DE10111280A1 - Wind power plant has mast segments raised up by lift device in order to insert new segment in from below - Google Patents

Abstract

The wind power plant has a mast (4) made up of segments (8) each placed one above the other at least in part so that each new segment to be installed can be inserted beneath an existing segment which has previously been raised up by a lift mechanism (14). The mast sections are tensioned against the ground by cables or other traction means. The tensioning force can be adjusted by an electronic control device taking into account the increase in the height of the mast.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for Creation of a wind turbine with a mast.

The performance of wind turbines has increased recently taking increased. From the beginning are only a few kilowatts Nowadays wind turbines in the megawatt range are not uncommon is more. With the performance increase of the generators are also the rotor diameter and the hub or mast height to grow.

The masts of wind turbines, also known as towers are usually used as concrete masts at high mast heights executed, the production on site in prestressed concrete technology not done. Masts erected in steel construction, especially from Steel tube and in lattice mast construction, will cost found and mostly pre-zoo because of the easier handling However, they reach their feasibility at construction heights of around 100 m limit and are therefore usually only for lower heights hen used.

The In is also not unproblematic with very high masts installation of the drive unit located at the top of the mast with generator and rotor. With the previously known technology  the drive unit is installed after erecting the mast mobile truck cranes placed on the top of the mast. apart of the very high costs for this work results here also the problem of the insufficient lifting height of the Autokra ne.

It is the object of the present invention, a method and to create a device, in particular also about Made with lattice boom technology and / or made of steel Wind turbines containing masts even with extremely large to be able to manufacture high heights cost-effectively.

This task is solved by a method of creation a wind turbine, the mast of which is large in height tion has superimposed mast segments, the individual mast segments at least partially as a result which are to be placed that the new one to be installed Mast segment under an already erected and previously using a lifting device inserted mast section becomes.

A particularly suitable one for carrying out this method Device has a lifting device with a two a lowered position and a raised position lung relocatable platform, the stroke of the amount of each corresponds to the mast segment to be installed next and the with fasteners for releasably fixing the bottom th mast segment of the mast section to be equipped tet is, where appropriate also a guy  is present which varia about in terms of length adjustable traction means, which has a side Ab span the growing mast section opposite allow the floor.

According to the mast of the wind turbine has egg ne large number of one on top of the other in the vertical direction of the mast Mast segments that can be easily run in one length can provide easy transportation to the place of installation of the Allow wind turbine. Contrary to expectations, he the vertical "stacking" of the mast segments does not follow by placing them on top of each other, but by "shot by shot" assembly from below, with the already erected mast section raised and the next Mast segment inserted under the raised mast section becomes. The inserted mast segment is then with the one above arranged mast section firmly connected and forms together with this one mast section that has now grown in height, which in turn is raised around the next mast Include segment below.

Thus, the assembly of the mast segments can, if necessary concentrate an area close to the ground, independently on the height of the completed mast. Dangerous and Even expensive work at great heights can be kept to a minimum be restricted.  

The invention is not only suitable for use in the new erection of a wind turbine but also for retrofitting Chen increase existing wind turbines.

Although it would be possible in principle to re-do this in each case installing the mast segment under a mast section that does not reach the ground is already recommended For the sake of simplicity, a way of working that is new to you installing mast segment as bottom mast segment is placed under the existing mast section.

As long as the mast is still a relatively low height owns, the assembly can also be done by one or several mast segments from above. you then only goes to when a certain height is reached Assembly system according to the invention.

There is also an advantage with the method according to the invention Show the way, usually a generator and / or a gear and / or a rotor containing An to install the drive unit at the top of the mast if the Construction height is still relatively low, but already enough height was reached to the rotor without hitting the ground to be able to assemble without any problems. Then very little assembly can be carried out very easily by mobile cranes consequences. In the subsequent application of the invention Systems wins the drive unit with the growth of the mas tes gradually in height until the end position has been reached.  

