US 12,442,207 B2
Reinforcement of wind turbine structures
Anders Skafte, Egå (DK)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 18/040,889
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Aug. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DK2021/050255
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 7, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/042808, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2020 70551 (DK), filed on Aug. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0287696 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. E04G 23/02 (2006.01); F03D 13/20 (2016.01)
CPC E04G 23/0218 (2013.01) [E04G 23/0225 (2013.01); F03D 13/20 (2016.05)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of reinforcing a tubular wind turbine structure using a radially adjustable ring stiffener, the ring stiffener comprising a pair of adjacent ring segments coupled together by a coupling means configured to permit radial adjustment of the ring stiffener by varying an intersegmental separation between adjacent ends of those ring segments, the method comprising:
positioning the ring stiffener at a reinforcement position within the tubular wind turbine structure;
adjusting the intersegmental separation between the pair of adjacent ring segments to increase the radius of the ring stiffener; and thereby to engage an inner surface of the tubular wind turbine structure with a radial force that holds the ring stiffener at the reinforcement position by means of friction between the ring stiffener and the tubular wind turbine structure; and
securing the engagement between the ring stiffener and the tubular wind turbine structure by fixing the intersegmental separation between the pair of adjacent ring segments.