Tower support structure, casting mold, tower, and wind turbine generator

Abstract

The present application relates to a tower support structure, a casting mold, a tower, and a wind turbine generator. The tower support structure comprises a plurality of vertical columns and first support assemblies each provided between every two adjacent vertical columns. Each vertical column comprises column nodes and column segments alternately arranged and connected in a first direction. Each first support assembly comprises a plurality of support units. Each support unit comprises a plurality of diagonal struts arranged in a crossed configuration. The support units are arranged at intervals in the first direction and are correspondingly connected to the column nodes on the two adjacent vertical columns by means of the diagonal struts. The column nodes on at least one vertical column are formed as integrally cast structures, and at least two column nodes formed as integrally cast structures on the same vertical column have the same structure. Thus, on the basis that the column nodes are integrally cast, the types of casting molds required for manufacturing the column nodes of the vertical column can be reduced, thereby reducing production costs and satisfying both reliability and economic requirements.

Description

Tower support structure, casting mold, tower and wind turbine generator set

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application 202411215249.4, filed on August 31, 2024, entitled “Tower Support Structure, Casting Mold, Tower and Wind Turbine Generator,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of wind power equipment technology, and in particular to a tower support structure, casting mold, tower and wind turbine generator set. Background Technology

[0004] Wind energy, as a clean and renewable energy source, has attracted much attention due to its wide distribution, abundant reserves, and safety and reliability. Wind power generation is one of the most mature new energy technologies, and lattice towers, as a highly integrated assembly form, have been widely used and have garnered significant attention.

[0005] Wind turbine structures are subjected to complex alternating stresses throughout their service life. The ultimate strength and fatigue strength of the connection nodes in lattice towers are key control criteria in structural design and play a crucial role in the spatial structural system. Existing node types all employ welding, which results in significant stress concentration and poor fatigue resistance, making it difficult to meet the operational requirements of wind turbine generators during service. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a tower support structure, a casting mold, a tower, and a wind turbine generator set, which can improve the load-bearing capacity of the column joints, reduce production costs, and balance the requirements of reliability and economy.

[0007] On one hand, according to an embodiment of this application, a tower support structure is proposed, including columns and a first support assembly. Multiple columns are spaced apart from each other, and the center line connecting one end of each column forms a polygon. Each column has the same structure and includes column nodes and column segments that are alternately distributed and connected along a first direction. The first support assembly is disposed between every two adjacent columns. The first support assembly includes multiple support units, each support unit including multiple diagonal braces arranged in a cross configuration. The support units are spaced apart along the first direction and connected to the column nodes on two adjacent columns via the diagonal braces.

[0008] In this configuration, each column node on at least one column is an integrally cast structure and includes a node body and multiple node supports inclinedly disposed on the node body. The integrally cast column node is connected to the diagonal brace of the support unit through the node supports. Furthermore, at least two integrally cast column nodes of the same column have the same structure, and the support units connected to the column nodes with the same structure are arranged in parallel.

[0009] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, along a first direction, a plurality of column nodes of the same column include second column nodes located at both ends and a plurality of first column nodes located between the second column nodes, and each first column node has the same structure.

[0010] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the plurality of diagonal braces of the support unit include first diagonal braces and second diagonal braces arranged in a cross manner, the first diagonal braces of each support unit being parallel to each other and the second diagonal braces being parallel to each other; the plurality of node supports of the first column node are respectively connected to the first diagonal braces and the second diagonal braces.

[0011] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, at least one of the second column nodes located at both ends has the same structure as the first column node.

[0012] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the tower support structure further includes a second support component located at at least one end of the column along a first direction. The second support component includes a horizontal brace disposed between every two adjacent columns, and a plurality of node supports of the second column node are respectively connected to the diagonal brace and the horizontal brace.

[0013] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, multiple node supports of a column node are grouped to form a support group facing two adjacent columns. The ends of multiple node supports in the same support group intersect and are connected to the node body. In the radial direction of the node body, the intersection of the extension axes of multiple node supports in the same support group is located on the side of the node body's axis closer to the support group and at a certain distance from the node body's axis.

[0014] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the node support is configured as a hollow structure, and the ends of multiple node supports in the same support group are connected by a transition portion; the column node also includes a connecting plate, which connects the transition portion and the node body.

[0015] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the diagonal brace is detachably connected to the node support, and / or the node body and the column segment are fixed by welding, and at least a portion of the column segment includes multiple sub-segments, which are detachably connected to each other.

[0016] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the node body is configured as a hollow structure. The node body includes a main body region and a connecting region, the connecting region being located at both ends of the main body region along a first direction and used to connect with the column segment, and the wall thickness of the node body in the connecting region being greater than the wall thickness of the main body region.

[0017] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the support unit further includes a diagonal brace node, wherein a plurality of diagonal braces arranged in a cross configuration are disconnected at the intersection point and connected through the diagonal brace node.

[0018] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the diagonal bracing node is an integrally cast structure.

[0019] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the diagonal bracing node includes a diagonal bracing body and a plurality of diagonal bracing supports disposed on the diagonal bracing body, wherein the diagonal bracing rods are connected to the diagonal bracing supports. The extension axes of the plurality of diagonal bracing supports are coplanar and their intersection point passes through the center of the diagonal bracing body; the ends of two adjacent diagonal bracing supports intersect and are smoothly transitioned through the diagonal bracing body at the intersection point.

