5. The surface of the guide plate 5 is provided with a micropore array 18. The pore size of the micropore array 18 gradually increases from the center to the edge of the guide plate 5. When the airflow passes through, it forms a negative pressure gradient that decreases from the center to the edge, which enhances the adsorption capacity of air in high humidity areas.

[0029] Reference Figure 3 The partitioned sensing bracket is fixedly connected above the annular base 1 and includes a horizontal support ring 10, several sensing arms 11, temperature and humidity probes 12, and a protective cover 13. The horizontal support ring 10 is a circular metal component with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the tower. Its lower surface is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the annular base 1 by bolts. The sensing arms 11 extend horizontally outward at equal intervals along the circumference of the horizontal support ring 10. A temperature and humidity probe 12 is fixedly installed at the end of each sensing arm 11. The temperature and humidity probes 12 face different areas of the inner wall of the tower and are used to collect local temperature and humidity data in the corresponding directions. A protective cover 13 is also fixedly installed on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring 10. The protective cover 13 is a hemispherical shell with an opening facing downward, covering all the sensing arms 11 and temperature and humidity probes 12. Several ventilation slits 14 are provided on the side wall of the protective cover 13. The width of the ventilation slits 14 is less than five millimeters, allowing air to circulate freely while blocking salt spray particles from entering, protecting the temperature and humidity probes 12 from corrosion by the high-salt marine environment.

[0030] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The adjustable dehumidification channel includes a main air duct 15, branch air ducts 16, and adjusting baffles 17. The main air duct 15 is a vertically arranged cylindrical pipe, arranged along the axial direction of the tower. Its lower end passes through the annular base 1 and connects to the air inlet of the external dehumidification equipment, while its upper end extends upward to the vicinity of the top of the tower. The inner wall of the main air duct 15 is coated with an anti-corrosion coating 22, which is composed of epoxy resin and nano-silica, with a thickness of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, to resist corrosion from the high humidity and high salinity atmosphere of the marine environment. The number of branch air ducts 16 is the same as the number of vertical through slots 2. One end of each branch air duct 16 is connected to the side wall of the main air duct 15, and the other end passes through the corresponding vertical through slot 2 and faces a specific area of ​​the inner wall of the tower. An electric heating wire 23 is embedded inside the wall of the branch duct 16. The electric heating wire 23 is arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the branch duct 16, and its two ends are led out to the power interface outside the tower. Under low temperature and high humidity conditions, it is energized to generate heat and preheat the outflowing gas, so that the temperature at the outlet of the branch duct 16 is higher than the dew point temperature, preventing condensation or icing. An adjusting baffle 17 is hinged to the outlet end of each branch duct 16. The rotating shaft of the adjusting baffle 17 is linked to the guide plate 5. When the guide plate 5 deflects, it drives the adjusting baffle 17 to rotate synchronously through the linkage mechanism, thereby changing the opening of the outlet of the branch duct 16 and adjusting the outlet cross-sectional area.

[0031] In the actual installation process, the annular base 1 is first hoisted to a predetermined height in the middle section of the inner wall of the tower. Its outer circumference is then fixed to the inner wall of the tower using fasteners, and an annular sealing strip 19 is pressed between them to form a seal. Subsequently, the water collection tray 3 is installed at the bottom of the annular base 1, and the drainage interface 4 is connected to the tower drainage system via a hose. The main air duct 15 extends downwards from the top of the tower, its lower end passing through the central area of ​​the annular base 1 and connecting to external dehumidification equipment. Branch air ducts 16 extend from the side wall of the main air duct 15, passing sequentially through corresponding vertical channels 2, with their outlets facing different directions on the inner wall of the tower. A guide plate 5 is installed in the vertical channel 2, and a rotating shaft 6 passes through the upper and lower surfaces of the annular base 1. The lower gear meshes with the linkage gear ring 7, and an angle indicator disc 8 is installed at the upper end. A horizontal support ring 10 is fixed to the upper surface of the annular base 1, a sensing arm 11 extends outwards, and a temperature and humidity probe 12 is installed at its end. A protective cover 13 is placed on top and fixed to the horizontal support ring 10 with screws. The manual adjustment handle 20 extends through the guide hole 21 for easy operation by maintenance personnel.

