EP2625130B1 - Method for replacing a transformer in a wind energy installation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for exchanging a transformer of a wind energy plant.

In modern wind turbines, transformers are typically provided at the bottom of the tower of a wind turbine. The transformers can be used to transform an output voltage of a power cabinet of a wind turbine to a voltage that is needed for an electrical network to which the wind turbine is connected.

The transformers typically have only a limited life, so that it may happen during the life of the wind turbine that a transformer must be replaced. So far, special mobile cranes with heavy load tips were needed to replace the transformers. Here, a crane jib can be driven through a door opening in the tower of the wind turbine to strike the transformer and lift out. Since the dimensions of the door openings are limited, a crane boom with a heavy load tip is needed.

As a general state of the art is on the FR 2 843 952 directed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for replacing a transformer of a wind turbine, in which no special crane is needed.

This object is achieved by a method for replacing a transformer of a wind turbine according to claim 1.

Thus, a method for replacing a generator of a wind turbine is provided. The generator is provided inside a tower of a wind turbine and the tower has a door opening. A exchange crossbar is over a first attachment point attached to a crane hook of a mobile crane. A first end of the exchange crossbar is inserted with a second attachment point through the door opening in the tower. The transformer to be replaced is attached to the second stop point of the first end. A balance weight is attached to the second attachment point at the second end of the transfer truss. The weight of the balance weight may optionally substantially correspond to the weight of the transformer to be replaced. The second end of the transfer bar is tilted until the transformer is at the height of the door opening, and the crane hook is moved until the transformer to be replaced is outside the door opening.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a new transformer to replace the old transformer is provided as a balance weight, and the exchange crosshead is rotated 180 °, and the new transformer at the second attachment point at the second end of the exchange crossbar is guided into the door opening.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the new transformer is lowered to the operating position by raising the first end of the transfer truss or tilting the truss.

According to another aspect of the present invention, first and second pulley blocks may each be connected to the first anchorage point and the second end of the transfer truss, and then the second end is moved up or down by the second pulley block so that the transfer truss is tilted can be.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a further first attachment point is provided for the exchange truss. While the first attachment point is provided in the center of gravity of the exchange cross member, the further first attachment point is provided outside the center of gravity, so that also different heavy loads can be handled at the first and second end of the exchange crossbar.

The present invention also relates to a transfer beam for use in a method of replacing the transformer. The exchange cross-piece has an elongate body, a first attachment point for receiving a crane hook of a crane and in each case a second attachment point at the first and second end of the exchange cross member respectively for receiving a transformer to be replaced and a Balance weight on. The first attachment point is located essentially in the center of gravity of the exchange crossbar.

The invention relates to the idea to provide a method for replacing a transformer of a wind turbine, wherein a traverse with a first attachment point for attaching a crane hook of a crane and two other attachment points are provided, to which the transformer to be replaced and a balance weight can be posted. To replace the defective transformer to be replaced, one end of the traverse is inserted into the door opening of a tower of the wind turbine and the transformer to be replaced is struck at the attachment point. The second end of the truss then projects out of the tower and at the second attachment point a balance weight such as the new transformer can be struck. If the balance weight has substantially the same weight as the generator to be replaced, then the crosshead is maintained substantially balanced and the transformer to be replaced can be lifted out of the door opening. Optionally, the balance weight may be configured as the new transformer so that the crosshead only needs to be rotated 180 ° and the new transformer can be inserted through the door opening. Then, when the replaced transformer is raised, then it can be achieved that the crosshead is tilted and the new transformer can be transported to its position.

Optionally, the exchange cross-member may be provided with a further first attachment point, so that the crane hook can be coupled to the further first attachment point. This further first attachment point is then not provided in the center of gravity of the exchange crossbar, so that counterweights can be used which do not correspond to the weight of the transformer to be replaced. This is the case, for example, when the new transformer is lighter or heavier than the transformer to be replaced.

Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine schematische Darstellung einer Windenergieanlage und einer Traverse beim Austausch eines Transformators der Windenergieanlage gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 2

zeigt eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Traverse gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 3 und 4

zeigen verschiedene Ansichten eines Anschlagpunktes der Traverse von Fig. 2, und

Fig. 5

zeigt eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Traverse gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel.

Advantages and embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

shows a schematic representation of a wind turbine and a traverse when replacing a transformer of the wind turbine according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2

shows a schematic plan view of a cross member according to a second embodiment;

3 and 4

show different views of an anchor point of the traverse of Fig. 2 , and

Fig. 5

shows a schematic plan view of a traverse according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a wind turbine with a crane for replacing a transformer of the wind turbine according to a first embodiment. The wind energy plant 100 has a nacelle 110, a rotor 120 with a plurality of rotor blades 130 and a tower 140 with a door opening 150. In the lower area of the tower 140, a transformer 200 is provided. In Fig. 1 A crane 500 is likewise shown, on the crane hook 510 of which a transfer crosspiece 300 is struck.

The exchange cross-piece 300 has a first attachment point 310 for receiving a crane hook 510 of the crane 500 and two second attachment points 320 at the first and second ends 321, 322 of the traverse 300. The second attachment points 320 serve to receive a transformer 200 to be exchanged and a balance weight 400.

