Wind turbine with a transportation system for moving drive train components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280318-B2
Application number	US-201816640194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Aug 29, 2017
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A wind turbine (1) comprising a tower (2) and one or more nacelles (3) mounted on the tower (2) is disclosed, at least one of the nacelle(s) (3) housing one or more drive train components (9,10,11) and a transportation system for moving drive train components (9,10,11) of the wind turbine (1). The transportation system comprises one or more sliding rails (15) configured to carry a drive train component (9, 10,11) during movement, and one or more sledges (19). Each sledge (19) is movably connected to a sliding rail (15), and configured to be attached to a drive train component (9,10,11), thereby allowing the drive train component (9,10,11) to move along the sliding rail(s) (15). Each sliding rail (15) comprises two or more rail modules (6,13,14) being detachably connected to each other along a direction of movement defined by the sliding rail (15).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower,
at least one nacelle mounted on the tower and housing a plurality of drive train components, and
a transportation system for moving at least one drive train component of the plurality of drive train components of the wind turbine, the transportation system comprising:
at least one sliding rail configured to carry the at least one drive train component during movement, and
at least one sledge connected to the at least one sliding rail and being configured to be attached to the at least one drive train component, thereby allowing the at least one drive train component to move along the at least one sliding rail,
wherein the at least one sliding rail comprises two or more rail modules being detachably connected to each other along a longitudinal direction of the at least one sliding rail, and
wherein one of the two or more rail modules of the at least one sliding rail is attached directly to one of the plurality of drive train components.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , further comprising a support structure arranged to support the at least one sliding rail at one end, the support structure being arranged between the at least one sliding rail and a load carrying structure of the nacelle.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting an inclination of the at least one sliding rail relative to the nacelle.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sliding rail extends along a direction which is substantially parallel to a direction defined by a main shaft of the wind turbine.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sliding rail comprises at least two sliding rails extending below a centre of gravity of the plurality of drive train components.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sledge comprises:
a guiding part comprising a guiding track, the guiding part being configured to be mounted movably on the at least one sliding rail, and
a mating part comprising a protruding part being arranged in engagement with the guiding track of the guiding part, the mating part being configured to be attached to the at least one drive train component, wherein relative movement between the guiding part and the mating part of the at least one sledge causes a change in orientation of the at least one drive train component having the at least one sledge attached thereto, relative to the at least one sliding rail, due to the protruding part of the mating part moving along the guiding track of the guiding part.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of drive train components is provided with at least one interface portion configured to have one of the two or more rail modules attached thereto.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sliding rail is configured to support the at least one drive train component during movement.

9. A transportation system for use in a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a tower, and at least one nacelle mounted on the tower and housing a plurality of drive train components, the transportation system for moving at least one drive train component of the plurality of drive train components and comprising:
at least one sliding rail configured to carry the at least one drive train component during movement, and
at least one sledge connected to the at least one sliding rail and being configured to be attached to the at least one drive train component, thereby allowing the at least one drive train component to move along the at least one sliding rail,
wherein the at least one sliding rail comprises two or more rail modules being detachably connected to each other along a longitudinal direction of the at least one sliding rail, and
wherein one of the two or more rail modules of the at least one sliding rail is attached directly to one of the plurality of drive train components.

10. A method for unmounting a drive train component of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a tower and at least one nacelle mounted on the tower and housing a plurality of drive train components, the method comprising the steps of:
mounting a first rail module of at least one sliding rail on a first drive train component of the plurality of drive train components,
attaching at least a second rail module to the first rail module, thereby forming the at least one sliding rail,
movably mounting at least one sledge on the at least one sliding rail,
attaching the at least one sledge to a second drive train component of the plurality of drive train components to be unmounted,
detaching the second drive train component to be unmounted from one of the plurality of drive train components, and
moving the second drive train component to be unmounted along the at least one sliding rail by means of the at least one sledge.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of adjusting an inclination of the at least one sliding rail, prior to moving the second drive train component to be unmounted.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of dismantling the at least one sliding rail when moving of the second drive train component to be unmounted has been completed.

13. A method for mounting a drive train component in a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a tower and at least one nacelle mounted on the tower and housing a plurality of drive train components, the method comprising the steps of:
mounting a first rail module of at least one sliding rail on a first drive train component of the plurality of drive train components,
attaching at least a second rail module to the first rail module, thereby forming the at least one sliding rail,
movably mounting at least one sledge on the at least one sliding rail,
attaching the at least one sledge to a second drive train component of the plurality of drive train components to be mounted,
moving the second drive train component to be mounted along the at least one sliding rail by means of the at least one sledge, and
attaching the second drive train component to be mounted to one of the plurality of drive train components.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of adjusting an orientation of the second drive train component to be mounted relative to a main shaft of the wind turbine prior to attaching the second drive train component to be mounted to the one of the plurality of drive train components.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Cingolani Riccardo
• Kofman Joris
• Rahbek Kim Bredo

Classifications

• F03D80/80 Primary

  Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers · CPC title

• B66C23/207

  with supporting couples provided by wind turbines · CPC title

• F05B2230/61

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D15/00

  Transmission of mechanical power · CPC title