US2009249707A1PendingUtilityA1
Supporting a wind-driven electric generator
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 8, 2008Filed: Apr 8, 2009Published: Oct 8, 2009
Est. expiryApr 8, 2028(~1.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Oliver D. Curme
F03D 13/10F03D 13/20Y02E10/728E04H 12/34F05B 2240/9121Y02E10/72E04H 12/10
20
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Claims
Abstract
Among other things, a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator is supported by a structure that includes at least three legs that define a lower tower that is relatively broad at its lower end and rises to a relatively narrow waist, and a nacelle support that is relatively narrow at its lower end where it is attached to the waist and relatively broader at its upper end where it supports the nacelle.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
at least three legs that define a lower tower that is relatively broad at its lower end and rises to a relatively narrow waist, and a nacelle support that is relatively narrow at its lower end where it is attached to the waist and relatively broader at its upper end where it supports the nacelle.
2 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs of the lower tower comprises a tubular structure.
3 . The structure of claim 2 in which each of the legs has a cylindrical cross-section along most of its length.
4 . The structure of claim 3 in which the ratio of the outside diameter of each of the legs to the thickness (D/t) of the leg is between 50 and 170
5 . The structure of claim 3 in which the ratio of the outside diameter of each of the legs to the thickness (D/t) of each of the legs is between 60 and 100.
6 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs comprises an assembly of separately fabricated sections along its length.
7 . The structure of claim 6 in which each of the separately fabricated sections is no larger than 4 meters in one dimension and no larger than 40 meters in a second dimension.
8 . The structure of claim 1 that also includes one or more braces.
9 . The structure of claim 8 in which the braces are arranged horizontally or diagonally or both.
10 . The structure of claim 8 in which there are no more than six horizontal braces between any pair of the legs.
11 . The structure of claim 8 in which there is no more than three horizontal braces between any pair of legs.
12 . The structure of claim 8 in which the braces are attached at regular intervals along a leg.
13 . The structure of claim 8 in which at least one of the braces is attached to a leg at a point that is either about halfway or about one-third of the way along the length of the leg.
14 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs are arranged at equal angles around a vertical axis of the lower tower.
15 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs have the same lengths.
16 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs are oriented at the same angles to a vertical axis of the lower tower.
17 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs is attached at its lower end to a stationary foundation.
18 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs is straight.
19 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs is curved.
20 . The structure of claim 1 in which the nacelle support has at least three legs.
21 . The structure of claim 20 in which each of the legs of the nacelle support is tubular.
22 . The structure of claim 21 in which each of the legs of the nacelle support has a cylindrical cross-section along most of its length.
23 . The structure of claim 22 in which the ratio of the outside diameter of each of the legs to the thickness of the leg is between 50 and 170.
24 . The structure of claim 23 in which the ratio of the outside diameter of each of the legs to the thickness of the leg is between 60 and 100.
25 . The structure of claim 20 in which each of the legs of the nacelle support comprises an assembly of separately fabricated sections along its length.
26 . The structure of claim 25 in which each of the separately fabricated sections is no larger than 4 meters in one dimension and no larger than 40 meters in a second dimension.
27 . The structure of claim 1 in which the nacelle support also includes one or more braces.
28 . The structure of claim 27 in which the braces are horizontal or diagonal or both.
29 . The structure of claim 28 in which there are no more than six horizontal braces between any pair of the legs of the nacelle support.
30 . The structure of claim 28 in which there is no more than three horizontal braces between any pair of the legs of the nacelle support.
31 . The structure of claim 28 in which the braces are attached to a leg of the nacelle support at a regular intervals along the length of the leg.
32 . The structure of claim 28 in which at least one of the braces is attached to the leg about halfway or one-third of the way along the length of the leg.
33 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs of the nacelle support are arranged at equal angles around a vertical axis of the nacelle support.
34 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs of the nacelle support have the same lengths.
35 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs of the nacelle support are oriented at the same angles to a vertical axis of the nacelle support.
36 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs of the nacelle support is attached at its lower end to a coupling structure.
37 . The structure of claim 36 in which each of the legs of the lower tower is attached at its upper end to the coupling structure.
38 . The structure of claim 1 in which the legs of the lower tower are oriented at one angle to a vertical axis of the lower tower, and the legs of the nacelle support are oriented at a different angle to a vertical axis of the nacelle support.
39 . The structure of claim 38 in which each of the legs of the lower tower lies on a common plane with a corresponding one of the legs of the nacelle support.
40 . The structure of claim 39 in which each of the legs of the nacelle support has an angular offset of 60 degrees about a vertical axis of the structure relative to the orientation of a corresponding leg of the lower tower.
41 . The structure of claim 1 in which the nacelle has a rotor shaft from which blades project and that rotates on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation.
42 . The structure of claim 41 in which a free end of a rotor blade that is oriented vertically is at approximately the same vertical position as the waist and a horizontal distance from the free end of the rotor blade to the waist corresponds to the maximum extent to which the free end is expected to flex or teeter.
43 . The structure of claim 1 that also includes a nacelle support ring attached to the upper end of the nacelle support.
44 . The structure of claim 43 in which the nacelle support comprises a yaw bearing for rotation of the nacelle about a vertical axis.
45 . The structure of claim 1 in which each of the legs is constructed of angles, tubes, i-beams, or other structural elements.
46 . The structure of claim 1 in which the waist is formed of tubes, tubular joints, welded plates, beams, or cast parts.
47 . The structure claim 1 in which the lower tower comprises a monopole.
48 . The structure of claim 8 in which at least some of the braces are a lighter color than the legs.
49 . The structure of claim 48 in which the braces are white and the legs are blue or grey.
50 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
exactly three cylindrical tubular legs that define a lower tower that is relatively broad at its lower end and rises to a relatively narrow waist, and a nacelle support that is attached to the waist of the lower tower and supports the nacelle.
51 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
a lower tower that is relatively broad at its lower end and rises to a relatively narrow waist, and a nacelle support that is attached at the waist of the lower tower and that supports the nacelle, in which the horizontal distance between a bearing point from which a blade rotor of the generator is supported and a central vertical axis of the superstructure is more than 5% of the vertical distance between the bearing point and the waist.
52 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
at least three legs that define a lower tower that is relatively broad at its lower end and relatively narrow at its upper end, and in which the legs all are oriented at an angle to a vertical axis that is no less than 8 degrees and no more than 30 degrees.
53 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
a nacelle support that is relatively narrow at its lower end where it is attached to the waist of the lower tower and relatively broader at its upper end where it supports the nacelle.
54 . A structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
three lower tower legs attached on one side of a connector to form at least a portion of a regular tetrahedron having a vertical central axis, and three nacelle support legs attached on an opposite side of the connector to form at least a portion of a second regular tetrahedron having the same vertical central axis.
55 . A method for use in erecting a structure to support a nacelle of a wind-driven electric generator comprising
using a crane that is shorter than the final height of the erected structure to help raise at least a portion of the structure above a foundation to its final erected position.
56 . The method of claim 55 also including using a temporary crane attached at or near the top of the erected structure to lift a nacelle and at least some components of a nacelle, rotor shaft, rotor hub, and blades from the foundation.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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