Tower sheet body unit, tower segment, and method for transporting and assembling tower

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a tower sheet body unit, a tower segment, and a method for transporting and assembling a tower. The tower sheet body unit includes a tower sheet body and a foldable platform provided inside the tower sheet body. The foldable platform includes a platform body and a support member. The support member includes a support base. The support base has a first end fixed to the inner wall of the tower sheet body and a second end hingedly connected to the platform body at a first hinge connection point. As a result, the platform body is pivotable around the second end of the support base between a folded position and a deployed position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of wind power generation, and particularly to the field of sheet towers or tower frames for wind power generation systems.

Background Art

[0002] With the development of the wind power generation industry, considering the load capacity and safety of the fan tower frame, etc., the diameter of the tower frame has also increased. In this case, the structure of the sheet tower or tower frame is advantageous. Generally, the maintenance platform for the sheet tower or tower frame is an integral annular platform or a circular platform, which is installed inside the tower, basically perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of the tower, and is used to arrange the necessary electrical components of the wind power generation system, etc., or for the use of maintenance personnel.

[0003] However, generally, such an annular platform or circular platform is assembled to the tower at the project construction site. For the sheet tower or tower frame, for example, first, the first tower sheet body (for example, horizontally arranged) is installed, then the integral annular platform or circular platform is installed, and then other tower sheet bodies (for example, the second tower sheet body, the third tower sheet body, etc.) are installed. In this process, since the integral platform is installed earlier than the second tower sheet body, the third tower sheet body, etc., during the installation process of the second tower sheet body, the third tower sheet body, etc., the integral platform affects the assembly of the sheet body, and the difficulty of installation increases. Also, if the integral platform is installed after assembling and joining all or most of the tower sheet bodies, due to the self-weight of the tower sheet bodies, the horizontally arranged tower sheet bodies may be in an incomplete circular shape (for example, elliptical), and in this case, the installation of the integral annular or circular platform is difficult.

[0004] In addition, when an integral annular or circular platform is installed at the project construction site, generally, crane equipment is used to assist in the installation. Therefore, when an integral platform is installed at the construction site, the amount of installation work is large, the difficulty of installation is high, the installation accuracy is poor, and the on-site working time is long, which is particularly unfavorable for the construction of an offshore system.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to at least reduce the on-site installation time, workload, difficulty, etc. of the tower platform, reduce the influence of the platform on the assembly of the tower or tower frame, facilitate the transportation of the tower platform together with the tower sheet body, and reduce the transportation or storage space and difficulty.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a tower sheet body unit is provided. The tower sheet body unit includes a tower sheet body and a foldable platform provided inside the tower sheet body. The foldable platform includes a platform body and a support member. The support member includes a support base. One end of the support base is fixed to the inner wall of the tower sheet body, and the other end is hinged to the platform body at a first hinge connection point. Thus, the platform body is pivotable between a folded position and a deployed position around the other end of the support base. In the folded position, the platform body is stacked close to the inner wall of the tower sheet body. In the deployed position, the platform body is supported by the support base and is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the tower.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a tower segment is provided. The tower segment includes two or more of the above-described tower sheet body units joined in the circumferential direction.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for transporting and assembling a tower. The method for transporting and assembling the tower includes, during the storage or transportation period of the tower, arranging the foldable platforms in the plurality of tower sheet body units described above in the folded position such that each platform body approaches the inner wall of the tower sheet body and is stacked; and stacking each tower sheet body unit along the radial direction of the tower sheet body such that each foldable platform is positioned between two tower sheet bodies that are stacked on each other.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figures 4 - 5

