Tower erecting systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934735-B2
Application number	US-201715850714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Jan 20, 2012
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

Tower erecting systems and methods are disclosed. An example method for erecting a tower includes: nesting frusto-conical tower sections within one another and within a frusto-conical tower base; securing the frusto-conical tower base to a tower foundation; lifting each frusto-conical tower section from within the frusto-conical tower base with a lifting apparatus; and securing each frusto-conical tower section to the frusto-conical tower base or to a previously lifted frusto-conical tower section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for erecting a tower, comprising:
nesting frusto-conical tower sections within a frusto-conical tower base, wherein each of the frusto-conical tower sections and the frusto-conical tower base comprises an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface opposite the inner circumferential surface, a bottom surface at a first end of the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface at a second end of the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface;
securing the frusto-conical tower base to a tower foundation;
lifting, in a vertical direction, each frusto-conical tower section from within the frusto-conical tower base with a lifting apparatus, wherein the each frusto-conical tower section is lifted vertically with respect to the tower foundation; and
securing each frusto-conical tower section to a previous section that is one of the frusto-conical tower base or a previously lifted frusto-conical tower section,
wherein securing the frusto-conical tower section comprises:
welding a portion of an exterior surface of the each frusto-conical tower section directly to the top surface of the previous section; and
welding the bottom surface of the each frusto-conical tower section directly to a portion of an interior surface of the previous section.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising securing a nacelle having a wind turbine to the lifting apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising monitoring an angle of the lifting apparatus with a leveling sensor, and adjusting an angle of the lifting apparatus with a control system coupled to the leveling sensor and the lifting apparatus based upon feedback from the leveling sensor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the angle of the lifting apparatus with the control system comprises regulating operation of at least one hoist of the lifting apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein lifting with the lifting apparatus comprises:
lifting vertically, by a secondary lifting system, one of the frusto-conical tower sections within the frusto-conical tower base;
coupling the one of the frusto-conical tower sections to a lift cap;
lifting vertically, by a primary lifting system, the frusto-conical tower section coupled to the lift cap;
when the frusto-conical tower section coupled to the lift cap is an outermost of the frusto-conical tower sections, securing the frusto-conical tower section coupled to the lift cap to the frusto-conical tower base; and
when the frusto-conical tower section coupled to the lift cap is not the outermost of the frusto-conical tower sections, securing the frusto-conical tower section coupled to the lift cap to a previously lifted frusto-conical tower section, wherein the lift cap is uncoupled from another of the frusto-conical tower sections to which the lift cap was coupled prior to being coupled to the one of the frusto-conical tower sections.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the lift cap is disposed at an axial end of the frusto-conical tower sections,
a plurality of hoists is disposed on an outer surface of the lift cap, and
a lift pole is disposed within an inner volume of at least one of the frusto-conical tower sections.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifting apparatus comprises a primary lifting system and a secondary lifting system.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the secondary lifting system comprises a plurality of hoists.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the primary lifting system comprises one or more of: a lift pole, a lift cap, and a plurality of hoists.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of each frusto-conical tower section in a plane parallel with a base of each frusto-conical tower section has one of a polygonal, circular, oval, corrugated, and fluted shape.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of a first frusto-conical tower section is at or below the top surface of a second frusto-conical tower section that nests the first frusto-conical tower section.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising lifting, in a vertical direction, one of the nested frusto-conical tower sections by a secondary lifting system of the lifting apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising securing the one of the nested frusto-conical tower sections to a lift cap.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising attaching a nacelle to the lift cap.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising lifting, in a vertical direction, the one of the nested frusto-conical towers sections with a primary lifting system of the lifting apparatus.

16. A tower construction system, comprising:
a tower foundation;
a frusto-conical tower base upon the tower foundation;
a plurality of nested frusto-conical tower sections within the frusto-conical tower base, wherein each of the frusto-conical tower sections and the frusto-conical tower base comprises an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface opposite the inner circumferential surface, a bottom surface at a first end of the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface at a second end of the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface; and
a lifting apparatus comprising a primary lifting system and a secondary lifting system,
wherein the lifting apparatus lifts in turn each frusto-conical tower section vertically such that the frusto-conical tower section is in place to be secured to a previous section that is one of the frusto-conical tower base or a previously lifted frusto-conical tower section, and
wherein securing comprises:
welding a portion of an exterior surface of the each frusto-conical tower section directly to the top surface of the previous section; and
welding the bottom surface of the each frusto-conical tower section directly to a portion of an interior surface of the previous section.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the top surface of a first frusto-conical tower section is at or below the top surface of a second frusto-conical tower section that nests the first frusto-conical tower section.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the primary lifting system comprises one or more of: a lift pole, a lift cap, and a plurality of hoists.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the secondary lifting system comprises a plurality of hoists.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein a cross-section of each frusto-conical tower section in a plane parallel with a base of each frusto-conical tower section has one of a polygonal, circular, oval, corrugated, and fluted shape.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Jones Jerald Edward
• Rhoades Valerie Lisa

Classifications

• Y02E10/728

  Onshore wind turbines · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2240/221

  with horizontal axis · CPC title

• F05B2230/61

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• F03D9/25

  the apparatus being an electrical generator (F03D9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title