Modular Tower Section Supports for Versatile Rail Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation of large wind turbine tower sections is complicated, expensive, and time-consuming due to their size and the need for multiple modes of transport, with current methods lacking versatility and efficiency, particularly in rail transport.
Innovation Solution
A support system for tower sections comprising a base with lateral sidewalls, saddles, and keys, along with adjustable end and intermediate supports, is used to secure and stabilize the tower sections on transport devices, allowing for secure and adaptable mounting on various transport modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tower sections are transported using current mounting fixtures on railcars, then transportation is possible, but the process is complicated, expensive, and time-consuming with limited versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting fixture is designed with a modular structure comprising a base, saddles, and keys that can accommodate tower sections of varying lengths and circumferences. The saddles can be positioned at different locations on the base, and the keys can be adjusted to fit different keyhole patterns, enabling the same fixture to handle multiple tower configurations without requiring custom-designed fixtures for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting fixture is divided into separable components: a base that attaches to the railcar, adjustable saddles that support the tower section, and keys that lock the saddles in position. This segmentation allows each component to be independently adjusted and positioned, providing flexibility in accommodating different tower dimensions while simplifying the overall assembly process.
2Ease of manufacture
If tower sections are manufactured and transported in multiple sections to reduce material costs, then fabrication costs are reduced, but transportation logistics become more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
A single standardized mounting fixture design can handle tower sections of various lengths and circumferences, allowing multiple tower sections to be transported using the same fixture type. This universality simplifies transportation logistics by eliminating the need for different fixture designs for different section sizes, while still enabling cost-effective manufacturing through sectioned towers.
3Reliability
If mounting fixtures are designed to securely hold tower sections, then transportation safety is improved, but the fixtures become more complex and less adaptable
Solution Approach 1:
The saddles are designed to be adjustable along the base, allowing their position to be dynamically changed based on the tower section length. The keys can be inserted at different positions to lock the saddles, providing secure attachment while maintaining adaptability. This dynamic adjustability ensures reliable transportation safety without sacrificing fixture versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are used for transporting a plurality of tower sections of a wind turbine on beds of transport devices, such as flat railcars. Supports affix at support locations on beds to accommodate at least one of the tower sections on each of the transport devices. The supports can include bed supports, such as tabs, extending from the beds, and can include cradle supports with slots that engage on the tabs. A circumferential dimension of a cradle is adjusted on each of the supports against which the tower section rests. Each of the tower sections is then supported with at least two of the supports by loading the tower sections on the transport devices. An end of each of the tower sections is then affixed to a flange on at least one of the supports on each of the transport devices.