Patent Application
20250027481
The following relates to a damping device configured to be mountable on an upper opening of a tower and a tower comprising such damping device. It further relates to a method of providing a damping device and a method of displacing a tower with a lifting device.
Due to the rising demand for renewable energy sources, the number of installed renewable energy sources is continuously increasing. However, in the case of wind turbines, especially offshore wind turbines, the installation of such a system is a technically complicated process. An offshore wind turbine tower may have a height of 80-100 m and above. The tower is pre-assembled from smaller tower segments that are attached to each other. The pre-assembled tower is then temporarily stored in a vertical or upright orientation. Next, it is loaded onto an installation vessel to be transported to the offshore installation site. Other elements of the wind turbine, e.g., the nacelle or the rotor, are mounted at the installation site. Due to the height of the tower and its geometric design being basically a long hollow cylinder, the tower is exposed to potentially harmful vibrations induced by aerodynamic effects. At least a part of the aerodynamic effects is due to environmental influences (e.g., wind) acting on the tower during the vertical storage and transport of the tower, e.g., vortex-induced vibrations. Aerodynamic effects may cause vibrations which may mechanically damage the tower. The document EP 3 889 457 A1 is related to a temporary damping assembly that is mounted on a pre-assembled tower. The approach shown in the document EP 3 889 457 A1 considers the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations. Following the approach of this document, vibrations that are not vortex-induced may still act on the tower during the storage and/or transport of the tower. Moreover, the disclosed approach requires a rather high number of lifting operations when the tower is to be repositioned or displaced, e.g., when the tower is lifted onto or from the installation vessel. A rather high number of lifting operations however results in long installation durations and, hence, leads to a high monetary effort that is required for the installation of the tower.
In the document EP 3 889 457 A1, a displacement of the tower requires priorly to mount or dismount the damping assembly. During the resulting short periods during which the tower is not equipped with the damper assembly, the tower may then be exposed to the harmful vibrations and, thus, a risk of mechanical failure remains. Further, in an arrangement of a group of such pre-assembled towers, in which the towers are positioned closely to each other, aerodynamic interactions between the closely positioned towers may occur.
The document WO 2019/042516 A1 relates to a wind turbine tower comprising a tower vibration damper with a tuned mass damper and one or more impact damping units. The tuned mass damper comprises a pendulum structure in a chamber and the impact damping units are positioned between the pendulum structure and the outer boundary of the chamber such that the pendulum structure may collide with the boundary via the impact damping units.
The document DE 10 2015 000787 A1 relates to a load handling device for a tower or tower section of a wind turbine and a method of erecting a wind turbine using the load handling device.
An aspect relates to an improved way of storing and/or transporting an upright tower.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a damping device configured to be mountable on an upper opening of a tower and configured to provide vibration damping during vertical storage and/or vertical transport of the tower is provided. The damping device comprises a liquid damper comprising a single liquid tank, a mounting interface configured to mount the liquid damper on the upper opening of the tower. The mounting interface comprises one or more load transfer elements configured to transfer vibrations between the tower and the liquid damper. The liquid damper is configured to provide the vibration damping at predetermined frequencies tunable by one or more damping parameters of the liquid damper. The one or more damping parameters are configured such that the liquid damper damps vibrations at least at a first frequency and at a second frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency.
This is advantageous since such damping device may allow damping of potentially harmful vibrations of the tower that are related to different frequencies or frequency regions and may be induced in the tower due to different aerodynamic effects. The damping device allows hence a wide scope vibration protection. For example, harmful vibrations of the tower like vortex induced vibrations that are related to rather lower frequency vibrations may be adequately damped just as harmful vibrations like interference galloping induced vibrations that are related to rather high frequency vibrations. Hence, the tower is protected from damage from vibrations over a wide scope of frequencies. Accordingly, the damping device may render the erection of a tower, e.g., an offshore wind turbine tower, safer and less risky. Further, it may facilitate the erection process. Since the liquid damper comprises only a single liquid tank that is tuned so as to damp a plurality of frequencies, the effort of manufacturing and maintaining the damping device is kept to a minimum. Moreover, a damping device with only a single liquid tank may have a reduced size and weight and, thus, may facilitate the handling of the damping device, e.g., facilitate the handling by a lifting device, e.g., a crane, or a respective gripping means.