[0020] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the diagonal brace node is configured as a hollow structure, the diagonal brace body includes opposing wall portions, a plurality of diagonal brace supports are connected through the wall portions, at least a portion of the wall portion is provided with a reinforcing structure, the reinforcing structure is configured to reduce the stress in the central region of the diagonal brace body.

[0021] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the reinforcing structure includes a thickened portion, the orthographic projection of which onto the plane of the diagonal brace body is located in the central region of the diagonal brace body; and / or, the wall of the diagonal brace body is configured as an arc-shaped wall, the arc-shaped wall is connected to the diagonal brace support and protrudes to the side away from the hollow cavity, the arc-shaped wall forming a reinforcing structure; and / or, the reinforcing structure includes a plurality of transition sections disposed on the outer edge of the wall, the transition sections being disposed between every two diagonal braces, and adjacent two diagonal braces being connected via the transition sections.

[0022] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the transition segment extends in an arc shape, and multiple transition segments enclose a star-shaped outline. The reinforcing structure also includes a connecting portion, which is planarly disposed on the star-shaped outline and connected to the transition segment.

[0023] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, each column is arranged with one end close to each other and the other end dispersed away from each other.

[0024] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, each column has the same structure; and / or, each column node is an integral cast structure.

[0025] On the other hand, according to the embodiments of this application, a casting mold is proposed, including multiple molds that are detachably connected. The multiple molds are combined to form a casting cavity. The casting cavity is used to cast column nodes of the tower support structure as described above, and / or, the casting cavity is used to cast diagonal brace nodes of the tower support structure as described above.

[0026] On another front, an embodiment of this application proposes a tower, including a tower support structure and tower segments. The tower support structure is the tower support structure described in the above embodiment, and the tower segments are supported on the tower support structure.

[0027] On the other hand, according to the embodiments of this application, a wind turbine generator set is proposed, including a tower and a nacelle, wherein the tower is the tower of the above embodiment, and the nacelle is disposed at the top of the tower segment; or it includes the tower support structure of the above embodiment and the nacelle disposed at the top of the tower support structure.

[0028] In another aspect, an embodiment of this application proposes a wind farm, including at least one wind turbine generator set as described in the above embodiments.

[0029] The tower support structure provided in this application includes multiple columns and a first support assembly disposed between every two adjacent columns. Each column comprises alternating column nodes and column segments. Each column node, being an integrally cast structure, includes a node body and multiple node supports inclinedly disposed on the node body. The node body is connected to the column segment, and the node supports are connected to the diagonal braces of the first support assembly, forming a lattice structure. The column node is an integrally cast structure, meaning the node body and node supports are integrally cast. Compared to existing welding methods, this optimizes the stress distribution at the joint between the node supports and the node body, improving the load-bearing capacity of the column node. Furthermore, by making at least two integrally cast column nodes of the same column identical in structure, the number of casting mold types required for manufacturing each column node can be reduced, lowering production costs and thus balancing reliability and economic requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The features, advantages, and technical effects of exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wind turbine generator set according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a tower support structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 is a front view of a tower support structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the first column node according to an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first column node according to an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom column node according to an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a bracing node according to an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a bracing node according to an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of a bracing node according to another embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a bracing node according to another embodiment of this application.

[0041] In the attached diagram: 100 - Wind turbine generator set; 10 - Tower support structure; 20 - Transition section; 30 - Tower segment; 1 - Column; 11 - Column node; 11a - First column node; 11b - Second column node; 111 - Node body; 112 - Node support; 1121 - Branch flange; 113 - Connecting plate; 12 - Column segment; 121 - Sub-segment; 2 - First support assembly; 21 - Diagonal brace; 21a - First diagonal brace; 21b - Second diagonal brace; 22 - Diagonal brace node; 221 - Diagonal brace body; 2211 - Transition section; 2212 - Connecting part; 222 - Diagonal brace support; 223 - Thickened part; 3 - Second support assembly; 31 - Horizontal brace; S1 - Main body area; S2 - Connecting area; X - First direction.

[0042] In the accompanying drawings, the same parts use the same reference numerals. The drawings are not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a comprehensive understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples. In the accompanying drawings and the following description, at least some well-known structures and techniques are not shown to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the application; and, for clarity, the dimensions of some structures may be exaggerated. Furthermore, the features, structures, or characteristics described below can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0044] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the tower support structure, casting mold, tower, or wind turbine generator set of this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a structural schematic diagram of a wind turbine generator set 100 according to an embodiment of this application. This application provides a wind turbine generator set 100, including a tower, a nacelle, a generator, and a rotor. The nacelle is located at the top of the tower, and the generator is located in the nacelle, which can be inside or outside the nacelle. The rotor includes a hub and multiple blades connected to the hub, and the rotor is connected to the generator shaft via the hub. When wind power acts on the blades, it drives the entire rotor and the generator shaft to rotate, converting wind energy into electrical energy.

[0046] As the supporting structure of wind turbine units, the tower is responsible for safely and reliably transferring the wind turbine load to the foundation. Lattice towers, as a highly integrated assembly method, offer easy quality control during construction, facilitate mechanized construction and industrialized production, and boast structural safety and stability, thus gaining widespread application and attention.

