Patent Application
20250059953
This invention relates generally to wind turbines, and more particularly to methods for assembling/disassembling a nacelle of a wind turbine and lift arrangements for accomplishing same.
Wind turbines are used to produce electrical energy using a renewable resource and without combusting a fossil fuel. Generally, a wind turbine converts kinetic energy from the wind into electrical power. A horizontal-axis wind turbine includes a tower, a nacelle located at the apex of the tower, and a rotor having a plurality of blades and supported in the nacelle by means of a shaft. The shaft couples the rotor either directly or indirectly with a generator, which is housed inside the nacelle. Consequently, as wind forces the blades to rotate, electrical energy is produced by the generator. Wind turbines may be located either on a land mass (onshore) or within a body of water (offshore).
As electrical energy demands have increased over the past years, the size of wind turbines has also increased so that they may produce additional electrical energy. As the wind turbines increase in size, the physical dimensions and weight of the wind turbine components also increase. As the size and weight of the wind turbine components increase, transporting the wind turbine components from the manufacturing facility to the assembly or installation site becomes increasingly challenging. To meet this challenge, the nacelle of a wind turbine may be constructed from one or more modules that contain one or more wind turbine components. The individual modules may be attached to one another to form the nacelle.
One must carefully consider how to arrange those modules so that the loads, in particular in the form of torque, do not require massive towers and yaw assemblies that are difficult and costly to manufacture, transport, and assemble. One approach is to arrange a main nacelle unit having a base plate around the yaw assembly and have auxiliary nacelle units attached to the sides of the main unit to form the nacelle. The auxiliary nacelle units may be pre-loaded with wind turbine components from the manufacturing facility or at the wind turbine installation site. Once at the installation site, the auxiliary nacelle units carrying the wind turbine components may then be lifted and attached to the sides of the main nacelle unit at the top of the tower using, for example, a large, high-capacity crane.
Current apparatus and methods for assembling a nacelle at the wind turbine installation site have some challenges. For example, one challenge is lifting/lowering the auxiliary nacelle unit to/from a desired height along the side of the main nacelle unit without significantly contacting the side of the main nacelle unit during the lifting or lowering process. Any significant contact during the lifting or lowering process may damage the auxiliary nacelle unit or the main nacelle unit. Another challenge involves the use of the large, high-capacity crane to assemble the modular nacelle. For example, it can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive to transport the large crane to installation sites for assembly of the wind turbine, including the nacelle. Moreover, the large cranes are generally rented during the period of construction from a third-party provider. The rental cost of large, high-capacity cranes, however, is prohibitive and represents a major expense to the overall construction costs of wind turbines. Furthermore, the operation of large cranes may take specialized personnel that further increases the overall construction costs.
It may be seen that what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for assembling/disassembling wind turbines. More particularly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for lifting/lowering the auxiliary nacelle units to/from the main nacelle unit without any significant contact between the auxiliary nacelle unit and the main nacelle unit. There is also a need to minimize or eliminate the need for a large, high-capacity crane to be rented, transported, and operated at the installation site to achieve assembly/disassembly of the wind turbine.
In a first aspect of the invention, a method of handling an auxiliary nacelle unit of a wind turbine is disclosed. The wind turbine includes a tower and a main nacelle unit attached to the tower and the method includes providing at least one temporary hoist formed from a plurality of hoist components, including a winch, a hoist cable operatively coupled to the winch, and a support frame defining a hoist cable locator configured to engage the hoist cable. The hoist cable locator is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The support frame further includes a boom carrying the hoist cable locator, a mast, and an actuator. The method further includes assembling the at least one temporary hoist on the main nacelle unit by pivotally connecting the boom to the main nacelle unit, pivotally connecting the mast to the main nacelle unit, connecting the actuator between the mast and the boom, and routing the hoist cable from the winch to the hoist cable locator. The method further includes connecting the hoist cable to the auxiliary nacelle unit, activating the winch to move the auxiliary nacelle unit from a first position to a second position, and activating the actuator to move the hoist cable locator between the retracted position and the extended position.
In one embodiment, the auxiliary nacelle unit is being assembled to the main nacelle unit, and activating the winch may further include activating the winch to move the auxiliary nacelle unit from the first position adjacent a base of the tower to the second position adjacent the main nacelle unit on the tower, and moving the hoist cable locator may further include moving the hoist cable locator from the extended position, where the auxiliary nacelle unit is laterally spaced from the main nacelle unit, to the retracted position, where the auxiliary nacelle unit is in abutting relation to the main nacelle unit. In one embodiment, this method may further include connecting the auxiliary nacelle unit to the main nacelle unit after moving the hoist cable locator from the extended position to the retracted position to at least partially assemble the nacelle.
In one embodiment, the auxiliary nacelle unit is being disassembled from the main nacelle unit, and activating the winch may further include activating the winch to move the auxiliary nacelle unit from the first position adjacent the main nacelle unit on the tower to the second position adjacent the base of the tower, and moving the hoist cable locator may further include moving the hoist cable locator from the retracted position, where the auxiliary nacelle unit is in abutting relation to the main nacelle unit, to the extended position, where the auxiliary nacelle unit is laterally spaced from the main nacelle unit. In one embodiment, this method may further include disconnecting the auxiliary nacelle unit from the main nacelle unit before moving the hoist cable locator from the retracted position to the extended position to at least partially disassemble the nacelle.