The vibrations may be damped such that the vibrations are compensated at all or at least reduced to such a level according to which the tower is protected from damage from the vibrations.
The tower may be a tower of a wind turbine. In embodiments, the wind turbine tower may be a pre-assembled tower and/or the tower of an offshore wind turbine.
The tower of a wind turbine generally has the form of a narrow and long cone with an essentially circular cross-section. The widest part of the tower may be at its base.
The axial direction of the damping device may be oriented in vertical direction.
It should be clear that herein described aspects, embodiments and examples that are described with respect to a tower may correspondingly apply to a wind turbine tower, and particularly to an offshore wind turbine tower.
The damping device may be mountable or installable to the upper opening of the tower using any type of mounting interface. The damping device may for example be bolted to the tower, and/or clamped into an interior of the tower by the load transfer elements.
The liquid damper may be a (tuned) sloshing damper, a (tuned) liquid column damper or a (tuned) pendulum damper with viscous liquid.
The damping device may be a temporary damping device. The temporary damping device may be mounted to the tower during transport and/or storage of the tower.
According to an embodiment, the vibrations at the first frequency correspond to vortex induced vibrations of the tower and/or the vibrations at the second frequency correspond to interference galloping induced vibrations.
Tuning the damping device in such a way it may reduce the risk of damage of the tower. Interference galloping is a phenomenon that occurs when at least two towers are closely positioned to each other. Using the damping device may now allow to densely arrange a plurality of towers on an arrangement site without a risk of damage of the towers. For example, it may allow to densely arrange wind turbine towers on an installation vessel. Consequently, more towers may be stored/transported in a limited space. That renders the storage and/or transport of the towers more efficient.
It should be clear that the first and second frequency may correspond to vibrations that are due to other aerodynamic effects. It may also be possible that the liquid damper is configured to provide the vibration damping additionally at further frequencies, e.g., at a third or even at a fourth frequency. Such liquid damper may further reduce the risk of damaging the tower during storage and/or transport.
In an embodiment, the one or more damping parameters are tuned such that the damping device is configured to provide the vibration damping at frequencies in a frequency range around a third frequency, wherein the frequency range comprises both the first frequency and the second frequency.
In an embodiment, the one or more damping parameters are tuned such that the damping device is configured to damp vibrations at the third frequency being arranged between the first frequency and the second frequency.
In an embodiment, the one or more damping parameters are tuned such that a first magnitude of damping at the first frequency is above a first predetermined threshold and/or be a second magnitude of damping at the second frequency is above a second predetermined threshold.
The first and second magnitude of damping may be great enough to damp the vibrations at least at the first frequency and at the second frequency such that the tower is protected from damage, and in particular from damage related to vortex induced vibrations and/or interference galloping induced vibrations.
In other words, the damping device is configured such to cover a vibration damping over a frequency range comprising the first frequency and the second frequency, wherein the vibration damping is effective enough at the first frequency and second frequency to protect the tower from damage or to avoid damage of the tower due to the vibrations at the frequencies.
As mentioned, the first and the second frequencies may differ by each other. The difference between the frequencies may for example depend on a tower design and/or a wind speed. Accordingly, the difference may vary depending on operation circumstances. However, just to give an example, the first and the second frequencies may have a distance of (differ by) at least 20 percent, 40 percent, 60 percent or even 80 percent of the second frequency.
Such tuning of the damping device to the third frequency as a compromise between the first frequency and the second frequency allows the simple design of the damping device using a single liquid tank. As a result, the damping device may be smaller dimensioned and may be mounted such to be arranged inside the tower. Still, a protection of the tower from vibrations over a wide frequency scope may be guaranteed.
