Wind Turbine Tower Noise Reduction via Internal Damping Beam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbines face challenges in reducing noise emission, particularly from structural vibrations in the tower, which are amplified by resonances and require costly and heavy noise-absorbing solutions that strain the tower structure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of noise reducing means comprising an elongated beam with damping means arranged between the tower wall and the beam, where the damping means dissipate energy through deformation, reducing noise emission efficiently at a lower weight by interacting with multiple crests and troughs of oscillations, and utilizing flexible couplings and magnets for attachment to minimize structural impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If noise absorbing shell is provided on the outside of the wind turbine tower, then noise emission is reduced, but the solution becomes complex and expensive while maring the visual expression
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the noise reduction function from the external shell and relocates it to internal damping means attached to the tower wall, eliminating the need for external noise absorbing shells and their associated complexity and aesthetic drawbacks
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces damping means as an intermediary element between the tower wall and the internal space, which absorbs vibrations and converts them to heat energy, thereby reducing noise emission without requiring external structures
2Object-generated harmful factors
If heavy metal plates with plastic foam material are used to reduce noise emission, then noise is reduced, but the high weight strains the tower considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of noise reduction from mass-based (heavy metal plates) to energy-dissipation-based (damping means), achieving noise reduction through vibration energy conversion to heat rather than through mass addition, thereby significantly reducing weight
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful vibration energy that causes noise into beneficial heat energy through the damping means, thereby eliminating noise while avoiding the need for heavy mass-based solutions
3Weight of stationary object
If damping means are arranged to dissipate energy through deformation, then noise emission is reduced at lower weight, but the damping means must be strategically positioned to interact with multiple crests and troughs of oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the damping means into multiple discrete units positioned at specific locations along the tower wall, each interacting with different portions of the vibration waveform (crests and troughs), allowing effective noise reduction without requiring a single heavy mass-based solution
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
This approach effectively reduces noise emission by dissipating energy through internal friction, maintaining the beam's position during oscillations, and stiffening the tower structure, while being lightweight and adaptable to various wind turbine configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the oscillations in the tower wall will entail a deformation of the damping means, hence at least some of the energy is transformed to heat due to internal friction
Implementation Method 2
at least some of the energy is transformed to heat due to internal friction or hysteresis in the damping means
Implementation Method 3
one or more magnets for connecting said noise reducing means to the tower wall by means of magnetic attraction forces of said magnets
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wind turbine (1) comprising a wind turbine tower (2) having a tower wall (22), a wind turbine nacelle (3) positioned on top of the tower (2) and noise reducing means (8) for reducing noise emission from the tower (2). The noise reducing means (8) comprises a beam (9) formed as an elongated strengthening member and one or more damping means (20), where the damping means (20) are arranged between the tower wall (22) and the beam (9), the damping means (20) being arranged so that relative movement between the tower wall (22) and the beam (9) result in dissipation of energy via the damping means (20) in order to reduce noise emission. The invention further relates to a method for reducing noise emission from a wind turbine tower (2) and use of a wind turbine (1).