Method and a system for mounting a rotor to a drive shaft of a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022092-B2
Application number	US-201616060092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A method for mounting a rotor to a drive shaft of a wind turbine, the method comprising placing a hub on a surface, attaching a first, a second, and a third rotor blade to the hub to thereby make a rotor in situ. To protect the blades and to avoid fixed lifting lugs on the rotor, the method includes the step of wrapping a sling about each of the blades, attaching each sling to a fitting, lifting each fitting to thereby raise the rotor from the surface, and attaching the rotor to the drive shaft while the position and orientation of the rotor is controlled by the slings.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for mounting a rotor to a drive shaft of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
supporting a hub on a surface,
attaching a first, a second, and a third rotor blade to the hub to thereby make the rotor in situ,
wrapping a first, a second, and a third sling about the first, the second, and the third rotor blades, respectively, adjacent a root end of the first, the second, and the third rotor blades,
attaching each of the first, the second, and the third slings to one or more fittings,
lifting the one or more fittings to thereby raise the rotor from the surface, and
attaching the rotor to the drive shaft while the position and orientation of the rotor are controlled by the first, the second, and the third slings.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, the second, and the third slings is wrapped more than 360 degrees about its respective rotor blade.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the rotor is controlled by changing a distance from the at least one fitting to one of the first, the second, or the third rotor blades which thereby becomes a controlled rotor blade.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the distance from the at least one fitting to the controlled rotor blade is changed by changing a distance between the at least one fitting and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third sling which is wrapped about the controlled blade, the respective one of the first, the second, or the third sling thereby becoming a controlled sling.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the distance between the at least one fitting and the controlled sling is changed by use of a power driven actuator.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the controlled sling is attached to the at least one fitting via a pulley block, and wherein the power driven actuator is attached between the at least one fitting and the pulley block of the controlled sling.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the rotor is protected against contact with the controlled sling by a shield which is removed from the rotor when the rotor is mounted to the drive shaft.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the shield is held by the controlled sling.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one fitting is a single fitting, and wherein each of the first, the second, and the third slings is attached to the single fitting.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein each of the first, the second, and the third slings is assembled in one point and attached to the single fitting.

11. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the one of the first, the second, or the third sling that is the controlled sling is wrapped one turn about the controlled blade and the others of the first, the second, and the third slings not the controlled sling are wrapped two turns about their respective rotor blades.

12. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the one of the first, the second, or the third sling that is the controlled sling is connected to the at least one fitting via an actuator without a pulley block and the others of the first, the second, and the third slings not the controlled sling are connected to the at least one fitting via a pulley block.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, the second, or the third sling is attached to the at least one fitting via a pulley block.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor forms a flange for attachment to the drive shaft and thereby defines a rotor axis about which the rotor is configured to rotate when attached to the drive shaft, and where the rotor is carried by a stand on the surface.

15. A system for mounting a rotor to a drive shaft of a wind turbine, the rotor having a hub and a first, a second, and a third blade attached to and extending from the hub, the system comprising:
a first,
a second, and a third sling, wherein each of the first, second and third slings is configured to be wrapped around a root end of the first, second, and third rotor blades, respectively,
a fitting for attaching the first, the second, and the third slings to a crane cable,
a first pulley block disposed between the fitting and the first sling for allowing the first sling to move relative to the fitting;
a second pulley block disposed between the fitting and the second sling for allowing the second sling to move relative to the fitting; and
an actuator disposed between the fitting and the third sling for changing the distance between the fitting and the third sling to thereby enable controlling of the orientation of the rotor which is lifted by the first the second, and the third slings.

16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising a shield which is attachable to the rotor or to the third sling and which is suitable for protecting the rotor against contact with the third sling.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the shield forms a curved track for receiving slings the third sling during reorientation of the rotor.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the movement of the first sling relative to the first pully block is independent of the movement of the second sling relative to the second pulley block.

19. A combination, comprising:
a wind turbine blade rotor having a hub and a first, a second, and a third blade attached to and extending from the hub; and
the system according to claim 15 for mounting the rotor to a drive shaft of the wind turbine, wherein the first, the second, and the third slings are wrapped about the root end of the first blade, the second blade, and the third blade, respectively.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Pedersen Gunnar K Storgaard

Classifications

• B66C1/108 Primary

  for lifting parts of wind turbines · CPC title

• B66C1/12

  Slings comprising chains, wires, ropes, or bands; Nets (article side grippers suspended by ropes or chains from crane hooks B66C1/42) · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• F05B2230/61

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• F03D1/06

  Rotors · CPC title