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EP-4735373-A1 - PLATFORM AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING IT

EP4735373A1EP 4735373 A1EP4735373 A1EP 4735373A1EP-4735373-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a platform (10) for temporarily or permanently mounting to an existing tower structure (1) of a wind turbine, comprising: a scaffold (20) for receiving a crane; and jibs (30) for fastening the platform (10) to the tower structure (1).

Inventors

  • QAIMI, Siear, Dr.
  • GALAL, Galal, Dr.

Assignees

  • thyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240627

Claims (12)

  1. 1. Platform (10) for mounting on an existing tower structure (1) of a wind turbine, with a platform (20) for receiving a crane, with booms (30) for fastening the platform (10) to the tower structure (1), characterized in that the booms (30) consist of a built steel construction and each boom (30) comprises at least four longitudinal profiles (31-34), wherein one longitudinal profile is arranged as the lower longitudinal profile (34) in the lower part of the boom (30) and three longitudinal profiles are arranged as the front longitudinal profile (33), as the middle longitudinal profile (32) and as the rear longitudinal profile (31) in the upper part of the boom (30).
  2. 2. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal profiles (31-34) each comprise a joint bearing (31.11-34.21) at their ends (31.1-34.1, 31.2-34.2).
  3. 3. Platform according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the three longitudinal profiles (31-33) in the upper part of the boom (30) are connected together at their lower end (31.1-33.1) to the upper end (34.2) of the lower longitudinal profile (34) via the joint bearings (31.11,32.11,33.11,34.21).
  4. 4. Platform according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the upper part of the boom (30) two cross-sections are arranged as a front cross-section (35) and as a rear cross-section (36), which can each comprise a joint bearing (35.11-36.11) at their ends (35.1, 36.1, 35.2), wherein the front longitudinal profile (33) at the upper end (33.2) is connected to the front end (35.1) of the front cross-section (35) via the joint bearings (33.21, 35.11), wherein the middle longitudinal profile (32) at the upper end (32.2) is connected to the rear end (35.2) of the front cross-section (35) and the front end (36.1) of the rear cross-section (36) via the joint bearings (32.21, 35.21, 36.11), and wherein the rear longitudinal profile (31) at the upper end (31.2) is connected to the rear end (36.2) of the rear cross profile (36).
  5. 5. Platform according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each boom (30) comprises at least three supports (37,38) which are intended to receive the platform (20).
  6. 6. Platform according to claim 5, wherein two of the supports (37) comprise a joint bearing (37.1), wherein the front support (37) is connected to the joint bearings (33.21, 35.11) via the joint bearing (37.1) and the middle support (37) is connected to the joint bearings (32.21, 35.21, 36.11) via the joint bearing (37.1).
  7. 7. Platform according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the boom (30) can be attached to an existing tower structure (1) via the pivot bearing (34.11) at the lower end of the lower longitudinal beam (34) and via the pivot bearing (31.21) at the upper end of the rear longitudinal profile (31).
  8. 8. Platform according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stage (20) consists of a built steel structure comprising at least three longitudinal profiles (21), at least two transverse profiles (22) and at least one locking plate (23) on the profiles (21,22) and connected thereto.
  9. 9. Platform according to claim 8, wherein at least one reinforcing plate (24) is arranged locally on the at least one locking plate (23).
  10. 10. Method for mounting a platform (10) on an existing tower structure (1) of a wind turbine, with a stage (20) for receiving a crane, with booms (30) for fastening the platform (10) to the tower structure (1), in particular a platform (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that firstly the booms (30) of the platform (10) are fastened to the tower structure (1) and only then is the stage (20) of the platform (10) connected to or with the booms (30).
  11. 11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the boom (30) is lifted with a cable pull (100) by means of a crane, such that the cable pull (100) comprises a main strand (101) which is divided at its lower end into at least three partial strands (102-104) with different partial strand lengths and the boom (30) is connected to the ends of the partial strands (102-104) at three defined lifting positions (40), wherein the partial strand lengths are dimensioned such that the boom (30) in the floating state before being attached to the tower structure (1) assumes an orientation which essentially corresponds to the attachment position.
  12. 12. Method according to one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the platform (10) is attached to the tower structure (1) at a height (H) between 70 and 210 m.

