Wind Turbine Tower Ring Segments With Adjustable Assembly Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbine tower construction methods face challenges in manufacturing and transportation due to the use of pre-manufactured concrete segments, particularly for high towers exceeding 100 meters, which require precise on-site assembly and lack flexibility in adjusting gaps between segments.
Innovation Solution
A tower design incorporating tubular sections with pre-manufactured ring segments connected by a connection arrangement featuring gap generation means, allowing for adjustable gaps between segments, enabling easier assembly and re-shaping during manufacture and operation, without the need for external tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pre-manufactured concrete segments are used for tower construction, then manufacturing and transportation issues are facilitated, but precise on-site assembly is required and flexibility in adjusting gaps between segments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The connection arrangement incorporates adjustable connection elements that enable dynamic adjustment of the gap between adjacent ring segments. This allows the gap to be modified after assembly, transforming a static connection into a dynamic one that can adapt to positioning requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The tower is divided into multiple pre-manufactured ring segments that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. The connection arrangement further segments the connection function into adjustable components, allowing independent adjustment of each joint's gap.
2Ease of manufacture
If pre-manufactured concrete segments are used for tower construction, then manufacturing and transportation issues are facilitated, but the ability to adjust gaps between segments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The connection arrangement incorporates adjustable connection elements that enable dynamic adjustment of the gap between adjacent ring segments. This allows the gap to be modified after assembly, transforming a static connection into a dynamic one that can adapt to positioning requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection arrangement allows changing the gap parameter between ring segments after assembly. By providing adjustable connection elements, the system enables modification of the geometric parameter (gap size) to adapt to different positioning requirements.
3Ease of operation
If external tools are used to generate gaps between ring segments, then gap generation is possible, but the device complexity increases and assembly becomes more cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The connection arrangement integrates gap generation means directly into the connection structure between ring segments. This self-contained design eliminates the need for separate external tools, as the connection elements themselves perform the gap generation function during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap generation means is merged with the connection arrangement, combining two functions (connection and gap generation) into a single integrated structure. This eliminates the need for separate external tools and simplifies the overall assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
A tower for a wind turbine is provided, including at least one tubular tower section, the tower section including two or more ring segments forming together a ring element and a connection arrangement connecting two adjacent ones of the ring segments with each other, wherein the connection arrangement includes gap generation means for generating and maintaining a predefined gap between the two adjacent ring segments.By allowing the gap between the connected ring segments, arranging and connecting the ring segments is facilitated. In particular, a lower precision in positioning the ring segments next to each other is required. Further, the gap generation means allow re-adjustment of the relative position of the connected ring sections at any time during manufacture and/or operation.