[0047] The lattice-type tower includes a tower support structure 10, a transition section 20, and tower segments 30. Tower segments 30 are supported by the tower support structure 10 via the transition section 20. The tower support structure 10 includes nodes and trusses connected to the nodes. The trusses are spliced ​​together at the nodes to form a lattice structure. The nodes mainly include intersecting welded pipe column joints and insert-plate welded joints. The intersecting welded pipe column joint includes a node body and a node support set on the node body. The end of the node support is inserted into the node body and seamlessly welded along a spatial curve. The insert-plate welded joint consists of a node body, a node support, and an ear plate. The node support has an intersecting line end cut out, and the ear plate is set at the intersecting line end of the node support. The node support is inserted into the slot of the node body through the ear plate and welded to the node body. Simultaneously, the ear plate converts spatial forces into planar forces and distributes them to the main pipe.

[0048] For the nodes of the existing tower support structure 10, both the node body and the node support adopt a welding scheme. The stress concentration of the welded structure is prominent, and the fatigue resistance is poor, making it difficult to meet the service requirements of the wind turbine generator set 100 during its service life. In order to solve the above technical problems, this application provides a new tower support structure 10. This tower support structure 10 can be used in the wind turbine generator set 100 of the above embodiments, especially the offshore wind turbine generator set 100, and as a component of the wind turbine generator set 100. Of course, it can also be produced or sold separately as an independent component.

[0049] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 together. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the tower support structure 10 provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0050] This application provides a tower support structure 10, including a column 1 and a first support component 2.

[0051] Multiple columns 1 are spaced apart from each other; optionally, the multiple columns 1 can be spaced apart and arranged in parallel. Of course, in some embodiments, one end of each column 1 is arranged to converge towards each other and the other end is arranged to disperse away from each other. The center line connecting one end of each column 1 is polygonal (e.g., a triangle, quadrilateral, or a shape with more sides). Each column 1 includes column nodes 11 and column segments 12 that are alternately distributed and connected along a first direction X. Optionally, the structure of each column 1 can be the same.

[0052] By connecting the centers of one end of multiple columns 1 to form a polygon, a polygonal support can be formed, with the first direction X being the height direction of the tower. The ends of each column 1 that are far from each other are supported on the foundation, and the ends of each column 1 that are close to each other are connected to the tower segment 30. That is, each column 1 is inclined relative to the foundation and combined to form a conical structure, thereby improving the stability of the tower support structure 10.

[0053] Optionally, taking four columns 1 as an example, the four columns 1 can be arranged in a rectangular shape. Of course, the number of columns 1 can also be set to three, and the three columns 1 can be arranged in a triangular shape. The number of columns 1 can also be greater than or equal to five. The specific number can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0054] The first support component 2 is disposed between every two adjacent columns 1. The first support component 2 includes multiple support units. Each support unit includes multiple diagonal braces 21 arranged in a cross manner. The support units are spaced apart along the first direction X and are connected to the column nodes 11 on the two adjacent columns 1 through the diagonal braces 21, thereby forming a lattice structure with the columns 1.

[0055] It should be noted that, in order to simplify the setting of the tower support structure 10, the structure of each column 1 can be the same. For ease of description, the following description will focus on the column node 11 on one of the columns 1.

[0056] In this configuration, each column node 11 on at least one of the multiple columns 1 is an integrally cast structure and includes a node body 111 and multiple node supports 112 inclinedly arranged on the node body 111. The integrally cast column node 11 is connected to the diagonal brace 21 of the support unit through the node supports 112. Furthermore, at least two integrally cast column nodes 11 of the same column 1 have the same structure, and the support units connected to the column nodes 11 with the same structure are arranged in parallel.

[0057] The parallel arrangement of support units connected to the same column node 11 can be understood as follows: in the first direction X, the inclined struts 21 connected above each column node 11 on the same column 1 have the same inclination angle α relative to the axis of the column 1. The inclined struts 21 connected below each column node 11 on the same column 1 have the same inclination angle β relative to the axis of the column 1.

[0058] Of course, in some embodiments, each column node 11 on each of the multiple columns 1 can be an integral cast structure and include a node body 111 and multiple node supports 112 inclinedly arranged on the node body 111.

[0059] The tower support structure 10 in this embodiment optimizes the stress distribution at the joint between the node support 112 and the node body 111 by making each column node 11 on at least one column an ​​integrally cast structure, i.e., the node body 111 and the node support 112 are integrally cast. Compared with the existing welding scheme, this improves the load-bearing capacity of the column node 11 by making the structure of at least two column nodes 11 on the same column 1 identical. Furthermore, by making the structure of at least two column nodes 11 on the same column 1 identical, the number of casting molds required to manufacture each column node 11 of the column 1 can be reduced based on the integral casting of the column nodes 11, thereby reducing production costs and balancing reliability and economic requirements.

[0060] It is understandable that the identical structure of at least two column nodes 11 of the same column 1 means that at least two column nodes 11 can be cast using the same casting mold, and the inclination angle of the node support 112 relative to the node body 111 is the same. Therefore, the structure of the column segment 12 and the first support unit can be adjusted so that the support units connected to the column nodes 11 with the same structure are arranged in parallel, and a lattice structure is formed after the diagonal braces 21 of each support unit are connected to the node support 112.