When erecting the mast, it will gradually be in its Height-increasing mast section expediently by means of ropes or other traction means on several sides opposite the Floor braced. The bracing measures ensure inappropriately of the wind forces occurring a stable level of the growing mast and can also be used to kal alignment of the mast can be used.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing voltage. Figs. 1 to 17 show, in schematic presentation, various stages of the creation of a wind turbine using the procedural invention Rens and the inventive device.

, A site created by the inventive method and using the apparatus fiction, modern wind turbine 1 is a schematic representation, seen from Fig. 17. The wind turbine 1 has a foundation 3 anchored in the floor 2 and in particular made of concrete, on which a mast 4 extending in the vertical direction is erected, which carries a drive unit 5 at the top.

The drive unit 5 comprises a machine housing 6 fastened to the mast tip, in which - not shown in more detail - there is a generator. The latter is connected via a gear, also not shown, to a rotor 7 of the drive unit 5 , which is rotatably mounted on the machine housing 6 and is rotated by wind power. This results in electricity generation by the generator.

The mast 4 suitably consists of metal, in particular steel. It is particularly a lattice mast design that binds light weight with high rigidity.

In the exemplary embodiment, the mast 4 is composed of a large number of mast segments 8 which are seated one on top of the other in the vertical direction and are firmly connected to one another. The bottom mast segment 8 , 8 e is anchored to the foundation 3 , the top mast segment 8 , 8 a carries the drive unit 5 .

The mast segments 8 can be identical to one another. For structural reasons, however, one will generally choose a mast cross section that increases from top to bottom, so that the mast segments 8 accordingly have different transverse dimensions from one another. The mast of the exemplary embodiment has an obe ren length section 12 which carries the drive unit 5 , within which the mast segments 8 have the same cross-section and, appropriately, also have the same length. The gradual increase in cross section is limited to the lower length section 13 adjoining the upper length section 12 of the mast 4 , which in the exemplary embodiment has a three-legged structure, comparable to a tripod. Instead of the three-legged structure, a four-legged structure or the like would also be conceivable.

To create the wind turbine 1 , the foundation 3 is first produced at the erection site according to FIG. 1. A lifting device 14 , which is expediently based on the hydraulic working principle, is then installed in the area of the foundation 3 . It is advantageous if the lifting device 14 is on the same foundation 3 on which the mast 4 is also to be erected.

The lifting device 14 has a plurality of vertical guide struts 15 , between which a horizontal platform 16 extends, which is expediently at least partially formed by a frame structure.

The platform 16 can be moved on the vertical guide struts 15 in the vertical direction, and can either assume the lowered position shown in FIG. 1 or the raised position shown in FIG. 3.

The guide struts 15 are part of a base frame 17 which , in the exemplary embodiment, also contains a base plate 18 resting on the foundation 3 . Between the platform 16 and the base frame 17 , drive means 22 are interposed, which are capable of pointing out the stroke movement 23 of the platform 16 indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 3. The drive means 22 expediently contain one or more hydraulic drives.

When erecting the mast 4 , the mast segments 8 are installed , at least for the most part, based on the sequence in the assembled state, from top to bottom. Deviating from this inventive principle of "reverse" assembly, some mast segments 8 can also be installed conventionally by conventional stacking. The latter applies above all to the mast segments 8 located directly below the mast tip.

In the method of the embodiment, the top ( 8 a) and the underlying, second top mast segment 8 b are placed directly on top of each other, the first top mast segment 8 b being placed on the lowered platform 16 and then the top mast segment 8 a on the second top mast segment 8 b is placed. On the platform 16 are not shown fasteners hen hen, which allow the second uppermost mast segment 8 b to be fixed. The fastening means provided for the mutual fastening of the two mast segments 8 a, 8 b, in particular rivets, screws or welded connections, are also not shown.

The two mast segments 8 a, 8 b which are firmly connected to one another in this way define a first mast section 24 of the mast 4 to be set up .

