General Electric Company

Gregory Clarence Thomas

Darrick Adam Vanderwalker

Hunter Ryan Anderson

Richard Arland Ohl, Jr

Michael Royce Johnson

Jonathan Paul Signore

Brian William Manikas

Kevin Tyler Eherts

Michael Frederick Sander

Waylon James Esser

Paul Howard Davidson

Michael Garry

Brian Thomas Misavage

Joshua Adam Klinghagen

Ulrich Werner Neumann

John Thomas Murphy

Charles Van Buchan

Rong Li

Gaylon Mitchell Pfeiffer

Priyangu Chunilal Patel

Forrest Christopher Hach

Stephanie Lohberg Willman

Don Conrad Johnson

Adam Sean Davis

Lawrence Keith Taliaferro, Jr

Kathleen Lynne Bentzel

Rodney Robert Redd, Ii

Santiago Murcia

Dean Thomas Roney

Arianna Abram

Jawan Qadir

Cody Gregory

Nicolas Joseph Cleveland

Guido Van Duelmen

Andreas Thal

Richard Jenkins

Nicholas Joseph Cleveland

Charles Wade Trojcak

Richard Arland Ohl

Rodney Robert Ii Redd

The present disclosure is directed to a system and methods for the service and exchange of a yaw bearing for a machine head of a wind turbine. The yaw bearing servicing and exchange system has a support stand. The support stand includes a base assembly and at least one support post extending perpendicularly from the base assembly. The support stand also includes at least one first post cap removably coupled to the support post and at least one leveler operably coupled to the at least one first post cap for establishing a level orientation of a support surface with respect to a horizontal plane.

System and method for the service and exchange of a yaw bearing for a machine head of a wind turbine

A method and associated system are provided for removing a drive train component, such as a gearbox, from a rotor shaft uptower in a wind turbine, wherein the component is supported by transversely extending mounting arms at mount locations on the wind turbine frame. The drive train component is supported from above or below and the mount locations. At each mount location, a removal fixture is installed that includes an actuator that moves linearly essentially parallel to the rotor shaft. The mounting arms are simultaneously engaged with the respective actuators, which are controlled to linearly push the mounting arms until the drive train component disengages from the rotor shaft.

System and method for removal of a wind turbine gearbox from a main rotor shaft

An external ladder assembly for a nacelle of a wind turbine includes at least one ladder having parallel side legs and a plurality of rungs arranged between the parallel side legs. The ladder assembly also includes a ladder platform arranged with the ladder and configured for placement atop the nacelle. Further, the ladder assembly includes a mounting assembly for affixing the ladder platform atop the nacelle. More specifically, the mounting assembly is adjustable between multiple positions so as to level the ladder platform atop the nacelle. Thus, the ladder assembly provides access to one or more uptower, external features of the wind turbine.

External ladder assembly for wind turbine nacelle

A method for detaching or installing a rotor blade from or to a hub of a wind turbine includes positioning the rotor blade toward a ground location between a three o'clock position and a nine o'clock position. The method also includes mounting a mechanical arm to an uptower location of the wind turbine. Further, the mechanical arm includes a torqueing tool at a distal end thereof. Thus, the method also includes removing or installing, via the torqueing tool, each of the plurality of hub fasteners so as to detach or attach the rotor blade from or to the hub.

System and method for removing or installing rotor blade hardware of a wind turbine

The present disclosure is directed to a working platform mounted within a nacelle of the wind turbine during a repair procedure. More specifically, the working platform may be mounted to a bedplate within the nacelle in an area where one or more drivetrain component(s) would normally be during operation of the wind turbine, but have been removed due to repair or replacement thereof.

Working platform within a nacelle of a wind turbine

A disassembled wind turbine under repair includes a tower secured to a foundation and a nacelle mounted atop the tower. The nacelle includes a base wall, side walls, a front wall, a rear wall, and a top wall. The front wall includes an opening configured to receive a main shaft of the wind turbine; however, the main shaft and a rotor of the wind turbine have been removed from the nacelle during a repair procedure. As such, the disassembled wind turbine further includes an external platform assembly secured at the opening of the front wall of the nacelle during the repair procedure.

