초록

A self-supporting wind turbine tower with walls comprising an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (14). Substantially all of the upper portion (12) is formed from a composite plastic. Substantially all of the lower portion (14) is formed from mild steel.

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1. A self-supporting wind turbine tower with walls comprising: an upper portion formed from a composite plastic, the upper portion being subdivided into a plurality of segments arranged in a hoop direction of the tower; anda separate, lower portion mounted on a foundation, the upper portion mounted

1. A self-supporting wind turbine tower with walls comprising: an upper portion formed from a composite plastic, the upper portion being subdivided into a plurality of segments arranged in a hoop direction of the tower; anda separate, lower portion mounted on a foundation, the upper portion mounted atop the lower portion so as to form the tower, the lower portion formed from a mild steel,wherein the self-supporting tower comprises a reduced weight and an increased natural frequency as compared to a tower of an equivalent size constructed entirely of steel. 2. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion comprises from 2.0% to 80% of the length of the tower. 3. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of segments arranged in an axial direction of the tower. 4. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, further comprising a gasket positioned between the upper and lower portions. 5. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion is hollow. 6. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion is hollow. 7. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the composite plastic comprises a fibre reinforced plastic selected from a group including standard modulus carbon fibre, intermediate modulus carbon fibre, high modulus carbon fibre, and basalt. 8. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 7, wherein between 50% and 100% of the fibres are arranged at 0 degrees to the axial direction, up to 50% of the fibres are arranged at +/−45 degrees to the axial direction and up to 30% of the fibres are arranged at 90 degrees to the axial direction. 9. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the composite plastic comprises a viscoelastic material. 10. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 9, wherein the viscoelastic material is provided as a viscoelastic core. 11. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 9, wherein the composite plastic comprises a fibre reinforced plastic having a viscoelastic polymer matrix. 12. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the tower comprises any of undulations, cavities, or protrusions arranged to reduce drag and/or vorticity downwind of the tower. 13. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 5, wherein the upper portion has a wall thickness which varies along the length of the upper portion. 14. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 6, wherein the lower portion has a wall thickness which varies along the length of the lower portion. 15. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion has a specific stiffness of at least 60 Gpa/(g/cm3). 16. A self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion has a specific stiffness of less than 30 Gpa/(g/cm3). 17. A wind turbine comprising a self-supporting wind turbine tower according to claim 1.