Patent ID: 8490337

Claim:
A tower section of a wind turbine tower, comprising: a tower section comprising a tubular wall with opposing terminal ends; a first structural flange comprising an outer rim and a flange lip having a face and a shoulder, the shoulder and the face of the flange lip are substantially perpendicular to the outer rim of the first structural flange, the first structural flange has a series of bolt apertures through the face and the shoulder of the flange lip of the first structural flange, the first structural flange has at least one structural element on the face of the first structural flange, the outer rim of the first structural flange is attached to a first terminal end of the tower section; a second structural flange comprising an outer rim and a flange lip having a face and a shoulder, the shoulder and the face of the flange lip are substantially perpendicular to the outer rim of the second structural flange, the second structural flange has a series of bolt apertures through the face and the shoulder of the flange lip of the second structural flange, the second structural flange has at least one structural element on the face of the second structural flange, the outer rim of the second structural flange is attached to a second terminal end of the tower section; and wherein the face of the first structural flange opposes and is aligned along a parallel plane to the face of the second structural flange such that the face of the first structural flange is adjacent the face of the second structural flange, and wherein the first structural flange is axially spaced from and coaxially aligned with the second structural flange.