Adjustable Lattice Mast for Wind Turbine Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine towers face challenges in easy maintenance and assembly/disassembly, particularly in high towers, due to limited accessibility and structural constraints.
Innovation Solution
The lattice mast design features tubular, two-part supports with a climbing frame and hydraulic thrust motor, allowing for adjustable height and easy movement of components, with detachable connections and inchworm movement for precise positioning, reducing material usage and increasing internal damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the tower height is increased to enable construction of taller wind turbines, then the power generation capacity is improved, but the difficulty of maintenance and assembly/disassembly of nacelle and rotor blades increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tower height adjustable through a telescopic mechanism. The tower can be extended to great heights for power generation and then retracted to lower heights for maintenance operations. This transforms the static tower into a dynamic structure that can adapt its height based on operational requirements, thereby resolving the contradiction between tall tower benefits and maintenance accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The tower is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can be independently moved relative to each other. This segmentation allows the upper sections to be retracted into lower sections during maintenance, effectively reducing the working height while maintaining the capability for tall operation during power generation.
2Length of stationary object
If the tower height is increased to enable construction of taller wind turbines, then the power generation capacity is improved, but the material requirement and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements the nested doll principle through its telescopic tower design, where smaller tower sections are nested within larger sections. This allows the tower to achieve great extended heights without requiring a proportionally large base structure, thereby reducing material requirements and structural complexity compared to a solid tower of the same maximum height.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the tower telescopic and adjustable rather than fixed, the structure can adapt its configuration, reducing the need for overly robust permanent structures designed to withstand all possible operational conditions at maximum height.
3Length of stationary object
If fixed telescopic mechanisms are used for height adjustment, then the tower can achieve great heights, but the weight and complexity of the tower drive system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs counterweights to balance the tower sections during telescopic movement. This counterbalancing mechanism reduces the net force required by the tower drive system, thereby reducing the weight and power requirements of the drive mechanism itself while still enabling great tower heights.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic or pneumatic thrust motors to drive the telescopic movement of tower sections. These fluid power systems provide high force multiplication, enabling the movement of heavy tower sections with relatively compact and lightweight actuation systems compared to purely mechanical screw or gear mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables easy maintenance and assembly/disassembly of nacelle and rotor blades in high towers, reducing material usage and enhancing structural efficiency while allowing for safe height reduction during maintenance, facilitating the construction of taller wind turbines.
Implementation Method 1
The climbing device optionally includes at least one hydraulic thrust motor
Implementation Method 2
A lattice mast has a lower material requirement and higher inherent damping compared to a conventional steel tube tower
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to lattice masts (1), each as a tower of a wind turbine. The lattice mast has tubular supports (7) made of parts that can be detachably connected to one another, wherein the two parts, as they are connected, are arranged continuously uniaxially in the supporting axes and together obliquely relative to one another. Furthermore, the lattice mast has a first guiding constituent part (2) and a second constituent part (3) guided in the first constituent part. The first constituent part has a device having a plurality of rails (4) arranged in the corners of a polygon as a climbing frame for guiding at least one guiding element of the second constituent part. The guide element is connected via at least one climbing device having couplings to the rails of the climbing frame. In addition, the first constituent part has an element (10) for supporting the end or the end region of the second constituent part in the end position.