Connection equipment adapter for a wind turbine tower section

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416291-B2
Application number	US-202318116670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2023
Priority date	Mar 17, 2022
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

The following describes a supporting system for supporting a tower section of a wind turbine. The supporting system includes a connection plate including a tower connection portion and a support connection portion, wherein the support connection portion is configured for being coupled to a tower support device for supporting the tower section. The tower connection portion includes a tower connection hole for being coupleable to a tower hole extending through a shell section of the tower section. The supporting system further includes a clamping device being partially insertable in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A supporting system for supporting a tower section of a wind turbine,
the supporting system comprising
a connection plate comprising a tower connection portion and a support connection portion,
wherein the support connection portion is configured for being coupled to a tower support device for supporting the tower section having a cylindrical shape,
wherein the tower connection portion comprises a tower connection hole for being coupleable to a tower hole extending radially outward along a radial direction through a circumferential flange provided on a cylindrical shell section of the tower section,
a clamping device having at least one clamping fastener being partially insertable in and guidable through the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

2. The supporting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the clamping device comprises a plate washer arrangeable at a surface of the shell section of the turbine,
wherein the clamping device having the at least one clamping fastener for clamping the plate washer to the tower connection portion of the connection plate and for thereby clamping the tower section between the plate washer and the tower connection portion.

3. The supporting system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the plate washer comprises a curved contact surface for contacting the tower section,
wherein the curved contact surface is adaptable to the curvature of the respective surface of the tower section.

4. The supporting system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the connection portion of the connection plate comprises a curved contact surface for contacting the tower section,
wherein the curved contact surface is adaptable to the curvature of the respective surface of the tower section.

5. The supporting system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the clamping device comprises an adapter element being adapted to the cross section of the tower hole of the tower section,
wherein the adapter element is insertable in the tower hole,
wherein the adapter element comprises a through hole extending between the plate washer and the connection portion of the connection plate for inserting the at least one clamping fastener.

6. The supporting system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the adapter element comprises at least two clamping elements for being clampable in the tower hole,
wherein the clamping elements are configured for being adjustable with respect to each other, such that the adapter element is adaptable to the cross section of the tower hole.

7. The supporting system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the adapter element comprises an elliptical cross section for being inserted in a respective tower hole having a respective elliptical cross section.

8. The supporting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connection plate has as an L-shape and the tower connection portion and the support connection portion are formed perpendicular to each other.

9. The supporting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tower support device comprises a coupling opening,
wherein the clamping device comprises a further plate washer arrangeable at a surface of the support device,
wherein the clamping device further comprises a further clamping fastener for clamping the further plate washer to the support connection portion of the connection plate and for thereby clamping the support device between the further plate washer and the support connection portion.

10. The supporting system according to claim 9 ,
wherein the further plate washer comprises an elongated hole through which the further clamping fastener is guidable.

11. The supporting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support device is a tower stabilization beam extending between two opposite sections of the shell section of the tower section.

12. The supporting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support device is a support flange being coupleable to a tower section handling device.

13. The supporting system according to claim 12 ,
wherein the tower section handling device is a transport vehicle or a support platform.

14. A tower section supporting arrangement, comprising
a tower section comprising a tower hole extending through a shell section of the tower section,
a tower support device configured for supporting the tower section, and
the system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support connection portion is coupled to the tower support device,
wherein the clamping device is partially inserted in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

15. A method of supporting a tower section of a wind turbine, the method comprising
coupling a support connection portion of a connection plate to a tower support device,
coupling a tower connection portion of the connection plate with a tower connection hole to a tower hole extending radially outward along a radial direction through a circumferential flange provided on a cylindrical shell section of the tower section having a cylindrical shape, and
partially inserting and guiding a clamping device having at least one clamping fastener through and in the tower connection hole of the tower connection portion and the tower hole for detachably clamping the connection plate to the tower section.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Anandan Guru
• Kaarsholm Soeren Majdal
• Tummala Shiva Rahul
• Venkatachalam Vidyasagar
• Zareba Witold

Classifications

• F05B2260/02

  Transport, e.g. specific adaptations or devices for conveyance · CPC title

• F03D13/40

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components · CPC title

• F03D13/402

  for transporting or storing towers · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D13/20 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title