[0061] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3 together. Figure 3 shows a front view of the tower support structure 10 provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0062] In some alternative embodiments, along the first direction X, the multiple column nodes 11 of the same column 1 include second column nodes 11b located at both ends and multiple first column nodes 11a located between the second column nodes 11b, and each first column node 11a has the same structure.

[0063] By making the structures of multiple first column nodes 11a on the same column 1 identical, each first column node 11a can be formed using the same casting mold, thereby further reducing the types of casting molds and lowering the production cost of the column node 11.

[0064] It is understandable that, along the first direction X, since the forces on each first column node 11a are different, the first column node 11a can be designed according to the maximum load it needs to bear. In addition, the number of first column nodes 11a can be increased or the setting position of the first column nodes 11a can be adjusted, so that the load-bearing requirements of the tower support structure 10 can be better met when the structure of each first column node 11a is the same.

[0065] To ensure that the structures of all first column nodes 11a of the same column 1 are identical, in some optional embodiments, the plurality of diagonal braces 21 of the support unit may include first diagonal braces 21a and second diagonal braces 21b arranged in a cross configuration. The first diagonal braces 21a of each support unit are parallel to each other, and the second diagonal braces 21b are parallel to each other. The plurality of node supports 112 of the first column node 11a are respectively connected to the first diagonal braces 21a and the second diagonal braces 21b. In other examples, the plurality of diagonal braces 21 arranged in a cross configuration of the support unit is not limited to two, but may also include three, etc.

[0066] When the multiple diagonal braces 21 of the support unit include intersecting first diagonal braces 21a and second diagonal braces 21b, each first column node 11a is provided with a support unit on both sides along the first direction X, and is connected to the first diagonal brace 21a of one support unit and the second diagonal brace 21b of another support unit through the node support 112 thereon. Therefore, by making the first diagonal braces 21a of each support unit parallel to each other and the second diagonal braces 21b of each support unit parallel to each other, the connection between the column node 11 and the support unit can be realized when the structures of each first column node 11a are the same, thereby forming a lattice structure and improving the stability of the tower support structure 10.

[0067] It is understandable that when the column 1 is inclined relative to the foundation, the dimensions of the column segments 12 of two adjacent column nodes 11 on the same column 1 can gradually increase along the direction closer to the foundation, thereby forming enough space to make the first diagonal braces 21a of each support unit parallel to each other and the second diagonal braces 21b parallel to each other. That is, the structure of the column segment 12 and the support unit can be adjusted according to the structure of the column node 11 to meet the connection requirements.

[0068] In some optional embodiments, the angle between the extension direction of the diagonal brace 21 and the extension direction of the column 1 is 35° to 45°. That is, the angle between the extension direction of each first column node 11a and the extension direction of the first diagonal brace 21a, and the angle between the extension direction of the first column node 11a and the extension direction of the second diagonal brace 21b can all be set to 35° to 45°, so as to realize the setting of each column node 11.

[0069] By setting the angle between the extension direction of the diagonal brace 21 and the extension direction of the column 1 to 35° to 45°, the structure of each column node 11 and the support unit can be better arranged, thereby reducing the total weight of the first support component 2 and improving the diagonal brace bearing capacity of the column node 11.

[0070] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. In some optional embodiments, at least one of the second column nodes 11b located at both ends has the same structure as the first column node 11a, which can further reduce the number of casting molds and reduce the production cost of the column node 11.

[0071] For ease of description, the second column node 11b located at both ends, the one closer to the tower segment 30, is defined as the top column node, and the one closer to the foundation is defined as the bottom column node.

[0072] Optionally, the structure of the top column node and the bottom column node can be the same as that of the first column node 11a (not shown in the figure). In this case, only one casting mold is needed to achieve the casting of each column node 11, which reduces the production cost, facilitates material management, and makes it easier to install the column 1 on site, thereby improving manufacturing and installation efficiency.

[0073] Optionally, considering the load-bearing requirements of multiple column nodes 11, one of the top column node and the bottom column node may have the same structure as the first column node 11a. Specifically, when one of the second column nodes 11b located at both ends has the same structure as the first column node 11a, the top column node may have the same structure as the first column node 11a, while the bottom column node can be designed separately. By enhancing the load-bearing capacity of the bottom column node, the load-bearing performance of the tower support structure 10 can be guaranteed.

[0074] In some alternative embodiments, the tower support structure 10 further includes a second support component 3 located at at least one end of the column 1 along the first direction X. The second support component 3 includes a horizontal brace 31 disposed between each two adjacent columns 1. A plurality of node supports 112 of the second column node 11b are respectively connected to the diagonal brace 21 and the horizontal brace 31.

[0075] Since the second column node 11b has a support unit on only one side along the first direction X, when the structure of the second column node 11b is the same as that of the first column node 11a, the multiple node supports 112 of the second column node 11b can be connected to the diagonal support 21 and the horizontal support 31 respectively by setting the horizontal support rod 31, so as to enhance the lateral stiffness of the tower support structure 10 while realizing the connection of the node supports 112.

[0076] Optionally, the end face of the cross brace 31 can be set as an inclined surface, and the inclination angle of the inclined surface is adapted to the node support 112 to improve the reliability of the connection between the cross brace 31 and the column node 11.