The next process step now provides for the installation of a further one, namely the third uppermost mast segment 8 , 8 c. For this purpose, the already erected first mast section 24 according to FIG. 3 is first raised by activating the lifting device 14 . The platform 16 moves into the raised position, the stroke "h" covered corresponding to the height of the mast segment 8 , 8 c to be installed next.

After lifting the first mast section 24 , the lifting device 14 remains in the position reached, and it is ge according to Fig. 4 mentioned third top mast segment 8 c inserted below the first mast section 24 in a vertical extension of the same. The inserted mast segment 8 , 8 c is firmly connected to the second-top mast segment 8 , 8 b arranged above it via the fastening means, not shown, so that the existing mast section has grown by the height of a mast segment and a mast section now composed of three mast segments 8 is present, which for better distinction as the second mast section 25 be referred to.

In a next step, the connection between the vertically movable platform 16 and the second mast section 25 is released and the platform 16 is moved back to the lowered position according to FIG. 5.

The second mast section 25 remains here because its lower end is fixed to the base frame 17 of the lifting device 14 .

At low heights, this type of attachment can be sufficient to ensure the vertical stability of the mast section currently being erected. However, if you move to higher heights, it is recommended in any case to additionally use a guy device 36 and use it to guy the mast section, which is gradually increasing in height, with respect to the floor 2 to several sides. In this way, the mast section can be kept exactly vertical, even if high lateral forces are exerted on it by wind.

In the exemplary embodiment, the guy device 36 is used from the beginning, starting with the stabilization of the first mast section 24 .

The guying device 36 has several strand-like traction means 37 , in particular in the form of ropes, expediently wire ropes which are fastened at one end to the first mast section 24 and at the other end each engage a winding device 38 anchored on the bottom. The Wickelvor directions 38 in particular have a winch-like structure and are motor-driven.

Only two traction means 37 can be seen in the only two-dimensional drawing. In practice, however, more than two traction means 37 are used simultaneously, which are distributed obliquely downward over the mast circumference to the winding devices 38 installed at a distance from the foundation 3 . At best, the use of three pulling means 37 has recommended that, seen in plan view of the mast 4, come off in a 120 ° distribution in a star shape from the mast. 4

In the next steps, which are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second mast section 25 at the top of the uppermost mast segment 8 a is successively equipped with the machine housing 6 and the rotor 7 , so that the drive unit 5 even at a low height of the mast section is installed. In principle, it would be possible to at least mount the machine housing 6 right from the start, on the first mast section 24. However, the procedure described is more rational, in which the components of the drive unit 5 are installed at the same mast height if the mast section is ge has reached a height that is sufficient to be able to install the rotor 7 without impairing the rotatability. The rotor 7 is therefore only assembled when the tip of the current mast section lies higher above the floor 2 than the radius of the rotor 7 .

The next step FIG be mutandis. Lifted 8 to 10 of the equipped with the drive unit 5 second mast section 25 (Fig. 8), the next four highest here mast segment 8 d under the raised mast section 25 incorporated (Fig. 9) and after its attachment, the Platform 16 lowered so that the drive unit 5 now sits on a mast section referred to as the third mast section 26 , which in turn has grown one step in accordance with the height of the inserted mast segment 8 , 8 d ( FIG. 10).

In a comparable manner, further mast segments 8 are now inserted under the respective mast section, so that the mast height according to FIGS. 11 to 15 increases until the desired final height is reached. For better clarity, in Fig. 11 to 15, the mounting steps for a set plurality of further mast sections 8 only partially as dergegeben. It is clear, however, how the mast segments 8 which increase in width can also be inserted one after the other in order to produce the lower longitudinal section 13 .

