阅读说明：本技术 具有混凝土底座的设备塔架 (Equipment tower with concrete foundation ) 是由 路易斯·E·卡博内尔 詹姆斯·D·洛克伍德 马修·J·查斯 于 2016-08-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种设备塔架(100),包括：基础(102)、从该基础沿竖向延伸的现浇混凝土底座(120)以及从该底座沿竖向延伸的塔架部分(104、106、108)。该设备塔架在现场建造成具有一组塔架特定参数,并且底座的至少一个尺寸基于塔架特定参数来选择。例如,底座的高度(134)可以选择成实现底座的最顶部表面(138)的期望高程,使得具有相同的塔架节段(105、107、109)的两个塔架(170、172)将具有共同的设备高度(A),尽管两个塔架相应的基础高程由于当地地平面(128)的不同而不同。此外,现浇底座可以被设计成包括大到足以适应要安装在塔架内的设备的门开口(140)。(An equipment tower (100), comprising: a foundation (102), a cast-in-place concrete foundation (120) extending vertically from the foundation, and a tower section (104, 106, 108) extending vertically from the foundation. The equipment tower is constructed on site with a set of tower specific parameters and at least one dimension of the plinth is selected based on the tower specific parameters. For example, the height (134) of the foundation may be selected to achieve a desired elevation of a topmost surface (138) of the foundation, such that two towers (170, 172) having the same tower segment (105, 107, 109) will have a common equipment height (a), although the respective base elevations of the two towers differ due to differences in local ground level (128). Further, the cast-in-place plinth may be designed to include a door opening (140) large enough to accommodate equipment to be installed within the tower.)

1. A method for maintaining a target elevation for a plurality of wind turbines of a wind farm, the plurality of wind turbines comprising standardized wind turbine tower sections, the method comprising:

forming a first foundation for a first wind turbine at a first location of the wind farm;

casting in place a first plinth over the first foundation, wherein the first plinth has a height such that a standardized wind turbine tower section erected on the first plinth reaches the target elevation;

erecting the standardized wind turbine tower section on the first foundation;

forming a second foundation for a second wind turbine at a second location of the wind farm;

determining a difference between local ground elevations at the first location and the second location;

calculating a height of a second foundation responsive to the difference in local ground elevation such that a standardized wind turbine tower section erected on the second foundation reaches the target elevation;

casting the second base on site on the second foundation according to the calculated height; and

erecting the standardized wind turbine tower section on the second foundation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the height of the second base is increased from the height of the first base based on a decrease in the local ground elevation measured between the second base and the first base.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the height of the second base is decreased from the height of the first base based on an increase in the local ground elevation measured between the second base and the first base.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

casting an opening in the first plinth, the opening sized to accommodate equipment intended to be installed in the first wind turbine; and

casting an opening in the second plinth, the opening sized to accommodate equipment intended to be installed in a second wind turbine tower.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening in the first chassis and the opening in the second chassis are doors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wall thickness of the first seat and the wall thickness of the second seat are selected to accommodate a door opening.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing equipment into the first and second wind turbine towers through respective openings in the first and second foundations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plinth is cast integrally with the first foundation and the second plinth is cast integrally with the second foundation.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of equipment towers, and more particularly, to equipment towers having cast-in-place foundations.

Background

The existing methods of building towers for supporting different types of equipment, such as lighting equipment, antenna equipment, mobile phone equipment or wind turbine equipment or equipment used as chimneys, vary depending on whether the material of the tower is steel or concrete. The decision process for selecting whether a tower is constructed from steel or concrete may depend on the geographic location of the tower, regional resources, height and weight bearing requirements, and access to the site where the tower is constructed. Steel towers are typically built by bolting steel pipe sections together at intermediate flanges. Typically, as the height of the tower increases, the diameter of the tower at its base also increases to accommodate the larger loads generated by taller towers. The height of steel towers is often limited by the diameter of the steel pipe sections, which can be physically transported to the construction site without significant modification to existing roads, bridges, or other right of way restrictions. These limitations typically result in steel tower members having diameters of up to about 20.0 feet. Due to these diameter limitations, the overall tower height is limited when using conventional strength steels. The energy produced by a tower-mounted wind turbine can often be increased by increasing the height of the tower. Thus, when the tower is made of steel, the transportation constraints of the steel tower may limit the productivity of the wind turbine.

