Damper Position-Limiting Device for Wind Turbine Tower
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-collision devices in wind turbines are ineffective in preventing structural damage to the tower due to the concentration of impact forces from the damper, as the connecting area between the beam and the inner wall is small, leading to localized pressure and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A damper position-limiting device with a web and position-limiting ring is mounted on the tower, where the web acts as a connecting member to distribute the impact force along its length, reducing pressure on a small area of the inner wall and preventing structural damage, with stress relief holes to manage welding stress and a cylindrical position-limiting ring to compensate for positional deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a beam is used to connect the position-limiting ring to the inner wall of the tower, then the damper swing amplitude is limited, but the connecting area is small and impact force concentrates on a small area causing structural damage
Solution Approach 1:
The web is divided into multiple side walls (first side wall, second side wall, etc.) that extend along the circumferential direction of the tower inner wall. This segmentation distributes the impact force across multiple connection points and increases the total connecting area, preventing stress concentration on a single small area.
Solution Approach 2:
The web extends not only radially from the position-limiting ring to the tower inner wall but also circumferentially along the tower with a specified length (0.25 to 0.5 times the circumference). This adds a circumferential dimension to the connection, transforming a point-like connection into a distributed linear connection that spreads impact forces over a larger area.
2Area of stationary object
If the first side wall of the web is made longer to distribute impact force, then the connecting area increases, but the welding stress concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
Stress relief holes are introduced at specific locations on the web (such as at the connections between side walls or at the tower inner wall interface). These localized features modify the stress distribution pattern, creating stress relief zones that prevent stress concentration while maintaining the overall structural integrity and force distribution benefits of the extended web.
Solution Approach 2:
The stress relief holes act as intermediary elements that mediate the stress transfer between the web and the tower inner wall. They provide alternative stress paths and reduce peak welding stresses by creating localized stress relief zones, allowing the web to maintain its force-distributing function without suffering from excessive welding stress concentration.
3Strength
If the web is welded to the inner wall of the tower, then the connection strength increases, but the welding stress may cause deformation or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The specified length of the first side wall (0.25 to 0.5 times the circumference of the tower inner wall) optimizes the balance between connection strength and stress distribution. This parameter control ensures sufficient welding area for strong connection while limiting the total welded length to prevent excessive heat input and deformation. The stress relief holes further modify the stress parameters locally to prevent damage.
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
The solution effectively disperses impact forces, preventing structural damage to the tower by uniformly distributing the force along the web's length and reducing the risk of direct collision with the inner wall, thus enhancing the structural integrity of the tower.
Implementation Method 1
the web acts as a connecting member to distribute the impact force along its length, reducing pressure on a small area of the inner wall
Implementation Method 2
The first side wall of the web is connected to the inner wall of the tower by welding
Implementation Method 3
stress relief holes to manage welding stress
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A damper position-limiting device (100) is provided, which is mounted in a tower (200) to limit a swing amplitude of a damper (300) installed in the tower (200). The damper position-limiting device (100) includes at least one web (1) and a position-limiting ring (2), the web (1) is provided with a mounting hole (11) and at least one stress relief hole (12); a first side wall (13) of the web (1) has a first specified length along a circumferential direction of an inner wall of the tower (200), and is connected to the inner wall of the tower (200); and the position-limiting ring (2) is positioned within the mounting hole (11) and connected to the mounting hole (11) and is configured to accommodate an impacting plate (302) of the damper (300).