PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE TOWER FOR WIND POWER GENERATORS

• US 20090031639A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortina Innovations, S. A. De C. V.
• Original Assignee: Cortina Innovations, S. A. De C. V.
• Inventors: CORTINA/CORDERO, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/40
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/12 of concrete or other stone-like material, with or without internal or external reinforcements, e.g. with metal coverings, with permanent form elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/16 Prestressed structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/34 Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/11 triangular
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/141 circular
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/21 pyramidal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/06 Supports for natural fluid current motors

Abstract

A pre-stressed segmented concrete tower for wind power generators is described, and a method for its fabrication, wherein in a pyramidal structure is formed by prefabricated segments, the structure comprising three rounded walls formed with circular segments, and three flat walls, formed with flat segments between the circular walls. One standard curved mold is used for the circular walls, and the flat walls are fabricated horizontally, over templates.

Claims

1. A pre-stressed concrete tower for wind-power generators, comprising:

a pyramidal structure having three flat walls and three rounded walls, alternated and joined together to form a structure, the pyramidal structure having a triangular cross section with rounded vertices, the tower having a plurality of the pyramidal structures stacked such that the tower gradually narrows and ends into a substantially circular cross section.

2. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 1, wherein the rounded walls have substantially the same form and the same dimensions.

3. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 1, wherein the flat walls have a bottom side that is wider than a top side.

4. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 3, wherein the flat walls comprise ribs that form a framework.

5. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 1, wherein the flat segments are joined with horizontal pre-stressing cables to the circular segments, the pres-stressing cables being provided within ducts that are embedded into the circular- and flat segments.

6. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 5, wherein horizontal ducts in the flat segments extend through the width of a ribbing that forms a framework.

7. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 1, further comprising an extension having a cylindrical body.

8. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 7, wherein the extension is formed by a segmented cylindrical body made of post-tensioned concrete.

9. The pre-stressed concrete tower according to claim 1, further comprising an internal removable structure, made of a pipe having treads for climbing, and scaffolds.

10. A method for erecting a pre-stressed concrete tower for wind power generators, comprising:

fabricating a plurality of prefabricated elements having concrete circular segments and flat rhomboidal ribbed segments, the prefabricated parts having internal ducts for pre-stressing cables;

fabricating a plurality of metallic erection column segments that include arms that extend axially to an axis of the column for erecting the flat segments;

building a foundation for the tower;

mounting, on the foundation, a first segment of the erection column;

installing one first, one second and one third flat segment, thereby forming a first section of the tower, and fixing the first section of the tower to the foundation and supporting the first section of the tower to the erection column;

installing the circular segments such that they are adjacent to flat segments such that the first section of the tower has a substantially triangular cross section;

running the pre-stress cables through the ducts of the flat segments and the circular segments such that the flat segments and the circular segments are fixedly joined together and to the foundation;

tensioning the pre-stress cables and pouring concrete into the ducts of the first section of the tower;

erecting a second and subsequent sections of the tower, by installing the erection columns and the flat- and circular segments, until a predetermined height for the tower is reached;

forming a circular cross-section with three circular segments; and

running the pre-stress cables through the prefabricated segments of each and every section of the tower, for joining each segment to the supra- and subjacent segment, tensioning the cables and pouring concrete into the ducts in each and every section of the tower.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first segment of the erection column is braced to the foundation in such a way that the second and following segments of the column acquire an adequate rigidity and strength when joined to the prior installed column segment, for supporting the pre-fabricated segments for the respective section of the tower.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein all concrete circular segments are produced with one standard mold.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of mounting of a tower extension including a cylindrical portion selected among:

a plurality of cylindrical pre-stressed concrete modules, joined together by pre-stressing cables, a continuous- or segmented cylindrical steel body, or one continuous cylindrical concrete segment.