Vortex-shedding-arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10808683-B2
Application number	US-201716346653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2017
Priority date	Nov 7, 2016
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A Vortex-shedding-arrangement, which is prepared to be arranged on a tower of a wind turbine, is provided. Embodiments of the invention even relate to a tower, which is equipped with the Vortex-shedding-arrangement and to a method to equip the tower with the Vortex-shedding-arrangement.
The Vortex-shedding-arrangement according to embodiments of the invention is arranged and prepared to be connected to a surface of a tower. The Vortex-shedding-arrangement is prepared to reduce Vortex-induced-vibrations, acting on the tower and its structure, during the tower-transportation. The vortex shedding arrangement comprises vortex shedding elements and at least one shrink foil. The at least one shrink foil is prepared to fix and to position the vortex shedding elements at specific positions at the tower surface by heat applied to the shrink foil.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vortex-shedding-arrangement, wherein:
the vortex-shedding-arrangement is arranged and prepared to be connected to a surface of a tower,
the vortex-shedding-arrangement is prepared to reduce vortex-induced-vibrations, acting on the tower and its structure, wherein the vortex shedding arrangement comprises vortex shedding elements and two shrink foils,
wherein the vortex shedding elements are connected with the two shrink foils such that the vortex shedding elements are positioned between the two shrink foils, and wherein the two shrink foils are welded together to envelope the vortex shedding elements, and
wherein the two shrink foils are prepared to fix and to position the vortex shedding elements at specific positions at the tower surface by heat applied to the two shrink foils.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex shedding elements have a triangular shaped cross-section.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination of the longitudinal axis of the vortex shedding element in respect to the longitudinal axis of the tower is in a range between 10° and 80°.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex shedding elements are made of polyethylene or wherein the vortex shedding elements are made of foam.

5. A tower with a vortex-shedding-arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vortex-shedding-arrangement is connected to a surface of a tower at a predefined position, and
wherein the vortex-shedding-arrangement is prepared and arranged to reduce vortex-induced-vibrations, acting on the tower and its structure, during the tower-transportation and/or installation.

6. A tower according to claim 5 , wherein the vortex shedding arrangement is put in place at a specific section of the tower.

7. The tower according to claim 6 , wherein the vortex shedding arrangement is at least one of fixed by a first belt close to the upper part of the tower section, and fixed by a second belt close to the lower part of the tower section.

8. The tower according to claim 5 , wherein the vortex shedding arrangement is attached to the tower surface between the top end of the tower and the bottom end of the tower.

9. The tower according to claim 5 , wherein the upper third of the length of the tower is equipped with the vortex shedding arrangement.

10. The tower according to claim 5 , wherein the tower is a wind turbine tower of an onshore or of an offshore wind turbine and/or wherein the tower is shaped like a truncated cone.

11. A method to equip a tower, with a vortex-shedding-arrangement comprising,
providing a vortex shedding arrangement and two shrink foils attached together,

wherein the vortex shedding arrangement is positioned between the two shrink foils;
exposing the vortex shedding arrangement to heat applied to the two shrink foils,
shaping the vortex shedding arrangement in view to the surface of the tower by the applied heat at specific positions at the tower surface, and
thus connecting the vortex-shedding-arrangement to the surface of the tower and thus vortex-induced-vibrations, acting on the tower and its structure during transportation, are reduced.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the vortex-shedding-arrangement is removed from the tower after the transportation or installation of the tower.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the tower is transported in an upright and vertical position from a harbor towards an installation site of the tower by ship.

14. A vortex-shedding-device for reducing vortex-induced-vibrations acting on a tower, comprising:
at least one vortex shedding element;
a first shrink foil; and
a second shrink foil;
wherein the at least one vortex shedding element is arranged and positioned between the first shrink foil and the second shrink foil;
wherein the first shrink foil and the second shrink foil are attached to each other such that the at least one vortex shedding element is enveloped by the first shrink foil and the second shrink foil;
wherein the first shrink foil and the second shrink foil fix and position the at least one vortex shedding element in at least one specific position on the tower.

15. The vortex-shedding-device according to claim 14 , wherein the first shrink foil and the second shrink foil are welded together.

16. The vortex-shedding-device according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one vortex shedding element is made of at least one of polyethylene and foam.

17. The vortex-shedding-device according to claim 14 , wherein the vortex-shedding-device reduces vortex-induced-vibrations acting on the tower during at least one of tower-transportation and installation.

18. The vortex-shedding-device according to claim 14 , wherein the vortex-shedding-device is at least one of fixed by a first belt close to an upper part of a tower section and fixed by a second belt close to a lower part of the tower section.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Jensen Anders Hoejris

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• E04H12/00

  Towers; Masts or poles; Chimney stacks; Water-towers; Methods of erecting such structures (cooling towers E04H5/12; derricks for oil drilling E21B15/00) · CPC title

• F05B2280/6012

  Foam · CPC title

• F03D13/10

  Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors · CPC title

• F05B2280/4003

  Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics · CPC title