Wind turbine blades lifting device and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131522-B2
Application number	US-201715788416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A wind turbine blades lifting device including a structure for supporting a blade during lifting. The structure is made of a rigid material and defines a hollow closed contour with a geometry suitable for surrounding the blade, the device further comprising a pneumatic chamber attached to the structure and arranged in the hollow area of the closed contour defined by the structure such that the pneumatic chamber surrounds the blade at least partially. The pneumatic chamber is inflatable and is arranged in the closed contour defined by the structure, such that when it is inflated, the pneumatic chamber retains the blade, immobilizing it and preventing direct contact between the structure and the blade.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine blades lifting device ( 100 ) comprising a structure ( 1 ) for supporting a blade ( 3 ) during lifting, wherein the structure ( 1 ) is made of a rigid material and defines a hollow closed contour with a geometry suitable for surrounding the blade ( 3 ), the device ( 100 ) further comprising:
a pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) attached to the structure ( 1 ) and arranged in the hollow area of the closed contour defined by said structure ( 1 ), such that said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) surrounds the blade ( 3 ) at least partially, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) being inflatable and being arranged in the closed contour defined by the structure ( 1 ) such that when said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) is inflated, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) retains the blade ( 3 ), immobilizing the blade ( 3 ) and preventing direct contact between the structure ( 1 ) and the blade ( 3 ),
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) fixed to one another in series in a specific manner to form the hollow closed contour with the required shape,
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises two parallel sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) spaced from one another, each of them defining a hollow closed contour and both contours being equal, each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) comprising a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) attached in series to form the corresponding hollow closed contour, and a plurality of sections ( 1 . 3 ) attaching both sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) to one another,
wherein said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) comprises a respective pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) for each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) of the structure ( 1 ), each pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) being attached to the corresponding sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ), and
wherein each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) of the structure ( 1 ) comprises an inner surface on which the corresponding pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) of the pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) is supported, each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) comprising a housing ( 1 . 2 . 1 ) on the inner surface thereof for housing the corresponding pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) of said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ), each housing ( 1 . 2 . 1 ) comprising a substantially U-shaped cross-section.

2. A wind turbine blades lifting device ( 100 ) comprising a structure ( 1 ) for supporting a blade ( 3 ) during lifting, wherein the structure ( 1 ) is made of a rigid material and defines a hollow closed contour with a geometry suitable for surrounding the blade ( 3 ), the device ( 100 ) further comprising:
a pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) attached to the structure ( 1 ) and arranged in the hollow area of the closed contour defined by said structure ( 1 ), such that said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) surrounds the blade ( 3 ) at least partially, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) being inflatable and being arranged in the closed contour defined by the structure ( 1 ) such that when said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) is inflated, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) retains the blade ( 3 ), immobilizing the blade ( 3 ) and preventing direct contact between the structure ( 1 ) and the blade ( 3 ),
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) fixed to one another in series in a specific manner to form the hollow closed contour with the required shape,
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises two parallel sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) spaced from one another, each of them defining a hollow closed contour and both contours being equal, each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) comprising a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) attached in series to form the corresponding hollow closed contour, and a plurality of sections ( 1 . 3 ) attaching both sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) to one another,
wherein said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) comprises a respective pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) for each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) of the structure ( 1 ), each pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) being attached to the corresponding sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ), and
wherein each pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) is attached to the corresponding sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) by means of an attachment element ( 5 ) surrounding both the pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) and the corresponding sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ), said attachment element ( 5 ) comprising elastic properties to allow inflating the corresponding pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ).

3. A wind turbine blades lifting device ( 100 ) comprising a structure ( 1 ) for supporting a blade ( 3 ) during lifting, wherein the structure ( 1 ) is made of a rigid material and defines a hollow closed contour with a geometry suitable for surrounding the blade ( 3 ), the device ( 100 ) further comprising:
a pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) attached to the structure ( 1 ) and arranged in the hollow area of the closed contour defined by said structure ( 1 ), such that said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) surrounds the blade ( 3 ) at least partially, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) being inflatable and being arranged in the closed contour defined by the structure ( 1 ) such that when said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) is inflated, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) retains the blade ( 3 ), immobilizing the blade ( 3 ) and preventing direct contact between the structure ( 1 ) and the blade ( 3 ),
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) fixed to one another in series in a specific manner to form the hollow closed contour with the required shape,
wherein the structure ( 1 ) comprises two parallel sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) spaced from one another, each of them defining a hollow closed contour and both contours being equal, each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) comprising a plurality of segments ( 1 . 1 ) attached in series to form the corresponding hollow closed contour, and a plurality of sections ( 1 . 3 ) attaching both sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ) to one another,
wherein said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) comprises a respective pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) for each sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ) of the structure ( 1 ), each pneumatic sub-chamber ( 4 . 1 ) being attached to the corresponding sub-structure ( 1 . 2 ), and
a fluid distributor ( 7 ) fixed in an upper part of the structure ( 1 ) and attached to the two sub-structures ( 1 . 2 ), said distributor ( 7 ) being in fluid communication with both pneumatic sub-chambers ( 4 . 1 ) of the pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) for inflating them with a corresponding fluid.

4. A wind turbine blades lifting device comprising a structure ( 1 ) for supporting the blade ( 3 ) during lifting, wherein the structure ( 1 ) is made of a rigid material and defines a hollow closed contour with a geometry suitable for surrounding the blade ( 3 ), the device ( 100 ) further comprising:
a pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) attached to the structure ( 1 ) and arranged in the hollow area of the closed contour defined by said structure ( 1 ), such that the pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) surrounds the blade ( 3 ) at least partially, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) being inflatable and being arranged in the closed contour defined by the structure ( 1 ) such that when it is inflated, said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) retains the blade ( 3 ), immobilizing it and preventing direct contact between the structure ( 1 ) and the blade ( 3 ); and
a plurality of rollers ( 6 ) attached to the structure ( 1 ) with freedom of rotation with respect to their own respective axes, said rollers ( 6 ) being attached to the structure ( 1 ) such that with said pneumatic chamber ( 4 ) deflated and the structure ( 1 ) surrounding the blade ( 3 ), said rollers ( 6 ) contact the blade ( 3 ) before the structure ( 1 ) contacts the blade ( 3 ), said rollers ( 6 ) projecting from at least one side of the structure ( 1 ), and the material of said rollers ( 6 ) being selected so that it is strong enough to roll stably over the blade ( 3 ) and soft enough to not damage the blade ( 3 ) during rolling.

5. The device according to claim 4 , comprising at least o

Assignees

• Gamesa Innovation & Tech Sl
• Gamesa Innovation & Tech Sl

Inventors

• Modrego Jimenez Raul

Classifications

• B66C1/46 Primary

  by inflatable elements · CPC title

• F03D13/20

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title

• F03D13/40 Primary

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components · CPC title

• F05B2230/61

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• B66C1/108 Primary

  for lifting parts of wind turbines · CPC title