According to an embodiment, the damping parameters comprise at least one of a geometric shape of the liquid tank, a size of the liquid tank, a type of a liquid in the liquid tank, a volume of the liquid in the liquid tank and a weight of the liquid in the liquid tank.
The damping device may be tuned by the damping parameters to adequately damp—i.e., damp such that the tower is protected from damage—vibrations at the predetermined frequencies. A modification of the damping parameters may result in a changed behavior of the dynamics of the liquid in the tank and, hence, in a changed dynamic of the dissipation of the vibration energy. The vibration energy is for example dissipated due to the flow of the liquid in the tank, e.g., due to frictional losses between the inner wall of the tank and the liquid. The geometric shape of the liquid tank may comprise a specific volume or body of the tank and/or specific structural elements, e.g., ribs, on the inner side of the tank. The type of the liquid may be configured to be non-freezing during an operation of the damping device. The type of the liquid may comprise a specific density, e.g., in a range between 1.1 and 2.5 kilogram/liter, and/or a specific viscosity. The volume of the liquid in the liquid tank may partially fill a total inner volume of the liquid tank, e.g., the liquid may fill the inner volume at least up to 50 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent, or even 90 percent. In an embodiment, the volume in the tank is between 3500 liters and 4500 liters.
According to an embodiment, the liquid tank is a volume comprising a vertical through hole. The volume comprises an inner wall enclosing the through hole and an outer wall enclosing the inner wall. The volume is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall. In an embodiment, at least one of the inner walls and the outer wall is circular or cylindrical.
The liquid tank may (essentially) be shaped as a ring or a hollow cylinder. The axial direction of the ring or the hollow cylinder may be oriented in vertical direction.
An outer dimension of the liquid tank may be configured such that the liquid tank is arrangeable inside the upper opening of the tower. Accordingly, the outer dimension of the liquid tank may be smaller than an inner dimension of the upper opening of the tower.
The outer dimension of the liquid tank may comprise an outer diameter of at least 2.0 meters to 3.0 meters and/or may comprise a height of at least 1.5 meters to 2.0 meters. The liquid tank may further comprise a through hole comprising a diameter of at least 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters.
Besides adequate damping, such geometric shape of the liquid tank may allow hindering any collision with objects that are positioned inside the tower in a region under the through hole of the liquid tank when the damping device is mounted onto the tower. In the case of a wind turbine tower, the geometric shape may for example hinder any collision with HV, LV and AUX cables that enter a top tower platform that is positioned beneath the mounted damping device.
According to an embodiment, a surface of a wall of the liquid tank facing a volume of liquid in the liquid tank comprises one or more elongated ribs. In an embodiment, the elongated ribs have a triangular cross section and/or a longitudinal extension of the elongated ribs is oriented in vertical direction.
According to an embodiment, the one or more ribs comprise plural ribs provided on an inner surface of the outer wall and comprise plural ribs provided on an outer surface of the inner wall. The ribs on the outer wall are displaced in circumferential direction from the ribs on the inner wall.
The arrangement of the ribs may increase the damping magnitude due to an influenced flow of the liquid in the liquid tank. The ribs may for example be arranged in the tank such that a flow resistance in the tank may be increased.
Further, the ribs may cause increased frictional losses due to the friction between the liquid and the tank. This is advantageous since the vibrations of the tower may be more effectively damped.
According to an embodiment, the mounting interface is configured to mount the liquid damping device onto the upper opening of the tower such that the liquid damper is arranged inside the tower.
The liquid damper being arranged inside the tower facilitates a subsequent handling of the tower during which the damping device is mounted on the tower. It may even allow displacing the tower by a lifting device, e.g., a crane, together with the damping device. Since it is not required to remove the damper prior to displacing the tower, the number of lifts required for handling the tower is reduced. In case of erecting an offshore wind turbine, the required time for erecting the offshore wind turbine is accordingly reduced. Moreover, the liquid damper is protected against environmental influences, e.g., the weather, inside the tower.
In an embodiment, only a single (temporary) damping device is provided in an upper half/third of the tower.
