Segment for a tower of a wind energy turbine and method for arranging operating components of a wind energy turbine in a tower thereof

1. A segment for a tower of a wind energy turbine, comprising:

a tubular section having a longitudinal axis and inner and outer sides;

at least two groups of supporting elements arranged at said inner side of said tubular section; and

at least two platforms, each of said platforms supportable by a respective one of said groups of supporting elements, said at least two platforms comprising an upper platform and a lower platform, wherein each of said platforms comprises an outer frame that defines an opening that is closeable by a removable insert configured to rest on said outer frame, said outer frame and the opening of said lower platform sized smaller than said outer frame and the opening of said upper platform such that said outer frame of said lower platform is configured to pass through the opening of said upper platform.

2. The segment according to claim 1 wherein said groups of supporting elements are arranged at respective different heights with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular section.

3. The segment according to claim 2 wherein said supporting elements of a respective group are offset in a circumferential direction of said tubular section with respect to said supporting elements of an adjacent group.

4. The segment according to claim 2 wherein a projection of each of said groups of supporting elements from said inner side decreases from group to group in an upward direction along the longitudinal axis.

5. The segment according to claim 1 wherein said tubular section is cylindrical.

6. A segment for a tower of a wind energy turbine, comprising:

a tubular section having a longitudinal axis and inner and outer sides;

at least two groups of supporting elements arranged at said inner side of said tubular section; and

at least two platforms, each of said platforms supportable by a respective one of said groups of supporting elements, said at least two platforms comprising an upper platform and a lower platform sized smaller than said upper platform.

7. The segment according to claim 6 wherein said groups of supporting elements are arranged at respective different heights with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular section.

8. The segment according to claim 7 wherein said supporting elements of a respective group are offset in a circumferential direction of said tubular section with respect to said supporting elements of an adjacent group.

9. The segment according to claim 7 wherein a projection of each of said groups of supporting elements from said inner side decreases from group to group in an upward direction along the longitudinal axis.

10. The segment according to claim 6 wherein each of said platforms comprises an outer frame that defines an opening that is closeable by a removable insert configured to rest on said outer frame, said outer frame and the opening of said lower platform sized smaller than said outer frame and the opening of said upper platform such that said outer frame of said lower platform is configured to pass through the opening of said upper platform.

11. The segment according to claim 10 wherein said lower platform comprises at least one electrical component coupled to said lower platform such that said lower platform is configured to pass through the opening of said upper platform with said at least one electrical component coupled to said lower platform.

12. The segment according to claim 6 wherein said tubular section is cylindrical.

13. The segment according to claim 6 wherein the tower is erected from a foundation, said tubular section configured to be mounted on the foundation such that at least one electrical component is supported above the foundation by at least one of said lower platform and said upper platform, wherein no electrical components are mounted on the foundation.