WO2011137937A2

WO2011137937A2 - Tagline bracket for hub lift

Info

Publication number: WO2011137937A2
Application number: PCT/EP2010/060315
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joergen Dall; Mikael Skovly Pedersen
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2010-05-05
Filing date: 2010-07-16
Publication date: 2011-11-10
Also published as: WO2011137937A3; DE112010005542T5

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for controlling a lifting of a component of a wind turbine. The device comprises a bracket (101) mountable to a fixing element (109) of a lifting system for lifting the component (200) or to the component (200). Moreover, the device comprises at least one cantilever arm (102) mounted to the bracket (101), wherein the cantilever arm (102) comprises a first end section (103) and a second end section (104), which is located at an opposite end along a longitudinal direction of the cantilever arm (102) with respect to the first end section (103). The cantilever arm (102) is mounted to the bracket (101) with the first end section (103) in such a way that the cantilever arm (102) extends radially outwards from the bracket (101). A control rope (105) is mountable to the second end section (104).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Tagline Bracket for hub lift

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a device for controlling a lifting of a component of a wind turbine and a lifting system for lifting a component of a wind turbine. Moreover, the pre^¬ sent invention relates to a method of controlling a lifting of a component of a wind turbine.

Art Background

During assembly of wind turbines on site, large components, such as wind turbine blades or hubs of a wind turbine, have to be lifted up to the top of the wind turbine tower. During lifting of the component, the component provides a sail area for gusts of wind, so that there is a risk that the component to be lifted begins to tilt out.

In order to control the component during lifting, tag lines, i.e. control ropes, are connected to a lifting hook of the crane with one end. The other end is connected to an operator or a hook on the ground level, so that a tilting out of the component may be prevented during lifting. During gusts of wind there is a risk that the tag lines may be cut on the sharp edges of the component to be installed. This may result in damages of the component due to rubbing of the rope into the e.g. glass fibre material of the component. This is mainly caused due to the connection of the tag lines to the hook of the crane, because the hook is mostly located above a centre of the component along a horizontal direction. Because the run of the taglines from the hook to the ground is substantially vertical, the tag lines touch the component during lifting. Moreover, because the tag lines are attached above the centre point of the component, the controlling of the components during lifting may be difficult. At least three technicians on each tag line may be necessary to con- trol the installation of the components on a wind turbine. Moreover, if the tag lines get cut by the sharp corners of the component, the component, the crane or people may be hit by the damaged rope .

Summary of the Invention

It may be an object of the present invention to provide a proper control of a wind turbine component during lifting.

This object may be solved by a device for controlling a lift^¬ ing of a component of a wind turbine, by a lifting system for lifting a component of a wind turbine and by a method of con^¬ trolling a lifting of a component of a wind turbine according to the independent claims.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a de^¬ vice for controlling a lifting of a component of a wind turbine is presented. The device comprises a bracket mountable to a fixing element of a lifting system for lifting the component or mountable to a component. Moreover, the device com^¬ prises at least one cantilever arm mounted to the bracket. The cantilever arm comprises a first end section and a second end section, which is located at an opposite end along a lon- gitudinal direction of the cantilever arm with respect to the first end section. The cantilever arm is mounted to the bracket with the first end section in such a way that the cantilever arm extends radially outwards (along a substantially horizontal plane) from the bracket, e.g. from a centre of the bracket. To the second end section a control rope is mountable . According to a further aspect of the present invention, a lifting system for lifting a component of a wind turbine is presented. The lifting system comprises a fixing element for fixing the component, wherein the lifting element is liftable by a crane. The system further comprises the above-described device for controlling the lifting of the component. More^¬ over, the system comprises a control rope being mounted to the second end section of the device, wherein the control rope is holdable by an operator for controlling the lifting of the lifting system.

Moreover, according to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling a lifting of the component of the wind turbine is presented, wherein the method comprises a lifting of the component with the above-described device for controlling the lifting of the component of the wind turbine.