When the construction material is available locally, a concrete tower may be manufactured at or near the tower location. Cast-in-place construction methods may cast concrete into the formwork erected at the tower location. Disadvantages of the cast-in-place method include reduced construction speed and sensitivity to inclement weather. In addition, the shape of typical concrete wind towers is tapered, which creates complications in the concrete casting process. Alternatively, the concrete tower sections may be manufactured locally and erected to form the tower. Since the concrete tower sections do not have to be transported over long distances, transportation restrictions associated with transporting steel sections are avoided.

U.S. patent No.9,175,670B2 to Lockwood et al, 11/3/2015, describes a post-tensioned precast concrete tower formed by stacking precast concrete annular segments on a foundation, wherein the diameter of the segments varies in stages over the height of the tower. The geometry of this tower simplifies the formwork for the prefabricated segments.

An equipment tower is a highly engineered structure designed to carry specific loads including dead weight loads, wind loads, seismic loads, and thermal loads. Typically, a particular tower design is adapted to the envelope of these loads such that the design of one tower can be used for multiple locations having conditions within the envelope. Site specific conditions are often incorporated into a universal tower design to avoid the cost of designing a specific tower for each specific location.

Drawings

The invention is explained in the following description with reference to the drawings, which show:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary equipment tower showing a sectioned lower section of the tower;

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of the foundation and cast-in-place substructure of the tower of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary door opening formed in the base of FIG. 2 and a steel reinforcement around the door opening.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary door that may fit within the door opening of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 illustrates two identical equipment towers mounted on foundations of different heights constructed on land at different elevations to achieve the same equipment elevation for the two towers.

Detailed Description

The inventors of the present invention have recognized limitations associated with known equipment tower design techniques. For example, while using a standard tower design has the advantage of avoiding specific tower design conditions, it has the disadvantage of not being able to accommodate minor tower specific changes, particularly minor height changes due to local ground elevation changes. In a typical equipment tower farm, such as a wind farm, there may be several to many wind turbine towers installed on plots owned or leased relatively close to the power generation company. The wind turbine design is optimized for a target elevation based on a site-specific wind speed model. Standardized tower designs are typically used for all towers of a wind farm to minimize design costs and construction complexity. However, this practice does not take into account ground elevation changes throughout the site, and it results in the hub heights of the various wind turbines of the wind farm changing directly in response to the local ground elevation, thereby potentially adversely affecting the operation of the wind farm. The present invention proposes a solution to this problem without the need for a specific tower design by incorporating a cast-in-place foundation or foundation provided between the foundation and the prefabricated tower sections, wherein the height of the foundation is responsive to the local ground elevation to achieve a predetermined hub height for each respective wind turbine of the wind farm.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section of an exemplary equipment tower 100, which equipment tower 100 may be, for example, a wind turbine tower, a cell phone tower, or any other tower on which various types of equipment may be supported. Depending on the particular application, such equipment may be attached at or near the top of the equipment tower 100 or at a desired location along the length of the equipment tower 100. Tower 100 may include a foundation 102, a bottom tower section 104, an intermediate tower section 106, a top tower section 108, and a steel tip adapter 110. Each tower section 104, 106, 108 may be formed with a plurality of tower segments 105, 107, 109, respectively, which may be formed of precast concrete. Each tower segment 105 may have a first constant diameter and a first height, each tower segment 107 may have a second constant diameter and a second height, and each tower segment 109 may have a third constant diameter and a third height. As illustrated in fig. 1, the first constant diameter of tower segment 105 may be greater than the second constant diameter of tower segment 107, which in turn is greater than the third constant diameter of tower segment 109, thereby forming equipment tower 100 that decreases in diameter from bottom tower portion 104 to top tower portion 108. Transition segments 114 and 116 may be positioned between the appropriate tower sections 104, 106, 108 to accommodate the gradual decrease in diameter of the tower segments 105, 107, 109 from the bottom to the top of the equipment tower 100.

