NO20211050A1

NO20211050A1 - Hoisting of wind turbine components

Info

Publication number: NO20211050A1
Application number: NO20211050A
Authority: NO
Inventors: Jørn Haugvaldstad
Original assignee: Green Entrans As
Priority date: 2021-09-03
Filing date: 2021-09-03
Publication date: 2023-03-06
Also published as: NO347436B1

Description

HOISTING OF WIND TURBINE COMPONENTS

Technical Field

The invention relates to a wind turbine hoisting device and a method for hoisting wind turbine components

Background Art

Wind turbines are known in various designs and with different concepts. Figure 1 shows such traditional wind turbine 1. The wind turbine 1 comprises a tower 2, a nacelle 3 arranged at the top of the tower 2. The nacelle 3 is housing a generator 6, a gear box and a braking device among other things. Further, the wind turbine 1 comprises a rotor 4 attached to the nacelle 3 at the top of the tower 2.

The wind turbine 1 is at the bottom part connected to a fundament 5 to provide the support for the wind turbine 1. In addition, the wind turbine 1 may have a cargo port 7 to provide access to the interior of the tower 2. This cargo port 7 is preferable arranged at the bottom half of the tower 2.

Prior art maintenance or replacement operations on top of the wind turbine are traditionally performed by a separately arranged crane. In the offshore wind turbines, this crane must be arranged on a vessel in order to obtain access to the wind turbine. However, due the large dimensions of these offshore turbines and that the seawater is not a stable ground, the cranes used must have a large capacity in order to lift the components safely to/from the top of the tower.

The use of such vessel with crane is expensive, time consuming and the available may be limited.

Even the use of a jacking up crane vessel, this vessel would only be able to operate in areas with max 1 meter waves. A larger vessel would maximum be able to operate in 2-2.5 m waves.

EP3284947 describes a method for assembling a wind energy installation that can be attached to a tower by an arrangement of a l crane and a further lifting device to facilitate the arrangement of the components to the desired position. The lifting device is arranged with two shells that are assembled together outside of the tower. This lifting is temporarily arranged and is assembled and disassembled between installing and/or maintenance operations are performed. It is thus the lifting device that are designed to lift the components to be hoisted to the top of the tower, the crane on top of the turbine is a rig crane, not a full load crane, ie the crane is not intended or able to lift the heavy components of the wind turbine only the lighter components to install the lifting components.

NO20200157 describes a further example of a mounting a wind turbine without the use an external crane arranged in the ground position below the tower. This publication discloses cylinder-shaped jacking element that are arrange slidingly arranged in relation to each other and surrounding the tower parts. In this way a further tower part may be assembled on top of the previous tower part. A crane boom may be arranged on top of one of the jacking elements with a wire that is connected to a winch arranged outside of the tower at or near the ground or foundation at the bottom part of the wind turbine.

The prior art however lacks the ability of function as a device that is provides an effective maintenance operation to reduce the down time for the turbine, and also reduced cost for the replacement operations.

Summarized this would result in higher productivity and reduced operation expense.

None of the prior art publications shows however thus an assembly that is easy, cost effective, flexible, safe and wear resistant solution for obtaining a replacement of component that needs to be replaced for the maintenance operations. It is also beneficial in the installation process of the wind turbine for installing components such as the rotor and generator.

It is also an advantage to reduce manual operation to minimize risks.

The wind turbine arrangement according to the invention is especially suitable for the offshore wind turbines as the arrangement remove the necessity for expensive cranes arranged on separate vessels and where the harsh weather and the large sizes provides a particularly difficult maintenance or installation operations.

However, the wind turbine arrangement is also applicable to be used in landbased wind turbine arrangements.

Other objective of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims.

Summary of invention

The invention relates to a hoisting arrangement for hoisting wind turbine components of a wind turbine. The hoisting arrangement comprising a boom device adapted to be permanently arranged at a top part of wind turbine, the boom device comprises a telescopic boom extendable in the longitudinal direction of the boom,

the hoisting arrangement further comprises a lift line system adapted to be arranged longitudinally at the inside of a tower of the wind turbine, the boom device and the lift line system being operationally connected to each other in order to lift or lower wind turbine components to/from the top of the wind turbine.

The arrangement of a boom device that is permanently and integrated in the wind turbine combined with a lift line system to facilitate the lifting/lowering operation that is arranged within the tower of the wind turbine provides an efficient handling of the installing and maintenance operation.

Preferably, the telescopic boom is adapted to be hingedly coupled to the wind turbine in order to handle loads at opposite sides of the wind turbine.

