Wind Turbine Tower Flange Segmentation for Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine tower foundations face challenges in withstanding extreme loads and fatigue while requiring increased dimensions, leading to higher manufacturing and transportation costs, as well as stress concentration issues in joining areas.
Innovation Solution
A supporting structure for wind turbine towers comprising shell and flange portions, where the shell portions are connected through apertures and flange sectors, allowing for efficient transportation and assembly with reduced stress concentrations and manufacturing complexity, using a modular design with separate flange portions and welded joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the foundation dimensions are increased to withstand extreme loads and fatigue damage, then the strength and reliability of the wind turbine tower is improved, but the manufacturing and transportation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation is divided into a central hollow-cylindrical base and multiple radially extending foot modules that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured at optimal sizes, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining the overall strength required to withstand extreme loads and fatigue damage.
2Strength
If the foundation dimensions are increased to withstand extreme loads and fatigue damage, then the strength and reliability of the wind turbine tower is improved, but the transportation costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation is segmented into a central base and multiple foot modules that can be transported separately to the installation site using conventional means. This eliminates the need for expensive and complex transportation of single large pieces, while the modules are designed to assemble into a foundation with sufficient strength to withstand extreme loads and fatigue damage.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cylindrical base is made of a single large piece, then the structural integrity is improved, but the transportation complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical base is divided into a central hollow-cylindrical base and multiple radially extending foot modules. Each segment can be manufactured and transported separately, avoiding the transportation challenges of single large pieces. The segments are designed with connection features that ensure structural integrity when assembled, maintaining the ability to withstand extreme loads and fatigue damage.
4Strength
If a continuous piece tower mount is used, then the structural strength is improved, but the stress concentration in joining areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tower mount is divided into circumferential segments that are connectable to form the complete structure. The segmentation is designed with careful attention to joining areas, using features such as tapered configurations and optimized connection geometries that distribute stresses more evenly, thereby reducing stress concentration while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The joining areas of the circumferential segments are designed with local quality variations, such as tapered configurations and optimized thickness distributions, to specifically address stress concentration issues at connection points while maintaining the overall strength of the tower mount structure.
Data Source
AI summary
It comprises at least one shell portion (110) for forming a shell segment of a wind turbine tower and a flange portion (120) attached to the shell portion (110). The flange portion (120) comprises flange sectors (125) separated to each other by corresponding spaces (150) defining a discontinuous flange portion (120). The shell portion (110) includes apertures (180) formed in correspondence with the spaces (150) between adjacent flange sectors (125). The flange sectors (125) are formed with at least one base portion (130) extending from at least one face (111; 112) of the shell portion (110) at an angle (α) to the shell portion (110). The base portion (130) may have a varying thickness (t).