The number of tower segments 105, 107, 109 used in each tower section 104, 106, 108, respectively, may vary from tower to tower, but it is generally conventional practice to construct the exemplary equipment tower 100 using a standard number of tower segments 105, 107, 109. The use of a standard number of segments to create a fixed height for each tower section 104, 106, 108 results in a cost-effective construction of multiple equipment towers 100, but does not allow the overall height of the equipment tower 100 to be changed in a cost-effective manner.

With continued reference to fig. 1, a steel tip adapter 110 may be connected to the topmost concrete annular tower segment of the equipment tower 100. The steel tip adapter 110 may be used to support a nacelle (not shown) of a wind turbine.

The tower segments 105, 107, 109 may be prefabricated concrete pieces, each having a constant diameter and height. The tower segments 105, 107, 109 may also be match cast together to achieve an exact fit between adjacent sections. As described in the aforementioned U.S. patent No.9,175,670B2, such mating cast joints may include the following shear key configurations: the shear key configuration is used to transfer shear forces on the segment joints to the equipment tower 100 under lateral loads and to assist in aligning the segments with each other during construction. In some cases, an epoxy may be applied to the segment joints before closing the gap between the two segments. The epoxy may lubricate the annular faces of the segments as they are placed on top of each other, and then seal the joint after the epoxy cures. Further, grouting may be used to secure the tower sections 105, 107, 109 together, depending on site-specific parameters.

Fig. 1 also illustrates a base 102 that may include a platform 118 and a sub-section 126. Extending from the platform 118 is a base or pedestal 120 and the base or pedestal 120 has an inner surface defining an interior chamber 124. Since the sub-section 126 may be tapered and may extend from the platform 118, it is located below the ground plane 128. In the construction of the equipment tower 100, the base of the tapered sub-section 126 may be circular, square, polygonal, or other suitable shape depending on site-specific parameters. The top portion of the sub-section 126 may be rounded or formed with a plurality of continuous flat surfaces depending on site-specific parameter requirements. The foundation 120 may be poured in place and then backfilled with soil to cover its top surface. As will be described in greater detail below, the base 120 may extend upward from the platform 118 to a variable size.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the plinth 120 may be cast at the same time as the foundation 102, in which case the plinth 120 may be integrally formed with the platform 118. In an alternative embodiment, the plinth 120 may be cast in place after casting the platform 118 and the tapered sub-section 126, wherein the plinth 120 is optionally mechanically coupled or mechanically connected to the platform 118. In either approach, the cast-in-place dimensions of the base 120 may vary depending on site-specific parameters.

Fig. 2 illustrates the foundation 102 and base 120 of fig. 1 prior to the placement of the concrete tower sections 104, 106, 108. The plinth 120 is illustrated as cast-in-place and extending from the platform 118. The bed 120 may be formed as an annular wall and, for example, have a set of dimensions that may vary from tower to tower depending on tower specific parameters. The set of dimensions of the base 120 may include an inner diameter 130, an outer diameter 132, and a height 134 that may be measured from an upper or top surface of the platform 118 to an upper or top surface of the base 120. The difference between the outer diameter 132 and the inner diameter 130 of the base 120 may be referred to herein as the wall thickness 122 of the base 120.

