Wind turbine tower and system and method for fabricating the same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorStefan Voss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for fabricating a wind turbine tower is provided. The method includes providing at least one fiber reinforced plastic (“FRP”) strand, embedding a first portion of the FRP strand into a first concrete segment, and embedding a second portion of the FRP strand into a second concrete segment such that a third portion of the FRP strand extends from the first concrete segment to the second concrete segment. The method further includes displacing at least one of the first concrete segment and the second concrete segment relative to the other such that a tension is applied to the third portion of the FRP strand.
Claims20
A method for fabricating a wind turbine tower, said method comprising:
- providing at least one fiber reinforced plastic (“FRP”) strand;
- embedding a first portion of the FRP strand into a first concrete segment;
- embedding a second portion of the FRP strand into a second concrete segment such that a third portion of the FRP strand extends from the first concrete segment to the second concrete segment;
- and,
- displacing at least one of the first concrete segment and the second concrete segment relative to the other such that a tension is applied to the third portion of the FRP strand.
A wind turbine tower including a plurality of tower sections, at least one of said tower sections comprising:
- a first concrete segment;
- a second concrete segment formed separately from said first concrete segment;
- and,
- a third concrete segment formed separately from said first concrete segment and said second concrete segment, said third concrete segment positioned between said first concrete segment and said second concrete segment.
A system for fabricating a wind turbine tower section, said system comprising:
- a first flange formwork and a second flange formwork, each of said first flange formwork and said second flange formwork defining an annular cavity and a first aperture configured to permit access to the cavity;
- and,
- a wall formwork comprising an inner form and an outer form, said wall formwork configured to be coupled between said first flange formwork and said second flange formwork such that the first aperture of said first flange formwork and the first aperture of said second flange formwork are oriented toward one another between said inner form and said outer form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.