[0077] It is understood that the second support component 3 being located at at least one end of the column 1 along the first direction X means that when only the top column node has the same structure as the first column node 11a, the second support component 3 can be provided only at the upper end of the column 1 along the first direction X, so that the multiple node supports 112 of the top column node are connected to the diagonal brace 21 and the horizontal brace 31. When both the top column node and the bottom column node are the same as the first column node 11a, the second support component 3 can be provided at both ends of the column 1 along the first direction X, so that the multiple node supports 112 of the top column node and the bottom column node are connected to the diagonal brace 21 and the horizontal brace 31.

[0078] For ease of description, the following explanation will use the example where the top column node and the first column node 11a have the same structure, while the bottom column node is designed separately. Also, since the top column node and the first column node 11a have the same structure, the top column node will be referred to by the first column node 11a.

[0079] Please refer to Figures 2 to 5. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the first column node 11a provided in some embodiments of this application, and Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the first column node 11a provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0080] In some alternative embodiments, the multiple node supports 112 of the first column node 11a are grouped to form a support group facing two adjacent columns 1. That is, the multiple node supports 112 include two groups of node supports that extend in different directions. Each group may include one, two or more node supports 112. The ends of the multiple node supports 112 in the same support group are intersected and connected to the node body 111.

[0081] Taking a support unit that includes a first diagonal brace 21a and a second diagonal brace 21b arranged in a cross configuration as an example, the first column node 11a may include two support groups, each support group may include two node supports 112, one of the two node supports 112 is connected to the first diagonal brace 21a of a support unit, and the other is connected to the second diagonal brace 21b of another support unit.

[0082] By having the ends of the two node supports 112 meet and overlap to connect to the node body 111, the design of the first column node 11a can be made more compact. This reduces the dimensions of the two node supports 112 along the first direction X after connecting to the node body 111, which helps to reduce the overall dimensions of the first column node 11a along the first direction X, reduce the weight of the first column node 11a, and reduce the difficulty of casting production. At the same time, the above-mentioned overlapping connection method can also reduce the impact of the load-bearing capacity of the node supports 112 on the node body 111, and improve the load-bearing capacity and fatigue resistance of the first column node 11a.

[0083] In some alternative embodiments, in the radial direction of the node body 111, the intersection of the extended axes of multiple node supports 112 of the same support group is located on the circumferential side of the node body 111 close to the support group and has a first distance L from the axis of the node body 111.

[0084] By making the intersection of the extended axes of multiple node supports 112 in the same support group a certain distance from the axis of the node body 111, it is easier to make the ends of two node supports 112 meet, making the design of the first column node 11a more compact.

[0085] Optionally, the ratio of the first distance L to the diameter of the node body 111 is greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.55, which can enhance the stiffness of the column node 11 area and facilitate the load transfer of the node support 112.

[0086] In some alternative embodiments, the node support 112 is configured as a hollow structure, and the ends of multiple node supports 112 in the same support group are connected by a transition portion. The first column node 11a also includes a connecting plate 113, which connects the transition portion and the node body 111.

[0087] By setting the node support 112 as a hollow structure, the weight of the first column node 11a can be reduced. By setting the connecting plate 113 inside the hollow structure of the first column node 11a, the force can be transmitted through the connecting plate 113, thereby increasing the transmission path from the node support 112 to the node body 111 and reducing local stress.

[0088] Optionally, the intersection area of ​​the node support 112, node body 111 and connecting plate 113 in the same support group is provided with a rounded corner structure. The rounded corner transition reduces local stress concentration.

[0089] Alternatively, the connecting plate 113 can be formed as a plate-shaped structural component.

[0090] Please refer to Figures 2 to 6. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the bottom column node provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0091] In some alternative embodiments, multiple node supports 112 of the bottom column node are grouped to form a support group facing two adjacent columns 1. The column group of the bottom column node includes a node support 112, which is used to connect to the diagonal brace 21 of the support unit.

[0092] Optionally, the node support 112 of the bottom column node can also be set as a hollow structure to reduce the weight of the bottom column node. In addition, the intersection area of ​​the node support 112 of the bottom column node and the node body 111 is provided with a rounded corner structure, which reduces local stress concentration through the rounded corner transition.

[0093] For each column node 11, it needs to be connected to the diagonal brace 21 and / or the horizontal brace 31 through the node support 112, and connected to the column section 12 through the node body 111, to form a lattice-type tower support structure 10.

[0094] In some alternative embodiments, the diagonal brace 21 is detachably connected to the node support 112, and / or the node body 111 and the column segment 12 are fixed by welding, and at least part of the column segment 12 includes a plurality of sub-segments 121, which are detachably connected to each other.

[0095] By making the diagonal brace 21 detachably connected to the node support 112, the diagonal brace 21 and the column node 11 can be transported separately, reducing transportation difficulty and cost.

[0096] Meanwhile, for column segment 12, since the dimensions of column segment 12 between two adjacent column nodes 11 may differ, the node body 111 and column segment 12 can be fixed by welding, and at least some column segments 12 can be divided into multiple sub-segments 121. The sub-segments 121 can be detachably connected to each other, so that the column segment 12 can be segmented according to actual needs, and at least some sub-segments 121 can be welded to the column node 11, thereby simplifying the installation and transportation difficulties.

[0097] Optionally, a branch flange 1121 may be provided at the end of the node support 112, and the branch flange 1121 is connected to the diagonal brace 21 and the horizontal brace 31 by bolts. At least one end of the sub-segment 121 may be provided with a column 1 flange, and the column 1 flange of the sub-segment 121 is connected by bolts, thereby realizing a detachable connection between the sub-segments 121.