The set of dimensions forming foundation 120 may be a function of tower specific parameters, which may include, but are not limited to, height and weight of equipment tower 100, inner or outer diameter of bottommost tower segment 105, and topographical features such as a site of a wind farm having multiple equipment towers 100, such as different elevations from placement of one equipment tower 100 to placement of another equipment tower. In this manner, the base design of a particular tower may be determined to accommodate tower specific variables, such as minor ground elevation changes, without the need to redesign the entire tower 100.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention for a typical wind turbine tower may have a wall thickness 122 of the base 120 of between about 0.5 feet and 3.0 feet or between about 1.0 feet and 2.0 feet depending on one or more of the site-specific parameters. The base 120 may be formed such that the wall thickness 122 is constant over its height 134, in which case the base 120 forms a generally annular ring having a constant inner diameter 130 and outer diameter 132. Alternative embodiments allow the wall thickness to vary over the height 134 of the base 120 by varying one or both of the inner diameter 130 and the outer diameter 132, in which case the wall thickness is tapered. For example, the inner diameter 130 may remain constant while the outer diameter 132 increases from the top of the base 120 to the bottom thereof such that the outer surface of the base 120 tapers from the top to the bottom, which is desirable for additional support of the weight of the equipment tower 100. Alternative embodiments allow the inner diameter 130 and outer diameter 132 to be adjusted according to site or tower specific parameters.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention for a typical wind turbine tower allow for a base 120 height 134 of approximately between 7.0 feet and 20.0 feet or approximately between 10.0 feet and 15.0 feet. Other heights 134 of plinth 120 may be selected based on site-specific parameters according to aspects of the invention, such as ensuring that plinth 120 has a height 134 sufficient to accommodate a door opening formed therein, or constructing equipment towers 100 to a desired equipment elevation, or constructing multiple equipment towers 100 to a consistent desired equipment elevation in view of site terrain.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the base 120 is shown with its wall thickness 122 formed on the peripheral edge 136 of the platform 118, in which case the entire exposed surface of the platform 118 is located within the interior chamber 124 bounded by the inner diameter 130 of the base 120. In alternative embodiments, inner diameter 130 may move radially inward toward the center of platform 118 while outer diameter 132 moves a proportional or disproportionate distance or outer diameter 132 does not move. For example, the outer diameter 132 of the base 120 may remain proximate the periphery 136 of the platform 118 while the inner diameter 130 of the base 120 moves radially inward to vary the wall thickness of the base 120. Outer diameter 130 may also move radially inward to expose a portion of platform 118 outside of base 120. Thus, the location of foundation 120 on platform 118 and the wall thickness of foundation 120 may be independently varied by controlling inner diameter 130 and outer diameter 132 according to tower specific parameters.

Cast-in-place plinth 120 can achieve significant cost reductions as compared to forming and transporting plinth 120 from a remote location. Further, tower specific changes in the elevation of platform 118 may be incorporated into the template for casting plinth 120 to achieve a desired height of the topmost surface 138 of plinth 120 to ensure that a desired hub elevation is achieved for each tower 100 using a standardized tower design. Although embodiments of the present invention cast foundation 120 in situ at the same time as foundation 120 is cast or immediately after the casting of the foundation, it should be appreciated that if the desired tower specific dimensions of foundation 120 are obtained within acceptable tolerances, foundation 120 may be cast near the tower site and then moved into place.

Another advantage of the tower specific cast-in-place plinth 120 is that a larger door opening can be incorporated into the plinth design. A door opening is provided in the equipment tower for personnel and equipment to access the central volume of the tower. The size of such door openings is often limited because the openings create stress concentrations that weaken the wall of the tower. For wind turbine towers, the size of the door opening is typically smaller than the size of the equipment positioned within the base of the tower. Thus, the equipment must be positioned on the platform before the tower sections are erected, or the equipment may be lifted by a crane and lowered into the tower volume after at least some of the tower sections are erected. Whichever technique is employed, the equipment risks damage during the tower erection process.