Figure 6

Figures 7 - 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] The features and exemplary embodiments of each aspect of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. In the following detailed description, the present disclosure is fully understood by presenting a plurality of specific details. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can also be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to illustrate the present disclosure and provides a better understanding of the present disclosure. In order to avoid creating unnecessary ambiguity for the present disclosure, at least some well-known structures and technologies are not shown in the drawings and the following description, and for clarity, the sizes of some structures may be exaggerated. Further, the features, structures, or characteristics described below may be combined with one or more embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0011] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively show a schematic three-dimensional view and a plan view of a sheeted tower segment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a sheeted tower or a tower frame of a wind power generation system, which is a part of the entire tower or the tower frame, that is, a tower segment. The tower segment includes two or more tower sheet bodies 1 joined in the circumferential direction. The exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 show three tower sheet bodies 1. The cross-section of each tower sheet body 1 is an arc-shaped tower sheet body having an angle of 120°. For a tower segment with a polygonal cross-section, the cross-section of the tower sheet body is a corresponding polygonal or linear shape. Thus, the plurality of tower sheet bodies 1 are connected to each other by the ends formed in their longitudinal directions to form a complete tower segment, and the connection may be in the form of flange connection, welding, etc.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sheeting platform (in particular, a foldable sheeting folding platform, which will be described in more detail below) is applied to a tower. For example, each tower sheeting body corresponds to at least one platform body 2. As shown in FIG. 3, one tower sheeting body 1 may be provided with two or three platform bodies 2, but is not limited thereto. Based on the diameter size of the tower, the sector angle of the tower sheeting body, the functions performed by the platform body, etc., platform bodies 2 having different numbers or sizes may be designed.

[0014] When the platform bodies 2 of all tower sheeting body units are in the deployed position, all platform bodies 2 basically constitute an annular or circular platform, or a polygonal platform that is perpendicular to the central axis of the tower.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, the sheeting platform is applied to a sheeting tower. As a sheeting tower body unit, the sheeting platform is connected to the tower sheeting body, and the sheeting platform is designed to be foldable with respect to the tower sheeting body.

[0016] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tower sheeting body unit includes a sector-shaped tower sheeting body 1 and a foldable platform 10 provided inside the tower sheeting body 1. The foldable platform 10 includes a platform body 2 and a support member 20. Here, one or more foldable platforms 10 are provided on each tower sheeting body 1, and each foldable platform 10 includes one or more support members 20. As shown in FIG. 4, it includes two support members 20, but is not limited thereto.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 20 includes a support base 31 extending along the radial direction of the tower. The first end 21 of the support base 31 is fixed to the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1, and its second end is hingedly connected to the platform body 2 at the first hinge connection point 41. Thus, the platform body 2 is pivotable between a folded position and a deployed position around the second end of the support base 31. In the folded position (see FIG. 6), the platform body 2 is stacked close to the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1, reducing the occupied space. In the deployed position (see FIGS. 4 and 5), the platform body 2 is supported by the support base 31 and is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the tower (not shown), that is, when the tower stands up, the platform body 2 is substantially horizontal.

[0018] Here, the support base 31 has a specific rigidity to provide sufficient support force when the platform body 2 is deployed and supported by the support base 31. The support base 31 may be an elongated rod structure or two steel plates fixed to the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1. At the first hinge connection point 41, the support base 31 may be hingedly connected to the bottom of the platform body 2, such as a rib protruding from the bottom surface of the platform body 2, via a hinge connection member such as a rotating shaft or a pin, but is not limited thereto.

[0019] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the support member 20 further includes an inclined support portion 50 provided below the support base 31. The first end of the inclined support portion 50 is hingedly connected to a hinge connection seat 32 fixed to the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1 at the second hinge connection point 42, and its second end is hingedly connected to the platform body 2 at the third hinge connection point 43. Here, the inclined support portion 50 is combined with the above structure for folding the platform body 2. Thus, while the platform body 2 is stacked close to the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1, when the platform body 2 is in the deployed position, the inclined support portion 50 is configured as the hypotenuse for triangular support of the platform body 2, thereby providing stable support for the platform body 2. As described below, the inclined support portion 50 may be realized in a plurality of structural forms.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the support member 20 or the diagonal support 50 includes a first support beam 51 and a second support beam 52. The first end of the first support beam 51 is hinged to the hinge connection seat 32 at the second hinge connection point 42, and the first end of the second support beam 52 is hinged to the platform body 2 at the third hinge connection point 43. The second end of the first support beam 51 and the second end of the second support beam 52 are hinged to each other at the fourth hinge connection point 44.

[0021] In this way, when folding the platform body 2, the first hinge connection point 41 and the second hinge connection point 42 are held stationary, the third hinge connection point 43 and the fourth hinge connection point 4 travel along a specific arc, the first support beam 51 and the second support beam 52 form an angle, and finally, the platform body 2 is folded to the folded position in FIG. 6.