Description

Platform and method for its assembly The invention relates to a platform for mounting on an existing tower structure of a wind turbine with a platform for receiving a crane, with booms for fastening the platform to the tower structure, and a method for its assembly. When erecting wind turbines, the assembly and installation of the rotor blades and turbines represents a major challenge. Several hundred tons of the current turbine power classes of around 4 MW must be held securely in position at heights of more than 90 m, and even more than 130 m in low-wind areas, until the force-fitting connection to the supporting structure is established. This task will become even more challenging in the future, as the trend is towards turbines with an output of 6 to 7 MW and these must be installed at hub heights of more than 200 m. This is not possible with the crane systems available today, or only with enormous expenditure in terms of time and money. This is made even more difficult by the fact that the number of such cranes is very limited and their availability is therefore very limited. This unavailability can lead to considerable delays in project processes and enormous additional costs due to waiting times and thus loss of feed-in tariffs. A concept was created to erect platforms for temporary assembly on existing wind turbine tower structures in order to achieve greater heights, in particular by using conventional tower cranes. The use of platforms for temporary assembly on existing wind turbine tower structures is shown as an example in the published patent application CN 114 180 469 A. The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a platform with which wind turbines, in particular with large hub heights, can be manufactured economically. This object is achieved by a platform having the features of patent claim 1 and by a method having the features of patent claim 10. The first teaching of the invention relates to a platform for mounting on an existing tower structure of a wind turbine with a platform for receiving a crane, with booms for fastening the platform to the tower structure, wherein the booms consist of a built steel construction and each boom comprises at least four longitudinal profiles, wherein one longitudinal profile is arranged as a lower longitudinal profile in the lower part of the boom and three longitudinal profiles are arranged as a front longitudinal profile, as a middle longitudinal profile and as a rear longitudinal profile in the upper part of the boom. The platform comprises at least two or preferably exactly two booms. The invention enables an economical method for erecting a wind turbine, particularly with a large hub height. Hub height is the hub of the wind turbine's wind rotor above the ground surface (installation site). The wind turbine to be built therefore comprises a tower structure and a nacelle that is arranged so that it can rotate on the tower structure. The nacelle houses a generator and other mechanical and electrical components. A hub runs outwards, on which the rotor blades are arranged. The tower structure of the wind turbine can comprise or consist of a construction made of steel or concrete, or a hybrid structure, i.e. a combination of a steel structure and concrete. The tower structure of the wind turbine preferably comprises a lower lattice structure, a transition and an upper cylinder, the transition connecting the upper cylinder to the lattice structure, see for example DE 10 2012 106 772 Al, DE 10 2012 112 415 Al, DE 10 2019 218 687 Al, DE 10 2019 218 358 Al, DE 10 2019 219 722 Al. The lattice structure has at least three corner posts, which can be inclined to one another at least in sections in their direction of extension at an angle to the vertical of the lattice structure, cross struts and/or diagonal struts. The corner posts can be inclined to one another in such a way that they can be further apart from one another in the lower or middle section of the lattice structure than in the upper section of the lattice structure. The tower structures have at least one thing in common: they are built on one or more local foundations at their lower end. The longitudinal profiles can consist of profiles with an open or preferably closed cross-section. The crane to be placed on the platform is preferably a tower crane, preferably a "self-climbing" tower crane, which is used to complete the construction of the wind turbine. Since the tower crane on the platform or stage is very close to the tower structure, the torques acting on the tower crane are reduced and the wind turbines can also be erected at higher wind speeds. The steel construction of the built booms and the platform are dimensioned accordingly to be able to lift not only the weight of the crane, but also the components such as the nacelle, gearbox, rotor blades, etc. The platform provided, which can be mounted temporarily or permanently, with the crane erected on it, takes into account an