An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the base 120 may be sized such that a door opening may be formed within the base 120 to allow tower equipment to be moved into the interior chamber 124 at any time after the equipment tower 100 is built. Referring to FIG. 3, a door opening 140 is illustrated as being formed within the bedplate 120, the bedplate 120 having a wall thickness 122 defined by an inner diameter 130 and an outer diameter 132 as shown in FIG. 2, the wall thickness 122 being sufficient to support the load of the equipment tower 100, even with the door opening 140 formed therein. In this manner, the stress concentration created by the door opening 140 is accommodated by increasing the wall thickness 122, thereby allowing the door opening 140 to be large enough to allow equipment, such as power units for wind turbines, to be moved into the interior cavity 124 during construction of the equipment tower 100 or at any time after construction of the equipment tower 100.

In this regard, the base 120 is made of cast-in-place concrete and has a set of dimensions that exhibit sufficient strength to dissipate the load from the weight of the equipment tower 100. In conventional wind turbine towers made of steel, the steel walls that make up the tower are typically only a few inches thick. Steel towers of only a few inches cannot accommodate large door openings. Similarly, the precast concrete tower section 105 has a relatively limited thickness and may only accommodate a relatively small door opening. However, the walls of the base 120 are formed of reinforced concrete and may be made to a desired thickness to support the load of the tower 100 even in the case where a relatively large door opening 140 is defined in the base 120. Thus, the equipment does not have to be lowered into the interior cavity 124 of the equipment tower 100 by a crane at an early stage of the construction process. This allows greater flexibility in arranging the transport equipment to the construction site and the equipment transport can be removed from the critical path. Furthermore, the risk of damage to the equipment is reduced, since the equipment does not have to be moved into the tower before the tower erection is completed.

Fig. 3 also illustrates a door frame 142 that may be formed in situ when the plinth 120 is cast in place. The door opening 140 and door frame 142 are shown as being substantially shaped as an arch; however, other shapes may be used with the bedplate 120 maintaining sufficient strength to support the equipment tower 100. For example, in alternative embodiments, door opening 140 and door frame 142 may be generally rectangular, or formed with two opposing generally vertical side members, a generally horizontal top member, and a diagonal member interconnecting each end of the top member with the top of the respective side member.

Door opening 140 may be cast in place when plinth 120 is cast such that height 134 of plinth 120 is high enough to accommodate door opening 140 so that personnel and/or equipment may enter and exit interior chamber 124. Exemplary embodiments for wind turbine towers allow for a door opening 140 of approximately 8.0 feet to 20.0 feet high or approximately 10.0 feet to 15.0 feet high. Similarly, the width of the door opening 140 may be approximately between 2.0 feet and 10.0 feet, or between 3.0 feet and 7.0 feet. These dimensions are significantly larger than the dimensions of the door opening in prior art towers where the door is formed in a section of the tower itself. For example, the wall thickness 122 of the pedestal 120 around the door opening 140 as shown in fig. 3 and 4 may be between approximately 1.0 feet and 7.0 feet, or between approximately 2.0 feet and 5.0 feet. Alternative embodiments allow the height and width of the door opening 140 to be selected in response to the size of the equipment to be moved into and out of the interior chamber 124.

For example, if it is desired to cast a plinth 120 having a door opening 140 sized to accommodate relatively large equipment, such as a wind turbine power unit, the height, diameter, and wall thickness of the plinth 120 must be selected to accommodate the size of the door opening 140 while maintaining the ability of the plinth 120 to support the weight of the equipment tower 100 and receive a tower segment 105 having a desired diameter. Additionally, the height 134 of the plinth 120 may be selected to also ensure that a desired equipment elevation of the as-built equipment tower 100 or towers is achieved within acceptable tolerances for site-specific parameters.

