ES2632217B1 - Procedure for conducting endoscopy inspection windows executed inside the wind turbine on the closing cover of the planetary stage of wind multipliers - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for the realization of inspection windows by endoscopy executed inside the wind turbine, on the closing cover of the planetary stage of wind multipliers, by performing some holes in said covers and the subsequent coupling of metal plugs. The procedure is performed without disassembling the multiplier from its working position in the wind turbine, avoiding throwing metal chips or any other material inside the multiplier that could damage it. These windows are intended to allow inspection by endoscopy of this part of the multipliers thereby improving the maintenance of these machines.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

PROCEDURE FOR THE REALIZATION OF SALES INSPECTION INSTRUCTIONS BY ENDOSCOPY EXECUTED WITHIN THE AIRCRAFT ON THE CLOSING COVER OF THE PLANETARY STAGE OF WIND MULTIPLYING MACHINES

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention is applicable to a part of the multipliers used in commercial wind turbines for the production of wind energy. Specifically, it is an intervention on the closing cover of the so-called “planetary stage” of this type of multiplier in order to improve their inspection and, therefore, their maintenance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A large majority of commercial wind turbines for the production of electric energy, have a multiplier whose function is to multiply the revolutions per minute received from the rotor allowing proper operation of the electric generator. Said multipliers are composed of a casing, usually of cast iron, which contains a system of gears and bearings to perform multiplication. When the housing of a closed box is treated, the inspection of the state of these gears and bearings is usually carried out by means of industrial endoscopes, whose probe is introduced through the various covers that the housing has.

It happens very frequently that there are zones of these multipliers that do not have covers to be able to do this type of inspections, which implies that some areas of gears and bearings cannot be inspected while the multiplier is installed in the wind turbine. In short, there are many multiplier zones of different brands that cannot be inspected in a tower, with the consequent risk of breakdown.

One of the areas that often does not have sufficient covers for the realization of these inspections by endoscopy is the so-called “planetary stage”. This part of some multipliers (not all have it) is subjected to the efforts of the part transmitted directly by the rotor. Lack of information about your state of

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conservation due to the fafta of covers for inspection, results in the generation of serious breakdowns that involve the transfer of the multiplier to a repair shop or its replacement.

The present invention aims to allow this inspection, so that the state of these gears and bearings can be known, as well as to plan the corrective or preventive maintenance actions to be carried out without the need to disassemble the wind turbine multiplier or transfer it to a workshop.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

As explained in previous sections, the present invention aims to establish the procedure for practicing an inspection window in the closing lid of the planetary stage in wind multipliers that allow the inspection of this stage without the need to transfer them to a workshop and, therefore, avoiding the high costs of this transfer. This procedure is performed inside the wind turbine.

The windows are practiced in a part of the housing that protects the planetary stage of the multipliers. Therefore, it is necessary to practice said holes in a steel casting surface. The thickness of the housing is variable depending on the efforts that the multiplier has to support, but it can be up to 40 mm.

The practice of inspection holes or windows requires solving a series of technical conditions, such as:

- It should be avoided that the metal chip that occurs during the practice of this hole enters the area of gears (inside the housing) because when deposited on the gears or bearings can cause damage to them.

- Neither can sparks or significant heat spikes be produced that come into contact with the lubricant inside the housing, as this could ignite it.

- The execution of the inspection windows cannot weaken the capacity of the housing to absorb and transmit the mechanical stresses for which it is designed.

- The inspection windows must be able to close after inspection by endoscopy, so that dirt does not enter the interior of the multiplier housing or lubricant leaks from them.

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The material and tools necessary to carry out e! procedure is as follows:

1. Anchor frame of the support of the drill to the multiplier (will vary depending on each model of multiplier).

2. Drill stand with guide and code depth control system. It may be of magnetic support or by anchoring by screws in function of the frame.

3. Drill with torque and speed control, capable of drilling with drills, hollow crowns, milling and threads for the diameters and depths of the holes to be made.

4. Industrial vacuum cleaner for liquids and metal.

5. Cylindrical milling cutter for piano and circular milling appropriate to the diameter of the holes. It will be equipped with a pin on the front that will guide and avoid excessive vibration during milling.

6. 10.25 mm metal drill bit.

7. Tap to make M14 threads.

8. M14 metric extractor suitable for the diameter of the holes.

9. Hollow crown for drilling in metal with the appropriate diameter for the holes to be made. The code teeth will have to allow a greater depth of code in the outer diameter than in the inner diameter of the crown (approximately half a millimeter apart).

10. Anti-fall control device to prevent accidental fall of the metal cylinder to be extracted inside the multiplier.

11. Ultrasonic housing thickness gauge.

12. Rotary hand tool for sanding the edges of code type "dremer

13. Retractable drive retainer instrument type "umbrella" for provisional hole closure.

14. Male to ground to make threads to the hole to accommodate the plugs. It will be equipped with a metallic cylinder on the front that prevents the fall of the chip generated by e! terrified inside the multiplier.