In one embodiment, the method may further include providing a temporary jib hoist on the main nacelle unit. In this regard, and using the temporary jib hoist, the method may further include lifting at least some of the plurality of hoist components from adjacent the base of the tower to the main nacelle unit. The temporary jib hoist may then be used to assemble the at least one temporary hoist on the main nacelle unit. In another embodiment, the support frame may further include one or more mounting brackets. In this embodiment, assembling the at least one temporary hoist may further include connecting the one or more mounting brackets to the main nacelle unit adjacent a first side edge, wherein the boom and the mast may be pivotally connected to the one or more mounting brackets. Optionally, the support frame may further include one or more support brackets, and assembling the at least one temporary hoist may further include connecting the support bracket to the main nacelle unit adjacent a second opposing side edge. The one or more support brackets may include a bracket cable guide and the method may include routing the hoist cable to engage the bracket cable guide.
In yet another embodiment, the support frame may further include a tension member. In this embodiment, assembling the at least one temporary hoist may further include connecting the tension member to the mast to fix the position of the mast. For example, in one embodiment, the tension member may be connected between the one or more support brackets and the mast to fix the position of the mast. In a further embodiment, the method may include locating the winch of the at least one temporary hoist adjacent a base of the tower. After assembly/disassembly of the auxiliary nacelle unit to/from the main nacelle unit, the at least one temporary hoist may be disassembled and disconnected from the main nacelle unit.
In one embodiment, the step of providing the at least one temporary hoist may include providing two or more temporary hoists. In this embodiment, for example, a first temporary hoist may be connected to the main nacelle unit adjacent a forward end thereof and a second temporary hoist may be connected to the main nacelle unit adjacent a rear end thereof. The first temporary hoist may be configured to be connected to a forward portion of the auxiliary nacelle unit and the second temporary hoist may be configured to be connected to a rear portion of the auxiliary nacelle unit.
In second aspect of the invention, a lifting arrangement for handling an auxiliary nacelle unit of a wind turbine is disclosed. The wind turbine includes a tower and a main nacelle unit attached to the tower. The lifting arrangement includes at least one temporary hoist attachable to the main nacelle unit, wherein the at least one temporary hoist includes a winch, a hoist cable operatively coupled to the winch, and a support frame attachable to the main nacelle unit and including a hoist cable locator configured to engage the hoist cable. In this aspect, the support frame may include a boom configured to be pivotally connected to the main nacelle unit, the boom including the hoist cable locator, a mast configured to be pivotally connected to the main nacelle unit, and an actuator configured to be coupled to the boom and the mast and movable so as to move the hoist cable locator between a retracted position and an extended position.
In one embodiment, the support frame may further include one or more mounting brackets attachable to the main nacelle unit and configured to be pivotally connected to the boom and the mast. Optionally, the support frame may further include one or more support brackets attachable to the main nacelle unit. The one or more support brackets may preferably include a bracket cable guide configured to engage the hoist cable. The support frame may also include a tension member configured to be coupled to mast to thereby fix the position of the mast. In one embodiment, for example, the tension member may be connected between the one or more support brackets and the mast to fix the position of the mast. In one embodiment, the tension member may include a rigid strut. Alternatively, however, the tension member may include a wire, rope, or cable.
In one embodiment, the at least one temporary hoist may include two or more temporary hoists. For example, the lifting arrangement may include a first temporary hoist adjacent a forward end of the main nacelle unit and a second temporary hoist adjacent a rear end of the main nacelle unit. The first temporary hoist may be configured to connect to a forward portion of the auxiliary nacelle unit and the second temporary hoist may be configured to connect to a rear portion of the auxiliary nacelle unit.
In another embodiment, the lifting arrangement may further include a temporary jib hoist attachable to the main nacelle unit and configured to lift components of the at least one temporary hoist to/from the main nacelle unit. The temporary jib hoist may also be configured to assemble the at least one temporary hoist to the top of the main nacelle unit. In one embodiment, the temporary jib hoist may include a tower attachable to the main nacelle unit and a boom movably attached to a top of the tower.
In a third aspect of the invention, a partially assembled wind turbine includes a tower, a main nacelle unit connected to the tower, and the lifting arrangement described above attached to the main nacelle unit for assembling the auxiliary nacelle unit to the main nacelle unit, or disassembling the auxiliary nacelle unit from the main nacelle unit.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.
Referring to
The rotor 16 may include a central hub 18 and a plurality of blades 20 attached to the central hub 18 at locations distributed about the circumference of the central hub 18. In the representative embodiment, the rotor 16 includes three blades 20, however the number may vary. The blades 20, which project radially outward from the central hub 18, are configured to interact with passing air currents to produce rotational forces that cause the central hub 18 to spin about its longitudinal axis. The design, construction, and operation of the blades 20 are familiar to a person having ordinary skill in the art of wind turbine design and may include additional functional aspects to optimize performance. For example, pitch angle control of the blades 20 may be implemented by a pitch control mechanism (not shown) responsive to wind velocity to optimize power production in low wind conditions, and to feather the blades if wind velocity exceeds design limitations.
