Foundation pile for a wind turbine and methods for manufacturing a foundation pile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794031-B2
Application number	US-201716080288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2017
Priority date	Feb 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

The invention discloses a foundation pile having at least two interconnected part-cylinder segments which are each produced from a steel plate having a length extent and a width extent, wherein the foundation pile is characterized in that the respective part-cylinder segments are produced by bending the steel plates along their width extent, with the result that end edges extending along the width extent of the part-cylinder segments have a bending, in that a height extent of the respective part-cylinder segments is greater than their width extent, and in that the longitudinal edges of the part-cylinder segments that extend along the height extent of the part-cylinder segments are arranged parallel to one another. The present invention further discloses a method for producing a foundation pile according to the invention.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A foundation pile ( 10 ) comprising at least two interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), each part-cylinder segment having a width extent and a height extent, wherein
each part-cylinder segment is made from a steel plate ( 1 ) having a length extent (L) and a width extent (B);
the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are each made by bending the steel plates ( 1 ) along the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) so that end edges of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 23 ) extending along the width extent (B) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) have a bend;
the height extent (H) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) is greater than the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 );
longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) extending along the height extent (H) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another;
the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another to form a foundation pile segment ( 30 );
the foundation pile ( 10 ) comprises at least two foundation pile segments ( 30 ) whose longitudinal axes ( 31 ) run substantially co-linear with one another and whose end edges ( 33 ) are connected to one another; and
the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of mutually adjoining part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are configured to be connected to one another by longitudinal weld seams to form the foundation pile ( 10 ) having a diameter of more than 7 meters for carrying a wind turbine in offshore use.

2. The foundation pile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) runs parallel to a longitudinal axis ( 11 ) of the foundation pile ( 10 ).

3. The foundation pile ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein bending radii of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) correspond to a radius of curvature of the foundation pile ( 10 ).

4. The foundation pile ( 10 ) of the claim 1 , wherein the bending radii of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are smaller than the radius of curvature of the foundation pile ( 10 ).

5. The foundation pile ( 10 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizing device ( 40 ) arranged inside the foundation pile, wherein the stabilizing device ( 40 ) is connected to the inner sides of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ).

6. A foundation pile ( 10 ) comprising at least two interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), each part-cylinder segment having a width extent and a height extent, wherein
each part-cylinder segment is made from a steel plate ( 1 ) having a length extent (L) and a width extent (B);
the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are each made by bending the steel plates ( 1 ) along the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) so that end edges of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 23 ) extending along the width extent (B) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) have a bend;
the height extent (H) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) is greater than the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 );
longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) extending along the height extent (H) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another;
the longitudinal edges of the interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another to form a foundation pile segment ( 30 );
the foundation pile ( 10 ) comprises at least two foundation pile segments ( 30 ) whose longitudinal axes ( 31 ) run substantially co-linear with one another and whose end edges ( 33 ) are connected to one another;
the foundation pile ( 10 ) further comprises a stabilizing device ( 40 ) arranged inside the foundation pile, wherein the stabilizing device ( 40 ) is connected to inner sides of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), wherein the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the mutually adjoining part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are spaced from one another so that the foundation pile ( 10 ) has through openings ( 15 ) between the respective longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), and wherein bending radii of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are smaller than a radius of curvature of the foundation pile ( 10 ); and
the foundation pile ( 10 ) is configured to have a diameter of more than 7 meters for carrying a wind turbine in offshore use.

7. A method for manufacturing a foundation pile ( 10 ) comprising at least two interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), each part-cylinder segment having a width extent and a height extent, comprising:
bending a steel plate ( 1 ) having a length extent (L) and a width extent (B), along the width extent (B) of the steel plate ( 1 ), to produce the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), so that end edges of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 23 ) extending along the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) have a bend, and so that the height extent (H) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) is greater than the width extent (B), wherein
longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) extending along the height extent (H) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another;
the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another to form a foundation pile segment ( 30 );
the foundation pile ( 10 ) comprises at least two foundation pile segments ( 30 ) whose longitudinal axes ( 31 ) run substantially co-linear with one another and whose end edges ( 33 ) are connected to one another;

and
connecting the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of mutually adjoining part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) by longitudinal weld seams to form the foundation pile ( 10 ) having a diameter of more than 7 meters for carrying a wind turbine in offshore use.

8. A method for manufacturing a foundation pile ( 10 ) of claim 6 comprising at least two interconnected part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), each part-cylinder segment having a width extent and a height extent, comprising:
bending a steel plate ( 1 ) having a length extent (L) and a width extent (B), along the width extent (B) of the steel plate ( 1 ), to produce the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), so that end edges of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 23 ) extending along the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) have a bend, and so that the height extent (H) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) is greater than the width extent (B) of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), wherein
longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) extending along the height extent (H) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are arranged parallel to one another;
the foundation pile ( 10 ) comprises at least two foundation pile segments ( 30 ) whose longitudinal axes ( 31 ) run substantially co-linear with one another and whose end edges ( 33 ) are connected to one another;

and
connecting the inner sides of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) by a stabilizing device ( 40 ) arranged inside the foundation pile ( 10 ), wherein the longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the mutually adjoining part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are spaced from one another so that the foundation pile ( 10 ) has through openings ( 15 ) between the respective longitudinal edges ( 22 ) of the part-cylinder segments ( 20 ), and wherein the bending radii of the respective part-cylinder segments ( 20 ) are smaller than the radius of curvature of the foundation pile ( 10 ).

Assignees

• Innogy Se

Inventors

• Matlock Benjamin

Classifications

• B21C37/083

  Supply, or operations combined with supply, of strip material · CPC title

• E02D5/28

  made of steel {or other metals (E02D5/52 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B21C37/0815

  without continuous longitudinal movement of the sheet during the bending operation · CPC title

• F03D13/22

  Foundations specially adapted for wind motors · CPC title

• B21C37/0803

  the tubes having a special shape, e.g. polygonal tubes · CPC title