Modular tower and methods of assembling same

• US 8,316,615 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fang, Biao, Zheng, Danian, Haridasu, Balaji
• Primary Examiner(s): WENDELL, MARK R
• Application Number:
  US13/009,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 528/45, 528/31, 52834-836, 528/43, 528/44, 52848-852, 528/54, 527/411.4, 527/451.7
• US Class Current: 52/745.17
• 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: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/82 of electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/30 Retaining components in desired mutual position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

A tower assembly for use with a modular tower is provided. The tower assembly includes a plurality of assembly panels each including a pair of opposing circumferential edges, and, a plurality of connectors for use in coupling adjacent assembly panels of the plurality of assembly panels to one another, each connector of the plurality of connectors including an outer flange, an inner flange, and a spacer extending therebetween, the outer flange is spaced a distance from the inner flange such that a first slot and a second slot are defined between the outer and inner flanges, each of the first and the second slots is sized to receive one of the assembly panel circumferential edges therein to enable the adjacent assembly panels to be coupled to one another.

Claims

1. A tower assembly for use with a modular tower, said tower assembly comprising:

a plurality of assembly panels each comprising a pair of opposing circumferential edges; and

,

a plurality of connectors for use in coupling adjacent assembly panels of said plurality of assembly panels to one another, each connector of said plurality of connectors comprising;

a first T-shaped shaped body portion comprising an outer flange and a first portion extending from said outer flange; and

,

a second T-shaped body portion separate from said first T-shaped body portion and comprising an inner flange and a second portion extending from said inner flange, wherein said first and second portions form a spacer, and wherein said outer flange is spaced a distance from said inner flange such that a first slot and a second slot are defined between said outer and inner flanges, each of said first and said second slots is sized to receive one of said assembly panel circumferential edges therein to enable said adjacent assembly panels to be coupled to one another, wherein each of said connectors is sized to extend along substantially an entire length of said panel circumferential edges.

2. A tower assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of assembly panels comprises a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, each of said plurality of assembly panel apertures facilitates securely coupling said adjacent assembly panels to one another.

3. A tower assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of said connector flanges comprises a plurality of apertures defined therein, said plurality of assembly panel apertures and said plurality of connector apertures are oriented to be substantially concentrically aligned when said adjacent assembly panels are coupled to said connector.

4. A tower assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of assembly panels has a shape defined at each of said circumferential edges, said connector first and second slots have a shape defined between said outer and inner flanges that substantially mirrors the shape of each of said plurality of assembly panels.

5. A tower assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of assembly panels comprises one of an arcuate cross-sectional shape and a substantially planar cross-sectional shape.

6. A method for assembling a modular tower, said method comprising:

providing at least one connector including a first flange, a second flange, and a spacer extending therebetween, wherein the first flange, the second flange, and the spacer define a first arcuate slot and a second arcuate slot;

providing a plurality of section panels each including a first circumferential edge and a second circumferential edge;

inserting the first circumferential edge of a first of the plurality of section panels into the first arcuate slot of the connector;

inserting the second circumferential edge of a second of the plurality of section panels into the second arcuate slot of the connector; and

,

coupling the connector to the first and second section panels such that the connector extends along substantially an entire length of the first panel first circumferential edge and the second panel second circumferential edge.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising coupling at least one additional connector to the first of the plurality of section panels.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein coupling the connector to the first and second section panels comprises inserting a fastener through at least one aperture defined in the first and second section panels and the connector.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein providing at least one connector further comprises providing at least one connector that is formed from a pair of T-shaped body portions.

10. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein coupling the connector to the first and second section panels further comprises coupling a plurality of connectors to a plurality of arcuate section panels to form a tower section having a substantially circular cross-sectional profile.

11. A modular tower, comprising:

at least one lower tower section comprising;

a plurality of section panels each comprising a pair of opposing circumferential edges;

a plurality of connectors for use in coupling adjacent section panels of said plurality of section panels to one another, each of said connectors comprising an outer flange, an inner flange, and a spacer extending therebetween, said outer flange is spaced a distance from said inner flange such that a first slot and a second slot are defined between said outer and inner flanges, each of said first and said second slots is sized to receive one of said section panel circumferential edges therein to enable said adjacent section panels to be coupled together, wherein each of said connectors extends along substantially an entire length of said section panel circumferential edges; and

,

a first annular flange formed from a plurality of arcuate connectors, each of said plurality of arcuate connectors comprising;

a first flange portion; and

,

a second flange portion sized and oriented to couple to a first flange portion extending from an adjacent one of said plurality of arcuate connectors, said first and second flange portions coupled to one another in an overlapping configuration; and

,

at least one upper tower section coupled to said lower section.

12. A modular tower in accordance with claim 11, wherein said upper tower section comprises a unitary upper tower section.

13. A modular tower in accordance with claim 11, wherein said upper tower section comprises a second annular flange, said first and said second annular flanges facilitate coupling said upper tower section to said lower tower section.

14. A modular tower in accordance with claim 11, wherein said spacer comprises a first portion extending from said outer flange and a second portion extending from said inner flange.

15. A modular tower in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of section panels comprises a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, each of said plurality of panel apertures facilitates securely coupling said adjacent section panels together.

16. A modular tower in accordance with claim 15, wherein each of said connector flanges comprises a plurality of apertures defined therein, said plurality of section panel apertures and said plurality of connector apertures are aligned substantially concentrically when said adjacent section panels are coupled together.

17. A modular tower in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first flange portion comprises a plurality of pegs sized and oriented to engage a plurality of corresponding apertures defined in said second flange portion.