IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,513,866
Granted Patent B2
US 10,513,866 · App. 16/048,017 · Granted Dec 24, 2019

Wind turbine tower and respective foundation base

Inventors: José Emílio Brandão (Vitória, BR); Carlos Alberto Pinto Montenegro (Vitória, BR); Carlos Augusto Calmon Nogueira da Gama (Vitória, BR)
Assignees: MCA Tecnologia de Estruturas Ltda.; Metalvix Engenharia e Consultoria Ltda.
E04H12/20E02D27/42E02D27/425E02D27/50E04H12/12E04H12/16E04H12/34F03D13/20F03D13/22F05B2240/221F05B2240/912
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,513,866
App. No.
16/048,017
Granted
Dec 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention refers to a wind turbine tower and a respective foundation base, comprising a central column with a central column foundation, upper tensile structural elements with upper ends attached to a tensile structure element bearing portion of the central column and tensile structural element foundations around the central column foundation. The structural system is characterized in that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements is attached to a respective compressive structural element that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element with a compressive structural element bearing portion of the central column and that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements is attached to a respective lower tensile structural element that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element with one of the tensile structural element foundations.

Claims (35)

1. A base ( 8 ) for support of a wind turbine tower ( 50 ) comprising:

a central column ( 10 ), with a central column foundation ( 36 ) for fixing the central column ( 10 ) to the ground or a support platform,

pliable inclined upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) with upper ends attached to a tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) of the central column ( 10 ) above the central column foundation ( 36 ), and

tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ) around the central column foundation ( 10 ), which provide a fixation to the ground independently from the central column foundation ( 36 ),

characterized in that

a lower end of each of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is attached to a respective flexurally rigid compressive structural element ( 16 ) that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element ( 12 ) with a compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ) of the central column ( 10 ), which is located between the tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) and the central column foundation ( 36 ), and

each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is attached to a respective pliable lower tensile structural element ( 14 ) that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element ( 12 ) with one of the tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ).

2. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , by which comprises at least three of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ), three of the lower tensile structural elements ( 14 ), three of the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) and three of the tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ) being equally spaced apart from each other.

3. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is connected to respective lower ends of neighbouring upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) via respective outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) in such a manner that all outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) form an outer annulus around the central column ( 10 ).

4. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that central portions of the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) are connected with each other via inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) in such a manner that all of the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) form an inner annulus around the central column ( 10 ).

5. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 4 , characterized in that

the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) are indirectly pretensioned pliable elements and the outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) are capable to bear compressive forces, or

the outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) are indirectly pretensioned pliable elements and the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) are capable to bear compressive forces.

6. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that at least one of the pliable elements ( 12 ; 14 ) comprises a tensioner ( 48 ) for inducing and adapting a pretension within the at least one pliable element ( 12 ; 14 ).

7. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) and/or lower tensile structural elements ( 14 ) are pretensioned pliable elements.

8. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) and/or the compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ) of the central column ( 10 ) is realized by a ring that is attached to the central column ( 10 ).

9. The base ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) are hinged connected to the compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ).

10. A wind turbine tower ( 50 ) comprising a wind turbine disposed on a base ( 8 ) according to claim 1 .

11. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 10 , characterized in that the base ( 8 ) comprises at least three of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ), three of the lower tensile structural elements ( 14 ), three of the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) and three of the tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ) being equally spaced apart from each other.

12. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 10 , characterized in that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is connected to respective lower ends of neighbouring upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) via respective outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) in such a manner that all outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) form an outer annulus around the central column ( 10 ).

13. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 12 , characterized in that central portions of the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) are connected with each other via inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) in such a manner that all of the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) form an inner annulus around the central column ( 10 ).

14. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 13 , characterized in that

the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) are indirectly pretensioned pliable elements and the outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) are capable to bear compressive forces, or

the outer lateral structural elements ( 18 ) are indirectly pretensioned pliable elements and the inner lateral structural elements ( 20 ) are capable to bear compressive forces.

15. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 12 , characterized in that at least one of the pliable elements ( 12 ; 14 ) comprises a tensioner ( 48 ) for inducing and adapting a pretension within the at least one pliable element ( 12 ; 14 ).

16. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 10 , characterized in that the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) and/or lower tensile structural elements ( 14 ) are pretensioned pliable elements.

17. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 10 , characterized in that the tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) and/or the compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ) of the central column ( 10 ) is realized by a ring that is attached to the central column ( 10 ).

18. The wind turbine tower ( 50 ) according to claim 10 , characterized in that the compressive structural elements ( 16 ) are hinged connected to the compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ).

19. A base ( 8 ) for support of a wind turbine tower ( 50 ) comprising:

a tubular central column ( 10 ), with a central column foundation ( 36 ) for fixing the central column ( 10 ) to the ground or a support platform,

pliable inclined upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ), formed of tubular cylindrical bars, with upper ends attached to a tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) of the central column ( 10 ) above the central column foundation ( 36 ), and

tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ) around the central column foundation ( 10 ), which provide a fixation to the ground independently from the central column foundation ( 36 ),

characterized in that

a lower end of each of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is attached to a respective, horizontally extending, flexurally rigid compressive structural element ( 16 ) that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element ( 12 ) with a compressive structural element bearing portion ( 46 ) of the central column ( 10 ), which is located between the tensile structure element bearing portion ( 44 ) and the central column foundation ( 36 ), and

each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements ( 12 ) is attached to a respective, vertically extending, pliable lower tensile structural element ( 14 ) that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element ( 12 ) with one of the tensile structural element foundations ( 22 ).

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2019
From: BRANDÃO, JOSÉ EMÍLIO; PINTO MONTENEGRO, CARLOS ALBERTO
To: METALVIX ENGENHARIA E CONSULTORIA LTDA.
Reel/Frame 050375/0222 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 046684 FRAME 0917. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MCA TECNOLOGIA DE ESTRUTURAS LTDA. IS THE ASSIGNEE. Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: DA GAMA, CARLOS AUGUST CALMON NOGUEIRA
To: MCA TECNOLOGIA DE ESTRUTURAS LTDA.
Reel/Frame 046976/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: DA GAMA, CARLOS AUGUSTO CALMON NOGUEIRA
To: MCA TECHNOLOGIA DE ESTRUTURAS LTDA.
Reel/Frame 046684/0917 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 18155120.1 · May 2, 2018 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190338548A1 · Nov 7, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,345,061