Wind Turbine Foundation Holders for Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine foundations experience damage from tensile forces, particularly due to tower expansion, which can incorrectly distribute loads and harm the concrete around the holes in the tower segment.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine foundation with adjustable holders that allow radial steel rods to pass through the tower segment's holes without touching the wall, using elongated or oval holes and variable-length holders to distribute loads effectively, and incorporating tangential or ring-shaped steel bars for reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If radial bars are passed through holes in the tower segment wall, then the statics of the foundation is improved, but the concrete around the holes can be damaged by tensile forces from tower expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a holder as an intermediary component between the radial reinforcement bars and the tower segment holes. The holder has a first end that receives the radial bar and a second end that is inserted into the hole in the tower segment wall. This intermediary structure allows the reinforcement to pass through the wall while distributing the tensile forces away from the concrete around the holes, preventing damage while maintaining the improved statics provided by the through-going reinforcement.
2Device complexity
If the holder length is fixed, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different positions and requirements of radial bars
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the holder length variable rather than fixed. The holder can be adjusted in length to accommodate different positions and requirements of the radial reinforcement bars. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same holder design to be used in various locations around the tower segment, providing adaptability without requiring multiple specialized components, thus maintaining reasonable structural simplicity while achieving versatility.
3Ease of manufacture
If radial rods touch the wall of the tower segment, then the installation is simple, but tensile forces are incorrectly distributed and concrete damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The holder serves as a mediator that prevents direct contact between the radial reinforcement bars and the tower segment wall. The radial bar is received at the first end of the holder, and the holder's second end is inserted into the hole in the wall. This configuration maintains installation simplicity while ensuring that tensile forces are transmitted through the holder rather than being concentrated on the concrete around the hole, thereby protecting concrete integrity.
4Device complexity
If the upper bracket is not reusable, then the assembly process is simpler, but material resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the upper bracket to be reusable rather than disposable. The bracket is attached to the flange at the top of the tower segment and can be removed and reused in subsequent assembly operations. This recovering approach may slightly increase assembly process complexity compared to a permanent attachment, but it significantly reduces material waste by allowing the same bracket components to be used multiple times in the construction process.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wind power plant foundation, comprising a reinforcement made of a plurality of steel rods and radial steel rods and a lower tower segment having a plurality of holes in the wall of the tower segment for receiving rods or radial rods. Moreover, a concrete body (300) is provided, which covers the reinforcement and a lower section of the tower segment. The foundation comprises a plurality of mounts (400) for retaining rods or radial rods of the reinforcement. The mounts (400) comprise an upper bracket (430) for attachment to the tower segment (100) and a lower foot (420) for receiving rods or radial rods of the reinforcement. The length of the bracket (400) is designed to be variable.