Preferably, the lift line system comprises a primary lift line system with a first hoisting rope and a secondary lift line system with a second hoisting rope, the first and second hoisting rope connected through a travelling block.

Preferably, the hoisting arrangement comprises a winch arranged in connection with the secondary lift line system arranged at the lower portion of the tower.

Preferably, the boom device comprises a rack to which the telescopic boom being hingedly connected, the boom device further comprises a hydraulic actuator connected between the rack and the telescopic boom in order to rotate the telescopic boom.

Preferably, the first hoisting rope is adapted to extend from the top part of the wind turbine via the travelling block towards the boom device and further along the outside of the tower of the wind turbine.

Preferably, the secondary lift line system comprises a fixed block arranged below the travelling block within the tower, the second hoisting rope is adapted to extend from the winch to the travelling block and further to the fixed block.

Preferably, the fixed block and the travelling block being multi-slotted providing a multiple extension of the second hoisting rope between the fixed block and the travelling block.

The invention further relates to a wind turbine comprising a hoisting arrangement according to any of the claims 1-7.

The invention also relates to a method for performing maintenance operation or installation procedure of a wind turbine using the hoisting arrangement according to any of the claims 1-8, wherein the method comprises the step of - moving the wind turbine component from the top part of the wind turbine or from the ground beneath the wind turbine to the opposite of the top part or ground of the wind turbine.

Preferably, the method further comprises

- assemble the lift line system within the tower of the wind turbine prior to the lifting or lowering operation.

Brief description of drawings

Figure 1 is illustrating a traditional wind turbine for offshore installation.

Figure 2a is illustrating an overview of the wind turbine according to the invention in its full length.

Figure 2b is illustrating a detailed view of a first hoisting arrangement according to the invention

Figure 2c is illustrating a detailed view of a second hoisting arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 3a – figure 3b are illustrating a detailed view of the travelling block according to the invention, viewed from above/below and from the side.

Figure 3c - figure 3d are illustrating a fixed block according to the inventio, viewed from above/below and from the side.

Figure 4 is illustrating a detailed view of the crane device according to the invention in greater detail, side viewed.

Figure 5 is illustrating a detailed view of the crane device according to the invention in greater detail, viewed from opposite side than fig.4.

Figure 6 - figure 8 are illustrating the steps for lifting and positioning the rotor of the wind turbine by the hoisting device according to the invention.

Figure 9- figure 14 are illustrating the steps for hoisting the generator of the wind turbine by the hoisting device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The term upper and lower refers to the normal position of the referred element when installed. In the manufacturing/maintenance process, the elements may have other orientations deviating from this orientation.

Figure 2a shows an overview of a hoisting arrangement 10 according to the invention. The hoisting arrangement 10 is fixedly arranged on a wind turbine 9 as illustrated in the figure. To make a distinction between a traditional wind turbine 1 and the wind turbine 9 comprising the hoisting arrangement 10, the arrangements are referred to by different reference numbers. Equal components in the two illustrated wind turbines 1 and 9 are referred to by the same reference number for simplicity.

The hosting arrangement 10 comprising in its simplest form a boom device 11 and a lift line system 20, 30. The boom device 11 is arranged at the top of the wind turbine 9.

The boom device 11 may be rotationally connected to a rotating tower 16. The rotating tower 16 provides a support for the components 2, 4, 6, 11 at the top end of the tower 2a and further provides a rotational connection to the tower 2.

The boom device 11 is illustrated in detail in figure 4 and 5 and will be described in detail in relation to these figures.

The lift line system 20, 30 is further operationally connected to the boom device 11 and further extending along the inside of the tower 2. The hoisting arrangement 10 may thus hoist (ie lower and lift) various components 4, 6 of the wind turbine 9 up and down along the tower 2 to/from the top part of the wind turbine 9 from/to a base or ground where the wind turbine 9 is arranged. The components may for instance be the rotor 4 and the generator 6, but other parts that needs to be lifted between the base or ground to the top part of the wind turbine 9 is also possible.

The boom device 11is permanently attached to the wind turbine 9.

The hoisting arrangement 10 is attached to the top of the wind tower 2 and extends inside the longitudinal length of the tower 2. As illustrated in the figure the hoisting arrangement may extend in the total length of the tower 2, from the bottom part of the tower 2 to the top part of the tower 2.

By arranging the boom device 11 permanently on the top part of the wind turbine 9, and extending the lift line system 20, 30 inside of the wind turbine 9, the hoisting arrangement 10 is always available and easily accessible if there is a failure in any of the components 4, 6 of the wind turbine 9 that need to be replaced, or when the components 4, 6 are to be installed at the top of the wind turbine 9.