By the term "component" of a wind turbine all components of the wind turbine that have to be assembled on site are de- noted. The component may denote for example a hub, a spinner, a blade, a gearbox, a bearing and/or a generator of the wind turbine .

The term "bracket" denotes a supporting device that is adapted to be fixed to the fixing element of a lifting system and/or to the component. The fixing element of a lifting sys^¬ tem may denote for example a hook, a further bracket or any other fixing element that fixes the component to be lifted in particular to a carrier rope of a crane for example. The term "lifting system" therefore denotes for example a crane assem^¬ bly that comprises the fixing element, such as the hook, the carrier rope and the framework of the crane itself.

A bracket may be a framework construction or may be a carrier beam, such as an I-beam, an H-steel or an L-beam.

The bracket comprises a centre, wherein within the centre of the bracket the connection to the component and/or to the fixing element is providable. In particular, the centre of the bracket denotes a section of the bracket that is farthest away from the edges of the component along a substantially horizontal plane.

The term "horizontal plane" denotes a plane that is parallel to the horizon, which is the apparent line that separates the ground level from sky. The horizontal plane is a plane, which normal is perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field, i.e. with the direction of the gravitational force. The "ver^¬ tical plane" is substantially orthogonal to the horizontal plane .

The term "cantilever arm" denotes a beam that extends sub- stantially along the horizontal plane, wherein the second end of the cantilever arm may overlap the edges of the component. The second end may define an end section that comprises ap^¬ proximately one-fifth, one-sixth or less of the overall length of the cantilever arm.

To the bracket one cantilever arm is mountable but as well a plurality such as two, three, four or more cantilever arms are mountable to the bracket. The more cantilever arms are mounted to the bracket, the better is the controlling of the component during lifting.

The term „control rope" denotes a rope or a tag line that is connected with one end to the second end of the cantilever arm and is holdable or fixable with its second end to an op- erator or a further fixing element, such as a hook, on the ground level. The operator may hold the second end of the control rope and may tighten the control rope in order to control and to move the component to be lifted in a desired direction. Because the control rope is attached to the second end of a radially outwards extending cantilever arm, the risk that the control rope touches the component to be lifted is reduced. Thus, the contact of the control rope attached to a respective cantilever arm does in general not contact the component, in particular the sharp edges of the component, and the control rope always holds a safe distance to the edges of the component. Thus, a better control is possible, even during high wind speeds and gusts of wind, because unde- sired movements and tilting of the component to be lifted are reduced. Moreover, due to the better controlling of the component to be lifted, only one technician on each control rope may be necessary also during high wind conditions. Moreover, the bracket of the control device is adapted for being at- tached to a standard lifting bracket or standard hook of a crane, so that there are no modifications of the standard lifting brackets or cranes necessary.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cantilever arm is detachably mounted to the bracket. Thus, one or more cantilever arms may be attached or mounted to the bracket as required, so that a flexible con^¬ trolling device is achieved. Moreover, for storage or for transporting purposes, a flexible controlling device is achieved, because the cantilever arms may be detached, so that less storage space is necessary.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the cantilever arm is pivotably mounted to the bracket. In particular, the cantilever arm is pivotably mounted around a pivoting axis that extends substantially in a vertical direction when lift^¬ ing the controlling device. Thus, a proper control of the component during lifting is achieved. In particular, when a change of the wind direction occurs, the alignment of the control rope and of the pivotable cantilever arm is adjusted dependent on the changed wind direction. The cantilever arm may be pivoted until the longitudinal direction of the canti^¬ lever arm along the horizontal plane is parallel to the di^¬ rection of the wind. Thus, an improved controlling of the whole controlling device is possible. Moreover, due to the pivotably mounted cantilever arm, the cantilever arm may be folded or retracted, so that the storage and transport abil^¬ ity of the whole lifting device is improved. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the length of the cantilever arm is adjustable. Hence, the controlling de^¬ vice may be adjustable to different sizes of components to be lifted. If a larger component has to be lifted, the cantile^¬ ver arm may be elongated or stretched, so that the cantilever arm is adapted to the larger size of the component. In con^¬ trary, if a smaller component has to be lifted, the length of the cantilever arm may be reduced and adapted to the size of the smaller component. Additionally, proper transport and storage properties of the cantilever arm are achieved.