It should be clear that other permanent dampers may still be arranged inside the tower. Such permanent dampers may be tuned to damp vibrations of the tower after it is taken into operation at the operation site, e.g., during its operation of generating electrical power. Further, such permanent dampers may for example be tuned such to consider parameters of a fully erected wind turbine, e.g., the weight of such wind turbine including its rotor and/or nacelle.
In an embodiment, the damping device has a single liquid damper.
In an embodiment, the single liquid tank is the only single liquid tank arranged in upper half/third of the tower.
In an embodiment, all damping elements of the damping device may consist of the single liquid tank.
It is noted that a damping device comprising a plurality of liquid tanks each of which is tuned so as to damp a specific frequency region may not be accommodated inside the tower (especially in the case of a wind turbine tower having strongly limited free space) when the plural liquid tanks are sized so as to provide a damping magnitude great enough to damp above mentioned harmful vibrations. Contrarily, a single tank as herein described that is tuned to operate as a compromise such that the harmful frequencies are adequately damped over a wide scope still allows being sized so as to be arranged inside the tower. The herein described solution, hence, combines the above outlined advantages of tower protection and compact sizing of the damping device.
According to an embodiment, the one or more load transfer elements comprise a plurality of adjustment bolts. An adjustment bolt extends between the mounting interface and an interior of the tower.
The damping device may be supported on a flange of the tower at the upper opening of the tower or on a platform (e.g., top tower platform) arranged in the tower beneath the upper opening of the tower. The loads acting on the tower, e.g., the harmful vibrations, may accordingly be transferred to the damping device at least via a mechanically coupling due to the friction forces between the damping device and the flange or the platform. The one or more load transfer means may clamp the damping device by the adjustment bolts inside the tower and may hence improve the transmission of the harmful vibration from the tower to the damping device. That may improve the efficiency of the damping device and may reduce loads acting on the tower.
In an embodiment, the adjustment bolts are configured to be adjustable in length. That may ensure that the damping device is mountable on a plurality of towers comprising an upper opening with different diameters.
In an embodiment, the adjustment bolts may be configured to be adjustable by an actuator in response to a control signal, e.g., by a motor. That may accelerate the process of mounting/dismounting the damping device on the tower as it is not required to mount/dismount the damping device by hand. The control signal may for example be send (remotely) from a respective controller. In an embodiment, the control signal may comprise a force/torque control signal generated by a respective force/torque controller such that the adjustment bolts are adjusted in accordance with the force/torque control signal. That may ensure that the damping device is clamped inside the tower in accordance with a predetermined pressure or force.
According to an embodiment, the damping device comprises a guide system configured to center the damping device relative to the upper opening of the tower.
According to an embodiment, the guide system comprises a plurality of guiding arms, each arm extending in a vertical direction downwards and being tapered at a bottom end of the arm.
In an embodiment, one or more of the plural guiding arms comprise an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being arranged vertically above the lower end, and the lower end of the one or more of the plural guiding arms is bent towards a center of the damping device.
In an embodiment, the plural guiding arms are evenly distributed in a circumferential direction around the liquid tank.
The plural guiding arms may comprise at least three guiding arms. For example, when the plural guiding arms comprise three guiding arms, the three guiding arms may be distributed in 120° steps around the liquid tank.
Such guide system may allow guiding the insertion of the damping device into the upper opening of the tower. Due to the guide system, the damping device may be centered and may slide into the upper opening of the tower when the guide system touches an outer rim of the upper opening, e.g., when the damping device is lowered, e.g., by a lifting device, from above the tower. Accordingly, the mounting of the damping device on the tower may be facilitated and may be accelerated.
In an embodiment, one or more of the plural guiding arms comprises a second arm extending from the guiding arm to the liquid tank.
Such second arm increases the rigidness and/or robustness of the respective guiding arm.
In another embodiment, one or more of the plural guiding arms comprise a linear or angular joint configured such that the one or more of the plural guiding arms have a predetermined mechanical resistance or rigidness or mechanical impedance. In an embodiment, the predetermined mechanical resistance or stiffness or mechanical impedance is adjustable, e.g., by an adjustable spring-mass damper system comprised in the linear or angular joint. The linear or angular joint may be actuator driven, e.g., motor driven, and the mechanical resistance or mechanical impedance or rigidness may be generated by a respective impedance control.