If the transformer 200 of the wind turbine 100 is defective, then the exchange truss 300 is attached to the first attachment point 310 on a crane hook 510, and a first end 321 of the exchange truss 300 having a second attachment point 320 is inserted through the door opening 150. Subsequently, the transformer 200 may be attached to a second attachment point 320 of the first end 321. At the other second attachment point 320 at the second end 322, a balance weight 400 may be attached. Preferably, the weight of the balance weight 400 is substantially equal to the weight of the transformer 200 to be replaced. Optionally, the new transformer may be used as the balance weight 400. When the transformer 200 is provided below the door opening 150, the first end 321 of the exchange truss 300 can first be inserted through the door opening 150 and then tilted, then the transformer 200 can be attached to the second attachment point 320 at the first end 321 and the second end 322 of the crosshead with the balance weight 400 may be tilted so that the transformer 200 may be moved upwardly at the first end 321 and subsequently lifted by the door opening 150.

If the new transformer is provided as a balance weight 400 at the second end 322 of the swap body 300, then the swivel truss 300 need only be rotated 180 degrees and the new transformer passed through the door opening 150 and the second end 322 of the swap body 300 tilted to bring the transformer 300 into position.

Optionally, a first and / or second pulley 610, 620 may be provided or coupled to the crane hook 510. The first pulley 610 may be coupled to the first attachment point 630. The second pulley 620 may be coupled to the second end 322 of the transfer truss. By the second pulley 620, the second end 322 of the exchange truss 300 can be raised or lowered, so that the exchange truss can be tilted or inclined.

The first and second pulley 610, 620 can be connected via a first and second round sling to the first attachment point 310 and the second end 320.

The inventive method for replacing a defective transformer can be dispensed with a special crane with a heavy load peak. To replace the defective transformer, only a standard mobile crane is needed.

The inventive method for replacing a defective transformer can be used in steel towers, which provide the door opening above the place of use of the transformer. Alternatively, however, the method according to the invention can also be provided in concrete towers.

The inventive method is particularly advantageous if the transformer is provided below the door opening in the tower of the wind turbine.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a exchange crossbar according to a second embodiment. The exchange crossbar according to the second embodiment can be used according to the first embodiment. The exchange crossbar 300 has a first attachment point 310 for receiving a crane hook. The exchange crosshead has at its first and second end in each case a second attachment point 320 for receiving the transformer 200 to be replaced and for receiving a balance weight 400. The exchange crossbar 300 is designed such that it can carry both the weight of the transformer 200 to be replaced and the balance weight 400.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a side view and a plan view of the end of the exchange truss each with a second attachment point 320. At the end of the exchange truss 300 two plates 321 are each provided with a hole. Further, another plate 322 is provided with a larger hole.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic plan view of a traverse according to a third embodiment. Here, the exchange crossbar according to the third embodiment substantially corresponds to the exchange crossbar of Fig. 2 , In addition to the exchange cross-beam shown there, the exchange cross-piece according to the third exemplary embodiment has, in addition to the optional first attachment point 310, a further first attachment point 311. Optionally, further first attachment points can be provided. The first abutment point 310 may be used when the balance weight attached to the second end substantially equals the weight of the transformer to be replaced. The further first attachment point 311 can be used if the weight of the balance weight does not substantially correspond to the weight of the transformer to be replaced. Here, the balance weight can be configured, for example, as the new transformer, wherein the new transformer can be both heavier and lighter.

Claims (6)

1. A method of replacing a transformer (200) of a wind power installation (100), wherein the transformer (200) is provided in the interior of a pylon (140) of the wind power installation (100) and the pylon (140) has a door opening (150), comprising the steps:

   - coupling an exchanging cross beam (300) by way of a first fastening point (310) to a crane hook of a crane (500),

   - introducing a first end (321) of the cross beam (300) with a second fastening point (320) through the door opening (150) into the pylon (140),

   - fastening the transformer (200) to be replaced to the second fastening point (320) of the first end (321),

   - fixing a compensating weight (400) to the second fastening point (320) at the second end (322) of the cross beam (300),

   - tilting or inclining the second end (322) of the cross beam (300) until the transformer (200) is at the height of the door opening (150), and

   - moving the crane hook until the transformer (200) to be replaced is outside the door opening (150), characterized in that

   a new transformer is provided as the compensating weight (400) and
   the cross beam is rotated through 180o and the new transformer is guided at the second fastening point (320) at the second end (322) into the door opening (150).
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein
   the new transformer is lowered into the operative position by the first end (321) of the cross beam (300) being raised or tilted.
3. A method according to one of claims 1 to 2,
   wherein the crane hook is fixed at the second fastening point (320) at the second end (322) of the cross beam (300), in particular by means of a block-and-tackle, so that the second end (322) of the cross beam (300) can be raised or lowered.
4. An exchanging cross beam for use in a method of replacing a transformer of a wind power installation according to one of claims 1 to 3 comprising
   an elongate body,
   a first fastening point (310) for receiving a crane hook of a crane, and
   a respective second fastening point (320) at the first and second ends (321, 322) of
   the cross beam (300) for respectively receiving a transformer (200) to be replaced and a compensating weight (400).
5. A cross beam according to claim 4,
   wherein the first fastening point (310) is provided substantially at the centre of gravity of the cross beam (300).
6. A cross beam according to claim 4 or claim 5 and further comprising
   a further first fastening point (310) which is not provided at the centre of gravity of the cross beam.

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