Method and device for blade replacement in wind turbines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010622-A1
Application number	US-201514748807-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method and device for replacing a blade ( 13 ) in wind turbines that comprises two elements, one upper ( 1 ) and the other lower ( 2 ) that work together to raise and/or lower the blade ( 13 ) of a wind turbine. The device's upper element or “top” ( 1 ) comprises some elements ( 4 ) bolted to the bearing ( 3 ) of the wind turbine and some means of fastening ( 5 ) the blade ( 13 ), while the lower element or “ground” ( 2 ) is a structure that encompasses the wind turbine tower ( 8 ) and has at least two winches ( 2.5 ) and two deviation pulleys ( 2.4 ) to connect some cables ( 6 ) between the device elements, namely the “top” ( 1 ) and “ground” ( 2 ).

First claim

1 . Wind turbine blade replacement device, of that sort used in maintenance or installation tasks at wind farms, characterized because it comprises two elements ( 1 , 2 ) that work together to guarantee the correct elevation/descent of the wind turbine blade ( 13 ), namely a “top” element ( 1 ) positioned between the hub ( 15 ) and the wind turbine blades ( 13 ), and a “ground” element ( 2 ) positioned at the base of the wind turbine tower ( 8 ).

2 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the “top” element ( 1 ) comprising two parts ( 4 , 5 ), one ( 4 ) that is fastened on the bearing ( 3 ) of the hub ( 15 ) and the other ( 5 ) in the form of the flange that encompasses the root ( 7 ) of the blade ( 13 ).

3 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the part ( 4 ) of the “top” element ( 1 ) that is fastened on the blade bearing ( 3 ) has various horizontal deviation pulleys ( 4 . 2 ) and vertical deviation pulleys ( 4 . 1 ), and various fastening elements. ( 4 . 3 ) for the cable ( 6 ), which are placed on the outer track of the bearing ( 3 ) of the blade on the hub ( 15 ) and whose function is to support, drive and fasten the cables ( 6 ) that rise from the winches ( 2 . 5 ) at the “ground” element ( 2 ) and attached to the flange ( 5 ) for the blade ( 13 ) on the “top” element ( 1 ).

4 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the flange ( 5 ) for the blade ( 13 ) on “top” element ( 1 ) consists of two segments of pulley ( 5 . 1 ) and at least two joint segments ( 5 . 2 ), bolted together with some fastening bolts ( 5 . 3 ) that, in cooperation with some shims ( 5 . 4 ), enable the diameter of the flange ( 5 ) to be adjusted to the diameter of the root ( 7 ) of the blade ( 13 ).

5 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the segments of the pulley ( 5 . 1 ) comprises a pulley ( 9 ) and a reinforcement element ( 10 ).

6 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the “ground” element ( 2 ) consisting of a structure ( 2 . 1 ) formed by sections comprising some fixed rollers ( 2 . 2 ), a centering roller ( 2 . 3 ), some deviation pulleys ( 2 . 4 ), some winches ( 2 . 5 ), a dismountable structure ( 2 . 1 ), a counterweight ( 2 . 6 ), an electrical panel ( 2 . 7 ) and control elements such as an inclinometer (not represented) and some load cells (not represented) mounted on the return pulleys ( 2 . 4 ) of the counterweights ( 2 . 6 ) for controlling the tension in the cable ( 6 ).

7 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the main section of the structure ( 2 . 1 ) supports the winches ( 2 . 5 ), electrical panel ( 2 . 7 ) and the fixed rollers ( 2 . 2 ), and is positioned at the head, at the base of the tower ( 8 ).

8 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the parallel sections of the structure ( 2 . 1 ) are symmetrical and bolted to the main section perpendicular to it.

9 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the counterweights ( 2 . 6 ) are placed on the ends of the parallel sections and a front section equipped with an adjustable centering roller ( 2 . 3 ) is placed between them.

10 . Wind turbine blade replacement device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the electrical panel ( 2 . 7 ) has a startup push-button and an emergency push-button (not represented), a touchscreen (not represented) to view the status of the various elements constituting the blade ( 13 ) replacement device in addition to indicators for the tension and movement of the cable ( 6 ) connected to the load cells of the pulleys ( 2 . 4 ) for the counterweights ( 2 . 6 ), a selector and some alarm pilot lights for the operation of the winches ( 2 . 5 ).

11 . Method of replacing the wind turbine blade of the sort that uses a device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the descent of the blade ( 13 ) entails the following steps:
Place the “ground” element ( 2 ) of the replacement device for the blade ( 13 ) at the tower base ( 8 ). Mount the flange ( 5 ) of the “top” element ( 1 ) onto the root ( 7 ) of the blade ( 13 ) intended for replacement/repair. Position the blade ( 13 ) vertical, pointing up, or horizontal. Turn the wind turbine rotor until the blade ( 13 ) is in the horizontal position downward. Hoist the cables ( 6 ) from the “ground” element ( 2 ) with an auxiliary crane (not represented) located on the wind turbine nacelle ( 14 ). Run the cables ( 6 ) through the pulleys ( 9 ) at the pulley segments ( 5 . 1 ) of the flange ( 5 ) of the “top” element ( 1 ) on the root ( 7 ) of the blade ( 13 ) and through the horizontal deviation pulleys ( 4 . 2 ) and vertical deviation pulleys ( 4 . 1 ), and then secure them to the fastening elements ( 4 . 3 ) of the part ( 4 ) on the “top” element ( 1 ) fastened onto the blade bearing ( 3 ). Detach the fastening of the auxiliary crane (not represented) located on the wind turbine nacelle ( 14 ). Guide a retention tool (not represented) on the blade with a conventional retention system (not represented). Unbolt the blade ( 13 ) from the bearing ( 3 ) of the wind turbine hub ( 15 ). Lower the blade ( 13 ) by engaging the winches ( 2 . 5 ) at the “ground” element ( 2 ) of the replacement device for the blade ( 13 ), assisted by a conventional retention system (not represented), and then position it horizontally on the ground.

12 . Method of replacing a wind turbine blade according to claim 11 , characterized in that the hoisting of the blade ( 13 ) follows the steps for lowering the blade ( 13 ) in the reverse order.

Assignees

• Gamesa Innovation & Tech Sl

Inventors

• Modrego Jimenez Raul

Classifications

• F03D13/10

  Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors · CPC title

• F03D80/70

  Bearing or lubricating arrangements · CPC title

• F03D13/20

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

• F03D80/50 Primary

  Maintenance or repair · CPC title

• Y02E10/728

  Onshore wind turbines · CPC title