Such softened or stiffness reduced/controlled guiding arms may be advantageous since the spontaneous load that acts on a single guiding arm when it hits the tower may be reduced and/or smoothed.
According to an embodiment, the damping device comprises a tower cover being configured to cover an upper opening of the tower. The tower cover is fixed or attached to the liquid damper. For example, the tower cover may be bolted to the liquid damper.
In an embodiment, the tower cover comprises plural strengthening ribs. In an embodiment, the strengthening ribs are arranged on a side of the tower cover facing the liquid damper.
In an embodiment, the damping device comprises a plurality of supporting arms, the supporting arms extending radially from the liquid tank, and the supporting arms are configured to support the tower cover.
According to an embodiment, a gap between an inner wall of the tower and an outer dimension of the liquid damper is created when the damping device is mounted on the upper opening of the tower. The outer dimension of the liquid damper is configured such that the gap allows gripping a lifting device to grip the inner wall of the tower through two or more hatches comprised by the tower cover in order to lift the tower together with the damping device mounted on the tower.
The two or more hatches may be arranged along a circumferential region of the tower cover. The hatches may be evenly distributed along the circumferential region.
The two or more hatches may be arranged at least partly over the gap and/or sized so as to allow the gripping means to grip through the two or more hatches.
In an embodiment, at least a portion of two or more hatches comprise a hatch cover and the hatch cover is opened and/or closed in response to a control signal. In an embodiment, the hatch cover is actuator driven, e.g., motor driven.
Such tower cover may protect the inside of the tower from environmental influences, e.g., humidity, wind, or other meteorological influences. Since the tower cover is fixed or attached to the liquid damper, the rigidity and, accordingly, the robustness of the tower cover may be increased. Further, such ‘integrated’ (fixed or attached) tower cover may still allow reducing the number of lifts that are required when handling the tower (e.g., displacing the tower). It may allow gripping the tower through the hatches of the cover and it, hence, may allow lifting the tower together with the damping device mounted on tower. It may neither be required to add or remove the tower cover by a separate lifting operation, nor may it be required to remove to damping device prior to lifting the tower. It may even allow inserting the damping device into the tower by the same gripping means that is used to handle the tower. Thus, such tower cover allows acceleration of the handling operations related to the tower and the damping device.
In another embodiment, the damping device is configured such that it is supportable on or attachable to the gripping means that is used to handle or displace the tower.
As mentioned above, when the damping device allows being supported on the gripping means or being attached to the gripping means configured to handle or displace the tower, the damping device may be added to the tower or removed from the tower in parallel during such motions of the lifting device and the respective gripping means that is required to be performed in order to handle or displace the tower. As a result, the number of lifts required for handling the tower and the damping device are reduced and time is saved.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a tower is provided. The tower comprises any of the herein described damping devices. The damping device is mounted on an upper opening of the tower such that vibrations of the tower at least at a first frequency and at a second frequency are damped during vertical storage and/or vertical transport of the tower, the second frequency being different from the first frequency
According to an embodiment of the invention, a wind turbine tower is provided. The wind turbine tower comprises any of the herein described damping devices. The damping device is mounted on an upper opening of the wind turbine tower such that vibrations of the wind turbine tower at least at a first frequency and at a second frequency are damped during vertical storage and/or vertical transport of the wind turbine tower, the second frequency being different from the first frequency.
As outlined, such damping device equipped tower or (offshore) wind turbine tower is protected against harmful vibrations, e.g., vortex induced vibrations and interference galloping induced vibrations. It is further protected against environmental influences, e.g., the weather. Moreover, it is ensured that the handling of the tower, e.g., by a lifting device and respective gripping means, is not compromised or complicated but facilitated.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of providing a damping device configured to be mountable on an upper opening of a tower and configured to provide vibration damping during vertical storage and/or vertical transport of the tower is provided. The damping device comprises a liquid damper comprising a single liquid tank. In embodiments, the method comprises determining one or more damping parameters of the liquid damper that are tunable to provide the vibration damping at predetermined frequencies such that the liquid damper damps vibrations at least at a first frequency and at a second frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency, and providing the liquid damper in accordance with the one or more determined parameters.
