System and method for repairing dents in wind turbine tower sections and a related dent repair tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10288045-B2
Application number	US-201514976478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A system for repairing dents in a wind turbine tower section may generally include a dent repair tool having a tool hub and a plurality of arms configured to extend radially outwardly from the tool hub towards an inner surface of the tower section. The tool may also include a linear actuator configured to linearly actuate a plunger of the actuator arm relative to the tool hub such that the plunger applies a radially outward force against the inner surface of the tower section at or adjacent to a location of a dent formed in the tower section. In addition, the system may include a load sensor configured to provide an indication of a load associated with the radially outward force applied against the inner surface of the tower section by the plunger and a controller configured to monitor the load based on signals received from the load sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for repairing dents in a tower section of a wind turbine tower, the tower section including a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, the system comprising:
a dent repair tool configured to be installed within the tower section, the tool including a tool hub and a plurality of arms configured to extend radially outwardly from the tool hub towards the radially inner surface of the tower section, the tool further comprising a linear actuator provided in operative association with an actuator arm of the plurality of arms, the linear actuator being configured to linearly actuate a plunger of the actuator arm relative to the tool hub such that the plunger applies a radially outward force against the radially inner surface of the tower section at or adjacent to a location of a dent formed in the tower section;
a load sensor configured to provide an indication of a load associated with the radially outward force applied against the radially inner surface of the tower section by the plunger;
a controller configured to monitor the load based on signals received from the load sensor; and
a profile sensor disposed along an exterior of the tower section radially outwardly from the radially outer surface of the tower section, wherein the profile sensor provides an indication of a depth of the dent relative to a reference line forming an extension of an outer circular profile defined by the radially outer surface of the tower section as the plunger is being actuated, the controller being communicatively coupled to the profile sensor such that the controller actively monitors the depth of the dent relative to the reference line during dent removal operations,
wherein the controller actively controls the linear actuation of the plunger based at least in part on the indications of depth obtained from the profile sensor during dent removal operations.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator is configured to convert rotational motion into linear actuation of the plunger.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a threaded rod and a threaded nut configured to engage the threaded rod, wherein, when the threaded nut is rotated, the threaded rod is configured to linearly actuate the plunger.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a driver device configured to rotationally drive the linear actuator, the controller being configured to control the operation of the driver device so as to control the linear actuation of the plunger.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the linear actuation of the plunger based on the monitored load.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the monitored load to a predetermined load threshold associated with repairing the dent, the controller being configured to control the linear actuation of the plunger such that the monitored load does not exceed the predetermined load threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the profile sensor is configured to provide a periodic indication of the depth of the dent as the plunger is being actuated.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the profile sensor comprises one of a camera or a laser sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the profile sensor forms part of a sensor assembly installed in contact with the exterior of the tower section, the sensor assembly including at least one guide rail configured to support the profile sensor relative to the radially outer surface of the tower section.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the profile sensor is configured to be moved relative to the at least one guide rail to allow the profile sensor to be scanned across a location of the dent.

11. A system for repairing dents in a tower section of a wind turbine, the tower section including a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, the system comprising:
a dent repair tool configured to perform a dent removal operation, the dent repair tool comprising:
a tool hub;
first and second support arms coupled to the tool hub so as to extend radially outwardly therefrom;
an actuator arm configured to extend radially outwardly from the tool hub between a first end and a second end, the actuator arm including an arm base coupled to the tool hub at the first end and a plunger disposed at the second end, the actuator arm further including a linear actuator coupled between the arm base and the plunger,

wherein, when the tool is installed within the tower section, the linear actuator is configured to linearly actuate the plunger relative to the tool hub such that the plunger applies a radially outwardly force against the radially inner surface of the tower section at or adjacent to a location of a dent formed in the tower section, and
a profile sensor configured to provide an indication of a status of the dent removal operation, the profile sensor comprising:
a light source coupled to the tower section adjacent the dent, and
a receiver coupled to the tower section adjacent the dent and positioned relative to the light source such that the receiver receives light from the light source when an unobstructed light path is defined between the light source and the receiver,

wherein actuation of the plunger is controlled based on whether the unobstructed light path is defined between the light source and the receiver.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the linear actuator is configured to convert rotational motion into linear actuation of the plunger.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a threaded rod and a threaded nut configured to engage the threaded rod, wherein, when the threaded nut is rotated, the threaded rod is configured to linearly actuate the plunger.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a load sensor provided in operative association with the actuator al in, the load sensor being configured to provide an indication of a load associated with the radially outward force applied against the radially inner surface of the tower section by the plunger.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second support arms and the actuator arm are each pivotally coupled to the tool hub.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the light source and the receiver are coupled to the radially outer surface of the tower section.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the light source and the receiver are coupled to the radially inner surface of the tower section.

18. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the profile sensor, the controller being configured to actively control the linear actuation of the plunger based at least in part on a determination of whether the unobstructed light path is defined between the light source and the receiver.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control the linear actuation of the plunger such that the plunger continues to apply the radially outwardly force against the radially inner surface of the tower section until the unobstructed light path is no longer defined between the light source and the receiver.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control the linear actuation of the plunger such that the plunger continues to apply the radially outwardly force against the radially inner surface of the tower section until the unobstructed light path is detected between the light source and the receiver.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Karesangannavar Suneel Basavaraj
• Nanukuttan Biju
• Nadampalli Narasimhamurthy Raju
• Raghunandan Chickballapur Venkatakrishnappa
• Hiremath Vijaykumar Muppayya
• Sampagavi Manjunath Basavanneppa

Classifications

• F05B2270/808

  Strain gauges; Load cells · CPC title

• B21D3/16

  of specific articles made from metal rods, tubes, or profiles, e.g. crankshafts, by specially adapted methods or means · CPC title

• Y02P70/523

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• E04H12/34

  Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like · CPC title

• F05B2270/821

  Displacement measuring means, e.g. inductive · CPC title