This application claims benefit of the 31 August 2015 filing date of United States provisional patent application number 62/212,027 which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of equipment towers, and more particularly, to pre-tensioned concrete equipment towers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

United States Patent No. 9, 175,670 B2 issued on November 3, 2015, to

Lockwood, et al. (hereinafter the '670 patent) describes a post-tensioned concrete tower formed by stacking precast concrete annular segments on a foundation, wherein the diameter of the segments varies in stages over the height of the tower, with a group of segments having one diameter being separated from a group of segments having a different diameter by a transition segment. This tower geometry simplifies the formwork used to precast the segments when compared to tower designs wherein each segment is different as the tower varies gradually in diameter over the height of the tower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an equipment tower in partial cross-section.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional elevational view of a transition section of a tower after installation of tensioning tendons.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of one embodiment of a slot formed in an equipment tower for receiving a tensioning tendon.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of another embodiment of a slot formed in an equipment tower for receiving a tensioning tendon, also showing reinforcing structures in the tower for carrying radial loads imposed by the tendon. FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view of a transition section of a tower illustrating a saddle having a curved surface for imparting a bend on a tensioning tendon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have developed a further improvement to the equipment tower design disclosed in the '670 patent. That design provides for the attachment of post-tensioning tendons between the foundation and the transition segments of the tower, thereby allowing the transition segments to function as anchor members. Each tendon is anchored within a transition segment, and a particular tendon may pass through one or more transition segments via tubes or ducts (column 3 lines 4-5 of the '670 patent) to be terminated in a transition segment at a higher elevation on the tower. The present inventors have recognized that the process of feeding the post-tensioning tendons through such tubes or ducts can be time consuming and may increase the chance of tendon damage or personal injury. The present invention eliminates the need for all or most of such tubes or ducts while still providing the designer with the flexibility of anchoring a tendon to a transition segment other than the lowest transition segment of the tower.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary equipment tower 100 that may embody the present invention. The tower 100 is a wind turbine tower, which supports various types of equipment. Such equipment may be affixed at or proximate the top of the equipment tower 100 or affixed at desired locations along the length of the equipment tower 100 depending on a particular application. Tower 100 may include a foundation 102, a bottom tower portion 104, a middle tower portion 106, a top tower portion 108 and a steel tip adapter 1 10. The steel tip adapter 1 10 may be used to support the nacelle of a wind turbine (not shown). Each tower portion 104, 106, 108 may be formed with a plurality of tower segments 105, 107, 109, respectively, that may be formed of precast concrete. Each tower segment 105 may have a first constant diameter and a first height, each tower segment 107 may have a second constant diameter and a second height and each tower segment 109 may have a third constant diameter and a third height. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the first constant diameter of tower segments 105 may be greater than the second constant diameter of tower segments 107, which in turn are greater than the third constant diameter of tower segments 109, thereby forming an equipment tower 100 that decreases in diameter from the bottom tower portion 104 to the top tower portion 108. Transition segments 1 14 and 1 16 may be positioned between appropriate tower portions 104, 106, 108 to accommodate the progressive change in the diameter of tower segments 105, 107, 109 from the bottom to the top of equipment tower 100.

FIG. 1 further illustrates foundation 102 that may include a platform 1 18 and a subsection 126 extending below ground level 128. A pedestal or plinth 120 extends from platform 1 18. The tower 100 and has an inside surface that defines an internal chamber 124. Steel cable or tendons (not shown) used to post-tension the concrete of tower 100 may be located outside of the tower 100 or within the internal chamber 124, as more fully described below.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectioned elevation view of the equipment tower 100 of FIG. 1 illustrating the region of transition segment 1 16 at a stage of construction after tensioning tendons 200 have been installed within the internal chamber 124. In this view it can be appreciated that lower segment 107 has a first inside diameter and upper segment 109 has a second inside diameter smaller than the first inside diameter.

Transition segment 1 16 is disposed between the lower and upper segments 107, 109. Transition segment 1 16 includes a diaphragm ring 210 which has an intrados face 214 which protrudes inwardly toward a vertical longitudinal centerline of the tower to define yet a smaller diameter. Whereas prior art tower designs have included tubes or ducts formed through the diaphragm ring 210 to allow passage of the tensioning tendons 200, the present invention includes slots 212 formed into the intrados face 214 for receiving and laterally retaining the tendons 200. The tendons 200 span the lower, transition and upper segments 107, 1 16, 109 and are tensioned to apply a compressive load between those segments 107, 1 16, 109.

While FIG. 2 illustrates the slots 212 being formed in an inwardly protruding diaphragm ring 210, one will appreciate that such tendon-retaining slots may be formed in any appropriate interior or exterior surface of an equipment tower proximate a designed operating position of a tendon in order to capture, guide and control the tendon during the tendon installation and tensioning processes. The embodiment of FIG. 2 illustrates the slots 212 being formed in a concrete diaphragm ring 210 cast as part of the transition segment 1 16, but the diaphragm ring may be formed of other materials and may be installed into the transition segment after it is cast. Moreover, the slots 212 are illustrated as having a general "U" shape for accommodating only one tendon 200 each, but other slot designs may accommodate more than one tendon, such as a "VV" shaped slot for capturing two closely spaced tendons.

FIGs. 3 and 4 illustrate two alternative embodiments of the slots 212 of FIG. 2 as seen in partial plan views looking downward from above one slot 212 along the longitudinal axis of the tendon 200.

FIG. 3 illustrates a slot 212' formed into the intrados face 214 of diaphragm ring 210. In this embodiment, the slot 212' is defined by a saddle 300 which is retained within the cast concrete of the diaphragm ring 210 by two protrusions 310 extending from an extrados surface 320 of the saddle 300. The concrete is cast around the protrusions 310, which are thereby made effective to interlock the saddle 300 and the transition segment 1 16. The saddle 300 may be formed of a high density polyurethane or other plastic material, for example, or any other material suitable for the environment and for interfacing with the concrete of the diaphragm ring 210. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the tendon 200 does not contact the slot 212' under normal conditions, however the open mouth shape of the intrados surface 330 of saddle 300 is effective for capturing and retaining the tendon 200 as it is moved into position during the post- tensioning process. In other embodiments the tendon 200 may contact the saddle 300, with the material of the saddle 300 being selected to accommodate such contact.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a slot 212" which is simply a shape formed into the intrados face 214 of the diaphragm ring 210 either during its casting process or afterward by a material removal process. In this embodiment, the tendon 200 rubs against the surface of the slot 212" under normal conditions and exerts a force radially outwardly into the transition segment 210. One or more reinforcing structures, such as embedded rebar 400 for example, may be used to resist the loads imposed on the transition segment 210 by the tendon 200. A coating 410 of a friction reducing material and/or an abrasion resistant material (when compared to concrete), such as epoxy or plastic for example, may be applied onto the concrete within the slot 212" to reduce wear during installation and operation of the tower 100.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a saddle 500 attached to a diaphragm ring 210 and defining a slot 510 for receiving and retaining a tensioning tendon 200 in an equipment tower. FIG. 5 illustrates the saddle 500 in a partial sectional view to show that its intrados surface 520, upon which the tendon 200 rubs, is curved in order to impart a bend 530 in the tendon 200. Keeping the tendon close to the wall of the tower along its length helps to preserve space within the internal chamber 124 of the tower for other uses, such as for mounting equipment associated with the operation of the tower. The material of construction of the saddle 500 may be selected to prevent damage to the tendon 200 during installation and use.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.