Windturbine support tower with pendulum-damping means
AssigneeXI Engineering Consultants Limited
InventorsBrett Marmo, Mark-Paul Buckingham, Charles Keepax, John Paul McKeown, Barry Carruthers, Donald Black
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a tower (12) configured to support a wind turbine (18, 20). The tower (12) comprises a mass assembly (22) suspended by suspension apparatus (24) from the tower (12) such that the mass assembly (22) is movable to and fro in relation to the tower. The tower (12) also comprises at least one coupling apparatus mechanically coupled to the mass assembly (22) and to the tower (12), the coupling apparatus being operable to couple energy between the mass assembly and the tower as the mass assembly (22) moves to and fro.
Claims19
A tower configured to support a wind turbine, the tower comprising:
- a mass assembly suspended by suspension apparatus from the top of the tower such that the mass assembly is movable to and fro in relation to the tower;
- a support assembly rigidly attached to an inside of the tower;
- and
- at least one coupling apparatus mechanically coupled to the mass assembly and to the support assembly, the coupling apparatus being operable to couple energy between the mass assembly and the tower as the mass assembly moves to and fro;
- the support assembly configured to provide for a change in the spring constant of the support assembly.
A wind turbine apparatus comprising a tower, the tower comprising:
- a mass assembly suspended by suspension apparatus from the top of the tower such that the mass assembly is movable to and fro in relation to the tower;
- a support assembly rigidly attached to an inside of the tower;
- and
- at least one coupling apparatus mechanically coupled to the mass assembly and to the support assembly, the coupling apparatus being operable to couple energy between the mass assembly and the tower as the mass assembly moves to and fro;
- the support assembly configured to provide for a change in the spring constant of the support assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.