External platform assembly for wind turbine repairs

The present disclosure is directed to a clamping apparatus for securing a main bearing of a wind turbine. The clamping apparatus includes a clamp member configured for securement to a seal ring arranged with the main bearing, at least one clamping fastener configured through the clamp member, and at least one jacking fastener configured through the clamp member. Thus, the clamping fastener is configured to tighten the clamp member around the seal ring, whereas the jacking fastener is configured to push against the main bearing when tightened so as to maintain the main bearing in place during and installation and/or repair procedure.

Clamping apparatus for securing a main bearing of a wind turbine during an installation and/or repair procedure

A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.

Method for replacing a generator frame of a wind turbine

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for removing or installing a main shaft of a drivetrain assembly of a wind turbine to and from a nacelle installed atop a wind turbine tower. The rail system includes at least one support component configured to support the main shaft. Further, the support component is configured horizontally with respect to the main shaft. The rail system also includes at least one sliding component connected between the support component and the main shaft. Thus, the sliding component is configured to move horizontally with respect to the support component so as to slide the main shaft between an installed position and an uninstalled position.

System and method for removing or installing a main shaft of a wind turbine

A method and system for removing or installing a main shaft and attached main bearing assembly of a wind turbine from a bedplate form an extension onto a downwind end of the main shaft with one or more support elements to support the mains shaft on a bearing unit as it is pulled or pushed into the bedplate.

System and method for removing or installing a main shaft of a wind turbine with main shaft support elements

A method and system for removing or installing a main shaft and attached main bearing assembly of a wind turbine from a bedplate installed atop a wind turbine tower using an assist motive system configured at a downwind end of the main shaft to push or pull the main shaft out of or into the bedplate.

System and method for removing or installing a main shaft of a wind turbine with a push/pull system configured at an end of the main shaft

A method and system are provided for removing or installing a main shaft and attached main bearing assembly of a wind turbine from a bedplate. The method and system use rigging and specialized tooling and procedures to perform the method in the field with the machine head remaining atop the tower or removed from the tower.

System and method for removing or installing a main shaft of a wind turbine with rigging

A maintenance tool and method for detaching mechanically-connected components of a drive train in a wind turbine is disclosed. The method involves positioning the maintenance tool below a hoist and hoisting only the lift assembly portion of the maintenance tool into a nacelle of a wind turbine. Connecting the lift assembly portion to a power source in the nacelle and extending at least two induction cables from an induction generator disposed on the lift assembly portion to wrap at least a portion of a component of the mechanically-connected components. Then operating the induction generator to pass alternating current through the induction cables and inductively heat the wrapped component such that thermal expansion creates a clearance between the mechanically-connected components thereby assisting in separating the mechanically-connected components.

Hoistable induction and cooling unit for wind turbine maintenance

The invention relates to a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine. In particular, a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox of a wind turbine is disclosed. The gearbox has at least one bearing with an outer race and an inner race that rotates with respect to the outer race. The method includes forming a through-hole in a front cover of the gearbox, the front cover being stationary with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing. The method also includes forming a recess in the outer race of the bearing. Further, the method includes inserting a connecting member through the through-hole and the recess so as to prevent movement of the outer race of the bearing with respect to a torque arm of the gearbox.

Method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine

The present disclosure is directed to a gearbox repair apparatus for repairing a bore hole of a gearbox torque arm. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a mounting structure configured to mount to the torque arm. The mounting structure includes a through hole that aligns with the bore hole of the torque arm when mounted thereto. As such, when mounted to the torque arm, the mounting structure is configured to locate a boring bar at a center of the bore hole such that the boring bar is perpendicular to a face of the torque arm. Further, the mounting structure is configured to receive the boring bar through the aligned through hole and bore hole such that, when inserted therethrough, the boring bar is configured to machine and thus repair the bore hole.

Growing community of inventors

Saratoga Springs, NY, United States of America

Gregory Clarence Thomas