US 11,992,968 B2
Method for manufacturing a wind turbine tower structure based on wind direction
Biao Fang, Clifton Park, NY (US); Norman Arnold Turnquist, Carlisle, NY (US); Gregory Edward Cooper, Greenfield Center, NY (US); and Pascal Meyer, Burnt Hills, NY (US)
Assigned to GE Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Appl. No. 17/278,837
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 28, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/053440
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 23, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/068116, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0032496 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); E04H 12/12 (2006.01); E04H 12/34 (2006.01); F03D 13/10 (2016.01); F03D 13/20 (2016.01); G01P 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 1/001 (2013.01) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); E04H 12/12 (2013.01); E04H 12/341 (2013.01); F03D 13/10 (2016.05); F03D 13/20 (2016.05); F05B 2230/50 (2013.01); F05B 2280/702 (2013.01); G01P 13/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a tower structure of a wind turbine at a wind turbine site, the method comprising:
determining an optimized shape of the tower structure based, at least in part, on a predominate wind direction at the wind turbine site;
printing, via an additive printing device, the optimized shape of the tower structure of the wind turbine at the wind turbine site, at least in part, of a cementitious material; and
allowing the cementitious material to cure so as to form the tower structure of the wind turbine,
wherein the tower structure comprises one or more first portions aligned with the predominate wind direction and one or more second portions offset from the predominate wind direction,
wherein the one or more first and second portions are printed with the cementitious material to form a monolithic part defining the tower structure, and
wherein the one or more first portions are thicker than the one or more second portions.