15. Closing cap with perimeter tongue and its corresponding sealing gasket.

16. Electric extension for the power supply to the drill.

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17. General tooling: measuring gauge, screwdrivers, tightening wrenches, measuring tape, markers, punch, hammer, pliers, pliers, etc.

The procedure to undertake the execution of the windows complying with the requirements mentioned above is as follows:

1. Data collection and piano performance: Prior to the performance, the following data will be collected:

■ Pianos of the multi chopper

■ Mechanical requests transmitted by the rotor and other elements.

■ Materials that make up the multiplier and its resistance data.

The holes to be practiced in the tower will be drawn on the pianos of the multiplier (figure 1).

2. Verification of the bearing capacity of the multiplier: By means of a resistance calculation, it will be verified that the holes to be practiced do not compromise the capacity of the multiplier to resist the efforts transmitted by the rotor, its own weight, or any other mechanical request for the That was designed.

3. Design and execution of the drill support frame: Depending on the geometry of the cover in which to drill the holes, the frame will be designed to hold the drill with which to make them. The design of this frame is not the subject of this procedure and will depend on the specific geometry of each cover.

4. Access to the wind turbine and stop: Complying with the safety regulations of the wind farm and the current regulations on safety and health, we will proceed to access the wind turbine, prior to stopping it, and raising all the necessary tools for the execution of the works

5. Rethinking the holes: Following the piano and taking the necessary measures with the tape measure, the situation of the holes to be practiced will be rethought on the closing cover of the planetary stage, first by means of a marker and then by a punch punch .

6. Anchoring of the frame and mounting of the drill: The anchoring of the support frame of the drill on the multiplier, as well as the fixing of the drill in said frame in the appropriate position to execute the

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holes redesigned in the previous step. The fixing system of the drilling machine may be magnetic or mechanical depending on the design of the anchoring frame, provided that it guarantees a perfect stability of the drilling machine (figure 1 - 3 and 4).

7. Initial hole for guiding the cutter: With a 10.25 mm metal drill, a hole is drilled over the cover in the center of the hole to be made and with a depth of about 15mm. This perforation will serve as a guide for the milling cutter to be used at the next point so that it does not vibrate or de-center.

8. Initial milling: With the drill perfectly located, a circular circular milling of a diameter 10 mm higher than the hole to be made and with the same center will be performed. The depth of this milling will depend on the geometric characteristics of the lid but, in any case, it will be a few millimeters (2mm or 3mm maximum). The purpose of this milling is to achieve a surface on which to work later with the code crown as well as a flat surface on which the closure cap sits when the process is finished (figure 2).

9. Grounding of the central hole: Using a 10.25 mm grounding tap, the tapping of the hole made in point 7 is performed, leaving it ready to be used with the extractor that will be used later (figure 3).

10. Measurement of the thickness of the housing: Once the surface milling is done, the thickness of the housing will be measured. The impossibility of accessing the interior of the multiplier makes it necessary to carry out the measurements by means of an ultrasonic meter. Measurements will be made at the four cardinal points of! milling circle These measurements will later serve to calibrate the crown code depth.

11. Cut with the hollow crown: With the measurements taken previously by ultrasound, the code depth of the hollow crown will be calibrated. This depth should always be less than the thickness of the housing at the shallowest point, of the order of 0.5 to 1mm less than said minimum thickness. The hollow crown should have the code teeth so that they have some more depth of code in the outer diameter than in the inner diameter, to favor a clean breakage of the outer edge (Figure 4). Prior to the code with this crown, an anti-fall device will be threaded to the threaded hole of point 9 that joins the crown with this rose by a small steel cable. This device will prevent the accidental fall of the cylinder to be extracted inside the

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multiplier during crown cutting.

12. Extraction of the material cylinder: After cutting with a crown, first, metal chips and other elements that could enter the multiplier through the hole to be made will be cleaned, with the help of a metal / liquid industrial vacuum cleaner. Once this surface is cleaned, the extractor will be screwed to extract by tearing the metal cylinder that closes the hole {figure 5).

13. Sanitation of the edges: Once the material cylinder has been extracted, the breakage zone will be checked to validate if it is necessary to perform any sanitation operation. If it is necessary to perform any cleaning by the existence of sharp edges or burrs, by filing them, we will proceed to place the retractable retainer “umbrella” that closes the hole inside to prevent dirt from falling into the file in the interior of the multiplier. Metal filings that can be generated during this filing and that fall into the umbrella-shaped tool will be collected using the vacuum cleaner (figure 6).

14. Execution of the thread for the final plug: Once the cutting edge has been sanitized, the grounding of the hole will be carried out by means of a grounding tap suitable for its diameter. This rosea will not run in the entire depth of the hole, but will deepen depending on the thickness of the closure plug (around 15-20mm). The grounding tap must be fitted with a cylinder in its front part of the exact diameter of the hole just made, so that the chip generated in the ground cannot fall inside the machine. Likewise, before removing the male from grounding after making the rosea, the inside of the hole should be vacuumed to remove any remaining metal dust or chips.

