Segmented Transition Body for Wind Turbine Tower Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing designs for wind turbine towers face challenges in reducing production and transport costs while maintaining fatigue strength, particularly due to the high costs of transition bodies between upper and lower tower sections, and the difficulties in assembling large components on-site.
Innovation Solution
A transition body designed as a solid plate composed of segments, assembled without welding, connecting the upper tubular tower section to a lower tower section with a central support tower and side towers, allowing for modular construction and reduced weight, facilitating easier transport and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a solid plate transition body is used to improve fatigue strength and force distribution, then manufacturing costs and transport effort increase due to the large size and weight of the component
Solution Approach 1:
The solid plate transition body is divided into multiple segments that can be transported separately and assembled on-site. Each segment is smaller and lighter than the complete transition body, making them suitable for standard transport infrastructure while maintaining the overall structural integrity and fatigue resistance when assembled.
2Ease of manufacture
If the transition body is designed as a truncated cone shell with corner posts (prior art), then transport is simplified, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transition body is segmented into modular units that can be manufactured using standard heavy plate cutting and post-processing techniques. This segmentation reduces manufacturing complexity compared to forming a complete truncated cone shell, while the segments can be assembled to achieve the same functional geometry.
3Productivity
If larger diameter tower segments are used to reduce the number of sections, then transport becomes extremely complex due to road width and bridge clearance limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The transition body is divided into segments with dimensions suitable for standard transport infrastructure. This allows the tower to be constructed in fewer sections than traditional lattice towers while avoiding the transport complexities of oversized single-piece components.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition body segments are designed to be assembled in a vertical configuration that achieves the required tower diameter through stacking and radial arrangement of segments, rather than transporting a single large-diameter component horizontally.
4Ease of manufacture
If arched tower sections are assembled on-site to form tubular segments, then transport is simplified, but assembly effort and deformation risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transition body is pre-fabricated in segmented form with connection interfaces designed for straightforward on-site assembly. The segments are shaped and prepared in advance to minimize deformation risks during transport while reducing assembly effort through standardized connection mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a transition body (3) to be arranged between an upper tower section (4) and a lower tower section (5) of a tower (1) for a wind turbine (2), wherein the lower tower section (5) comprises a central support tower (6) and multiple outer side towers (7) distributed around the periphery, wherein the transition body (3) is designed as a solid plate body and has means (10, 10.1, 10.2, 11, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3) for connecting to the upper tower section (5), the lower central support tower (6) and the outer side towers (7), characterized in that the transition body (3) consists of multiple segments (8.1, 8.2, 8.3). The invention also relates to a tower having this transition body, and to a method for erecting the latter.