Self-Elevating Windmill Construction for Crane-Free Tower Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing height of wind turbines poses challenges in terms of maintenance access, environmental impact, and cost due to the need for heavy foundations and complex nacelle maintenance, especially in offshore installations, where traditional support structures like monopiles and lattice jackets are costly and environmentally disruptive.

Innovation Solution

A self-elevating windmill construction with a lattice substructure and modular tower segments, supported by a jack-up assembly and guide collars, allowing for stepwise assembly and reducing the need for mobile cranes, while incorporating sound-absorbing materials to minimize noise and environmental disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the tower height is increased to access stronger wind resources, then energy capture is improved, but maintenance access becomes more difficult and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy captureVSAvoidmaintenance access
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wind turbine system performs self-elevation using its own jack-up assembly and guide collars, eliminating the need for external mobile cranes for both installation and maintenance. The tower can be elevated and lowered autonomously to enable maintenance workers to access the nacelle at a lower, safer height while the turbine operates at high altitude.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The tower transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one that can change its effective height. The jack-up assembly enables the tower to be elevated during installation and lowered during maintenance, allowing the system to adapt between operational and maintenance states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If a monopile foundation is used to support tall towers, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and installation cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tower is divided into modular segments that can be assembled in a controlled environment and then elevated as a complete module. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing and simplifies the installation process compared to building a single large monopile structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tower segments are pre-assembled and pre-equipped with the nacelle and rotor in a controlled factory setting before being transported to the installation site. This preliminary assembly reduces on-site construction complexity and improves manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If mobile cranes are used for tower assembly, then assembly speed is improved, but installation cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly speedVSAvoidinstallation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The wind turbine system performs self-elevation using its own jack-up assembly and guide collars, eliminating the need for external mobile cranes for both installation and maintenance. The tower can be elevated and lowered autonomously to enable maintenance workers to access the nacelle at a lower, safer height while the turbine operates at high altitude.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Use of energy by moving object

If taller towers are constructed to reduce interference from topographical features, then wind resource quality is improved, but investment cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind resource qualityVSAvoidinvestment cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The tower is divided into modular segments that can be assembled in a controlled environment and then elevated as a complete module. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing and simplifies the installation process compared to building a single large monopile structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tower segments are pre-assembled and pre-equipped with the nacelle and rotor in a controlled factory setting before being transported to the installation site. This preliminary assembly reduces on-site construction complexity and improves manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12442359B2Windmill construction and a method for assembly of a windmill construction
Publication Date: 2025.10.14 TEBINA ENERGI AS
  • US12442359B2 patent drawing
  • US12442359B2 patent drawing
  • US12442359B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A windmill construction (10), comprising a rotor-nacelle assembly (12) with blades (14), a tower (16), a substructure (20) and a foundation (22). The substructure (20) comprises a first guide collar (24) and a second guide collar (26) for support of the tower (16), said first guide collar (24) being located in a lower part of the substructure (20) and said second guide collar (26) being located in an upper part of the substructure (20). The substructure (20) comprises a jack-up assembly (30) for receipt of modular tower segments (18), said tower segments (18) are arranged to be assembled in the substructure (20) and erectable by the jack-up assembly (30) to produce an assembled tower (16). The invention is also directed to a method for assembly of a windmill construction.