[0098] Optionally, the branch flange 1121 and / or the column 1 flange can be integrally cast with the column node 11, or they can be welded to the column node 11 after it is formed. Since the end of the node support 112 near the branch flange 1121 is a stress concentration area with a sudden change in stiffness, the end of the node support 112 can be locally thickened to increase the strength of the connection area S2 between the node support 112 and the diagonal brace 21, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the column node 11.

[0099] In some alternative embodiments, the node body 111 is configured as a hollow structure. The node body 111 includes a main body region S1 and a connecting region S2. The connecting region S2 is located at both ends of the main body region S1 along the first direction X and is used to connect with the column segment 12. The wall thickness of the node body 111 in the connecting region S2 is greater than the wall thickness of the main body region S1.

[0100] Similar to the node support 112, when the node body 111 is set as a hollow structure, the connection area S2 of the node body 111 used for welding with the column section 12 can be locally thickened to increase the strength of the connection area S2 between the node body 111 and the column section 12, and further improve the load-bearing effect of the column node 11.

[0101] Furthermore, since the column node 11 is integrally cast, the dimensions of the cast column node 11 may have large deviations. Therefore, after casting, material can be removed by machining to obtain the end welding joint features. By setting a local thickening in the connection area S2, machining allowance can be reserved for material removal, ensuring welding accuracy and laying the foundation for the overall tower assembly accuracy.

[0102] Please refer to Figures 2 to 8. Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the diagonal brace node 22 provided in some embodiments of this application, and Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the diagonal brace node 22 provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0103] In some alternative embodiments, the support unit further includes a diagonal brace node 22, wherein a plurality of diagonal braces 21 arranged in a cross configuration are disconnected at the intersection and connected by the diagonal brace node 22, and the diagonal brace node 22 is an integral cast structure.

[0104] Similar to column node 11, brace node 22 can also be set as an integrally cast structure. Compared with the existing welding method to form brace node 22, the stress of brace node 22 can be optimized to improve its load-bearing capacity. Since the brace rods 21 of column node 11 are arranged in parallel with the structure, when brace node 22 is set as an integrally cast structure, brace node 22 can also share the same casting mold, reducing the number of casting molds and significantly reducing production costs.

[0105] Referring again to Figures 2 through 8, in some optional embodiments, the diagonal bracing node 22 includes a diagonal bracing body 221 and a plurality of diagonal bracing supports 222 disposed on the diagonal bracing body 221, with the diagonal bracing rod 21 connected to the diagonal bracing supports 222. The extension axes aa of the plurality of diagonal bracing supports 222 are coplanar and their intersection point passes through the center bb of the diagonal bracing body 221, and adjacent diagonal bracing supports 222 are smoothly transitioned through the diagonal bracing body 221.

[0106] Compared to the existing method of welding multiple diagonal bracing supports 222 together, stress concentration is prone to occur at the intersection of the diagonal bracing body 221, which affects the service life of the diagonal bracing node 22. In the embodiments of this application, multiple diagonal bracing supports 222 are connected by the diagonal bracing body 221, which can effectively reduce the stress concentration at the connection of the diagonal bracing supports 222, thereby improving the reliability of the tower support structure 10.

[0107] To improve the reliability of the diagonal brace node 22, in some optional embodiments, the diagonal brace node 22 is configured as a hollow structure, and the diagonal brace body 221 includes opposing wall portions, with multiple diagonal brace supports 222 connected through the wall portions, and at least a portion of the wall portions having a reinforcing structure. When the pressure on each diagonal brace support is transmitted to the diagonal brace body, the reinforcing structure can reduce the stress in the central region of the diagonal brace body 221.

[0108] By providing a reinforcing structure in at least a portion of the wall, the structural strength of the diagonal brace body 221 can be enhanced, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace body 221 and reducing the risk of damage to the diagonal brace node 22 under stress.

[0109] It is understandable that stress concentration can be reduced and the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace 221 can be improved by smoothing the structure, or by locally strengthening the diagonal brace 221.

[0110] When the diagonal brace body 221 is smoothed, in some alternative embodiments, the reinforcing structure includes a plurality of transition sections 2211 disposed on the outer edge of the wall, the transition sections 2211 being disposed between every two diagonal brace supports 222, and adjacent two diagonal brace supports 222 being connected by the transition sections 2211.

[0111] For the diagonal brace node 22, by making the two adjacent diagonal brace supports 222 smoothly transition through the transition section 2211, the diagonal brace node 22 can be structurally smooth with no structural abrupt changes, and the force flow can be smoothly transmitted, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace node 22.

[0112] Optionally, the transition segment 2211 extends in an arc shape, and multiple transition segments 2211 enclose each other to form a star-shaped outline. The reinforcing structure also includes a connecting part 2212, which is planar on the star-shaped outline and connected to the transition segment.

[0113] Taking four diagonal bracing supports 222 as an example, as an optional implementation, the transition section 2211 can be extended in an arc shape and serve as a sweeping guide line to achieve a smooth transition between the diagonal bracing supports 222. Multiple transition sections 2211 enclose a closed star-shaped outline, and the part of the wall located between multiple transition sections 2211 has a planar structure and transitions tangentially to the edge of the sweeping surface to achieve a smooth transition between the regions of the diagonal bracing node 22.