The rotor 16 may be coupled to the gearbox directly or indirectly via by a drive shaft (not shown). Either way, the gearbox transfers the rotation of the rotor 16 through a coupling (not shown) to the generator. Wind exceeding a minimum speed may activate the rotor 16, causing the rotor 16 to rotate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wind, applying torque to the input shaft of the generator. The electrical power produced by the generator may be supplied to a power grid (not shown) or an energy storage system (not shown) for later release to the grid as understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. In this way, the kinetic energy of the wind may be harnessed by the wind turbine 10 for power generation.
In an exemplary embodiment, the nacelle 14 may be formed from a main nacelle unit 22 and two auxiliary nacelle units 24, 26, which are removably affixed to the sides of the main nacelle unit 22. In one embodiment, the main nacelle unit 22 may be hoisted up and placed at the apex of the tower 12 using, for example, a large crane or the like. The auxiliary nacelle units 24, 26 may then be hoisted one at a time and attached to opposite sides of the main nacelle unit 22 to form the nacelle 14. Aspects of the present invention relate to a lifting apparatus for handling the auxiliary nacelle units 24, 26 and their connection or disconnection from the sides of the main nacelle unit 22.
Referring to
From the winch 54, the hoist cable 56 may be routed to engage a bracket cable guide 74. In an exemplary embodiment, the bracket cable guide 74 may be located on the one or more support brackets 70. The hoist cable 56 may be further routed to a boom cable guide 78 on the boom 64 and to the hoist cable locator 60. Finally, the hoist cable 56 may be routed to a lifting yoke 80 associated with lifting the auxiliary nacelle unit 26 (as illustrated in the figures). The lifting yoke 80 may include a central lifting block 82 from which cables 84a, 84b extend between the central lifting block 82 and corners 86a, 86b of the auxiliary nacelle unit 26. The cables 84a, 84b may be removably attached to the corners 86a, 86b so the lifting arrangement 50 may be connected or disconnected from the auxiliary nacelle unit 26 as needed. Optionally, a further cable guide may be provided on the mast 66, in the form of a mast cable guide 76. Accordingly, the hoist cable 56 may be routed from the winch 54, via the bracket cable guide 74 to the mast cable guide 76, and thereafter to the boom cable guide 78 and so forth as mentioned above. The provision of a mast cable guide 76 may ease the loads on the boom 64 during operation of the temporary hoist 52.
In one embodiment, the lifting arrangement may include two temporary hoists 52 as depicted in
In one embodiment, the actuator 68 is configured to move the boom 64 and the hoist cable locator 60 attached thereto between a retracted position (
In one embodiment, the plurality of hoist components or subassemblies thereof may be lifted atop the main nacelle unit 22 and then assembled to form the temporary hoist 52. In this regard, a temporary jib hoist may be used to lift the plurality of hoist components or subassemblies from adjacent the base of the tower 12 to atop the main nacelle unit 22 so the temporary hoist 52 may be assembled thereon. An exemplary jib hoist 90 is depicted in
A flowchart illustrating a sequence of exemplary steps for assembling the temporary hoist 52 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is set forth in
A flowchart illustrating a sequence of exemplary steps for connecting the auxiliary nacelle unit 26 to the main nacelle unit 22 is set forth in
A flowchart illustrating a sequence of exemplary steps for disconnecting the auxiliary nacelle unit 26 from the main nacelle unit 22 is set forth in
As discussed above, the disclosed lifting arrangement 50 provides a number of benefits to the assembly/disassembly of a nacelle 14 of a wind turbine 10. More particularly, the temporary nature of the hoists 52 and the jib hoist 90 allows for the assembly/disassembly of an auxiliary nacelle unit 26 to/from the main nacelle unit 22 without the use of a large, high-capacity crane. Thus, the costs associated with the transport, rental, and use of such cranes may be minimized or eliminated. Moreover, the lifting arrangement 50 provides controlled movement of the auxiliary nacelle unit 26 relative to the main nacelle unit 22 such that the assembly/disassembly may be achieved with minimal risk of damage to the nacelle units 22, 24, 26. While the above illustrated and described the assembly/disassembly of the auxiliary nacelle unit 36 to/from the main nacelle unit 22, it should be understood that the lifting arrangement 50 may also be used to assemble/disassemble the other auxiliary nacelle unit 24 to/from the main nacelle unit 22. It should be further understood that the lifting arrangement 50 may be used to handle an auxiliary nacelle unit whether the opposite auxiliary nacelle unit is attached to the main nacelle unit 22 or not.
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various preferred embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Thus, the various features of the invention may be used alone or in any combination depending on the needs and preferences of the user.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA202170676 | Dec 2021 | DK | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DK2022/050255 | 12/1/2022 | WO |
