Post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine, post-tensioned tower of a wind turbine and method of post-tensioning a tower of a wind turbine
AssigneeNordex Energy Spain, S.A.U.
InventorsAitor GARDUÑO ESTEBANEZ, Teresa ARLABÁN GABEIRAS, Miguel NÚÑEZ POLO
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine that manages the quasi-permanent loads on the tower to counter them, reducing their impact and making it possible to decrease the required amount of overall post-tension force in the tower of the wind turbine, also to a post-tensioned tower of a wind turbine comprising the post-tensioning system and to the method of post-tensioning a tower of a wind turbine.
Claims18
A post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine, wherein the tower (1) comprises at least:
- a vertical axis (2);
- a concrete tower part (3) comprising:
- an upwind side (4) and a downwind side (5), wherein the upwind side (4) and the downwind side (5) are defined, in use, from a first vertical plane (PV1) containing the vertical axis (2) and being perpendicular to a predominant wind direction (W), upwards and downwards respectively, from the first vertical plane (PV1);
- and
- the system comprising:
- an upper end (18) comprising a first surface (8) and a lower end (17) comprising a second surface (7);
- a plurality of tensioning elements (9), wherein each one of the tensioning elements (9) comprises a first end (10) located in the upper end (18) and a second end (11) located in the lower end (17);
- a first set of anchoring elements (12) configured to anchor the first ends (10) of the tensioning elements (9) towards the first surface (8);
- a second set of anchoring elements (13) configured to anchor the second ends (11) of the tensioning elements (9) towards the second surface (7);
- characterised in that the tensioning elements (9) are configured to exert a resultant post-tension force (P) comprising a line of action (D) which intersects with a horizontal plane (PH1) located at the lower end (17) in a first intersection point (I1) upwards from the first vertical plane (PV1).
The post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that each tensioning element (9) comprises a set of strands (14).
The post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that a first post-tensioning force (P1) that exerts, in use, the tensioning elements (9) disposed upwards from the first vertical plane (PV1) is greater than a second post-tensioning force (P2) that exerts, in use, the tensioning elements (9) disposed downwards from the first vertical plane (PV1).
The post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the resultant post-tension force (P) is contained in a second vertical plane (PV2) perpendicular to the first vertical plane (PV1), the second vertical plane (PV2) containing the predominant wind direction (W).
The post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the resultant post-tension force (P) also intersects with an additional horizontal plane (PH2) located at the upper end (18) in a second intersection point (I2).
A post-tensioned tower of a wind turbine (1) comprising the post-tensioning system for a tower of a wind turbine of any one of the previous claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.