[0114] In addition, by making the connection 2212 between multiple transition sections 2211 planar, the casting difficulty can be reduced and the overall stress is more stable, further improving the reliability of the diagonal brace node 22.

[0115] Please refer to Figure 9, which shows a structural schematic diagram of the diagonal brace node 22 provided in another embodiment of this application. The wall of the diagonal brace body 221 is configured as an arc-shaped wall. The arc-shaped wall is connected to the diagonal brace support 222 and protrudes to the side away from the hollow structure. The arc-shaped wall is formed as the aforementioned reinforcing structure.

[0116] By setting the wall of the diagonal brace body 221 as an arc-shaped wall to form a reinforced structure, the transition can be achieved through the arc-shaped wall, reducing stress concentration. At the same time, the above structure is simple and makes it easier for the diagonal brace body 221 to cooperate with the diagonal brace support 222.

[0117] It is understandable that, in addition to smoothing the structure, the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace 221 can also be improved by locally strengthening the diagonal brace 221.

[0118] Please refer to Figure 10, which shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the diagonal brace node 22 provided in another embodiment of this application. The reinforcing structure may also include a thickened portion 223, the orthographic projection of which is located on the plane of the diagonal brace body 221 is located in the central region of the diagonal brace body 221.

[0119] The plane on which the main body of the diagonal brace 221 is located can be understood as: the plane on which the extension axes aa of multiple diagonal braces 222 are coplanar and their intersection point passes through the center bb of the main body of the diagonal brace 221, that is, the plane on which the extension axes aa of multiple diagonal braces 222 are located.

[0120] The central area can be understood as the center bb of the main body 221 covering the diagonal brace.

[0121] By providing a thickened portion 223 on the wall and ensuring that the orthographic projection of the thickened portion 223 onto the plane of the diagonal brace body 221 is located in the central region of the diagonal brace body 221, i.e. at the intersection of the extension axes of the multiple diagonal brace supports 222, it is possible to thicken the area with high stress when stress concentration is unavoidable, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace node 22.

[0122] In addition, in the diagonal brace body 221 of the above embodiment, only one type of reinforcing structure may be provided, or multiple reinforcing structures may be provided. For example, based on the provision of the connecting part 2212 and the transition section 2211, a thickened part 223 may be provided in the connecting part 2212. By combining multiple reinforcing structures, the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace node 22 can be further improved.

[0123] It is understandable that the specific structure of the diagonal brace node 22 can be designed according to actual needs, and then integrally formed by casting after design. The size and position of the diagonal brace support 222 can be adjusted according to actual connection needs, as long as the load-bearing capacity of the diagonal brace node 22 can be improved.

[0124] This application also provides a casting mold, including multiple molds that are detachably connected. The multiple molds are combined to form a casting cavity, which is used to cast the column node 11 and / or the diagonal brace node 22 of the tower support structure 10 as described above.

[0125] It is understood that the tower support structure 10 in this embodiment of the application has only three types of nodes: first column node 11, bottom column node, and diagonal brace node 22. Therefore, only three casting molds are needed to realize the casting of each connecting node in the entire tower support structure 10, which significantly reduces the number of casting molds required, reduces production costs, and facilitates material management.

[0126] This application also provides a tower, a wind turbine generator 100, and a wind farm. The tower includes the tower support structure 10, the transition section 20, and the tower segment 30 as described in the above embodiments. One end of the transition section 20 is connected to the column 1 of the tower support structure 10 via flange bolts, and the other end is connected to the tower segment 30 via flange bolts. In another example, the tower segment can be directly connected to the tower support structure 10. The nacelle of the wind turbine generator can be directly supported on the top of the tower support structure 10, or indirectly supported on the top of the tower segment 30 via the transition section and / or the tower segment.

[0127] It is understood that the tower and wind turbine generator 100 in the embodiments of this application, since they include the tower support structure 10 in the above embodiments, also have the advantages of simple structure, strong load-bearing capacity, high reliability, simple manufacturing, light weight, and low cost, and are easy to promote and apply.

[0128] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A tower support structure, comprising: The column (1) is arranged at intervals from each other. The center line connecting one end of each column (1) forms a polygon. Each column (1) includes column nodes (11) and column segments (12) that are alternately distributed and connected along a first direction (X). A first support component (2) is disposed between each two adjacent columns (1). The first support component (2) includes multiple support units, each of which includes multiple diagonal braces (21) arranged in a cross manner. The support units are spaced apart along the first direction (X) and are connected to the column nodes (11) on the two adjacent columns (1) through the diagonal braces (21). In this context, each of the column nodes (11) on at least one column (1) is an integrally cast structure and includes a node body (111) and a plurality of node supports (112) inclinedly arranged on the node body (111). The integrally cast column node (11) is connected to the diagonal brace (21) of the support unit through the node supports (112). At least two integrally cast column nodes (11) of the same column (1) have the same structure, and the support units connected to the column nodes (11) with the same structure are arranged in parallel.

2. The tower support structure according to claim 1, wherein, Along the first direction (X), a plurality of column nodes (11) of the same column (1) include second column nodes (11b) located at both ends and a plurality of first column nodes (11a) located between the second column nodes (11b), and each of the first column nodes (11a) has the same structure.