Referring again to fig. 3, door opening 140 may be supported by reinforcement from rebar poured in place while plinth 120 is poured. For example, the steel reinforcement may include a first vertically oriented strut 144 on a first side 146 of door opening 140 and a second vertically oriented strut 148 on a second side 150 of door opening 140, wherein struts 144, 148 are substantially parallel. Horizontally oriented cross member 152 may be connected with first and second struts 144, 148 proximate respective top ends of first and second struts 144, 148 and above door opening 140. A first steel truss 154 may connect the cross beam 152 with the first strut 144 and a second steel truss 156 may connect the cross beam 152 with the second strut 148. The steel reinforcement illustrated in FIG. 3 provides additional support around door opening 140.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary tower entry assembly 160 that may be attached within door opening 140 by means of a door frame 142, which door frame 142 may be secured to the interior surface of door opening 140 during casting of plinth 120, or attached to the interior surface of door opening 140 by suitable means after plinth 120 is cast in place. Tower access assembly 160 may include an outer door or access panel 162 and an inner door assembly 164 that may be connected to access panel 162 via a hinge 166. As previously described, the door opening 140 may be sized such that relatively large equipment may be moved into the interior chamber 124 of the base 120 during the construction process of the equipment tower 100 or at any time after the construction process of the equipment tower 100. Embodiments of the present invention allow the access panel 162 to be fixedly attached to the door frame 142 after all equipment has been moved into the interior chamber 124, wherein all equipment may be moved into the interior chamber 124 near the end of the construction phase of the equipment tower 100. In this regard, once the access panel 162 is in place, the inner door assembly 164 may then be used for personnel to access the interior chamber 124 to complete the equipment operation setup and perform other necessary tasks to make the equipment tower 100 operational. Alternative embodiments allow for the use of suitable hinges or tracks (not shown) to connect the access panel 162 to the door frame 142 so that the panel 162 can be opened and closed as needed to move relatively larger equipment into or out of the interior chamber 124.

An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the height of the plinth 120 may be varied in cast-in-place situations to achieve an overall desired height or desired equipment elevation of the equipment tower 100. FIG. 5 illustrates two exemplary equipment towers 170, 172 having pedestals 174, 176 of different or variable heights, respectively. The present invention allows the pedestals 174, 176 to have different heights based on at least one site-specific parameter, such as a base elevation, thereby ensuring that equipment attached to the respective towers 170, 172 is positioned at a desired elevation when the towers 170, 172 are completed. For example, the site-specific parameters may position the wind turbine equipment at a selected elevation, such as equipment elevation "a", to maximize the wind turbine's ability to utilize wind to generate electricity as determined by a local wind map and historical climate data. The elevation "A" may be measured from sea level or another reference level, and may be constant despite changes in the ground level 128.

During the process of constructing one or more exemplary equipment towers 170, 172, it may be preferable to use the same number and size of tower segments 105, 107, 109 between individual towers, such as on a wind farm, to maximize certain construction and design efficiencies. As shown in FIG. 5, a fixed number and size of tower sections 105, 107, 109 will result in the combined height of the respective tower sections 104, 106, 108 having a common height "T1" that does not include heights "H1" and "H2" of the respective bases 174, 176. In this regard, each tower section 104, 106, 108 will have a fixed height during construction of the equipment towers 170, 172. It will be appreciated that adding height "T1" to heights "H1" and "H2", respectively, will result in an overall height of exemplary towers 170, 172.

In some cases, site-specific terrain will require towers 170, 172 to have different overall heights, as can be appreciated from FIG. 5. Since it is desirable to use the same design for each tower 170, 172, it is advantageous to vary the height of the respective plinths 174, 176 to achieve tower equipment placement at elevation "A" when towers 170, 172 are placed on terrain 128 having different ground elevations. Because the weight of towers 170, 172 and the size of door opening 140 are approximately the same, embodiments of the present invention allow for one set of dimensions for plinth 174 to include height "H1" while one set of dimensions for plinth 176 to include height "H2", both height "H1" and height "H2" being established when plinths 174, 176 are cast in place. The ability to vary one or more dimensions of the plinths 174, 176 based on one or more site-specific parameters, such as to achieve an equipment elevation "a," may provide significant cost and strategic advantages over prior art tower designs.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, variations, and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.