Wind Turbine Tower Section With Longitudinal Flanges for Easier Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbine tower manufacturing requires extensive welding and rigorous flaw detection processes, leading to increased workloads and safety hazards, particularly due to the need for 100% RT and UT flaw detection for T-shaped joints and penetration welding.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a tower section by connecting cylinder section members with longitudinal slits, eliminating the need for UT and RT flaw detection by cutting off butt slits and using longitudinal flange pairs for assembly, reducing the amount of welding required and simplifying the construction process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tower sections use butt welding seams and T-shaped joints, then structural integrity is maintained, but extensive UT and RT flaw detection is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the problematic T-shaped joints and butt welding seams from the tower section structure. By designing the tower section to be divided into multiple independent parts without T-shaped joints, the patent eliminates the need for penetration welding and extensive flaw detection, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability through alternative connection methods
Solution Approach 2:
The tower section is segmented into multiple independent parts that can be manufactured separately and assembled without creating T-shaped joints. This segmentation allows each part to be produced with simpler welding requirements (only fillet welds needed), eliminating the need for UT and RT flaw detection while maintaining overall structural integrity
2Reliability
If penetration welding is performed on butt welding seams, then welding quality is ensured, but a large amount of welding work is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for penetration welding by eliminating T-shaped joints from the design. The tower section is configured so that parts are connected through fillet welds only, which are simpler to perform and do not require the complex penetration welding process, thereby reducing welding work while maintaining adequate welding quality for the application
3Reliability
If 100% RT and UT flaw detection is performed, then welding quality is controlled, but production time is increased and worker safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the requirement for 100% RT and UT flaw detection by eliminating the weld joints that would require such extensive inspection. By designing a structure that uses only fillet welds and avoids T-shaped joints, the patent reduces welding quality control to levels that do not require time-consuming and hazardous radiographic and ultrasonic testing
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of extensive flaw detection (worker exposure to radiation and time loss) into a benefit by designing a structure that inherently requires minimal inspection. The simplified welding structure turns what would have been a time-consuming inspection process into a rapid production method while maintaining adequate quality through design rather than inspection
Data Source
AI summary
A tower portion, a tower, and a wind turbine generator assembly are provided. The tower portion includes: a main tower portion, and a longitudinal flange pair. The main tower portion is divided into at least two sections by means a longitudinal seam formed in a longitudinal direction thereof. The longitudinal flange pair is provided in the longitudinal seam along the longitudinal direction of the main tower portion. The longitudinal flange pair protrudes from an inner surface and an outer surface of the main tower portion in a radial direction thereof, and is welded to a corresponding section of the main tower portion. The tower portion reduces welding difficulty, reduces heat produced during the welding process, and improves the quality of the weld. The application further discloses a method for manufacturing the tower portion.