[0032] During operation, the air inside the tower generates moisture due to temperature differences or equipment heat dissipation, resulting in uneven humidity distribution across different areas. Temperature and humidity probes 12 continuously collect environmental parameters for their respective locations, allowing maintenance personnel to identify high-humidity areas based on the readings. For example, when a temperature and humidity probe 12 in a certain location shows a significant increase in humidity, the operator rotates the manual adjustment handle 20 corresponding to that area. This causes the gear ring 7 to drive all guide vanes 5 to deflect synchronously. However, because the adjustment baffle 17 is linked to the guide vanes 5, only the opening of the adjustment baffle 17 in the target area increases, while the opening in other areas remains relatively small. At this time, the negative pressure airflow generated by the external dehumidification equipment inside the main air duct 15 preferentially draws in high-humidity air from the branch duct 16 with its increased opening, and then transports it through the main air duct 15 to the external dehumidification equipment for processing before discharge. The micropore array 18 on the surface of the guide vanes 5 forms a local negative pressure zone under the action of airflow, further enhancing the collection efficiency of high-humidity air. Condensate drips onto the water collection tray 3, collects along the conical bottom surface, and is discharged through the drain interface 4. In low-temperature winter environments, if there is a risk of condensation at the outlet of branch duct 16, the electric heating wire 23 will be activated to preheat the airflow and maintain the outlet temperature above the dew point. The ventilated slit 14 of the protective cover 13 ensures airflow around the temperature and humidity probe 12 while blocking salt spray, ensuring long-term measurement accuracy.

[0033] The entire device achieves synchronized movement of the guide vane 5 and the adjusting baffle 17 through a mechanical linkage structure, eliminating the need for sensor feedback or an automatic control system. Maintenance personnel can manually adjust the angle of the guide vane 5 based on the readings from the temperature and humidity probe 12, dynamically adjusting the suction intensity of each branch duct 16 to achieve directional extraction and rapid processing of humid air in any area within the tower. The sealing fit between the annular base 1 and the inner wall of the tower, the conical design of the water collection tray 3, the electric heating function of the branch ducts 16, and the salt spray isolation structure of the protective cover 13 collectively ensure the long-term stable operation of the device in harsh marine environments.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus, characterized by, Includes a ring-shaped base (1), a multi-directional airflow assembly, a zoned sensing bracket, and an adjustable dehumidification channel, wherein: The annular base (1) is fixed to the middle section of the inner wall of the tower. Its outer circumferential surface is in contact with the inner wall of the tower, and its inner circumferential surface forms an annular cavity. The upper surface is provided with multiple vertical through grooves (2) that penetrate the upper and lower end faces along the circumferential direction. The bottom is sealed and connected to a water collection plate (3). The multi-directional flow assembly includes a flow guide plate (5), a rotating shaft (6), and a linkage gear ring (7). The number of flow guide plates (5) is the same as that of the vertical through slots (2). Each flow guide plate (5) is vertically installed in the corresponding vertical through slot (2) and rotatably connected to its upper and lower inner walls. The rotating shaft (6) passes through the middle of the flow guide plate (5) and is fixed thereto. The lower end extends out to an annular base (1) and is fixedly connected to a gear. All gears mesh together with the linkage gear ring (7). The partitioned sensing bracket includes a horizontal support ring (10), a sensing arm (11) and a temperature and humidity probe (12). The horizontal support ring (10) is fixed above the annular base (1), and the sensing arm (11) extends outward at equal intervals along the circumference, with the temperature and humidity probe (12) fixed at the end. The adjustable dehumidification channel includes a main air duct (15), branch air ducts (16) and an adjusting baffle (17). The main air duct (15) is vertically arranged and its lower end passes through the annular base (1) to connect to the external dehumidification equipment. The number of branch air ducts (16) is the same as that of the vertical through slots (2). One end is connected to the side wall of the main air duct (15), and the other end passes through the corresponding vertical through slot (2). The adjusting baffle (17) is hinged at the outlet of the branch air duct (16) and is linked with the guide plate (5) to adjust the air outlet cross-sectional area.

2. Offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that: The surface of the guide plate (5) is provided with a micropore array (18), and the pore size of the micropore array (18) gradually increases from the center of the guide plate (5) to the edge.

3. The offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus of claim 1, wherein: An angle indicator disk (8) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft (6), and a fixed pointer (9) is provided on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring (10) to indicate the deflection angle of the guide plate (5).

4. The offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The bottom of the water collection tray (3) is provided with a drainage interface (4), the inner bottom surface is a conical bottom surface, and the top of the cone is located directly above the drainage interface (4).

5. The offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The inner wall of the main air duct (15) is coated with an anti-corrosion coating (22), which is composed of epoxy resin and nano-silica, and has a thickness of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.

6. The offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The branch duct (16) is equipped with an electric heating wire (23) embedded in its inner wall. The electric heating wire (23) is spirally arranged along the axial direction of the branch duct (16).

7. The offshore wind turbine tower environmental control apparatus of claim 1, wherein: A protective cover (13) is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the horizontal support ring (10). The protective cover (13) is a hemispherical shell with a ventilated slit (14) with a width of less than five millimeters on its side wall.

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