In the entire installation procedure, the mast segment 8 to be newly installed is always inserted as the lowest mast segment under the already existing mast segment. The insertion work can therefore be carried out comfortably on the floor. In principle, however, it would be readily possible to first set up a lower section of the mast 4 up to a known height, possibly conventionally by simply stacking mast segments 8 of the lower length section 13 , in order to build on the closing upper mast areas to install with the procedure according to the invention.

As a comparison of FIGS. 2 to 15 shows, the train means 37 track the height growth corresponding to the successive growth of the mast 4 , so that the existing mast section is always optimally and safely tensioned. The initial addition of the traction means 37 through the Wickelvorrich device 38 is, due to the still flat traction means, less than towards the end of the master direction process, where the traction means 37 - see. Fig. 15 - run relatively steeply at an angle.

By means of an electronic control device (not shown), the desired bracing forces can be precisely metered taking into account the height growth and the corresponding addition of further traction means length, so that an exactly vertical position of the mast 4 is ensured even in strong winds.

If the lifting device 14 is designed and anchored to the ground in such a way that it can absorb all of the transverse forces acting on the erected mast section, the guy device 36 can also be dispensed with.

After the mast 4 has reached the desired height shown in FIG. 15, the lowermost mast segment 8 e is firmly anchored to the foundation 3 , so that the mast 4 holds the safe position required for later operation. Then the guying device 36 ( FIG. 16) and the lifting device 14 ( FIG. 17) can be removed, so that the wind turbine 1 can be started up immediately.

The method and the device can not only in the New construction of a wind turbine can be used, son to an existing wind turbine from one to retrofit lower mast height to a higher mast height and thus to enable more economical operation chen.

Claims (15)

1. A method for creating a wind power plant, the mast ( 4 ) having a plurality of mast segments ( 8 ) which sit one on top of the other in the vertical direction, the individual mast segments ( 8 ) being at least partially placed one above the other in such a way that the mast segment ( 8 ) to be newly installed below a mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) which has already been erected and previously raised by means of a lifting device ( 14 ) is inserted. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mast segment ( 8 ) to be newly installed is inserted as the lowest mast segment under the already existing mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one initially builds a plurality of mast segments aufwei send mast section ( 24 ) by placing its mast segments ( 8 a, 8 b) on top of each other. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the successively increasing Mastab section from the beginning or when reaching a certain height above with a generator and / or a rotor ( 7 ) containing drive unit ( 5 ) is or will be populated. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one for the gradual lifting of the already assembled mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) used lifting device ( 14 ) on the floor ( 2 ) in the area of the mast function damentes ( 3 ) installed. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lifting device ( 14 ) on the Bo den ( 2 ) anchored that they on the erected mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) acting transverse forces in whole or in part can take. 7. The method according to claim 1 are 6, characterized denotes Ge, that a lifting device (14) is used, the up a corresponding to the selected mounting pitch and having downwardly movable platform (16) to the fastening means for releasably securing said to be lifted Mastabschnit tes ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) are provided. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the gradually increasing in height mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) by means of ropes or other tension means ( 37 ) is guyed to the bottom on several sides. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the traction means ( 37 ) according to the height increase of the mast ( 4 ). 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by an electronic control device for adjusting the clamping forces from taking into account the height growth of the mast ( 4 ). 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by the use of a hydraulic lifting device ( 14 ). 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for use in the construction of wind turbines ( 1 ) with masts ( 4 ) in lattice mast design made of steel. 13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 for use with the construction of a new wind turbine or subsequent increase in the mast of an existing one Wind turbine. 14. An apparatus for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by a Hubvorrich device ( 14 ) with a between a lowered position and a raised position displaceable platform ( 16 ), de ren stroke the height of the next to be installed Corresponds to the mast segment ( 8 ) and which is equipped with fastening means for releasably fixing the lowest mast segment ( 8 e) of the mast section ( 24 , 25 , 26 ) to be lifted. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized by a bracing device ( 36 ) with variable in length its pulling means ( 37 ) for lateral bracing of the growing mast ( 4 ) relative to the floor ( 2 ).