The lift line system 20, 30 may further comprise a primary lift line system 20 and a secondary lift line system 30. The primary lift line system 20 and the secondary lift line system 30 are independently arranged with separate lifting systems as will be described further in the following. As indicated in the figure, the secondary lift line system 30 is arranged at the inside the tower 2 at the bottom part of the tower 2. The primary lift line system 20 is arranged at the inside of the tower 2 between the secondary lift line system 30 and the boom device 11. Elements of the lift line system 20, 30 that are arranged within the tower 9 are removable, ie shared between a plurality of wind turbines.

The figure further illustrates the approximate positioning of a travelling block 29, fixed block 34 and a winch 32 of the lift line system 20,30 with respect to each other. It is to be noted that the travelling block will have various positions depending on which stage of the hoisting process the hoisting arrangement is.

Figure 2b shows the primary lift line system 20, viewed in detail. The primary lift line system 20 comprises a first hoisting rope 19. The first hoisting rope 19 may for instance be a fiber rope, such as Kevlar rope or a wire.

The first hoisting rope 19 may in a first end be securely connected to a primary lift anchor 22. The primary lift anchor 22 is connected to the rotating tower 16 when in use.

The first hoisting rope 19 may further extend downwardly within the tower 2 to the travelling block 29 and further upwardly towards ta primary lift line sheave 21. The first hoisting line 19 thus extends in parallel lines between the primary anchor /primary lift line sheave 21 and the travelling block 29.

The first hoisting rope 19 further extends from the primary lift line sheave 21 to a boom sheave 14 arranged on boom device 11. The first hoisting rope 19 is further extending downwardly along the outside of the tower 2 as shown in the figure.

The figure illustrates one first hoisting line 19. The arrangement preferably includes two equally arranged first hoisting lines 19 for redundancy as illustrated in figures 4 and 5.

The travelling block 29 is movable arranged within the tower 2.

The first hoisting rope 19 and the travelling block 29 is adapted to be removed and installed elsewhere when the hoisting procedure is finished.

The primary lift line sheave 21 is adapted to be folded within the tower 2 when the above-mentioned features are removed.

Figure 2c shows the secondary lift line system 30 in greater detail. The secondary lift line system 30 comprises a second hoisting rope 31. The second hoisting rope 31 may be of the same material as the first hoisting rope 19.

The second hoisting rope 31 extends from the winch 32 upwardly to the travelling block 29. The hoisting rope 31 further extends from the travelling block 29 downwardly to the fixed block 34. As the figure illustrates, the second hoisting rope extends between the travelling block 29 and the fixed block 34 multiple times. In the embodiment of fig 2c it is illustrated 4 times between the travelling block 29 and the fixed block 34. Other numbers are however possible embodiments of the invention.

The travelling block 29 is the same as described above related to the primary lift line system 20 and is thus movable arranged within the tower 2.

The second hoisting rope 31 is in the opposite end from the winch 32, fixedly connected to a secondary line anchor 33.

The travelling block 29 and the fixed block 34 are illustrated as several separately arranged elements. This is only for illustration purpose. The blocks 29 and 34 may both be arranged as a single unit with multiple sheaves.

The second hoisting rope 31, the fixed block 34 with the secondary line anchor 33 and winch 32 is adapted to be removed and installed elsewhere when the hoisting procedure is finished.

The arrangement of a removable lift line system 20, 30 provide a safe and quick installment as the operating personnel is able to mount the system within the tower 2. They may use existing equipment within the tower to climb upwardly to arrange the equipment to be arranged prior to the hoisting. This may further shield both the equipment and the personnel against wind and weather. As some of the equipment is permanently installed, it makes the preparation phase easier and more efficient.

Figure 3a and 3b shows the travelling block 29 in isolation, viewed from above/below and from the side. The figures illustrate a number of second lift sheaves 29b adapted to receive the second hoisting rope 31 from the secondary lift line system 30. These sheaves 29 are arranged at the center of the travelling block 29. On the outside of the second lift sheaves 29b, there are arranged a first lift sheave 29a. There are preferably two first lift sheaves 29a arranged on opposite sides of the second lift sheave 29b to receive two independently operated first hoisting lines 19.

The travelling block 29 provides a connection between the first hoisting line(s) 19 and the second hoisting line 31 in the lifting and lowering operation of the hoisting arrangement 10. The travelling block 29 is further arranged freely within the tower 2. The travelling block 29 is only connected to the first and second hoisting lines 19, 31 and the travelling block 29 is thus allowed to move upwardly and downwardly within the tower 2.