It should be clear that the provided damping device may be any of the herein described damping devices. It should further be clear that in embodiments, the method of providing the damping device may accordingly comprise any step that is required to provide the features of any of the damping devices herein described.
The step of determining the one or more damping parameters may for example be based on a software model of the damping device and the tower on which to damping device is to be mounted, and a simulation and/or optimization process by the software model.
In embodiments, the method of providing the damping device may comprise tuning or setting, the one or more damping parameters such that the liquid damper damps vibrations at least at the first frequency and at the second frequency.
As mentioned above, the damping parameters may comprise at least one of the geometric shape of the liquid tank, the size of the liquid tank, the type of the liquid in the liquid tank, the volume of the liquid in the liquid tank and the weight of the liquid in the liquid tank.
In embodiments, the method of providing the damping device may be a method of providing the damping device mounted on the tower.
In embodiments, the method may further comprise mounting, by a mounting interface, the damping device on an upper opening of the tower.
In embodiments, the method comprises vertically storing and/or transporting the tower with the damping device mounted on the tower.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of displacing a tower with a lifting device is provided. A damping device, any of the damping devices described herein, is mounted on an upper opening of the tower. In embodiments, the method comprises at least one of gripping the tower, by gripper means, while the damping device is mounted on the tower, lifting the gripped tower, by the lifting device, while the damping device is mounted on the tower, moving the gripped tower to a target position while the damping device is mounted on the tower, and placing the tower at the target position while the damping device is mounted on the tower.
In embodiments, the method further comprises removing the damping device from the tower when the gripper means returns from the placing at the destination position.
In embodiments, the method further comprises supporting the damping device on or attaching the damping device to the gripper means that handles or displaces the tower in order to remove the damping device from the gripper, and/or to place the damping device onto the tower (before the damping device is mounted on the tower).
When the damping device is supported on or attached to the gripper means that is used to handle the tower, a gripper change may no more be required. Further, no lifting operations may be required other than those performed by the lifting device to displace the tower. Accordingly, such method may allow reducing the required lifts for displacing the tower. Thus, the time and hence the effort for handling the tower are reduced while the tower is still protected from damage due to environmental influences and especially from harmful vibrations.
It is to be understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the scope of embodiments of the present invention. In embodiments, the features of the different aspects and embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other unless noted to the contrary.
Further, any of the herein described aspects and embodiments of the invention may comprise any of the features described in the above referred document EP 3 889 457 A1.
Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the following description of the embodiments is given only for the purpose of illustration and is not to be taken in a limiting sense. It should be noted that the drawings are to be regarded as being schematic representations only, and elements in the drawings are not necessarily to scale with each other. Rather, the representation of the various elements is chosen such that their function and general purpose become apparent to a person skilled in the conventional art. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted.
It should be clear that descriptions and explanations herein which are limited to a specific type of tower may be applied correspondingly to other types, even if such other types are not shown in the respective figure.
According to an embodiment, the damping device is configured to damp vortex induced vibrations and interference galloping induced vibrations of a tower. Both vortex induced vibrations and interference galloping induced vibrations are capable to damage the tower and, hence, require to be damped to avoid such damage. Interference galloping induced vibrations may for example occur when plural wind turbine towers are arranged closely positioned to each other, e.g., when the towers are arranged on an installation vessel.
It should be clear that the sequence of the method steps in
Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.
For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a “unit” or a “module” does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21213786.3 | Dec 2021 | EP | regional |
This application is a national stage of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2022/084019, having a filing date of Dec. 1, 2022, which claims priority to European Application No. 21213786.3, having a filing date of Dec. 10, 2021, the entire contents both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/084019 | 12/1/2022 | WO |
