Wind turbine tower and transport method

Abstract

The invention relates to a wind turbine tower and transport method. The tower sections (1, 4, 5) are stacked where the towers are manufactured. The first tower section (5) is placed upright using a crane (6) and a flange thereof is screwed to a lower attachment (10). A new tower section (4) is added and screwed onto the attachment (10), which, being stepped, leaves the tower sections (1, 4, 5) at different heights. The operation is repeated in this way until all the sections have been completed. An upper attachment (11) is then attached by screwing. Using cables (9) directly secured to the attachments (10 and 11), the assembly is tipped over to leave the nested tower (7) in a horizontal position ready for transport.

Description

[0001] WIND TURBINE TOWER AND TRANSPORT METHOD

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention describes a wind turbine tower assembled using an auto-lifting system that inserts tower sections from the bottom. Said tower is composed of a series of tower sections that are transported to the assembly site one inside the other, forming a nested tower.

[0005] Background

[0006] The known state of the art covers various solutions for securing towers for nested transport. The following are notable among the existing patents:

[0007] Patent CN105804952A presents tower sections inserted one into the other, transported horizontally, and secured together with a plate at the bottom and connecting pieces at the top. The fastenings are made with profiled bolts, and there are guide wheels between the towers so they can slide relative to each other.

[0008] Patent CN108167126A presents a telescopic tower that uses locking elements to extend the nested towers. The locking element is a sleeve subjected to a thrust force. It also incorporates guide rails in the outer tower section, along which blocks located on the periphery of the inner tower section run.

[0009] Patent CN116816611A presents several nested tower sections that incorporate fixing devices 1, internal guides 2, floor supports 3, and lifting slings 4 and 5. The fixing elements are secured by means of bolts through the flanges of the tower sections. The internal guides for sliding the tower sections are formed by wheels.

[0010] Utility model CN219176494U features nested towers with protective elements between the tower sections to prevent damage during transport. The nested tower rests on supports with slots that connect to the existing tabs on the outer tower section. The protective element consists of several rings with a protective cover and a pair of support pads.

[0011] A nested tower with the construction characteristics of this new invention is unknown in the state of the art. The method of nesting the tower sections and their handling before and after transport also differs significantly from what is known, using specific equipment that allows the nested tower to be turned over quickly and easily.

[0012] Description

[0013] The tower object of the invention is a tower formed by several truncated-cone sections. Since these tower sections are self-supporting, supported by upright columns and radial beams, the tower sections have a double flange or an outer lip at their base, which serves as a support. The elements supporting the tower sections, the upright columns and radial beams, rest on said outer lip and are arranged in a triangle that rises and falls between the columns of the self-supporting system, allowing new tower sections to be introduced from below.

[0014] An object of the invention is that the sections of the tower are truncated cone-shaped so that they can be inserted one inside the other, since with a cylindrical configuration this would not be possible.

[0015] Another object of the invention is that the outer lip of the double flange is drilled with holes that facilitate its fixing in a vertical position on its corresponding tooling.

[0016] Another object of the invention is that the tooling on which the tower sections are nested, screwed onto the crossbars of their supports, can be turned over and moved from a vertical position to a horizontal position quickly and easily.

[0017] And it is another object of the invention that there is a lower tool and an upper tool and that both have stepped crossbars.

[0018] The method of stacking the tower sections is as follows:

[0019] At the tower manufacturing site, the first tower section is verticalized with a crane and bolted to the lower tooling. A new tower section is added and bolted to the tooling, which, being staggered, leaves the tower sections at different heights. This process is repeated until all the sections are completed. The upper tooling is then bolted on. The tooling is turned over to leave the nested tower in a horizontal position, ready for transport.

[0020] From all the above described the following advantages arise:

[0021] The tower is very light and cost-effective thanks to its larger-than-normal diameters. The upper section has its internals assembled at the factory to save field assembly time and facilitate bolting of the upper tooling. The remaining sections have pre-designed and calculated internals that will be added later. Transport can be carried in four tower sections, three tower sections, or even two, depending on weight limitations. For example, by road, the limitations are 80 tons and 18 meters in length.

[0022] Brief description of the drawings

[0023] Below, a very brief description is given of a series of drawings that help to better understand the invention and that are expressly related to an embodiment of said invention that is presented as a non-limiting example thereof.

[0024] Figure 1 shows the tower with its characteristic flanges and double flanges, and sectional details of them.

[0025] Figure 2 shows the process of nesting the tower, its turning and its storage for transport.

[0026] Figure 3 shows specific details of the tower being turned over using cables and winches.

[0027] Figure 4 shows the fixing tool and a stepped section thereof.

[0028] Figure 5 shows a view of the lower tooling and its coupling with the nested tower.

[0029] Figure 6 shows the other fixing tool used and a section of it.

[0030] Figure 7 shows a view of the upper tooling and its coupling with the nested tower.

