Embedded Tower Ring Segment Connection for Low-Maintenance Wind Towers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connection methods for wind turbine tower ring segments are labor-intensive, prone to corrosion, have limited positioning accuracy, and require frequent maintenance due to high requirements for screw connections, especially at joints where reinforcement parts protrude, leading to increased maintenance intervals and costs.
Innovation Solution
A connecting body with an anchor rod and connecting flange is embedded within the tower ring segment, allowing for secure anchoring and reduced maintenance intensity by minimizing shear stresses and axial tensile loads, using materials like steel or plastics to absorb forces and facilitate low-maintenance connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional connection methods with protruding reinforcement and screw connections are used, then tower ring segments can be connected, but maintenance intensity increases and reliability decreases due to corrosion and frequent checks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the connection function from the traditional screw connection system and relocates it to an embedded connecting body within the concrete segment. The connecting body with anchor rod and connecting flange is integrated into the segment structure during manufacturing, removing the exposed reinforcement and screw connections that are susceptible to corrosion. This extraction of the connection mechanism from the surface to the interior eliminates direct exposure to corrosive environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting body acts as an intermediary element between adjacent tower ring segments. Instead of directly connecting reinforcement bars or using screw connections between segments, the embedded connecting body with anchor rod serves as a mediator that transfers forces through the concrete structure. The anchor rod embedded in concrete and connecting flange provides a protected intermediate connection zone that reduces direct exposure to harmful environmental factors.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional screw connections are used at joints, then tower ring segments can be connected, but maintenance costs increase due to frequent checks and labor-intensive implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting body is manufactured and embedded into the tower ring segment during the initial concrete production process. The anchor rod and connecting flange are positioned and fixed within the concrete segment before the concrete sets, performing the connection preparation in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex on-site connection work and reduces maintenance requirements, as the connection is already prepared and protected within the segment structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded connecting body provides a self-contained connection solution that does not require external screw connections or additional maintenance interventions. The anchor rod embedded in concrete and connecting flange create a self-sufficient connection system that is protected by the concrete structure itself, eliminating the need for frequent maintenance checks and labor-intensive repairs associated with traditional exposed screw connections.
3Length of moving object
If tower ring segments are divided into smaller components, then transport is simplified, but positioning accuracy decreases to approximately ±10 mm
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical positioning and connection methods with an embedded connecting body system. Instead of relying on precise mechanical alignment and positioning of segment edges, the anchor rod and connecting flange provide a built-in positioning and connection mechanism. The connecting body with standardized dimensions and embedded position allows for accurate alignment through the anchor rod positioning, reducing the impact of segmentation on overall positioning accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a connection element (300, 400), a wind turbine tower ring segment (210), a wind turbine tower section (200), a wind turbine tower (102) and a wind turbine (100), as well as a method for producing a wind turbine tower ring segment and for connecting two wind turbine tower ring segments (210, 220). In particular, the invention relates to a connection element, namely a first connection element (300, 400) for introducing into a wind turbine tower ring segment (210), comprising an anchoring bar (310, 410) having a first (311, 411) and a second end (312, 412), a connection flange (430) arranged at the first end (311, 411) of the anchoring bar (310, 410) for connecting the connection element (300, 400) to a second connection element (301, 401), which is introduced into a further wind turbine tower ring segment (220), in order to thereby connect the two wind turbine tower ring segments (210, 220), at least in order to support the connection thereof, as well as two, three or more anchoring elements (313, 413) arranged in a section of the anchoring bar (310, 410) adjacent to the second end (312, 412).