Method for Erecting a Wind Turbine Tower

Abstract

The present invention concerns a wind turbine ( 1 ) including at least one tower ( 2 ), at least one base foundation ( 3 ), at least one nacelle ( 10 ) and at least one propeller ( 4 ). The propeller via its rotation turns at least one essentially horizontal axel that drives at least one generator. The wind turbine's uniqueness comes from its tower ( 2 ), via at least one bearing ( 7 ), being pivotally arranged around an axis of rotation in the tower's ( 2 ) axial direction. The present invention also concerns a method for erecting the wind turbine's tower ( 2 ). Unique to the method for erecting the tower is that the tower is joined together by sections ( 11 ), comprised of at least one first mantle plate ( 12 ) and at least one second mantle plate ( 13 ), which are sequentially assembled at the erection site on the tower's lower end ( 6 ). When the mantle plates ( 12, 13 ) in a section ( 11 ) are joined together with each other, the section ( 11 ) is then united with previously joined sections ( 11 ) in the tower's lower end ( 6 ). After each respective section ( 11 ) is joined with the tower's ( 2 ) previously united sections ( 11 ), the tower ( 2 ) is erected in the vertical direction with at least one, and preferably several, lifting bodies ( 18 ). After the required height of the tower is obtained, the tower, alternatively the tower's upper part, is secured to a bearing ( 7 ) or alternatively to an intermediate part or several intermediate parts connected to the bearing ( 7 ).

1 . Method for building the tower ( 2 ) of a wind turbine consisting of several united sections ( 11 ) that each consist of at least one first mantle plate ( 12 ) and at least one second mantle plate ( 13 ) characterized by that the tower ( 2 ) is erected according to the following steps; initially at least one base foundation is completed at the site where the tower is to be erected after which at least one section ( 11 ) consisting of at least one first mantle plate ( 12 ) and at least one second mantle plate ( 13 ) are joined via welding in the lower end of the tower ( 2 ) after the section ( 11 ) is welded together the section ( 11 ) is lifted in the vertical direction by at least one lifting body ( 18 ) to a higher vertical position, after which at least one second section ( 11 ) including at least one first mantle plate ( 12 ) and at least one second mantle plate ( 13 ) are united with one another via welding under the first vertically lifted section ( 11 ), after which the second section ( 11 ) is welded together the first section ( 11 ) and the second section ( 11 ) are welded together, after which the required number of sections ( 11 ) are put together and joined with earlier lifted sections ( 11 ) until the desired height of the tower is achieved, after which the tower ( 2 ) is secured to the base foundation. 
     
     
         2 . Method for building a tower ( 2 ) in accordance with  claim 1  characterized by that the sections ( 11 ) are united with one another via essentially horizontal welding seams. 
     
     
         3 . Method in accordance with  claim 1  or  2  characterized by that the tower ( 2 ) is provided with at least one bearing ( 7 ), with which the tower ( 2 ) may be rotated around a rotational axis in the tower's axial direction, and that the tower ( 2 ) during welding of the welding seams ( 17 ) is turned around the rotational axis in the tower's axial direction. 
     
     
         4 . Method in accordance with  claim 1  or  2  characterized by that the welding of the tower's sections is accomplished by the welding equipment being moved around the tower during welding of the welding seams ( 17 ). 
     
     
         5 . Method in accordance with at least one of the previous claims characterized by that the nacelle is lifted up to the top of the tower ( 2 ) before the tower ( 2 ) is erected to its entire vertical length.