[0031] Figure 8 shows a second practical embodiment of a tower without a double flange or outer lip, with its corresponding section and three-dimensional view of the lower tooling. Figure 9 represents a three-dimensional view of the nested tower and its tooling.

[0032] Detailed description

[0033] The tower of the invention is assembled using a lifting system that introduces tower sections from the bottom. The elements supporting the tower sections are upright columns and radial beams arranged in a triangle that rises and falls between the columns of the lifting system. The connection means between the upright columns and the radial beams are the outer lips of the tower sections. As shown in Figure 1, the tower is composed of:

[0034] - a lower section (1) that has an inner flange (2) that in this section coincides with the connection flange with the foundation and an outer lip (3) that in this case will also be joined to the foundation, - several intermediate sections (4) with inner flange (2) and outer lip (3), and

[0035] - an upper section (5) with inner flange (2) and outer lip (3).

[0036] The tower sections (1, 4 and 5) are all the same length and are truncated cone-shaped, but they vary from having an inner flange (2) at both ends to having a double flange at the lower end or an outer lip (3). The tower sections are joined together using bolts and nuts that pass through the inner flanges (2) of adjacent sections. The upper section (5) connects its inner flange (2) to the nacelle of the wind turbine. The outer lips (3) are drilled with holes.

[0037] Figure 2 shows how the different tower sections (1, 4 and 5) are stored at the manufacturing site. With the help of a crane (6) the first tower section is verticalized and bolted to a fixture (not shown). A new tower section is added and bolted to the fixture. The operation is repeated until all the sections are completed, making up an assembly called a nested tower (7). The nested tower (7) is turned over to leave it in a horizontal position, thus being ready to be introduced into its corresponding containers (8) for transport. The turning is carried out using cables (9).

[0038] Figure 3 shows in detail the nested tower (7) in a vertical position screwed onto the lower tooling (10) and covered by the upper tooling (11). A cable extends

[0039] (9) to the center of the upper tooling (11) and another cable (9) to one end of the lower tooling

[0040] (10). By tightening both cables (9), the nested tower (7) will be placed in a horizontal position on the base supports (12) that both tools (10 and 11) have.

[0041] Figure 4 shows the lower tooling (10). It is formed by a base support (12) from which two tower supports (13) extend perpendicularly, connected to the flanges of the tower sections by stepped crossbars (14). In the lower tooling (10), both the upper and lower crossbar (14) are stepped towards the outside of the nested tower (7). Said crossbars (14) will have as many steps as tower sections and their fixing is preferably carried out with nuts and screws. In the detail of the section in Figure 4, the lower tower section (1) is joined to the lower tooling (10) at the base (15) of the crossbar, the intermediate tower section (4) is joined to the first step (16) and the next tower section (4) is joined to the second step (17).The gaps between the tower sections and the steps of the crossbars (14) are wide enough to ensure access and tightening of the nuts and bolts used for fixing the tooling (10) to the nested tower (7). The base (15) of the crossbar corresponds to the smallest tower section and the first step (16) and second step (17) to the larger sections, as shown in Figure 5. The nuts and bolts of the crossbars (14) are fixed in the holes of the outer lips (3) of the tower sections.

[0042] Figure 6 shows the upper tooling (11). It also consists of a base support (12) from which two tower supports (13) extend perpendicularly, connected to the flanges of the tower sections by stepped crossbars (14). The steps are towards the interior of the nested tower (7) and are fixed to the tower sections with screws and nuts. In the detail of the section in Figure 6, the upper tower section (5) is joined to the upper tooling (11) inside (18) of the crossbar (14). The next tower section (4) is joined to the first step (19) of the crossbar (14) and the next tower section (4) is joined to the second step (20) of the crossbar. Thus, there are steps for each tower section. For fixing the upper tooling (11), it has local holes (21) that allow manual access of nuts and bolts to the area occluded by the tooling and the tower sections. As shown in Figure 7.

[0043] In a second embodiment, the flanges of all the tower sections are simple contact flanges between sections, without an outer lip. The nesting of the sections is carried out with a lower tooling stepped outwards, but screwing the lower tooling (10) and the tower sections to their inner flange (2), according to the following method:

[0044] - The lower tool (10) is placed on the ground on the base support (12) and on two tower supports (13) parallel to each other,

[0045] - a tower section (1) that has an inner flange (2) is verticalized,

[0046] - is screwed to the base (15) of the cross member (14) that extends between the tower supports (13),

[0047] - the second section of the tower is verticalized and its inner flange (2) is screwed to the first step (16),

[0048] - the process is repeated with the third section of the tower and its inner flange (2) is screwed to the third step (17),

[0049] - the upper tool (11) is placed on the nested tower sections that form an internal staggered structure.

[0050] In this case, local holes (21) would also be necessary in the upper tool (11) to allow access for mounting the screws. All this as shown in Figure 8.

