Tower and wind turbine generator having the same

Abstract

Provided are a tower that has a sufficient yield strength and enables connection between tower sections without requiring a high manufacturing accuracy of the tower sections, and a wind turbine generator having the tower. The tower includes a plurality of tower sections formed by dividing the tower along planes that are parallel to a horizontal plane, and is constituted by connecting end surfaces of the tower sections to each other. The tower further includes a tensile member that has one end supported by a first supporting part at a first tower section among the tower sections, has another end supported by a second supporting part at a second tower section among the tower sections or at a tower base on which the tower is vertically installed, and is stretched along an inner wall of the tower sections so as to have a predetermined tensile force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tower including a plurality of tower sections formed by dividing the tower along a plurality of planes that are substantially parallel to a horizontal plane, the tower being constituted by connecting end surfaces of the tower sections to each other, the tower comprising:
 a tensile member that has one end supported by a first supporting part arranged at a first tower section among the plurality of tower sections, that has another end supported by a second supporting part arranged at a second tower section among the plurality of tower sections or at a tower base on which the tower is vertically installed, and that is stretched along an inner wall of the tower sections so as to have a predetermined tensile force.   
     
     
         2 . The tower according to  claim 1 , wherein the tensile member is a wire rope. 
     
     
         3 . The tower according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the end surfaces of the tower sections serves as a flange surface of an inner flange protruding toward a center in cross section of the tower section,   a shearing bolt or a shearing key is fitted into each of a plurality of holes formed substantially vertically in the flange surface, and   relative positions between the flanges are fixed.   
     
     
         4 . The tower according to  claim 1 , wherein a mechanism adapted to adjust an axial length of the tensile member is provided at a middle of the tensile member. 
     
     
         5 . The tower according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the tensile member is stretched in a substantially vertical direction,   at least one of the first supporting part and the second supporting part includes a groove or a through hole into which the tensile member is inserted,   a socket is fixedly attached to an end of the tensile member, the end corresponding to the groove or the through hole, and   the socket is locked to the supporting part, to restrict displacement with respect to the supporting part.   
     
     
         6 . The tower according to  claim 5 , wherein the socket includes a mechanism adapted to adjust relative positions between the socket and the supporting part. 
     
     
         7 . The tower according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the first supporting part and/or the second supporting part includes a first member located on a side where the socket is arranged and a second member located on a side opposite to the socket with the first member being interposed therebetween, and   the second member supports the first member and is connected to an inner wall surface of the tower section.   
     
     
         8 . A wind turbine generator comprising the tower according to  claim 1 .