Pivotable Mounting Structure for Wind Turbine Tower Sectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for assembling wind turbine towers from tower sections are labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring precise alignment and connection of edge flanges, which complicates the process and increases labor requirements.
Innovation Solution
A mounting structure and system that uses elongate supporting and mounting members with pivotable connections and adjustable mechanisms to securely hold and align tower sectors, allowing for easier transportation and assembly by ensuring face flanges are parallel and edge flanges can be efficiently connected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tower sectors are assembled by connecting edge flanges with screws, bolts or rivets, then the tower structure is achieved, but the assembly process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure includes supporting members and mounting members that are pre-configured to hold tower sectors in the correct position and orientation before the actual flange connection process. This preliminary positioning ensures that when connection begins, all components are already aligned, eliminating time-consuming alignment operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mounting structures with supporting members and mounting members as intermediary devices between the tower sectors. These intermediaries facilitate the assembly process by providing a framework that guides and maintains the precise relative positioning of tower sectors during connection, making the overall process more efficient
2Ease of operation
If tower sectors are arranged in a lying position for assembly, then connection is possible, but serious labor time is required for proper arrangement and positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates pivotable connections that allow the mounting members to rotate and adjust the tower sectors from a lying position to various orientations. This dynamic capability enables workers to easily transition between positions during assembly without requiring complex manual repositioning operations
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting members are designed to initially receive and hold tower sectors in a convenient lying position for transport and initial placement. The mounting structure is pre-configured to facilitate this initial positioning, after which the pivotable mechanisms can easily transition to the final upright position, separating the transport phase from the assembly phase
3Manufacturing precision
If edge flanges are aligned with facing surfaces on parallel planes, then precise connection is achieved, but the alignment process becomes complex and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure introduces guiding members and positioning mechanisms as intermediaries that physically guide the tower sectors into correct alignment. These intermediaries provide mechanical constraints that automatically ensure facing surfaces are on parallel planes, replacing complex manual measurement and adjustment procedures with simple mechanical guidance
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention describes a mounting structure (3) for supporting a tower sector (2a) with predefined face flanges (2b) covering the curved faces of the surface shell of the tower sector (2a), the mounting structure (3) comprising: - an elongate supporting member (5) designed to be mounted on a surface with a base area (5c) on an elongate side of the support member (5), - an elongate mounting member (6) with two fixing means (6a) designed to be releasable fastened as a cord to a circular face flange (2b) of a tower element (2a), - the supporting member (5) and the mounting member (6) being arranged parallel according to their longitudinal axes and pivotable connected with each other at their longitudinal ends to form legs of an angle, so that the plane of rotation between the supporting member (5) and the mounting member (6) is perpendicular to the base area (5c). The invention further describes a respective mounting system and a method of connecting tower sectors.