Wind turbine tower structure with stacked tower sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12529239-B2
Application number	US-202217977374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2022
Priority date	Oct 31, 2022
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of a tower structure with at least partially additively manufactured, stacked tower sections. Embodiments of the tower structure have a plurality of stacked tower sections, wherein at least one tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections includes a wall element having one or more printed layers, and a base holding thereon the one or more printed layers. The present disclosure also is directed to a method of manufacturing a tower structure using a stacked tower sections and additive manufacturing. Embodiments of the method include forming a base of poured concrete or cast material, printing and depositing one or more printed layers to form a wall element, and stacking the plurality of tower sections to form the tower structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tower structure, comprising:
a plurality of stacked tower sections, wherein at least one tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections comprises:
a wall element comprising one or more printed layers formed of concrete; and
a base supporting thereon the one or more printed layers, the base formed of poured concrete or cast material;
wherein at least one of the wall element or the base comprises a lift connection element for detachably engaging with a lifting device during stacking of the plurality of stacked tower sections,
wherein the base comprises a transition system connecting the at least one tower section with an adjacent stacked tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections, the transition system comprising:
a top side comprising:
the surface of the base holding the one or more printed layers; and
a poured concrete or cast material tubular wall, the poured concrete or cast material tubular wall and the surface of the top side of the base defining a cavity, the cavity receiving at least one layer of the one or more printed layers; and

a bottom side comprising:
a surface; and
a poured concrete or cast material tubular wall defining a constraining ring, the constraining ring and the surface of the bottom side of the base defining a cavity, the cavity receiving at least a top layer of one or more printed layers of the adjacent stacked tower section, the surface of the bottom side for flattening at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers of the adjacent stacked tower section.

2 . The tower structure of claim 1 , wherein the base is a fixed base comprising a surface for printing and depositing thereon the one or more printed layers.

3 . The tower structure of claim 2 , wherein the fixed base comprises the lift connection element, and wherein the lift connection element is a lifting lug.

4 . The tower structure of claim 2 , wherein the fixed base comprises the lift connection element, and wherein the lift connection element is a plurality of reinforced wall faces defining a lifting pocket for a lifting yoke.

5 . The tower structure of claim 2 , wherein the fixed base further comprises an alignment element for aligning the plurality of stacked tower sections during stacking thereof.

6 . The tower structure of claim 5 , wherein the alignment element is a bottom surface of the fixed base, the bottom surface defining a cavity, the cavity receiving at least a top layer of one or more printed layers of an adjacent stacked tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections.

7 . The tower structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixed base comprises the lift connection element, and wherein the transition system further comprises one or more reinforcement members extending into at least one of the cavity of the bottom side or the cavity of the top side of the transition system.

8 . The tower structure of claim 1 :
wherein the base comprises a top side comprising an alignment element, the top side of the base for holding the wall element comprising the one or more printed layers; and wherein the wall element comprises an alignment element corresponding to the alignment element of the base, the alignment element of the wall element and the alignment element of the base aligning the wall element with the base.

9 . The tower structure of claim 8 :
wherein the alignment element of the wall element is at least a top layer of the one or more printed layers; and wherein the alignment element of the base is a cavity, the cavity receiving at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers of the wall element.

10 . The tower structure of claim 9 , wherein at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers is a formed portion of the wall element, the cavity receiving the formed portion of the wall element.

11 . The tower structure of claim 9 :
wherein at least a bottom layer of the one or more printed layers defines a cavity, the cavity receiving at least a top layer of one or more printed layers of an adjacent stacked tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections.

12 . The tower structure of claim 11 , wherein the cavity of the one or more printed layers of the wall element is a slide resistance element for the plurality of stacked tower sections.

13 . The tower structure of claim 11 , wherein the tower structure further comprises a cap section topping the plurality of stacked tower sections.

14 . The tower structure of claim 9 :
wherein the lift connection element is a fixed lift connection element for the at least one tower section; and wherein the fixed lift connection element is integral with at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers.

15 . A tower structure, comprising:
a plurality of stacked tower sections, wherein at least one tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections comprises:
a wall element comprising one or more printed layers formed of concrete; and
a base supporting thereon the one or more printed layers;
a fixed lift connection element for detachably engaging with a lifting device during stacking of the plurality of stacked tower sections, the fixed lift connection element integral to at least the wall element, the fixed lift connection element comprising a surface holding thereon the one or more printed layers of the wall element,
wherein the base comprises a top side comprising a first alignment element and the wall element comprises a second alignment element, the first alignment element of the base aligning with the second alignment element of the wall element,
wherein the second alignment element of the wall element is at least a top layer of the one or more printed layers,
wherein the first alignment element of the base comprises a cavity receiving at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers of the wall element, and
wherein at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers is a formed portion of the wall element, the cavity receiving the formed portion of the wall element.

16 . The tower structure of claim 15 , wherein the fixed lift connection element is a steel lifting plate integral to at least the wall element.

17 . The tower structure of claim 16 , wherein the steel lifting plate is integral to at least a bottom layer the one or more printed layers of the wall element.

18 . A method of assembling a tower structure, the method comprising:
forming a mold of poured concrete or cast material; forming a base of poured concrete or cast material, the base defining a top side having a first alignment element; forming a plurality of tower sections using the mold; and stacking the plurality of tower sections on top of the base to form the tower structure; wherein forming the plurality of tower sections comprises: printing and depositing one or more printed layers on a top side of the mold to form a wall element, the top side of the mold comprising an alignment mold such that the wall element printed and deposited thereon comprises a second an alignment element, the first alignment element of the base aligning with the second alignment element of the wall element, wherein the second alignment element of the wall element is at least a top layer of the one or more printed layers, wherein the first alignment element of the base comprises a cavity, and wherein at least the top layer of the one or more printed layers is a formed portion of the wall element; and installing a lift connection element on the wall element; wherein stacking the plurality of tow

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Ge Infrastructure Technology Llc

Inventors

• Turnquist Norman Arnold
• Kenny Christopher James
• Li Xiaopeng
• Cooper Gregory Edward
• Fang Biao
• Meyer Pascal
• Sheppard Collin Mckee
• Vogel Ryan Eric

Classifications

• E04H12/341

  Arrangements for casting in situ concrete towers or the like · CPC title

• E04H12/12 Primary

  of concrete or other stone-like material, with or without internal or external reinforcements, e.g. with metal coverings, with permanent form elements · CPC title

• E04G21/142

  Means in or on the elements for connecting same to handling apparatus (E04B1/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28B1/001

  Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00) · CPC title

• F03D13/20 Primary

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