[0022] Here, the hinge connection seat 32 is provided below the support base 31, and the radial length of the support base 31 is greater than the radial length of the hinge connection seat 32. In this case, a placement space for the support beam is reserved between the tower sheet body 1 and the platform body 2 in the folded position. Also, during transportation or storage, by placing a support in this space, direct collision between the platform body 2 and the tower sheet body 1 is prevented.

[0023] Alternatively, the support member 20 or the diagonal support 50 may include only one support beam. The first end of the one support beam is hinged to the hinge connection seat 32, and its second end is removably connected to the platform body 2. In this case, during the transportation or storage period, at the folded position of the platform body 2, the second end of the one support beam is removed from the platform body 2 to disengage from the platform body 2. After the platform body 2 is deployed, the second end of the one support beam is reconnected to the platform body 2 by a fastener.

[0024] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10 (schematically), the support member 20 or the diagonal support 50 includes a first support beam 51 and a second support beam 52. The first end of the first support beam 51 is hingedly connected to the hinge connection base 32 at the second hinge connection point 42, and the first end of the second support beam 52 is hingedly connected to the platform body 2 at the third hinge connection point 43. Also, a slider 55 is hingedly connected to one of the second ends of the first support beam 51 and the second support beam 52, and the other end can slide on the slider 55. Refer to FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b).

[0025] Further, the slider 55 may be hingedly connected to the inner wall of the tower seat body (more specifically, to the hinge connection base 32) or to the platform body 2. Refer to FIGS. 10(c) and 10(d). That is, the support member 20 includes a slider 55 hingedly connected to one of the hinge connection base 32 and the platform body 2. In this case, the first end of the support beam of the support member 20 can slide on the slider 55, and the second end of the support beam is hingedly connected to the other of the hinge connection base 32 and the platform body 2. In this case, the support beam may be a single support beam, or two or more support beams hinged to each other. Although the drawings only show two support beams hinged to each other, it may also be a single support beam.

[0026] Also, FIGS. 7 to 9 show other foldable platforms. The difference between the foldable platform and the above-described foldable platform described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 is that the size (sector angle) of the platform body 2 is different, so the length of the support base 31 adopted is also different. In other words, the length of the support base 31 varies with the difference in the size of the sector angle of the platform body 2. For example, for the platform body 2 having a large sector angle, the length of the support base 31 is long. Conversely, for the platform body 2 having a small sector angle, the length of the support base 31 is short, and it must satisfy that the platform body 2 does not interfere with the tower sheet body 1 during the folding period. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, an orifice 27 penetrating the thickness of the platform body 2 is formed in the platform body 2. For example, the orifice 27 is used to allow the ladder of the tower frame to pass through. If the platform body 2 has the orifice 27, the support member 20 is provided outside the orifice 27 so as not to interfere with the orifice 27.

[0027] Also, different from the traditional circular or annular integral platform, the sheeted platform body 2 is a ring sector segment. The corner 28 (see FIGS. 5 and 3) between the outer peripheral edge in the radial direction of the platform body 2 and the two side edges in the circumferential direction has a corner notch or a corner cut shape, that is, the corner 28 does not have a normal acute angle but has a flat or concave surface. Thereby, a space is reserved in advance at the joint of the two platform bodies 2, which facilitates the assembly of the sheeted platform and eliminates the need to consider high-precision mounting tolerances or deformations related to the tower or platform that occur during the mounting process, while easily adjusting the position of the platform. On the other hand, the space further allows wiring inside the tower to pass through and provides a fixing or supporting point for the wiring passing through it. Also, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The platform body 2 may not have the above-described corner notch or corner cut shape. For example, at the corner 28, the outer peripheral edge of the platform body 2 and the side edge extending in the radial direction directly intersect.

[0028] With the tower sheet body unit described above, the traditional annular platform is decomposed into a plurality of small platforms, and each small platform is directly connected to the sheet-shaped tower sheet body. Each platform is foldable with respect to the tower sheet body. As a result, the platform is transported together with the tower sheet body, and at the project construction site, there is no need to attach the platform by a large lifting device. Instead, the platform just needs to be deployed. Also, since each foldable platform has a support member, after the platform body is deployed, there is no need to fasten the platform body to the inner wall of the tower sheet body by separate fastening means, and there is no need to consider the influence of the attachment of the platform on the assembly of the tower sheet body. This significantly reduces the on-site construction time and greatly reduces the difficulty and workload of the attachment.