3. The tower support structure according to claim 2, wherein, The plurality of diagonal braces (21) of the support unit include first diagonal braces (21a) and second diagonal braces (21b) arranged in a cross manner, wherein the first diagonal braces (21a) of each support unit are parallel to each other and the second diagonal braces (21b) are parallel to each other; The plurality of node supports (112) of the first column node (11a) are respectively connected to the first diagonal brace (21a) and the second diagonal brace (21b).

4. The tower support structure according to claim 2, wherein, At least one of the second column nodes (11b) located at both ends has the same structure as the first column node (11a).

5. The tower support structure according to claim 4, wherein, The tower support structure (10) further includes a second support component (3) located at at least one end of the column (1) along the first direction (X), the second support component (3) including a cross brace (31) disposed between each two adjacent columns (1); The plurality of node supports (112) of the second column node (11b) are respectively connected to the diagonal brace (21) and the horizontal brace (31).

6. The tower support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The multiple node supports (112) of the column node (11) are grouped to form a support group facing two adjacent columns (1), and the ends of the multiple node supports (112) in the same support group are intersected and connected to the node body (111). In the radial direction of the node body (111), the intersection of the extended axes of multiple node supports (112) of the same support group is located on the side of the axis of the node body (111) closer to the support group and at a certain distance from the axis of the node body (111).

7. The tower support structure according to claim 6, wherein, The node support (112) is configured as a hollow structure, and the ends of multiple node supports (112) in the same support group are connected by a transition portion; The column node (11) also includes a connecting plate (113), which connects the transition part and the node body (111).

8. The tower support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The diagonal brace (21) is detachably connected to the node support (112); and / or, The node body (111) and the column segment (12) are fixed by welding. At least part of the column segment (12) includes multiple sub-segments (121), which are detachably connected to each other.

9. The tower support structure according to claim 8, wherein, The node body (111) is set as a hollow structure; The node body (111) includes a main area (S1) and a connecting area (S2). The connecting area (S2) is located at both ends of the main area (S1) along the first direction (X) and is used to connect with the column segment (12). The wall thickness of the node body (111) in the connecting area (S2) is greater than the wall thickness of the main area (S1).

10. The tower support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The support unit also includes a diagonal brace node (22), and a plurality of diagonal braces (21) arranged in a cross manner are disconnected at the intersection and connected through the diagonal brace node (22).

11. The tower support structure according to claim 10, wherein, The diagonal bracing node (22) is an integral cast structure.

12. The tower support structure according to claim 10, wherein, The diagonal bracing node (22) includes a diagonal bracing body (221) and a plurality of diagonal bracing supports (222) disposed on the diagonal bracing body (221), wherein the diagonal bracing rod (21) is connected to the diagonal bracing support (222); The extension axes of the plurality of diagonal bracing bodies (222) are coplanar and their intersection point passes through the center of the diagonal bracing body (221), and two adjacent diagonal bracing bodies (222) are smoothly transitioned through the diagonal bracing body (221).

13. The tower support structure according to claim 12, wherein, The diagonal bracing node (22) is configured as a hollow structure, the diagonal bracing body (221) includes opposing wall portions, a plurality of diagonal bracing supports (222) are connected through the wall portions, at least a portion of the wall portions are provided with a reinforcing structure, the reinforcing structure is configured to reduce the stress in the central region of the diagonal bracing body (221).

14. The tower support structure according to claim 13, wherein, The reinforcing structure includes a thickened portion, the orthographic projection of which onto the plane of the diagonal brace body (221) is located in the central region of the diagonal brace body (221); And / or, the wall of the diagonal brace body (221) is provided as an arc-shaped wall, the arc-shaped wall is connected to the diagonal brace support (222) and protrudes to the side away from the hollow structure, and the arc-shaped wall forms the reinforcing structure; And / or, the reinforcing structure includes a plurality of transition sections (2211) disposed on the outer edge of the wall portion, the transition sections (2211) being disposed between each pair of diagonal bracing supports (222), and adjacent pairs of diagonal bracing supports (222) being connected through the transition sections (2211).

15. The tower support structure according to claim 14, wherein, The transition segment (2211) extends in an arc shape, and multiple transition segments (2211) enclose a star-shaped outline. The reinforcing structure also includes a connecting part (2212), which is planar on the star-shaped outline and connected to the transition segment (2211).

16. The tower support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, Each of the columns (1) is arranged with one end close to each other and the other end dispersed away from each other.

17. The tower support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, Each column (1) has the same structure; and / or each column node (11) is an integral cast structure.

18. A casting mold comprising a plurality of detachably connected molds, the plurality of molds being combined to form a casting cavity for casting column nodes (11) of a tower support structure (10) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17; and / or, the casting cavity for casting brace nodes (22) of a tower support structure (10) as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17.

19. A tower, comprising a tower support structure (10) and a tower segment (30), wherein the tower support structure (10) is the tower support structure (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, and the tower segment (30) is supported on the tower support structure (10).

20. A wind turbine generator set, comprising a tower and a nacelle, wherein the tower is the tower as described in claim 19, and the nacelle is disposed at the top of the tower segment (30); or comprising a tower support structure and a nacelle, wherein the tower support structure is the tower support structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 17, and the nacelle is disposed at the top of the tower support structure (10).

21. A wind farm, characterized in that, Includes at least one wind turbine generator as described in claim 20.

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