Method for the production of wind turbine tower segments and wind turbine tower

Abstract

A method is provided for the production of tower segments, which are used to assemble a wind turbine tower. The method includes providing a sheet steel, cutting the sheet steel into a plurality of steel plates, cutting at least one opening in the plurality of steel plates, and bending the steel plates into a desired shape. The steps are performed in a continuous process, such that the steel plates move from one step in the production to the next.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for the production of tower segments, which are used to assemble a wind turbine tower, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a sheet steel,   cutting the sheet steel into a plurality of steel plates,   cutting at least one opening in the plurality of steel plates,   bending the steel plates into a desired shape,   wherein the steps are performed in a continuous process, wherein the steel plates move from one step in the production to the next.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the sheet steel is provided in a rolled manner from a coil. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the sheet steel is provided as a precut sheet steel plate. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the sheet steel is provided as pre-bent steel plate. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the steps are performed in a machine-based process. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising performing a surface treatment on the steel plates. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the surface treatment comprises sandblasting of the surface, or a painting of the surface, or a lacquering of the surface, or a roughening of the surface, or a pre-mounting of equipment, which needs to the connected with the surface, or cutting of threads into the surface, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of cutting the sheet steel into the plurality of steel plates is performed by mechanical cutting means, or laser cutting means, or plasma cutting means, or flame cutting means, combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of cutting the opening in the steel plates is performed by punching, drilling, laser cutting and/or plasma cutting to cut bolt-holes, door-openings, openings for ventilation and/or windows. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising performing an additional processing step for shaping the steel plate to achieve a different thickness or width. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising connecting a plurality of bended steel plates to assemble a ring-shaped tower element. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the connection of the steel plates is done by using the openings for threaded or bolted connections. 
     
     
         28 . A Wind turbine tower, comprising:
 a segment being manufactured according to the method of  claim 16 .