[0029] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 11, a method for transporting and assembling a tower using the above tower sheet body unit will be described.

[0030] During the storage or transportation period of the tower, the foldable platform 10 in the tower sheet body unit is arranged at the folding position so that the plurality of platform bodies 2 approach the inner wall of the tower sheet body 1 and are stacked, reducing the occupied space of the platform body and facilitating the transportation of the tower sheet body unit. Also, each tower sheet body unit is stacked along the radial direction of the tower sheet body 1 such that each foldable platform 10 is located between two tower sheet bodies 1 that are stacked on top of each other. Such a stacking method is particularly advantageous for the transportation or storage of the tower and the platform. The platform is transported together with the tower sheet body, while the traditional circular or annular platform and the vertically extending sector-shaped tower sheet body do not match in shape and are difficult to stack and transport, resulting in a large occupied space. For a large-diameter tower frame, the transportation of the integral circular or annular platform also poses certain difficulties. The tower sheet body unit proposed in the present disclosure can effectively solve these problems. The platform body 2 of the foldable platform occupies little or only a small amount of extra space and only needs to use the space between two adjacent stacked tower sheet bodies 1.

[0031] At the installation site of the tower frame, before or after the joining and assembly of each tower sheet body 1, each platform body 2 is deployed to the deployed position. After all the platform bodies 2 are deployed, as shown in FIG. 2, the assembled complete platform is an annular platform, and its center may be polygonal (in this case, the platform body 2 is a ring sector segment or a truncated sector segment), but it is not limited thereto, and other-shaped platform bodies 2 may be formed based on the design. For example, each platform body 2 may also be assembled as a circular platform, that is, without a central opening. In this case, the platform body 2 does not have the truncated sector segment shown above but presents a sector shape.

[0032] In this case, there is no need to use a large lifting device, and each support member 20 can provide strong and stable support to the platform body 2. Therefore, at the construction site, there is no need to fix the platform to the inner wall of the tower along the outer periphery of the platform (for example, bolt connection).

[0033] Preferably, after the platform body 2 is deployed, a fixed connection is made at the edge portions where two adjacent platform bodies 2 are in contact with each other in the circumferential direction (which is particularly advantageous for a foldable platform that does not use diagonal support members). This only relates to the connection between the platforms and not to the connection between the platform and the inner wall of the tower. Therefore, such an operation of the fixed connection is also easy.

[0034] Also, after the platform body 2 is deployed, a reinforcing member or a locking member is arranged on the support member 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the reinforcing member 61 is simultaneously locked to the first support beam 51 and the second support beam 52, thereby preventing the foldable platform 10 from being folded in an undesired situation.

[0035] The above has described in detail the specific embodiments of the present application and described several examples. However, as can be understood by those skilled in the art, corrections and improvements may be made to these examples without departing from the principles and spirit of the present application within the scope limited by the claims and their equivalents, and these corrections and improvements should also fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 1 ··· Tower sheet body 2 ··· Platform body 10 ··· Foldable platform 20 ··· Support member 31 ··· Support base 32 ··· Hinge connection seat 21 ··· First end of the support base 22 ··· First end of the hinge connection seat 41 ··· First hinge connection point 42 ··· Second hinge connection point 43 ··· Third hinge connection point 44 ··· Fourth hinge connection point 50 ··· Diagonal support part 51 ··· First support beam 52 ··· Second support beam 55 ··· Slider 27 ··· Orifice 28 ··· Corner 61 ··· Reinforcing member

Claims

1. A tower seat body unit, wherein the tower seat body unit includes a tower seat body (1) and a foldable platform (10) provided inside the tower seat body (1). The foldable platform (10) includes a platform body (2) and a support member (20). The support member (20) includes a support base (31). One end of the support base (31) is fixed to the inner wall of the tower seat body (1), and the other end is hingedly connected to the platform body (2) at a first hinge connection point (41). Thus, the platform body (2) is pivotable between a folded position and a deployed position around the other end of the support base (31). In the folded position, the platform body (2) is stacked close to the inner wall of the tower seat body (1). In the deployed position, the platform body (2) is supported by the support base (31) to form a tower seat body unit that is basically perpendicular to the central axis of the tower.

