Modular Composite Wind Turbine Tower Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation and assembly of large wind turbine towers made from metal alloys are challenging due to their size and weight, and existing methods are inefficient, as they are difficult to transport and require extensive on-site assembly, while composite or hybrid materials offer potential alternatives but require innovative manufacturing methods.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the onsite assembly of modular composite or hybrid structures using conic sections, where individual panels are coupled via joints like half-lap or full-lap connections, reinforced with composite materials, and formed around a mandrel to create large structures such as wind turbine towers, allowing for reduced transportation costs and efficient construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If large wind turbine towers are made from metal alloys, then structural strength is achieved, but transportation and assembly become difficult due to size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The tower is divided into multiple modular sections that can be manufactured separately and transported individually, then assembled on-site. Each section is further segmented into panels that can be coupled together using half-lap or full-lap joints, making the overall structure transportable while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials (such as fiber-reinforced polymers) instead of traditional metal alloys to construct the tower sections. These composite materials provide comparable or superior strength-to-weight ratio, enabling the tower to maintain structural strength while significantly reducing weight for easier transportation and assembly
2Length of moving object
If towers are fabricated in smaller sections for transport, then transportation feasibility is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each tower section is segmented into multiple panels that can be independently manufactured and transported. The panels are designed with standardized coupling mechanisms (half-lap or full-lap joints) that simplify the assembly process, reducing overall assembly complexity despite the increased number of components
Solution Approach 2:
The panels are pre-assembled into complete tower sections at the manufacturing site before transportation. This preliminary assembly reduces the number of components that need to be handled and assembled on-site, thereby reducing assembly complexity during installation
3Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used for tower construction, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing methods become less established
Solution Approach 1:
The tower construction is segmented into standardized panels that can be manufactured using established composite material techniques such as fiber placement, molding, or lamination. These standardized manufacturing processes are well-established in the composite industry, making the production of composite tower sections feasible despite the novelty of the application
Solution Approach 2:
Composite tower sections are manufactured and pre-assembled in controlled manufacturing environments where established composite fabrication techniques can be fully utilized. This allows for quality control and process optimization using proven methods, while the on-site assembly requires minimal complex manufacturing operations
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a method of making a selected structure using composite materials is disclosed, which method in form includes providing a plurality of members each comprising a composite material, wherein each member is configured to be coupled to at least one other member in the plurality of members along a longitudinal side; coupling onsite the plurality of members along their longitudinal sides to form a base enclosed structure; and reinforcing onsite the base enclosed structure to form the selected structure.