WO2011095729A2

WO2011095729A2 - Wind turbine mounted on an anchor block

Info

Publication number: WO2011095729A2
Application number: PCT/FR2011/050162
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Lavaur
Original assignee: Alizeo
Priority date: 2010-02-08
Filing date: 2011-01-27
Publication date: 2011-08-11
Also published as: FR2956130A1; WO2011095729A3; FR2956130B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a wind turbine comprising a tower (1) extending between a lower end (1a) and an upper end (1b) at a defined height h of more than 20 m, an anchor block (7) fixed to the ground and to which the tower is fixed (1), and a nacelle (2) carried by the upper end of the tower, said nacelle comprising a rotor (3) carrying a propeller (4) and driving an electric generator (30). The anchor block is a slab of reinforced concrete extending essentially horizontally and having a mass of more than 300 tons, horizontal dimensions of more than h/10 in two horizontal directions (X, Y) perpendicular to each other, and a vertical thickness (e) of between 1.5 and 2.5 m.

Description

Wind turbine mounted on a massive anchor.

The present invention relates to wind turbines mounted on an anchor.

More particularly, the invention relates to a wind turbine comprising:

a mast extending between a lower end and an upper end over a height h greater than 20 m,

an anchor mass which is fixed to the ground and on which the mast is fixed, the anchor mass being cast in a ground excavation so as to be flush with the ground surface;

a nacelle carried by the upper end of the mast, this nacelle comprising a rotor carrying a helix.

WO-A-2009/152869 discloses a wind turbine of this type.

The anchoring masses of wind turbines of this type are generally reinforced concrete blocks poured into deep wells, for example of the order of 15 m, to be able to brace the wind turbine. As a result, these beds are not only high cost, but are also very difficult and difficult and expensive to dismantle at the end of life of the wind turbine.

The present invention is intended to overcome these disadvantages.

For this purpose, according to the invention, a wind turbine of the type in question is characterized in that the anchor is a slab of reinforced concrete extending substantially horizontally and having a mass greater than 300 tons, horizontal dimensions greater than h / 10 in two horizontal directions perpendicular to each other and a thickness of between 1.5 and 2.5 m. Thanks to these provisions, the anchor mass is a surface work, easier and less expensive to build and dismantle, while ensuring effective bracing of the wind turbine and while remaining a buried mass, so in particular well integrated into the environment of the wind turbine construction site.

In various embodiments of the wind turbine according to the invention, one or more of the following provisions may also be used:

the horizontal dimensions of the anchor mass are greater than h / 5 along said two horizontal directions;

- the thickness of the anchor mass is less than

2.5 m;

- The wind turbine further comprises a metal support frame which is fixed on the anchor and on which is mounted the mast, said frame having horizontal dimensions greater than h / 10 according to said two horizontal directions;

- The mast is connected to the frame by a hinge disposed at an intermediate position between the lower and upper ends of the mast, the mast having a lower portion, located between the hinge and the lower end, which counterbalance vis-à-vis of the nacelle and an upper part of the mast located between the articulation and the nacelle, the wind turbine further comprising at least one actuator connecting the frame to the mast and adapted to control a pivoting of said mast around the articulation between a raised position and a folded position;

said actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder extending substantially horizontally and connected to the lower end of the mast;

the mast is pivotally mounted on two lateral flanges by said hinge, said lateral flanges being fixed to the frame and extending vertically above said frame, each of said side plates being further braced by a strut which connects said lateral flange to the frame and which extends in the first direction away from the hydraulic cylinder from said flange.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in partial vertical section of a wind turbine according to one embodiment of the invention, with its mast in the raised position,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the anchoring mass of the wind turbine of FIG. 1, and

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the metal frame mounted on the anchor of Figure 2 to support the mast of the wind turbine.

In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

As shown in FIG. 1, the invention relates to a wind turbine comprising:

a support mast 1 extending along a longitudinal axis Z ₀ between a lower end 1a and an upper end 1b, said longitudinal axis Z 0 being parallel to the vertical axis of an orthogonal reference frame (X, Y, Z) in the operating position of the wind turbine,

a nacelle 2 pivotally mounted at the upper end of the support mast 1 around a vertical axis Z,

- A rotor 3 rotatably mounted about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation R and carried by the nacelle 2, the rotor 3 carrying a propeller 4 with several blades 4a adapted to rotate the rotor in the presence of wind. driving an electric generator contained in the nacelle 2 or possibly disposed towards the lower end of the mast (as taught for example in the aforementioned WO-A-2009/152869).

By way of non-limiting example, the support mast

1 can extend over a height of about 50 to 100 m and its metal structure can for example weigh from fifty tons to a hundred tons (apart from the counterweight mentioned below), while the nacelle 2 (Including rotor 3 and propeller 4), can weigh from 50 to 80 tons (20 to 60 tons without the electric generator is arranged at the lower end of the mast). The support mast 1 may be a hollow mast section for example substantially circular or other, having a width which may be of the order of 3 to 4 m in its lower part.

The mast 1 is pivotally mounted about a hinge 5, for example a simple pivot, which allows a pivoting of the mat 1 about a horizontal axis Yo parallel to the Y direction. The mat 1 can thus pivot in a vertical plane X, Z between the raised position shown in Figure 1 and a folded position (not shown), as taught in WO-A-2009/152869.

The hinge 5 can connect the mast 1 for example to two vertical side plates 6 which are fixed on a metal support frame 7, itself secured to an anchoring mass 8 of reinforced concrete, cast on the ground.

