Wind Turbine Tower Levelling Ring with Detachable Adjustment Legs

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Achieving a perfectly horizontal foundation surface for wind turbine towers is challenging due to the difficulty in aligning large and heavy levelling rings, which can lead to unbalanced loading and structural damage, and existing methods are time-consuming and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A levelling arrangement comprising a cylindrical body with detachable connection means and three independently actuable adjustment legs, allowing precise horizontal alignment of a levelling ring between the tower foundation and the tower, using a levelling apparatus with a cylindrical body and adjustment legs that can extend vertically to adjust the levelling ring's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a levelling ring is used as an intermediate layer between the foundation and the tower flange, then the tower can be positioned on an uneven foundation surface, but the levelling ring becomes very heavy and difficult to manipulate for precise levelling adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehorizontal alignment precisionVSAvoidlevelling ring weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The levelling ring is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together to form the complete ring. This segmentation reduces the weight of individual components, making them easier to manipulate and position, while still achieving the required levelling precision when assembled into the complete ring structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A levelling apparatus with adjustment legs is introduced as an intermediary device between the foundation and the levelling ring. This apparatus provides the mechanical means to achieve precise horizontal alignment without requiring direct manual manipulation of the heavy levelling ring itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional shim adjustment methods are used to achieve horizontal alignment, then corrections can be made to the foundation surface, but the process becomes very time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehorizontal alignment precisionVSAvoidlevelling process time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The levelling ring is pre-assembled with the levelling apparatus attached before being positioned on the foundation. The adjustment legs are pre-configured with their adjustment mechanisms, allowing for rapid levelling adjustments to be made once the assembly is in place, rather than requiring time-consuming iterative shim adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The manual iterative process of placing and adjusting shims is replaced by a mechanical levelling apparatus with adjustment legs that can be actuated to achieve horizontal alignment. This mechanical system provides more precise and faster control over the levelling process compared to manual shim adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables quick and accurate achievement of a horizontal mounting surface for wind turbine towers, simplifying the levelling process, reducing the need for high-strength grout, and facilitating efficient load transfer with a narrower tower flange, thus enhancing safety and reducing construction time and costs.

Implementation Method 1

each adjustment leg is extendable in a vertical direction to effect a displacement of the levelling ring relative to the tower foundation during the levelling procedure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical extension:

Data Source

PatentEP2871289B2Levelling of a tower

Publication Date: 2019.09.25 SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY AS

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

The invention describes a levelling arrangement (1) for a tower (4), which levelling arrangement (1) comprises a levelling ring (2) realised for placement between a tower foundation (3) and the tower (4); and a levelling apparatus (10), which levelling apparatus (10) comprises a connection means (101) for detachably connecting the levelling apparatus (10) to the levelling ring (2) during a levelling procedure; and a number of adjustment legs (12), wherein an adjustment leg (12) is realised to effect a displacement (D1, D2, D3) of the levelling ring (2) relative to the tower foundation (3) during the levelling procedure. The invention also describes a method of providing a level mounting interface (2, 201) for a tower (4); a method of erecting a wind turbine tower (4); and a wind turbine tower assembly (2, 3, 4).