Wind Turbine Tower Pendulum Damper for Vibration Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine towers experience significant vibrations during construction due to vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) when erected without a nacelle, leading to potential structural damage and increased construction costs, especially in offshore installations where weather windows for safe assembly are limited and critical wind speeds are frequently exceeded.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a pendulum damper with adjustable frequency, initially set to match the first natural frequency of the tower shell during construction and later adapted to the frequency of the completed turbine, which remains in place after the nacelle is installed, to effectively dampen vibrations and reduce structural loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the tower shell is erected without a nacelle during construction, then the tower can be assembled in sections and transported more easily, but the tower experiences significant vortex-induced vibrations that can cause structural damage
Solution Approach 1:
A pendulum damper is introduced as an intermediary element within the tower shell to counteract vortex-induced vibrations. The pendulum damper acts as a mediator between the vibrating tower structure and the external environment, absorbing and dissipating vibrational energy through its oscillating mass, thereby protecting the tower structure during construction before the nacelle is installed
Solution Approach 2:
The pendulum damper is pre-installed in the tower shell during the construction phase before the nacelle is attached. This preliminary action ensures that vibration protection is already in place during the critical assembly stages when the tower is most susceptible to vortex-induced vibrations, allowing safe construction without requiring perfectly calm weather conditions
2Ease of manufacture
If the tower is constructed in sections and erected during limited weather windows, then transportation and assembly are simplified, but construction time increases due to waiting for suitable weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The pendulum damper provides preliminary protection against vortex-induced vibrations before construction is complete. By having vibration damping capability in place during the assembly phase, the tower can be constructed during a broader range of weather conditions rather than requiring strict calm weather windows, thereby reducing construction delays and time losses
3Reliability
If heavier tower sections are used to increase structural stability, then vibration resistance improves, but transportation and assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pendulum damper serves as an internal vibration protection mechanism that allows the use of lighter tower sections. By introducing this intermediary damping element, the structure achieves adequate vibration resistance without requiring increased section weight, thereby reducing transportation and assembly costs while maintaining structural integrity during construction
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 reduces the risk of structural damage from VIV, allows for safer and faster construction by minimizing the need for weather windows, and enables the use of lighter, less expensive tower sections by maintaining stability and operational reliability throughout the wind energy installation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one vibration damper in the form of a pendulum damper is arranged in a last placed tower section
Implementation Method 2
A method involving the use of a pendulum damper with adjustable frequency
Implementation Method 3
Wind turbine towers experience significant vibrations during construction due to vortex-induced vibrations (VIV)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3~4b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for erecting a wind turbine (10) with a tower (20) and a nacelle (40) arranged at the top of the tower, wherein a tower structure (24) is first erected by placing one or more tower sections (22I - 22V) on top of each other in a tower structure stage (24I - 24V) or in several tower structure stages, in which case there are several tower sections, the tower structure increases in size with each tower section, until a final height of the tower structure is reached, wherein after complete erection of the tower structure, the nacelle is placed on the top of the tower structure and rotatably connected to the tower structure. The invention further relates to a corresponding wind turbine.According to the invention, at least one vibration damper (50, 60, 70, 70') is arranged in a tower section that is last added to complete the tower structure, the natural frequency of which is adapted to a first fundamental vibration frequency of the tower structure without the nacelle attached, wherein the at least one vibration damper remains in the tower after the nacelle has been placed on the tower structure and the natural frequency of the at least one vibration damper is or has been adapted to a second fundamental vibration frequency of the fully erected wind turbine.