The pivoting of the mast 1 of the wind turbine around the hinge 5 is controlled by at least one actuator, for example a hydraulic jack VI extending substantially horizontally and connecting the frame 7 to the lower end of the mast. This jack may for example include:

a cylinder 10 mounted journalling about a horizontal axis Yi parallel to the axis Yo, on a support 11 secured to the frame 7,

a rod 12 sliding in the cylinder 10 and articulated at the lower end of the mast 1.

The lower end of the mast may further be provided with a counterweight 13, for example as described in the aforementioned WO-A-2009/152869.

In the particular example shown, the lower part of the mast 1 forms a drum 14 possibly weighted, which is laterally extended by a spout 15 whose free end is provided with a hinge 13a around which pivots the counterweight 13 around an axis of rotation Y ₂ parallel to the axes Yo, Yi mentioned above. The counterweight 13 may be pivotally controlled about the hinge 13a, by an additional hydraulic cylinder (not shown, but described in the aforementioned WO-A-2009/152869) which connects it to the barrel 14. The rod 11 of the jack VI can be connected to said hinge 13a passing under the lower end of the mast.

The two aforementioned lateral flanges 6 extend vertically above the frame 7 and each of said lateral flanges is further braced by a strut 9 which connects said lateral flange to the frame 7 and which extends from said flange obliquely. downwards and in the horizontal direction X opposite the hydraulic jack VI.

As shown in FIG. 2, the anchoring mass 8 is a reinforced concrete slab extending substantially horizontally and having a length L in the direction X and a width 1 in the direction Y and a vertical thickness e. The length L and the width 1 are each greater than h / 10, advantageously greater than h / 5. These two dimensions may for example be between 12 and 20 m. The thickness e is between 1.5 and 3 m, advantageously between 1.5 and 2.5 m, for example of the order of 2m. The horizontal surface of the anchor mass 8 is for example between 100 and 300 m ² . The mass of the anchoring mass 7 is greater than 300 t, example between 300 t and 600 t.

The anchoring mass 8 is poured into a ground excavation so as to be flush with the ground surface.

The upper surface of the anchoring mass 8 may comprise support plates 16 which serve as supports for the frame 7, and which are traversed by studs 17 anchored in the anchoring mass 8. These studs 17 serve to fix the frame 7 by bolting.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 7 may consist of an assembly of steel beams, comprising for example:

a central portion 18, disposed under the barrel 14 of the mast and serving to block the counterweight 13 in the raised position of the mast, as described in WO-A-2009/152869,

a rear part 19 serving to fix the support 11 of the jack VI,

two rear longitudinal members 20 extending in the direction X and connecting the central portion 18 to the rear portion 19,

two front longitudinal members 21 extending in the X direction opposite the rear portion 19 from the central portion 18, these front longitudinal members 21 being disposed on either side of the central portion 18 and being connected to this central portion by spacers 22, each of these front longitudinal members 21 further comprising, towards its front end, a support 23 for one of the struts 9,

and two side rails 24 which frame the rear ends of the front longitudinal members 21 and are connected to these rear ends each by two spacers 25.

Said lateral spars 24 form with the rear ends of the longitudinal spars 21 and the spacers 25, rectangular support structures which each support a lateral flange 6. Said Support structures may advantageously crosslinked, for example each by means of at least one beam 26 forming a triangular structure with a lateral spar 24 and a spacer 25.

The frame may have a length L 'in the direction X and a width l' in the direction Y, and each of these dimensions may for example be greater than h / 10.

Claims

1. Wind turbine comprising:

a mast (1) extending between a lower end (1a) and an upper end (1b) over a height h greater than 20m,

an anchor block (8) which is fixed to the ground and on which the mast (1) is fixed, the anchor block (8) being cast in a ground excavation so as to be flush with the ground surface,

a nacelle (2) carried by the upper end of the mast, this nacelle comprising a rotor (3) carrying a propeller (4),

characterized in that the anchoring mass (8) is a slab of reinforced concrete extending substantially horizontally and having a mass greater than 300 tonnes, horizontal dimensions (1, L) greater than h / 10 in two horizontal directions ( X, Y) perpendicular to one another and a thickness (e) of between 1.5 and 2.5 m.

2. Wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal dimensions (1, L) of the anchor mass are greater than h / 5 according to said two horizontal directions (X, Y).

Wind turbine according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a metal support frame (6) which is fixed on the anchor (8) and on which the mast (1) is mounted, said frame having horizontal dimensions (1 ', L') greater than h / 10 according to said two horizontal directions (X, Y).

4. Wind turbine according to claim 3, wherein the mast (1) is connected to the frame (8) by a hinge (5) arranged at an intermediate position between the lower (la) and upper (Ib) of the mast, the mast with a lower part between the articulation and the lower end (1a), which forms a counterweight with respect to the nacelle (2) and an upper part of the mast situated between the articulation (5) and the nacelle (2), wind turbine further comprising at least one actuator (VI) connecting the frame to the mast (1) and adapted to control a pivoting of said mast around the hinge (5) between a raised position and a folded position.

5. Wind turbine according to claim 4, wherein said actuator comprises a hydraulic jack (VI) extending substantially horizontally and connected to the lower end (la) of the mast.

6. Wind turbine according to claim 5, wherein the mast is pivotally mounted on two side flanges (6) by said hinge (5), said side flanges being fixed on the frame (7) and extending vertically above said frame , each of said side plates being further braced by a strut (9) which connects said lateral flange to the frame (7) and which extends in the first direction (X) opposite the hydraulic jack (VI) to from said flange.