Wind turbine tower and method for constructing a wind turbine tower

• US 20090021019A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thomsen, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0078 Suction piles, suction cans
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/085 Details of flanges for tubular masts
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/00 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A wind turbine tower is provided, which comprises a number of segments with a polygonal cross section, each segment comprising a number of flat plates which are connected to each other so as to form the polygonal cross section. Further, a method for constructing a wind turbine tower which comprises segments assembled of flat plates is disclosed, wherein the flat plates are connected to each other so as to form segments with a polygonal cross section and the segments are connected to each other so as to form the tower.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A wind turbine tower, comprising:

a plurality of segments having a polygonal cross section, each segment comprises a plurality of flat plates connected to each other to form the polygonal cross section; and

a plurality of splice plates that connect the plurality of flat plates to each other.

18. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 17, wherein the segments are connected to each other via devices selected from the group consisting of splice plates, flanges, bolts, nuts, bolt extensions, washers, and combinations thereof.

19. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 18, wherein the splice plates are connected to the flat plates by bolts or nuts.

20. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 19, wherein the splice plates are bent.

21. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 20, wherein the flat plates and/or the splice plates are made of steel or rust resistant steel.

22. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 21, wherein the flat plates and/or the splice plates are pre-treated with a friction creating material on a jointing surface.

23. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 22, wherein the flat plates have a rectangular or trapezoid shape.

24. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 23, wherein the flat plates are corrugated.

25. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 24, wherein the joint between two flat plates or between a flat plate and a splice plate comprises a seal stripe or a compound.

26. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least a large diameter bottom section of the tower comprises segments.

27. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least one splice plate comprises a fixing device.

28. A method for constructing a wind turbine tower, comprising:

providing a plurality of flat plates;

connecting the flat plates to each other via a plurality of splice plates to form polygonal cross section tower segments; and

connecting the segments to one another to form a tower.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the segments are connected to each other by splice plates or flanges.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the flat plates and/or the segments are connected to each other in a horizontal position.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the flat plates and/or the segments are turned into a predefined position by a rotation tool for connecting the flat plates and/or the segments to each other.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein each segment or the tower is erected after each segment or the tower is assembled.