Figure 3c and 3d shows the fixed block 34 in isolation, viewed from above/below and from the side. The fixed block 34 is attached to the wind turbine 9 at the bottom part of the wind turbine 9. This may for instance be to a tower deck 2b (figure 2a) arranged at the inside of the tower 2. The figure illustrates a fastener 34b that secures the fixed block to the tower 2 when installed. The fixed block 34 is preferably arranged at the lower half of the tower 2, for instance between the winch 32 and the travelling block 29 as shown in figure 2a. The fixed block 34 may further have several third lift sheaves 34a. The third lift sheaves 34a are adapted to receive the second hoisting rope 31 in each of the third lift sheaves 34a. A secondary lift line anchor 33 may be integrated in the fixed block 34 to secure a free end of the second hoist rope 31. The secondary lift line anchor 33 may be a shackle securing the secondary lift line anchor 33 to the fixed block 34. The embodiment of the fixed block 34 as illustrated in figure 3c -3d is referred to as a 4-slotted fixed block 34 due to the number of times the second hoisting rope extends towards and around the fixed block 34. The multiple extension of the second hoisting rope provides a gear to reduce the force needed by the winch 32 to hoist the components 4, 6 by the hoisting arrangement 10.

Figure 4-5 shows the boom device 11 according to an embodiment of the invention viewed from opposite sides. The boom device is 11 is illustrated on top of the wind turbine 9 as indicated in figure 2a. The boom device 11 is illustrated without a nacelle 17. The nacelle 17 is arranged surrounding the main components of the boom device 11 and some of the operational components of the wind turbine, such as the generator 6.

The boom device 11 comprises a boom 13. The boom 13 is preferably telescopic, to provide an extension or retraction of the boom 13 in the longitudinal direction. The boom 13 is preferably hingedly attached to a rack 12. The boom 13 may also be hingedly attached directly to the tower 2 as a further option of the arrangement. The boom 13 may rotate around the hinged connected from one side of the tower 2 to the opposite side. The boom 13 may in this way be used in the lowering and lifting process of several different components of the wind turbine 9 that needs to be connected at various sides of the wind turbine 9. The figure further illustrates the boom device 11 oriented in the position for hoisting the rotor 4. The boom 13 may be rotated by one or more hydraulic actuators 15 as illustrated in the figure. The boom device 11 is arranged to be an integrated part of the wind turbine 9.

The figure further illustrates the connection of the boom sheave(s) 14 arranged at the distal end of the boom 13, the primary lift line sheave(s) and the arrangement of the first hoisting rope 19. As indicated previously, these features are arranged in pair to provide a redundance operation of the hoisting arrangement.

In addition, there are preferably two separately arranged primary lift sheaves arranged in connection with each redundant system. These have reference number 21a and 21b in the figure 5.

The first hosting rope 19 is adapted to extend between the two adjacently arranged primary lift line sheave 21a, 21b of one redundant system. The first hoisting rope 19 is adapted to be guided over the sheave 21a, 21b that is situated closest to the direction of the boom 13. For example, in the figure 5, the first hoisting rope 19 extends via the sheave with reference number 21b.

When the boom 13 is moved to the opposite side, the first hoisting rope 19 must be repositioned with respect to the boom sheave 14. The first hoisting rope 19 will then be repositioned and guided over the sheave with reference number 21a. The repositioning includes that the first hoisting rope 19 extends in the opposite direction over the boom sheave 14.

The boom device 11 thus has several distinct directions for movement: lifting/lowering in the vertical direction by the lift line system 20, 30, rotation around the tower 2 by the rotating tower 16 and a rotation of the boom 13 around a horizontal axis by an hydraulic actuator 15. In addition, the boom 13 is adapted to be lengthened and shortened and thus able to arrange the lifting position of the boom 13 in different radial distances from the tower 2.

The functioning of the hoisting arrangement according to the invention will be described in the following with reference to the remaining figures.

Figure 6-8 shows a stepwise lifting a rotor 4 from the surface at the base or ground of the wind turbine 9 to the top of the wind turbine tower 2 and mounting the rotor 4 at the top.

As indicated in figure 6, the boom device 11 is oriented at the side of the tower intended for connection with the rotor 4. The rotor 4 may then be lifted from a vessel 40 by the connecting the rotor 4 at the end of the first hoisting rope 19.

Figure 7 and 8 shows further the lifting, positioning and mounting of the rotor 4. Figure 8 further illustrates the nacelle 17 housing the components on top of the wind turbine 9. There is indicated a slit 17a in the nacelle 17. This slit 17a allows the boom device 11 and especially the boom 13 to move outside of the nacelle 17.

