Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Joris Kofman

Niels Møller Madsen

Kurt Jensen

Michael Egstrøm

Peter Mongeau

Lars Langvardt Krogh

Michael Kastrup

Michael Christensen

Henrik Petersen

Payam Javadian

Thomas Paw Buus

Balachandar Mahalingam

Ariel De Silvio

Maria Victoria Cano Pedrosa

Dan Mølgaard Mathiasen

Denys Kotushenko

Thomas William Christophersen

Shinto Mathew

Kim Bredo Rahbek

Riccardo Cingolani

Niels MØLLER Madsen

Niels Moller Madsen

A transportation arrangement () includes a truck () and a trailer () operatively coupled to each other for hauling a blade. A separate dolly vehicle () is coupled with the truck and trailer. The transportation arrangement () also includes a blade () extending between a root end () and a tip end (), wherein a root region () of the blade () proximate the root end () is supported on one of the trailer () or dolly vehicle () so as to span between the trailer and dolly vehicle. The root region () of the blade is pivotable relative to the support element about a first vertical axis (V) spaced apart from the root end (). The tip region () of the blade () proximate the tip end () is pivotable relative to the support element about a second vertical axis (V). At least a portion of the root region () and at least a portion of the tip region () are configured to extend laterally away from the side of the transportation arrangement when the trailer () and dolly vehicle () are longitudinally offset from each other.

Apparatuses, systems and methods for the transportation of wind turbine blades on roadways

A transportation arrangement () includes a dolly and a clamp () secured to the dolly (). The clamp () includes a frame () having a lower portion () coupled to the dolly () and an upper portion () selectively rotatable relative to the lower portion (), a saddle () positioned on the lower portion of the frame, a jaw () movably positioned on the upper portion () of the frame (), and an actuator () operatively coupled to the jaw () and configured to move the jaw () relative to the saddle () to apply a clamping force on a blade (). The actuator () is configured to extend the jaw () toward the saddle () in response to the clamping force being less than or equal to a minimum threshold clamping force, and may be configured to retract the jaw () away from the saddle () in response to the clamping force being greater than or equal to a maximum threshold clamping force. A method of transporting a blade () is also disclosed.

Active clamping system for road transportation of a wind turbine blade and related method

An adaptor () for interfacing between an endpiece () of a lifting apparatus () and a nacelle () of a wind turbine (). The adaptor () includes a base plate () having projections () configured to engage the adaptor () to the nacelle () and first and second side legs () extending away from the base plate () opposite the projections () that define a recess () configured to engage the adaptor () with the endpiece () of the lifting apparatus (). The adaptor () further includes first and second set screws () positionable in bores () of the first and second side legs () and movable to laterally adjust the position the adaptor () relative to the endpiece () of the lifting apparatus (). This allows the lifting apparatus () to lift a nacelle assembly () having a laterally offset centre of gravity () in a balanced manner. A method for handling multiple wind turbine () components, including a nacelle (), through selective use of the adaptor () is also disclosed.

Adaptor for providing an adjustable connection between an endpiece of a lifting apparatus and a nacelle, and method of using same

A blade access system () includes a support frame () configured to be coupled to a nacelle () of a wind turbine (), the support frame () having at least one connecting member () configured to be selectively attached to and detached from at least one connecting member () included with the nacelle (). A nacelle () includes at least one connecting member () configured to be coupled to at least one connecting member () of a support frame () of a blade access system (). The at least one support frame connecting member () is configured to cooperate with the at least one nacelle connecting member () to define an unlocked position which is configured to allow the support frame () to attach to and detach from the nacelle (), and a locked position which is configured to prevent the support frame () from detaching from the nacelle (). A method of connecting the blade access system () to the nacelle () is also disclosed.

Connection system for attaching a blade access system to a nacelle of a wind turbine and method of using same

A transport frame () for a nacelle () includes a pair of lower nacelle mounts () and a pair of upper nacelle mounts (). Each of the lower nacelle mounts () includes a plurality attachment points for attaching to the nacelle () at a plurality of different widths. Each of the upper nacelle mounts () includes a plurality of attachment points for attaching to the nacelle () at a plurality of different widths. The pair of lower nacelle mounts () and the pair of upper nacelle mounts () are adjustably positioned to allow the transport frame () to attach to the nacelle () at a plurality of different heights. The ability of the transport frame () to attach to the nacelle () at a plurality of different widths and heights allows the transport frame () to be used on nacelles () having different sizes. Methods of using the transport frames () are also disclosed.

Transport frame for a nacelle of a wind turbine and associated methods

A jacking tool () for a wind turbine component () having an outer housing () and an internal rotatable member () disposed in the outer housing () and rotatable about a rotational axis () is disclosed. The jacking tool () includes a support pin () having a proximal end and a distal end that includes a bearing (). The support pin () is configured to be selectively movable relative to the outer housing (). The bearing () is configured to contact the internal rotatable member () to support the internal rotatable member () relative to the outer housing (), and to allow the internal rotatable member () to rotate within the outer housing () while being supported by the jacking tool ().

