Concrete segment of a section of a wind turbine tower, mould configured to cast a concrete segment and method of assembling a wind turbine
AssigneeNordex Energy Spain, S.A.U.
InventorAitor GARDUÑO
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Abstract
The object of the invention is a concrete segment of a section of a wind turbine tower which minimizes the undesirable local effects in the connection area between adjacent concrete sections, a section comprising at least two concrete segments, a set comprising two adjacent sections and a joint disposed between the two adjacent sections, a tower comprising at least one set, a mould configured to cast a concrete segment and a method of assembling a wind turbine.
Claims32
Concrete segment (1) of a section (20) of a wind turbine tower (30), wherein the concrete segment (1) comprises:
- a central area (2) comprising an inner surface (3), an outer surface (4) and a central surface (5) located at the same distance from the inner surface (3) as from the outer surface (4), wherein the central area (2) further comprises a first wall thickness (WT1) defined as the distance between the inner surface (3) and the outer surface (4);
- and
- at least one connection area (7) comprising a horizontal connection flange (8), wherein the at least one connection area (7) is configured to be connected, in use, to an adjacent connection area (7) of an adjacent concrete segment (1), the adjacent connection area (7) comprising an adjacent horizontal connection flange (8), by means of the horizontal connection flange (8), wherein the at least one connection area (7) comprises a second wall thickness (WT2) being bigger than the first wall thickness (WT1), the second wall thickness (WT2) comprising an inward thickness increase (IT) with respect to the first wall thickness (WT1);
- characterised in that the second wall thickness (WT2) of the at least one connection area (7) further comprises an outward thickness increase (OT) with respect to the first wall thickness (WT1).
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims, wherein the inward thickness increase (IT) is bigger than or equal to the outward thickness increase (OT).
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims, wherein the inward thickness increase (IT) and the outward thickness increase (OT) are symmetrical with regards to the central surface (5).
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims, wherein the inward thickness increase (IT) and/or the outward thickness increase (OT) comprises at least one oblique part (9) and at least one substantially vertical part (10), wherein the thickness increases in the at least one oblique part (9).
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims, wherein a ratio between the first wall thickness (WT1) and the second wall thickness (WT2) is between 25% and 70%.
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims, wherein the at least one connection area (7) comprises a height, and the concrete segment (1) comprises a height, wherein the height of the at least one connection area (7) is between 5% and 30% of the height of the concrete segment (1).
The concrete segment (1) of any of preceding claims comprising just one connection area (7) comprising a second wall thickness (WT2) bigger than the first thickness (WT1), and is located in an upper end (12) of the segment (1).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.