System and method for replacing a pitch bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821417-B2
Application number	US-201514706458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for removing or installing a pitch bearing of a wind turbine. The method includes installing a first pulley block at an up-tower location of the wind turbine and configuring a second pulley block with the pitch bearing. A pulley cable is routed from a ground location over the first pulley block to the second pulley block such that the second pulley block is configured to slide along the pulley cable. The method also includes rotating the pitch bearing to a tilted position. Thus, the method further includes lowering or lifting the pitch bearing in the tilted position so as to prevent the pitch bearing from colliding with the tower.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for removing a pitch bearing operatively coupled between a rotor blade and a hub of a wind turbine, the hub configured atop a tower of the wind turbine, the method comprising:
installing a first pulley block at an up-tower location of the wind turbine;
securing a rigging system to the pitch bearing, the rigging system of the pitch bearing comprising a cable hoist secured to a trailing edge of the pitch bearing;
securing a second pulley block to a central connection point of the rigging system;
routing a pulley cable from a ground location over the first pulley block to the second pulley block such that the second pulley block is configured to slide along the pulley cable;
removing the pitch bearing from between the hub and the rotor blade in a substantially horizontal position;
rotating the pitch bearing to a tilted position via the cable hoist, wherein the tilted position comprises a leading edge of the pitch bearing being lower than the trailing edge of the pitch beating; and,
lowering the pitch bearing from atop the tower in the tilted position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the pulley cable to a ground winch at the ground location.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching a tag line to the leading edge of the pitch bearing to control the pitch bearing during lowering.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the pitch bearing and the rotor blade in a substantially six o'clock position.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
separating the rotor blade from the pitch bearing, and
lowering the rotor blade an initial vertical distance from the hub before attaching the first pulley block.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cable hoist is configured to rotate the pitch bearing between the tilted position and the horizontal position.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cable hoist comprises a battery-operated cable hoist that is configured to adjust a length of a cable connected between the pulley cable and the pitch bearing so as to tilt one edge of the pitch bearing with respect to an opposite edge of the pitch bearing.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the cable hoist via a remote control.

9. A method for installing a pitch bearing of a wind turbine; the method comprising:
installing a first pulley block at an up-tower location of the wind turbine;
securing a rigging system to the pitch bearing, the rigging system of the pitch bearing comprising a cable hoist secured to a trailing edge of the pitch bearing;
securing a second pulley block to a central connection point of the rigging system;
attaching a pulley cable from a ground location over the first pulley block to the pitch bearing the second pulley block such that the second pulley block is configured to slide along the pulley cable;
rotating the pitch bearing to a tilted position via the cable hoist, wherein the tilted position comprises a leading edge of the pitch bearing being higher than the trailing edge of the pitch bearing;
lifting the pitch bearing to a vertical height substantially equal to an opening between a hub and a rotor blade of the wind turbine;
rotating the pitch bearing to a substantially horizontal position; and,
inserting the pitch bearing into the opening.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising positioning the rotor blade in a substantially six o'clock position before lifting the pitch bearing.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising securing the pitch bearing to the hub and securing the rotor blade to the pitch bearing.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising attaching the pulley cable to a ground winch at the ground location.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cable hoist is configured to rotate the pitch bearing between the tilted position and the horizontal position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cable hoist comprises a battery-operated cable hoist that is configured to adjust a length of a cable connected between the pulley cable and the pitch bearing so as to tilt one edge of the pitch bearing with respect to an opposite edge of the pitch bearing.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising controlling the cable hoist via a remote control.

16. A pulley system for removing or installing a pitch bearing of a wind turbine, the pulley system comprising:
a first pulley block located at an up-tower location of the wind turbine;
a rigging system secured to the pitch bearing;
a second pulley block secured to a central connection point of the rigging system of the pitch bearing;
a pulley cable extending from a ground location over the first pulley block to the rigging system of the pitch bearing and routed through the second pulley block such that the second pulley block is configured to slide along the pulley cable; and,
a cable hoist configured with the rigging system of the pitch bearing and secured to a trailing edge of the pitch bearing, the cable hoist configured to rotate the pitch bearing between a tilted position and a horizontal position,
wherein the pulley system is configured to lift or lower the pitch bearing between a support surface of the wind turbine and a vertical height substantially equal to an opening between a hub and a rotor blade of the wind turbine.

17. The pulley system of claim 16 , wherein the ground location comprises a ground winch.

18. The pulley system of claim 16 , further comprising a tag line configured with the pitch bearing so as to control the pitch bearing during removing or installing.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Neumann Ulrich Werner
• Davis Adam S
• Pfeiffer Gaylon Mitchell
• Johnson Michael R
• Hach Forrest Christopher
• Costain Kevin
• Willman Stephanie
• Wilmot Theodore Steven

Classifications

• F03D13/10

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

• F03D80/50

  Maintenance or repair · CPC title

• B66D1/00

  Rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms; Capstans (portable or mobile lifting or hauling appliances B66D3/00) · CPC title

• B66D2700/026

  Pulleys, sheaves, pulley blocks or their mounting · CPC title

• F03D1/0658 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub · CPC title