The cantilever arm may be formed as a telescopic formed beam, so that the cantilever arm is length adjustable telescopi- cally. Moreover, the cantilever arm may be designed as a foldable cantilever arm.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the device further comprises a guiding device for guiding the control rope. The guiding device is mounted to the cantilever arm, e.g. at the second end. The guiding device is adapted for controlling a run of the control rope between the cantilever arm and the ground level. The guiding device may be for instance a rope pulley that controls the run of the control rope over the edges of the second end of the cantilever arm. The rope pulley may addi^¬ tionally be formed by a driven rope pulley, so that for in^¬ stance the length of the control rope may be adjusted. Thus, a more flexible controlling device is achieved.

Moreover, a control unit may be provided, wherein the control unit may be adapted for controlling the pivoting of the cantilever arm, the length of the cantilever arm and/or the driven rope pulley. The control unit may be wire-bonded or wireless connected to the components to be controlled, such as the cantilever beam or the rope pulley. Moreover, sensors, such as distance control sensors or cameras, may be installed to the cantilever arms or the bracket, so that a better con^¬ trol is achieved. Moreover, the control unit may control e.g. the length of the cantilever arm or the length of the rope pulley dependent on the measured signals of the sensors. In particular, if a distance between the control rope and the component to be lifted is too small, the length of the rope, the length of the cantilever arm and/or the pivoting of the cantilever arm may be adjusted. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the bracket comprises a plurality of spatially distributed mounting sec^¬ tions. The first end section of the cantilever arm is mount- able to at least one of the plurality of mounting sections, so that the desired mounting location of the cantilever arm with respect to the component is adjustable.

The term "mounting sections" may denote pins or mounting holes, to which a corresponding pin or mounting hole of the cantilever arm may be attached. Due to a plurality of spa- tially distributed mounting sections at the bracket, the can^¬ tilever arm may be mounted to the bracket in a plurality of different locations, dependent on the design of the component to be lifted. Thus, a more flexible control device is

achieved .

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first mounting section of the plurality of mounting sections is arranged at a first distance with re^¬ spect to a centre of the bracket and a second mounting sec- tion of the plurality of mounting sections is arranged at the second distance with respect to the centre of the bracket. The first distance is different compared to the second dis^¬ tance . Thus, by the present exemplary embodiment, the cantilever arm may be adjusted to different sizes of the component to be lifted. For example, if a larger component has to be lifted, the cantilever arm may be mounted to a mounting section that is located more radially outwards to the bracket, so that a distance between the control rope and the component may be adapted . It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments have been described with ref^¬ erence to apparatus type claims whereas other embodiments have been described with reference to method type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless other noti^¬ fied, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters, in particular between features of the apparatus type claims and features of the method type claims is considered as to be disclosed with this application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The aspects defined above and further aspects of the present invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to the examples of embodiment. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodi^¬ ment but to which the invention is not limited.

Fig. 1 shows a schematical view of a lifting system compris- ing the control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the lifting system at^¬ tached to a component located on the ground level according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the lifting system during lifting of a component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

The illustrations in the drawings are schematical. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical ele^¬ ments are provided with the same reference signs.

Fig. 1 shows a device for controlling a lifting of a component 200 (see Fig. 2) of a wind turbine. The device comprises a bracket 101 mounted to a fixing element 109 of a lifting system for lifting the component 200 or to the component 200 itself. Moreover, the device comprises at least one cantile^¬ ver arm 102 mounted to the bracket 101. The cantilever arm 102 comprises a first end section 103 and a second end sec^¬ tion 104. The second end section 104 is located at an oppo^¬ site end along a longitudinal direction of the cantilever arm 102 with respect to the first end section 103. The cantilever arm 102 is mounted to the bracket 101 with the first end sec^¬ tion 103 in such a way that the cantilever arm 102 extends radially outwards, e.g. along a horizontal plane, from the bracket 101. A control rope 105 is mountable to the second end section 104.

