General Electric Company

Kevin Tyler Eherts

Darrick Adam Vanderwalker

Gregory Clarence Thomas

Brian William Manikas

Hunter Ryan Anderson

Michael Frederick Sander

Brian Thomas Misavage

Michael Royce Johnson

Jonathan Paul Signore

Waylon James Esser

Rodney Robert Redd, Ii

Rodney Robert Ii Redd

A clamping apparatus for positioning a main bearing of a wind turbine includes a push component arranged between a main flange of a main shaft of the wind turbine and a cover of the main bearing. Further, the clamping apparatus includes a spacer plate located within a gap between the cover and the main bearing. As such, the push component is configured to apply a force to the cover so as to push the spacer plate against the main bearing such that the main bearing is pushed into and secured in place.

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

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

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.

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Albany, NY, United States of America

Kevin Tyler Eherts