1.-16. (canceled)
17. A wind turbine tower, comprising:
a plurality of segments having a polygonal cross section, each segment comprises a plurality of flat plates connected to each other to form the polygonal cross section; and
a plurality of splice plates that connect the plurality of flat plates to each other.
18. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 17, wherein the segments are connected to each other via devices selected from the group consisting of splice plates, flanges, bolts, nuts, bolt extensions, washers, and combinations thereof.
19. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 18, wherein the splice plates are connected to the flat plates by bolts or nuts.
20. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 19, wherein the splice plates are bent.
21. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 20, wherein the flat plates andor the splice plates are made of steel or rust resistant steel.
22. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 21, wherein the flat plates andor the splice plates are pre-treated with a friction creating material on a jointing surface.
23. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 22, wherein the flat plates have a rectangular or trapezoid shape.
24. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 23, wherein the flat plates are corrugated.
25. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 24, wherein the joint between two flat plates or between a flat plate and a splice plate comprises a seal stripe or a compound.
26. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least a large diameter bottom section of the tower comprises segments.
27. The wind turbine tower as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least one splice plate comprises a fixing device.
28. A method for constructing a wind turbine tower, comprising:
providing a plurality of flat plates;
connecting the flat plates to each other via a plurality of splice plates to form polygonal cross section tower segments; and
connecting the segments to one another to form a tower.
29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the segments are connected to each other by splice plates or flanges.
30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the flat plates andor the segments are connected to each other in a horizontal position.
31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the flat plates andor the segments are turned into a predefined position by a rotation tool for connecting the flat plates andor the segments to each other.
32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein each segment or the tower is erected after each segment or the tower is assembled.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A turbine shroud section comprising:
a surface extending in a circumferential direction about a longitudinal engine axis; and
a cooling passage that penetrates the surface and forms an angle relative to an expected fluid flow direction, the angle having an angular component in the circumferential direction, the cooling passage including an aft portion and a retrograde portion that angles aftly.
2. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface is transverse to the longitudinal engine axis.
3. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 2, wherein the surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal engine axis.
4. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling passage includes an opening through the surface to the expected fluid flow direction and the surface is forward-facing.
5. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 4, further comprising a second cooling passage that opens through an aft-facing surface, the second cooling passage forming a second angle with a second expected fluid flow direction, the second angle having a second angular component in the circumferential direction.
6. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 5, wherein the second cooling passage is substantially aligned with the second expected fluid flow direction.
7. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling passage includes an opening through the surface and the surface faces radially inward.
8. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling flow passage includes an airfoil-shaped opening.
9. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the angular component is perpendicular to the longitudinal engine axis and a radial direction.
10. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, further comprising a single integral cast section tat defines the surface and the cooling passage.
11. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling passage includes an aft portion and a retrograde portion that angles aftly.
12. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 11, wherein the retrograde portion is at least partially radially outward from the aft portion.
13. A turbine engine including a plurality of the turbine shroud sections of claim 1 disposed circumferentially about turbine blades that rotate about an engine centerline, further including at least a fan section intaking air, a compressor section compressing said air, and a combustion section receiving said air to combust fuel.
14. A turbine component comprising:
a turbine shroud section having a surface extending in a circumferential direction relative to a longitudinal engine axis, the turbine shroud section having a cooling passage that discharges coolant and an airfoil-shaped opening in fluid communication with the cooling passage.
15. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 14, wherein the airfoil-shaped opening includes a nominally wide end that is curved and a nominally narrow end having a corner.
16. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 14, wherein the airfoil-shaped opening is in a forward-facing surface.
17. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 14, wherein the airfoil-shaped opening is in a surface that faces radially inward relative to an engine central axis.
18. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 14, wherein the cooling passage includes an aft portion and a retrograde portion that angles aftly.
19. The turbine shroud section as recited in claim 14, wherein the cooling passage forms an angle relative to an expected fluid flow direction, the angle having an angular component in the circumferential direction.
20. A method of cooling a turbine shroud including the steps of:
(a) defining an expected circumferential fluid flow direction adjacent to a turbine shroud;
(b) discharging a coolant from a turbine shroud cooling passage through an airfoil-shaped opening in a direction having a circumferential component substantially aligned with the expected circumferential fluid flow direction.
21. The method as recited in claim 20, including casting the shroud section as a single integral section to form the cooling flow passage.