Modular Transportation and Storage System for a Wind Turbine Rotor Blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018073488-A1
Application number	US-201615565278-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular transportation and storage system for a wind turbine rotor blade comprising a first and a second tip end receptacle ( 112, 160 ) for supporting the blade, a tip end frame ( 111 ) for receiving any of the first and second tip end receptacles, wherein the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ) is adapted for supporting the blade ( 10 ) in a substantially vertical position, and wherein the second tip end receptacle ( 160 ) is adapted for supporting the blade in a substantially horizontal position.

First claim

1 . Modular transportation and storage system for a wind turbine rotor blade ( 10 ) having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end ( 17 ), a root region ( 30 ), an airfoil region ( 34 ) with a tip ( 14 ), a pressure side ( 24 ), a suction side ( 26 ) and a chord line ( 60 ) extending between a leading edge ( 18 ) and a trailing edge ( 20 ), the system comprising
a first and a second tip end receptacle ( 112 , 160 ), each tip end receptacle comprising an upwardly open tip end receiving space for receiving a portion of the tip end of the blade and having a supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ) for supporting the blade, a tip end frame ( 111 ) comprising an upwardly open receptacle-receiving space ( 150 ) for receiving any of the first and second tip end receptacles and provided with positioning means for positioning any of the first and second tip end receptacles ( 112 , 160 ) in the tip end frame, wherein the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ) is adapted for supporting the blade ( 10 ) in a position in which the maximum chord line ( 60 ) of the blade ( 10 ) forms an angle of 0-40° with vertical, and wherein the second tip end receptacle ( 160 ) is adapted for supporting the blade in a position in which the maximum chord line ( 60 ) of the blade ( 10 ) forms an angle of 45-90° with vertical.

2 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured so that the first tip end receptacle and the second tip end receptacle are exchangeable in the tip end frame.

3 . System according to claim 2 , wherein the first tip end receptacle is adapted for supporting the blade in a position in which the maximum chord line forms an angle of 0-25° with vertical, and wherein the second tip end receptacle is adapted for supporting the blade in a position in which the maximum chord line forms an angle of 65-90° with vertical.

4 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the tip end frame comprises
a first lateral frame part ( 131 ) and a second lateral frame part ( 132 ) being laterally spaced apart and being mutually rigidly connected by means of transversely extending and interspaced transverse frame parts ( 133 , 134 ) being upwardly open so as not to interfere with a blade arranged in a tip end receptacle ( 112 , 160 ) received in the receptacle-receiving space ( 150 ) of the tip end frame ( 111 ), and a base part ( 135 ) defining a bottom surface ( 136 ) allowing the first tip end frame to rest upright on a substantially horizontal surface, such as the ground.

5 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting surface ( 123 ) of the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ) is shaped so as to support a portion of the leading edge ( 18 ) and/or trailing edge ( 20 ) and an adjacent portion of the suction side ( 26 ) and/or an adjacent portion of the pressure side ( 24 ) of the blade.

6 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the second tip end receptacle ( 160 ) comprises an upwardly open, wedge-shaped, rigid structure with two opposing faces ( 162 , 164 ) tapering towards a lower edge ( 166 ).

7 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the tip end frame ( 111 ) comprises lower stacking means ( 139 ) in a base part thereof and upper stacking means ( 139 ′) at a top thereof, said lower stacking means being arranged so as to be connected with the upper stacking means by means of locking means to allow stacking of a first tip end frame on top of a second tip end frame, said lower stacking means defining at least a portion of the bottom surface ( 136 ) of the tip end frame.

8 . System according to claim 7 , wherein the lower and the upper stacking means ( 139 ) are standard container corners being interspaced by a distance corresponding to a standard used in transportation and/or handling of containers.

9 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the first tip end receptacle comprises a strap device ( 126 ) comprising one or more straps and extending above the blade between lateral portions of the tip end receptacle ( 112 ).

10 . System according to claim 9 , wherein the strap device ( 126 ) comprises at least one contact member ( 129 ) preferably having a surface of a non-scratching material and being adapted to be in contact with the blade opposite the tip end-supporting surface ( 123 ) of the receiving space ( 122 ) of the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ).

11 . System according to claim 1 , wherein the tip end frame ( 111 ) comprises connecting means for releasably connecting any of the tip end receptacles ( 112 , 160 ) with the tip end frame.

12 . System according to claim 4 , wherein the transverse frame parts ( 133 , 134 ) of the tip end frame ( 111 ) are longitudinally interspaced so that inwardly facing surfaces thereof provide longitudinal positioning means for the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ) and wherein the transverse frames parts ( 133 , 134 ) are interconnected by means of connections means, such as interspaced and preferably parallel bars ( 147 , 149 ) forming a support for the lower surface of the first tip end receptacle ( 112 ) and by means of interspaced bars ( 146 , 148 ) with inwardly facing surfaces providing lateral positioning means for the first tip end receptacle.

13 . System according to claim 1 further comprising a root end transport frame comprising a frame body ( 154 ) and a root end plate for coupling to the root end of a wind turbine blade ( 10 ).

14 . System according to claim 13 , wherein the root end plate is attachable to the frame body ( 154 ) in a plurality of rotational positions.

15 . System according to claim 13 , wherein the root end plate is attachable to the root end of a wind turbine blade ( 10 ) in a plurality of rotational positions.

16 . System according to claim 13 , wherein the frame body ( 154 ) of the root end transport frame comprises lower stacking means at a bottom surface thereof and upper stacking means at a top thereof, said lower stacking means arranged so as to be connected with the upper stacking means to allow stacking of a first frame body on top of a second frame body, said lower stacking means defining at least a portion of the bottom surface of the frame body, allowing the frame body to rest on a substantially horizontal surface, such as the ground.

17 . System according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and a second tip end receptacle ( 112 , 160 ) are provided with one or more drainage channels ( 190 ) formed in the supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ) thereof.

18 . System according to claim 17 , wherein the drainage channels at most are formed in 25%, or at most 20% or at most 15% of the supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ).

19 . System according to claim 17 , wherein the one or more drainage channels ( 190 ) are configured to communicate with drainage bore ( 192 ), e.g. which are configured to drain fluids to a surface opposing the supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ).

20 . A tip end receptacle ( 112 , 160 ) comprising an upwardly open tip end receiving space for receiving a portion of the tip end of the blade and having a supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ) for supporting the blade, wherein the tip end receptacle ( 112 , 160 ) is provided with one or more drainage channels ( 190 ) formed in the supporting surface ( 123 , 169 ) thereof.

Assignees

• Lm Wp Patent Holding As

Inventors

• Van Der Zee Jacobus
• Hakansson Anne Rothe

Classifications

• F03D13/40 Primary

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components · CPC title

• B60P7/0823

  Straps; Tighteners · CPC title

• B60P3/40

  for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements ({E04G21/14 takes precedence}; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02) · CPC title

• F03D1/0675

  of the blades · CPC title

• F05B2260/02

  Transport, e.g. specific adaptations or devices for conveyance · CPC title