Figure 9-14 shows a stepwise lifting a generator 6 from the surface at the base or ground of the wind turbine 9 to the top of the wind turbine tower 2 and mounting the generator 6 within the nacelle at the top of the wind turbine 9.

In a similar way as the rotor 4, the generator 6 or other components that are to be arranged oppositely of the rotor 4 may be lifted up from for instance a vessel transporting the generator 6 or other components to the wind turbine 9.

Figure 11 and 12 indicates in detail the orientation of the boom 13 and the reposition of the first hoisting rope 19 extending via the sheave 21a. The boom 13 is in this orientation arranged horizontally and contained within the nacelle 17.

The lifting and lowering steps of the hoisting arrangement 10 are performed by the primary and secondary lift line systems 20, 30 operating together. The second hoisting rope 31 may be winded out from the winch, resulting in an extension of the second hoisting rope 31 in the tower 2.

This result in a movement upwardly to the travelling block 29, which again results in a lowering of the free end of the first hoisting line 19 outside of the wind turbine 9. The component attached the first hoisting line 19 is thus moved downwardly.

In the opposite case, when lifting the component 4, 6, the winch 32 is winding up the second hoisting rope 31 to move the travelling block 29 downwardly.

As previously described, parts of the lift line system 20, 30, such as the first and second hoisting rope 19, 31, fixed and travelling block 34, 29 and the winch 32 may be removed after the hoisting procedure and repositioned in another wind turbine prior to the hoisting procedure.

Figure list

1 Traditional Windmill

2 Tower

3 Nacelle

3a -nacelle clearing

4 Rotor

5 Fundament

6 Generator

7 Cargo port

9 Wind mill according to the invention 10 hoisting arrangement

11 boom device

12 boom rack

13 telescopic boom

13a hinged connection

14 boom sheave

15 hydraulic actuator

16 rotating tower part

17 nacelle according to the invention 17a nacelle slit

19 first hoisting rope

20 primary lift line system

21 primary lift line sheave

22 primary lift line anchor

29 travelling block

29a first lift sheave

29b second lift sheave

30 secondary lift line system

31 second hoisting rope

32 winch

33 secondary lift line anchor

34 fixed block

34a third lift sheave

34b fastener

40 vessel, for instance supply vessel

Claims

1. A hoisting arrangement for hoisting wind turbine components (4, 6) of a wind turbine (9), characterised in that the hoisting arrangement (10) comprising a boom device (11) adapted to be permanently arranged at a top part of the wind turbine (9), the boom device (11) comprises a telescopic boom (13) extendable in the longitudinal direction of the boom (13),

the hoisting arrangement (10) further comprises a lift line system (20, 30) adapted to be arranged longitudinally at the inside of a tower (2) of the wind turbine (9), the boom device (11) and the lift line system (20, 30) being operationally connected to each other in order to lift or lower wind turbine components (4, 6) to/from the top of the wind turbine (9).

2. The hoisting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the telescopic boom (13) is adapted to be hingedly coupled to the wind turbine (9) in order to handle loads at opposite sides of the wind turbine (9).

3. The hoisting arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lift line system (20, 30) comprises a primary lift line system (20) with a first hoisting rope (19) and a secondary lift line system (30) with a second hoisting rope (31), the first and second hoisting rope (19, 31) connected through a travelling block (29).

4. The hoisting arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the hoisting arrangement (10) comprises a winch (32) arranged in connection with the secondary lift line system (30) arranged at the lower portion of the tower (2).

5. The hoisting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, the first hoisting rope (19) is adapted to extend from the top part of the wind turbine (22) via the travelling block (29) towards the boom device (11) and further along outside of the wind turbine (9).

6. The hoisting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the secondary lift line system (30) comprises a fixed block (34) arranged below the travelling block (29) within the tower (2), the second hoisting rope (31) is adapted to extend from the winch (32) to the travelling block (29) and further to the fixed block (34).

7. The hoisting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixed block (34) and the travelling block (29) being multi-slotted providing a multiple extension of the second hoisting rope between the fixed block (34) and the travelling block (29).

8. A wind turbine (9) having a tower (2) characterised in that the wind turbine (9) comprises a hoisting arrangement (10) according to any of the claims 1-7.

9. A method for performing maintenance or installation operations of a wind turbine (9) using the hoisting arrangement (10) according to any of the claims 1-8, wherein the method comprises the step of

- moving the wind turbine component (4, 6) from the top part of the wind turbine (9) or from the ground beneath the wind turbine (9) to the opposite of the top part or the ground of the wind turbine (9).

10.The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises

- assemble the lift line system (20,30) within the tower (2) of the wind turbine (9) prior to the lifting or lowering operation.