Tool for supporting internal rotatable members of wind turbine components during maintenance and method of using same

A turner gear arrangement () for turning a rotor of a wind turbine via a drivetrain thereof; said turner gear arrangement () comprising a motor (), a torque transmission assembly (), and a mounting assembly (); said torque transmission assembly () comprising one or more rotational elements and including a turner output drive () rotating about an axis (R), said turner output drive () being operably coupled to and driven by said motor () and configured to transmit rotational motion to a gearbox output shaft of a said drivetrain, said turner output drive () further including an output guide portion (); said mounting assembly () being configured to mount said motor () and said transmission assembly () in a fixed relation with respect to a wind turbine drivetrain; and wherein said mounting assembly () further includes a radial support interface () which operably engages with said output guide portion (), to constrain movement of said turner output drive () in a direction transverse to its rotational axis (R). Also a wind turbine drivetrain arrangement, comprising a drivetrain () including a rotor shaft () fixable to a wind turbine rotor hub (), a gearbox () and a drivetrain housing, wherein the rotor shaft () is coupled to the gearbox () at a gearbox input coupling, and wherein the gearbox () includes an output drive shaft () defining a rotational axis (R); the drivetrain arrangement further comprising a turner gear ().

Wind turbine main rotor turning systems

An electrical power generator for a wind turbine comprising: a generator housing, a stator at a radially outward position and a rotor in a radially inward position, wherein the rotor comprises a cylindrical ring structure arranged about a rotational axis, R, and defining a central hollow portion. The electrical power generator further comprises a rotor shroud attached to the generator housing and which extends about the rotational axis, R, wherein the rotor shroud includes a dome portion that extends into the central hollow portion of the rotor so as to protect the cylindrical ring structure of the rotor. Advantageously, the rotor shroud provides a tunnel-like surface that extends into the central hollow portion of the generator so as to prevent objects such as tools from contacting components of the rotor. The invention also relates to a method for 15 assembling such an electrical power generator with a rotor shroud.

Relating to electrical power generators for wind turbines

A turner gear assembly () for turning an unbalanced rotor of a wind turbine () having a drivetrain (). The turner gear assembly () includes a turner gear () configured to couple to the drivetrain () and having at least two motors (), and a valve block () connectable to the turner gear () and having a first flow control valve () configured to be in fluid communication with a pump () and with the at least two motors (). The first flow control valve () is selectively moveable between a first fluid control position () and a second fluid control position (). When the first flow control valve () is in the first fluid control position (), the at least two motors () operate in parallel and when the first flow control valve () is in the second fluid control position (), the at least two motors () operate in series. A method of operating the turner gear assembly is also disclosed.

Turner gear assembly for wind turbines and method of using same

The invention provides a lifting assembly comprising a support structure () arranged to support a load () suspended from the support structure, a guide line () arranged to extend from a first location, to a second location, a wheel assembly () with one or more wheels () arranged to engage, and roll along, the guide line (), and a control line assembly () arranged to extend from the wheel assembly () to the load (), wherein the lifting assembly comprises a retainer () arranged to connect, between the first and second locations, the guide line () to the support structure ().

Lifting assembly and a method for handling a component

A tagline control system for handling a wind turbine component during an operation on a wind turbine using a lifting apparatus. The tagline control system includes a tagline control module () having a housing (), at least two winches () disposed within the housing and each having a tagline cable (), a controller () disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches, and a power source () disposed within the housing () and operatively coupled to the at least two winches. A method of handling a wind turbine component during an operation on a wind turbine using the lifting apparatus includes coupling the tagline control module to the lifting apparatus and to a wind turbine component, and operating the tagline control system to effectuate the position of the wind turbine component.

Automated tagline control system and method of handling a wind turbine component using the automated tagline control system

A tool chain () is provided for performing a method of removing internal components such as a bearing cassette () from the interior of a generator () and/or a gearbox () of a wind turbine. The tool chain () includes a tube () that extends through the interior of the generator (), at least one clamp element () that concentrically fixes the tool chain () in position on at least one output shaft () of the gearbox (), and a sliding tool () that moves along the tube () into and out of the generator to couple with and pull out internal components to be repaired or replaced. For example, the tool chain () can remove the bearing cassette () located adjacent the junction of the gearbox () and the generator () without necessitating disassembly of the gearbox () from the generator ().

Tool chain and method for concentric fixing and exchange of gearbox and generator internal components

A wind turbine () comprising a tower () and a nacelle () mounted on the tower () is disclosed. A movable container () is mounted on a lower part of the nacelle () or suspended below the nacelle (), the movable container () housing a hoisting mechanism for hoisting and/or lowering the movable container () and for hoisting and/or lowering wind turbine components ().

Wind turbine with a movable container housing a hoisting mechanism

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

Wind turbine with a transportation system for moving drive train components

A transportation system () for, and a method () of loading for transportation of, a segment () of a wind turbine tower are disclosed. The system has a transportation platform (), the transportation platform having a centreline (), and a segment support () mountable on the transportation platform. The segment support is configured to permit tilting of a supported segment with respect to a pivot point () of the support. The segment support is further configured to receive a segment such that the centre of gravity () of the segment is offset transversely from: the support pivot point; and from the transport platform centreline. The segment support is also configured to, having received the segment, permit tilting of the segment with respect to the support pivot point to a rest position, and in the rest position the centre of gravity of the segment is alignable vertically with the transport platform centreline.

Growing community of inventors

Aalborg, Denmark

Joris Kofman