2. The support member (20) further includes an inclined support portion (50) provided below the support base (31). One end of the inclined support portion (50) is hingedly connected to a hinge connection seat (32) fixed to the inner wall of the tower seat body (1) at a second hinge connection point (42), and the other end is hingedly connected to the platform body (2) at a third hinge connection point (43). The tower seat body unit according to Claim 1.

3. The support member (20) includes a first support beam (51) and a second support beam (52). One end of the first support beam (51) is hingedly connected to the hinge connection seat (32) at the second hinge connection point (42), and one end of the second support beam (52) is hingedly connected to the platform body (2) at the third hinge connection point (43). The second ends of the first support beam (51) and the second support beam (52) are hingedly connected to each other at a fourth hinge connection point (44). The tower seat body unit according to Claim 2.

4. The support member (20) includes one support beam, and for the one support beam, a first end thereof is hingedly connected to the hinge connection seat (32), a second end thereof is removably connected to the platform body (2), and at a folding position of the platform body (2), the second end of the one support beam is detached from the platform body (2). The tower seat body unit according to claim 2.

5. The support member (20) includes a first support beam (51) and a second support beam (52). A first end of the first support beam (51) is hingedly connected to the hinge connection seat (32) at the second hinge connection point (42), and a first end of the second support beam (52) is hingedly connected to the platform body (2) at the third hinge connection point (43). A slider (55) is hingedly connected to one of a second end of the first support beam (51) and a second end of the second support beam (52), and the other is slidable on the slider (55). The tower seat body unit according to claim 2.

6. The support member (20) includes a slider (55) hingedly connected to one of the hinge connection seat (32) and the platform body (2). The support member (20) further includes a support beam. For the support beam, a first end thereof is slidable on the slider (55), and a second end thereof is hingedly connected to the other of the hinge connection seat (32) and the platform body (2). The tower seat body unit according to claim 2.

7. The support beam includes one support beam, or two or a plurality of support beams hingedly connected to each other. The tower seat body unit according to claim 6.

8. The length of the support base (31) varies with the difference in the size of the sector angle of the platform body (2). The tower seat body unit according to claim 1.

9. The hinge connection seat (32) is provided below the support base (31), and the radial length of the support base (31) is greater than the radial length of the hinge connection seat (32). The tower seat body unit according to claim 2.

10. The number of the foldable platforms (10) is one or more, and / or each foldable platform (10) includes one or more of the support members (20). The tower seat body unit according to claim 1.

11. The platform body (2) is a ring sector segment, and the corner (28) between the outer peripheral edge in the radial direction of the platform body (2) and the two side edges in the circumferential direction has a flat surface or a concave surface. The tower sheet body unit according to claim 1.

12. The platform body (2) includes an orifice (27) that penetrates the thickness of the platform body (2), and the support member (20) is provided outside the orifice (27) so as not to interfere with the orifice (27). The tower sheet body unit according to claim 1.

13. In the deployed position of the platform body (2), two adjacent platform bodies (2) are fixed and connected at edge portions that contact each other in the circumferential direction. The tower sheet body unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A tower segment, comprising two or more tower sheet body units according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the tower segments are joined in the circumferential direction.

15. When the platform bodies (2) of all the tower sheet body units are in the deployed position, all the platform bodies (2) form an annular or circular platform, or a polygonal platform that is basically perpendicular to the central axis of the tower. The tower segment according to claim 14.

16. A method for transporting and assembling a tower, During the storage or transportation period of the tower, by arranging the foldable platforms (10) in the tower sheet body units according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in the folded position, each platform body (2) approaches the inner wall of the tower sheet body (1) and is stacked. Stacking each tower sheet body unit along the radial direction of the tower sheet body (1) so that each foldable platform (10) is located between two tower sheet bodies (1) that are stacked on each other. A method for transporting and assembling a tower, including the steps.

17. The method for transporting and assembling a tower according to claim 16, further including the step of deploying each platform body (2) to the deployed position before or after joining and assembling each tower sheet body (1) at the tower frame installation site.

18. The method for transporting and assembling a tower according to claim 17, further comprising the step of fixing and connecting edges of adjacent platform bodies (2) in the circumferential direction that are in contact with each other after deployment.

19. The method for transporting and assembling a tower according to claim 17, further comprising the step of preventing the foldable platform (10) from being folded by arranging a reinforcing member on the support member (20) after the platform body (2) is deployed.

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