Rotating Wind Turbine Tower with Climbing Crane

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wind turbine tower designs face challenges in increasing height due to rapid cost and weight scaling with height, limited availability of large cranes for tall tower construction, and high installation costs, which hinder the exploitation of stronger, steadier winds at higher altitudes.

Innovation Solution

A lightweight, rotating, wing-shaped tower design supported by a fixed lower tower, which incorporates a climbing crane mechanism that uses the partially completed rotating tower to self-erect to full height and lift the turbine nacelle and rotor, reducing material usage and crane requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional tower designs increase height to reach stronger winds, then annual energy production increases, but tower weight and cost scale up rapidly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveannual energy productionVSAvoidtower weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The tower is divided into multiple modular sections that can be assembled incrementally. A climbing crane mechanism allows the tower to be built section-by-section, with each segment added to the growing structure rather than requiring complete pre-assembly. This segmentation enables height increase without proportionally increasing total weight, as only the necessary structural material for each additional section is added.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tower incorporates a climbing crane that uses the tower's own partially completed structure as its support base. The crane climbs up the tower as it is being built, using the existing structure for support rather than requiring external heavy-lift cranes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional support infrastructure and reduces overall system weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If conventional tower designs increase height, then access to stronger winds improves, but installation cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveannual energy productionVSAvoidinstallation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The tower is divided into multiple modular sections that can be assembled incrementally. A climbing crane mechanism allows the tower to be built section-by-section, with each segment added to the growing structure rather than requiring complete pre-assembly. This segmentation enables height increase without proportionally increasing total weight, as only the necessary structural material for each additional section is added.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tower incorporates a climbing crane that uses the tower's own partially completed structure as its support base. The crane climbs up the tower as it is being built, using the existing structure for support rather than requiring external heavy-lift cranes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional support infrastructure and reduces overall system weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Length of stationary object

If exceptionally tall towers of 150m or more are constructed, then access to stronger winds improves, but availability of large cranes becomes limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetower heightVSAvoidcrane availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The climbing crane is attached to and climbs up the tower structure as it is being built, rather than requiring a massive crane to be positioned and operate from the ground. This preliminary action of having the crane ascend with the structure eliminates the need for extremely large ground-based cranes that would be required to lift components to great heights all at once.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The tower incorporates a climbing crane that uses the tower's own partially completed structure as its support base. The crane climbs up the tower as it is being built, using the existing structure for support rather than requiring external heavy-lift cranes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional support infrastructure and reduces overall system weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9394880B2Tall wind turbine tower erection with climbing crane

Publication Date: 2016.07.19 ZUTECK MICHAEL

AI summary

A wind turbine tower comprising a forward leaning rotating tower where the tower rotates on lower and upper bearings. The upper bearing is held in position by a second fixed lower tower that encloses a lower portion of the first rotating tower. A method of constructing a wind turbine tower comprising building a tower in segments; including elements of the tower segments enabling the attachment, support, and movement of a climbing crane. Also included is a lifting cable communicating with a ground based winch vehicle. Climbing crane is positioned on the tower to enable the climbing crane to reach forward of the tower and to raise segments of the tower to build it to full height, and to also raise the nacelle and rotor of the wind turbine.