Uptower wind turbine component replacement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10851764-B2
Application number	US-201815891099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Oct 4, 2013
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A method for performing uptower maintenance of a wind turbine in order to replace the main bearing on the turbine shaft is disclosed. Embodiments of this method to perform maintenance may include installing a rotor lock to resist rotation of the main shaft during maintenance, providing a lifting device in order to elevate the main shaft, removing the main bearing from its main bearing housing, and installing a replacement split main bearing. A crane may also be installed uptower to assist in the maintenance.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for performing maintenance of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
removing at least one cover to expose a main bearing which has been press-fit on a main shaft, the main bearing is removable from the main shaft by a press process at a repair shop after extraction of the main shaft and main bearing assembly from the wind turbine;
removing the main bearing from the main shaft by destructively cutting the main bearing from the main shaft while the main shaft is mechanically coupled at a first end to one or more blades in the wind turbine and the main shaft is mechanically coupled at a second end to a gear box installed in the wind turbine; and
installing a split main bearing to the main shaft while the main shaft is mechanically coupled to the blades at the first end and to the gear box at the second end.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to destructively cutting, sliding the main bearing over the main shaft in order to avoid damaging a position on the main shaft in which the main bearing is designed to operate.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
installing a replacement bottom portion of the main bearing housing and a replacement top portion of the main bearing housing to hold the split main bearing.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the installing a split main bearing to the main shaft, the split main bearing consisting of a pair of semicircular inner races, and a pair of semicircular outer races, and at least one pair of rollers to rotate between the pair of semicircular inner races and the pair of semicircular outer races.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the one or more blades in the wind turbine connected to the main shaft and a nacelle housing for enclosing components of the wind turbine including at least a portion of the main shaft and the main bearing and affixing a crane to the nacelle housing, the crane operable to maneuver and lift components of the wind turbine.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the crane is sectionable into components and, wherein said affixing further comprises assembling the components of the crane uptower.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
installing a rotor lock in order to resist rotation of the main shaft during maintenance of the wind turbine, wherein the rotor lock circumscribes at least a portion of the main shaft when installed; and
providing a lifting device in order to elevate the main shaft to a clearance height.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rotor lock is installed between the blades in the wind turbine and a main bearing housing.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the clearance height is greater than one half inch.

10. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
removing the main bearing and a top half bearing housing and a bottom half bearing housing of the main bearing housing;
repairing the main shaft after the main bearing and the top half bearing housing and the bottom half bearing housing of the main bearing housing are removed, and before the installing a replacement top portion and a replacement bottom portion of the bearing housing and the split main bearing are installed.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein repairing the main shaft includes repairing damage to the main shaft in order to reestablish an operating outer diameter of the main shaft.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
removing a main bearing housing; and

wherein the installing a rotor lock, the providing a lifting device, the removing the main bearing housing, the removing the main bearing, the installing a split main bearing, and a replacement top portion of the main bearing housing occur uptower on the wind turbine.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said installing the split main bearing comprises installing a replacement bottom portion, securing a pair of semicircular inner races about the main shaft, positioning at least one pair of rollers about the pair of semicircular inner races, and securing a pair of semicircular outer races about the at least one pair of rollers thereby securing the pair of semicircular inner races, the at least one pair of rollers, and the pair of semicircular outer races together about the main shaft, lowering the main shaft, and installing a replacement top portion bearing.

14. The method of claim 5 , further comprising an additional crane on the nacelle housing, the crane and the additional crane operable to maneuver and lift components of the wind turbine.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the crane is utilized for lifting and positioning the additional crane.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the additional crane is divisible into components, and wherein the crane is operable to lift and position the components in order to assemble the additional crane.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the components of the additional crane individually weigh 50 lbs or less.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing the main bearing from the main shaft by destructively cutting the main bearing from the main shaft by one of drilling, sawing or grinding.

Assignees

• Inventus Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Lohan Martin E
• Fenger Per Eske
• Asheim Charles
• Gonzalez Miguel A
• Brake Daniel M

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2260/31

  Locking rotor in position · CPC title

• F16C35/06

  Mounting {or dismounting} of ball or roller bearings; Fixing them onto shaft or in housing · CPC title

• F05B2230/70

  Disassembly methods · CPC title

• Y02B10/30

  Wind power · CPC title