15. Cleaning and coloring of the final plug: The last step of the process will consist of cleaning the impurity area and tapping the final plug, after placing the sealing gasket (figure 7), for which a dynamometric Have will be used and applied the right torque for the tap to tap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the features of the invention, it is accompanied as part

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member of said description, a set of drawings where illustrative and non-limiting, in which the following has been represented:

Figure 1 Shows the front view of a type multiplier with indication of the

situation of the inspection windows. It also shows side view, plan view and section of the same machine with indication of the location of the frame.

Figure 2- It shows a section and detail of the location of the drill in the center of the initial milling piano.

Figure 3.- Shows detail of the threading, executed on a drill of Figure 2, to thread the extractor screw.

Figure 4.- Shows a detail of the perforation with the hollow crown.

Figure 5.- Shows a detail of the extractor coiocation.

Figure 6. - It shows a detail of the coiocacion of the retractable retainer type "umbrella" that prevents the entry of extraneous elements if it is necessary to perform sanitation of the edges of the hole.

Figure 7 - Shows detail of the work finished with the screw cap.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the invention is that already described in the previous section where the procedure is explained in detail and, in summary, comprises the following steps:

1. - Data collection and execution of pianos: The necessary data will be collected to draw the situation of the inspection windows (1) to be executed on the planetary stage cover (2), and calculate how they affect the mechanical resistance of the multiplier.

2. - Resistance calculations: It will be proven mathematically that the holes to be executed do not compromise the mechanical resistance capacity of the multiplier.

3. - Previous installations: Once inside the wind turbine, the drilling support frame (4), its regulation system (3) and the drill itself will be placed, which will be used for milling, cutting and threads with the respective instruments to be coupled to it.

4.-Drill, milling and initial threads for location of the extractor: The first work on the lid with the drill will be the execution of a drill, which does not

cross the entire thickness of the lid (d), in the center of the hole to practical and a subsequent piano and circular milling of the appropriate diameter and a few millimeters deep (5). The purpose of this milling is to offer a flat work surface and an adequate seat of the closure cap. After finishing the milling, a threaded hole 5 made previously (6) will be made for the subsequent threading of the extractor (7).

5. - Cut with hollow crown and extraction of the material: With the hollow crown installed in the drill, it will proceed to make the cut with the appropriate diameter to the hole (8) without completely crossing the thickness of the lid, so that it cannot drop dirt inside the multiplier. Then the extraction tool will be screwed

10 (9) in the rosea executed in point 4 (7) and the material will be removed from the hole

by controlled starting. Prior to this work it will be necessary to measure the thickness of the lid by means of an ultrasonic meter to be able to calibrate the depth of cut.

6. - Review of the edges and execution of rosea for the definitive plug: If after the start there were live edges or burrs on the edge of the hole, they were reviewed

with a sanding or filing tool, prior installation of an “umbrella” type retractable instrument (10) that prevents the fall of dirt inside the multiplier. After having cleaned the edges and cleaned the area with an industrial vacuum cleaner, the Retractable tool type “umbrella” (10) and the rosea for the final tapbn 20 (11) will be executed with the appropriate grounding instrument installed in the drill.

7. - Cleaning and installation of the final plug: Once the area is cleaned, the sealing gasket (12) will be placed and the final plug (13) will be screwed, thus leaving the hole ready for maintenance inspections.

Claims (12)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 ES 2 632 217 A1 1 ■ Procedure for the execution of inspection windows by endoscopy on the top of the planetary stage of wind multipiicators, executed inside the wind turbine, which comprises the following stages: I. - Data collection of the geometry of the multiplier and execution of staking pianos of the holes. 2- Tedical check of the resistant capacity of the machine before and after the execution of the holes. 3. - Design and execution in workshop of the support frame of the drill to the cover to be drilled. 4. - Staking the holes on the cover of the multiplier to be drilled. 5. - Anchoring of the frame and assembly of the drilling machine with which to carry out the work in the proper position when staking the holes. 6. - Making a drill with a 10.5mm drill in the center of the hole to practice. 7. - Execution of an initial circular milling of 50 mm in diameter and 2 mm deep using a metal mill equipped with a front pin as a guide. The milling center will be the same as that of the hole made in the previous point. 8. - Making the rosea to the hole previously made by means of a groove tap of adequate diameter. This hole will be used to screw the extractor. 9. - Measurement by ultrasonic meter, of the thickness of the lid to be drilled to calibrate the cutting depth of the code crown to be used. 10. - Cut the cylinder to be extracted using a 40mm cutting crown and a depth of 0.5mm less than the thickness measured in the previous point. The center of the cutting crown should match the center of the milling. II. - Threading of an extractor in the threaded hole made in point 8 and removal of the metal cylinder to be extracted. 12. - Filing of the burrs from the edge of the hole resulting from the removal made in point 11. 13.-Terraced of the 40 mm hole whose burrs have been cut in the previous point by means of suitable grounding. 14. - Threading a definitive 40mm diameter plug fitted with a rubber seal