General Electric Company

General Electric Renovables Espana, S.l.

Stefan Bernhard Voss

Ingo Paura

Holger Luehn

Mathias Eidam

Daniel Ross

Alexander Miller

Ulrich Uphues

Martin Schmitt

Christian Tieke

Daniel Roß

It is provided a wind turbine having a modified eigenfrequency, the wind turbine having a tower including a first tower flange arranged at an upper end portion of a top part of the tower; and, an eigenfrequency modifier including a plurality of weights suspended from the first tower flange by a plurality of rigid supports. It is further provided a method of modifying an eigenfrequency of a wind turbine, the method including modifying the eigenfrequency of the wind turbine by suspending a plurality of weights from a first tower flange arranged at an upper end portion of a top part of a tower of the wind turbine using a plurality of rigid supports.

Wind turbine having eigenfrequency modifier

A system for a tower segment of a tower is presented, wherein the tower segment is configured for forming at least partially a part of a tower for carrying a structure, in particular for supporting a nacelle of a horizontal-axis wind turbine or a machine house of a vertical-axis wind turbine. The system is configured to be attached, arranged, and/or mounted to the tower segment and comprises at least an airflow manipulation arrangement and a support arrangement. The airflow manipulation arrangement includes an airflow manipulator which is configured for affecting an airflow around the tower segment. The support arrangement is configured for supporting the airflow manipulation arrangement and for mounting the airflow manipulation arrangement to the tower segment. The airflow manipulation arrangement and the support arrangement are configured such, when mounted to the tower segment, that the airflow manipulator projects a tower diameter in radial direction by at least 5%, in particular at least 10%, preferred at least 15%, in particular not more than 30%, further in particular not more than 20%, of the tower diameter, or that the airflow manipulator is essentially parallel to the tower segment. By this, an effective measure against vortex shedding effects is put in place.

System for a tower segment of a tower, a respective tower segment, and a wind turbine having a tower segment

A bolt connection is provided for connecting two flanges. The bolt connection includes a threaded bar extending through a hole of a first flange and a hole of a second flange, the first flange abutting the second flange; an anti-fatigue sleeve; and a nut. The anti-fatigue sleeve is disposed on the threaded bar on the side of the first flange between the nut and the first flange, the nut is configured to be screwed onto the threaded bar and is configured to press the anti-fatigue sleeve against the first flange to fasten the first flange and the second flange together.

Bolt connection for connecting two flanges

A tower for a wind turbine is disclosed, said wind turbine comprises the tower, a nacelle and a rotor having at least one rotor blade. The tower is configured for supporting the nacelle and the rotor on a support system. The tower itself may be structured as having an upper top end for supporting the nacelle and a lower support end for being placed on the support system. Electric energy generated is transported via power cables from the nacelle to an electric grid, preferably via power electronic components, switches and/or transformers. Furthermore, the nacelle may rotate around the yaw axis according to the current wind direction. Hence, the rotation of the nacelle introduces a twist into the power cables, wherein said twist causes a deviation (shortening) in the length of the power cables. Furthermore, the tower comprises at least one radial cable guiding device for receiving the cable and a cable support arrangement for supporting the cable in a beneficial manner. Additionally, the tower comprises anti-torsion fixation means configured for reducing and/or preventing a propagation of a cable twist of the cables of a hanging portion into power cables of a loop portion. The power cables comprise a hanging portion having a cable axis, a cable loop portion having a horizontal cable loop, and the supported portion being at least partially supported by the cable support arrangement.

Tower for a wind turbine with improved cable support in a vertical and horizontal arrangement

A tower foundation assembly includes a foundation having a base section and a receptacle atop the base section. The receptacle of the foundation defines a bottom surface and an inner perimeter wall. The tower foundation assembly also includes a tower, such as a wind turbine tower, secured to the inner perimeter wall within the receptacle of the foundation. As such, the tower extends in a longitudinal direction from the foundation.

Method of connecting a tower to a foundation

The present disclosure is directed to a tower assembly of a wind turbine having a joint assembly configured therein. The tower assembly includes at least one generally cylindrical tower section. The tower section is split into at least a first vertical tower section and a second vertical tower section. Each of the first and second vertical tower sections define an interior wall and an exterior wall separated by a thickness. Further, the tower assembly includes a joint assembly that secures the first and second vertical tower sections together. The joint assembly includes a first L-flange mounted to the interior wall of the first vertical tower section and a second L-flange mounted to the interior wall of the second vertical tower section. The first L-flange faces in a first direction and the second L-flange faces away from the first direction. Further, the first and second L-flanges are separated from the interior walls of the first and second vertical tower sections via an open space.

Vertical joint assembly for wind turbine towers

A jib crane includes a first arm configured for cooperation with a hoist, and a second arm hingedly connected to the first arm. A mounting bracket is hingedly connected to the second arm, and the mounting bracket is configured for attachment to a wind turbine. The first arm is configured to swing along a first horizontal arc and the second arm is configured to swing along a second horizontal arc. The jib crane is configured to pick up a load outside the wind turbine and move the load to a location inside the wind turbine.

Articulated slewing jib crane and wind turbine incorporating same

A system and method for fabricating a wind turbine tower is provided. The method includes providing at least one fiber reinforced plastic ('FRP') strand, embedding a first portion of the FRP strand into a first concrete segment, and embedding a second portion of the FRP strand into a second concrete segment such that a third portion of the FRP strand extends from the first concrete segment to the second concrete segment. The method further includes displacing at least one of the first concrete segment and the second concrete segment relative to the other such that a tension is applied to the third portion of the FRP strand.

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Salzbergen, Germany

Stefan Bernhard Voss