The cantilever arm 102 needs not to be parallel with the horizontal plane. The radial outward extension of the canti^¬ lever arm 102 defines, that a projection of the cantilever arm 102 substantially along the horizontal plane runs ra^¬ dially outwards in opposite direction to a centre section 112 of the bracket 101.

Fig. 1 illustrates the bracket 101 to which two cantilever arms 102 are mounted. More or less cantilever arms 102 may be mounted to the device 101 as well. The bracket 101 may com^¬ prise a framework or a solid beam, for example. The cantile^¬ ver arms 102 may be pivotably mounted to the bracket 101 for instance by a respective pin 106 around which the cantilever arms 102 are pivotable. The pivoting axis that is defined by each pin 106 is substantially along a vertical direction, i.e. substantially parallel to a normal of the horizontal plane, during lifting of the control device. A pivoting axis of the cantilever arm 102 extending substantially parallel to the horizontal plane may be also possible.

Moreover, Fig. 1 shows the fixing element 109 that is con- nected between a coupling element 110 and a lifting rope 111. The lifting rope 111 is liftable by a crane, for example. The coupling element 110 is adapted for being mounted to the com^¬ ponent to be lifted and is used in particular as an adapter between the fixing element 109 and the component 200. The fixing element 109 may comprise for instance a hook or a lifting bracket.

The bracket 101 is fixable to the fixing element 109, the coupling element 110 and/or to the component 200 itself.

Moreover, as shown in Fig. 1, the bracket 101 comprises the centre section 112. The centre section 112 may be defined by a section, which comprise a centre of gravity of the bracket and/or the centre of gravity of a combined unit composed of the component 200 and the bracket 101.

The bracket 101 further comprises mounting sections 113 to which the cantilever arms 102 may be mounted. For example, the mounting sections 113 comprise holes, into which the pin 106 may be pivotably mounted. As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of mounting sections 113 is formed in the bracket 101, where^¬ in each mounting section 113 defines a different mounting location for a respective cantilever arm 102. In particular, the mounting sections 113 define different mounting sections along a radial direction, i.e. within the horizontal plane to the centre 112 of the bracket 101. The left cantilever arm 102 shown in Fig. 1 holds a control rope 105 that is fixed to the second end section 104 of the cantilever arm 102. The control rope 105 runs from the second end 104 of the cantilever arm 102 to the ground. An operator that holds the control rope 105 may control the alignment of the control device by tightening the control rope 105, for example .

The right cantilever arm 102 in Fig. 1 shows a further exem- plary embodiment of the cantilever arm 102. The right canti^¬ lever arm 102 comprises a guiding device 108 that is formed in particular by a rope pulley. The rope pulley may control the run of the control rope 105. Moreover, the rope pulley 108 may be a driven rope pulley that may adapt the length of the control rope 105. Additionally, a control unit 107 may be attached to the cantilever arm 102, wherein the control unit 107 is adapted for controlling the guiding device 108.

Moreover, the cantilever arm 102 is formed telescopically, so that the cantilever arm 102 may be adjustable in its length. Thus, a more flexible cantilever arm 102 may be achieved. The control unit 107 may additionally or alternatively control the length of the cantilever arm 102 or the pivotal alignment of the cantilever arm 102.