[0051] The general method of nesting the tower for transport is as follows:

[0052] The tower sections are manufactured and stored. The upper section (5) has its internal components already assembled: platform and staircase. The lower tool (10) is placed on the ground on the base support (12) and on the two tower supports (13) that are parallel to each other.

[0053] With the help of an auxiliary crane (6), the lower section of the tower (1) is verticalized, which may have only an inner flange (2) or a double flange with an outer lip (3), and is screwed to the base (15) of the crossbar (14).

[0054] The second tower section, which is an intermediate section (4) with an inner flange (2) or a double flange with an outer lip (3), is verticalized and bolted to the first step (16). The third tower section is verticalized and bolted to the second step (17).

[0055] The operation is repeated with as many tower sections as you want to nest.

[0056] The upper tool (11) is placed on the nested tower sections that form an internal staggered structure. The factory-pre-assembled platform of the upper tower section can be used for this purpose. The local holes (21) in the upper tool (11) are very useful for manual access of nuts and bolts to the area occluded by the tool and the tower sections.

[0057] As shown in Figure 9, the nested tower (7) moves from the vertical position to the horizontal position, resting on the base supports (12) that both tools (10 and 11) have. It is then ready to be introduced into its corresponding containers (8) for transport.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 - Wind turbine tower formed by several tower sections with a truncated cone shape, characterized in that the tower sections (1, 4, 5) all have an inner flange (2) and may have an outer lip (3), said sections (1, 4 and 5) have the same height and at least two sections are inserted vertically one inside the other, being fixed in a staggered manner with lower tools (10) resting on the ground and with upper tools (11) that close the assembly, screwing its staggered crossbars (14) into the inner flanges (2) and the outer lips (3), if any, leaving the nested tower (7) ready to be turned over and transported. 2- Wind turbine tower according to the previous claim, characterized in that the tools (10 and 11) are formed by a base support (12) from which two tower supports (13) extend perpendicularly, connected to the tower sections by stepped crossbars (14), the crossbars of the lower tool (10) are stepped towards the outside of the nested tower (7) and the crossbars of the upper tool (11) are stepped towards the inside of the nested tower (7). 3- Wind turbine tower according to the first claim, characterized in that a cable (9) extends to the center of the upper tooling (11) and another cable (9) to one end of the lower tooling (10). 4- Wind turbine tower according to the first claim, characterized in that the stepped cross member (14) of the upper tooling (11) has local holes (21) for manual access of nuts and bolts to the area that is occluded by the tooling and the tower sections. 5- Wind turbine tower according to the first claim, characterized in that the upper section (5) already has the platform and the staircase section assembled and the rest of the sections have interfaces that allow the assembly of their platforms and staircase sections in the field after the sections have been unnested. 6- Wind turbine tower according to the first claim, characterized in that the tower sections (1, 4, 5) have a double flange with an outer lip (3) and said outer lip (3) is drilled with holes to receive the nuts and bolts that are fixed with the crossbars (14). 7- Method of transporting a wind turbine tower made up of several previously manufactured and stored truncated cone sections, characterized by: - A lower tool (10) is placed on the ground on a base support (12) and on two tower supports (13) parallel to each other, - a lower section of the tower (1) is verticalized, which has an inner flange (2) and may have a double flange with an outer lip (3), - is screwed to a base (15) of a cross member (14) stepped outwards, which extends between the tower supports (13), - the second section of the tower, which is an intermediate section (4) with an inner flange (2), which may have a double flange with an outer lip (3), is verticalized and screwed to the first step (16), - the third section of the tower is verticalized and bolted to the second step (17), - the process is repeated with as many tower sections as you want to nest, - the upper tool (11) is placed with its crossbar (14) stepped inwards and with local holes (21) on the nested tower sections, - each tower section of the nested tower (7) being at a different height. 8- Transport method according to claim seven, wherein the flanges of the tower sections all have double flanges with an outer lip (3), characterized in that: - The lower tool (10) is placed on the ground on the base support (12) and on two tower supports (13) parallel to each other, - a section of tower (1) is verticalized, which has a double flange with an outer lip (3) drilled with holes to receive the nuts and bolts that are fixed with the crossbars (14), - is screwed to the base (15) of the cross member (14) that extends between the tower supports (13), - the second tower section is verticalized and the double flange with external lip (3) is screwed to the first step (16), - the process is repeated with as many tower sections as you want to nest, - the upper tool (11) is placed on the nested tower sections that form an internal staggered structure. 9- Transport method according to claim seven, characterized in that a cable (9) extends to the center of the upper tool (11) and another cable (9) to one end of the lower tool (10), by tightening both cables (9) the nested tower (7) is turned over, passing from the vertical position to the horizontal position, resting on the base supports (12) that both tools (10 and 11) have and finally, the nested tower (7) is ready to be introduced into its corresponding containers (8) for transport.

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