Fig. 2 illustrates a component 102 that is fixed to a fixing element 109 of the lifting system and the bracket 101 that is attached to the component 200 and the fixing element 109. As shown in Fig. 2, the cantilever arm 102 extends radially outwards from the centre section 112 of the bracket 101 along a substantially horizontal direction. At the second end sec^¬ tions 104, the control ropes 105 are attached. As shown in Fig. 2, due to the length of the cantilever arms 102, the control ropes 105 run from the second ends 104 to the ground level without touching the component 200. Thus, a better con^¬ trol of the lifting of the component 200 is achieved without causing a contact between the control rope 105 and the compo- nent 200, so that damages of the control ropes 105 or the component 200 that are caused by a contact between the con^¬ trol ropes 105 and the component 200 are prevented. Fig. 3 shows the lifting of the component along a tower 300 of the wind turbine by the use of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. To the lifting rope 111, the fixing element 109 is attached. A bracket 101 is attached to the fixing element 109. The bracket 101 is formed by a framework. To the bracket 101 the cantilever arm 102 is mounted. The cantilever arm 102 runs from a centre 112 of the bracket 101 radially outwards from the bracket along a substantially horizontal direction. From the second end 104 of the cantile^¬ ver arm 102 the control rope 105 runs to the ground. The can- tilever arm 102 generates a distance along a substantially horizontal direction between the control rope 105 and the component 200. Thus, a contact between the control rope 105 and the component 200 during lifting may be prevented, so that damages of the component 200 and the control rope 105 caused by a contact between each other is prevented.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 3, two control ropes 105 are attached to a respective cantilever arm 102. Thus, due to tightening the control ropes 105, the tilting out of the component 200 during lifting may be prevented.

Furthermore, more or less than two cantilever arms 102 may be attached to the bracket 101. Moreover, also a plurality of control ropes 105 may be attached to one cantilever arm 102.

It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not ex^¬ clude other elements or steps and "a" or "an" does not ex^¬ clude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be con^¬ strued as limiting the scope of the claims. List of reference signs:

101 bracket

102 cantilever arm

103 first end section

104 second end section

105 control rope

106 pin

107 control unit

108 guiding device

109 fixing element

110 coupling element

111 lifting rope

112 centre of the bracket

113 mounting section

200 component

300 wind turbine tower

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Device for controlling a lifting of a component (200) of a wind turbine, the device comprising

a bracket (101) mountable to a fixing element (109) of a lifting system for lifting the component (200) or to the component (200) , and

at least one cantilever arm (102) mounted to the bracket (101),

wherein the cantilever arm (102) comprises a first end section (103) and a second end section (104), which is located at an opposite end along a longitudinal direction of the cantilever arm (102) with respect to the first end sec- tion (103),

wherein the cantilever arm (102) is mounted to the bracket (101) with the first end section (103) in such a way that the cantilever arm (102) extends radially outwards from the bracket (101), and

wherein to the second end section (104) a control rope

(105) is mountable.

2. Device of claim 1,

wherein the cantilever arm (102) is detachably mounted to the bracket (101) .

3. Device of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the cantilever arm (102) is pivotably mounted to the bracket (101) .

4. Device of one of the claims 1 to 3,

wherein the length of the cantilever arm (102) is adjustable.

5. Device of one of the claims 1 to 4, further comprising a guiding device (108) for guiding the control rope (105) , wherein the guiding device (108) is mounted to the can^¬ tilever arm (102), and

wherein the guiding device (108) is adapted for control^¬ ling a run of the control rope (105) between the cantilever arm (102) and a ground level.

6. Device of one of the claims 1 to 5,

wherein the bracket (101) comprises a plurality of spa^¬ tially distributed mounting sections, and

wherein the first end section (103) of the cantilever arm (102) is mountable to at least one of the plurality of mounting sections, so that a desired mounting location of the cantilever arm (102) with respect to the component (200) is adj ustable .

7. Device of claim 6,

wherein a first mounting section of the plurality of mounting sections is arranged at a first distance with re^¬ spect to a centre (112) of the bracket (101) and a second mounting section of the plurality of mounting sections is ar^¬ ranged at a second distance with respect to the centre (112) of the bracket (101),

wherein the first distance is different compared to the second distance.

8. Lifting system for lifting a component (200) of a wind turbine, the lifting system comprising

a fixing element (109) for fixing the component (200), wherein the fixing element (109) is liftable by a crane,

a device according to one of the claims 1 to 7 for con^¬ trolling the lifting of the component (200), and

a control rope (105) being mounted to the second end section (104) of the device,

wherein the control rope (105) is holdable by an opera- tor for controlling the lifting of the lifting system.

9. Method of controlling a lifting of a component (200) of a wind turbine, the method comprising lifting the component (200) with a device according to one of the claims 1 to 7.