Nacelle housing with maintenance hatch

Abstract

A nacelle housing (10) of a nacelle (101) of a wind turbine (100) is provided. The nacelle housing comprises: a ventilation opening (21) of a cooling system (20) of the wind turbine (100); a cover (22) closing the ventilation opening (21), the cover (22) being configured to allow airflow through the cover (22) and the ventilation opening (21); and a maintenance hatch (30) for hoisting a load into or out of the nacelle housing (10). The maintenance hatch (30) is provided by the ventilation opening (21) and the cover (22), wherein the cover (22) is configured as a maintenance door (32) of the maintenance hatch (30), the maintenance door (32) being openable to allow a load to be hoisted into or out of the nacelle housing (10) through the ventilation opening (21). Furthermore, a method for hoisting a load into or out of a nacelle housing (10) of a wind turbine (100) is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a nacelle housing of a nacelle of a wind turbine comprising a maintenance hatch. The invention also relates to a method of lifting a load into or out of a nacelle housing of a wind turbine. Background Art

[0002] A wind turbine, also called a wind turbine generator (WTG), comprises a nacelle to which a rotor with rotor blades is mounted. The nacelle is mounted on top of a wind turbine tower and can be rotated, usually by using a yaw drive. The rotor blades convert wind energy into rotational mechanical energy, which in turn is converted into electrical energy by a generator coupled to the rotor and arranged in the nacelle. The nacelle may house additional components, such as: a gearbox coupled between the rotor and the generator (not present in direct drive wind turbines); a converter for providing AC / AC conversion of the generated electricity; several drives including actuators, such as yaw drives, blade pitch drives, etc.; and corresponding control electronics.

[0003] In order to service components of a wind turbine, it may be necessary to lift heavy loads into the nacelle. For this purpose, a service crane may be provided within the housing of the nacelle. The nacelle housing may include a service hatch that can be opened and allows a crane to lift loads into and out of the nacelle housing.

[0004] Such a service hatch can be provided, for example, in a side wall or in the floor of the nacelle housing. The space in the nacelle is usually quite limited, making it difficult to place a service hatch. When open, the service hatch restricts the movement of maintenance personnel in the nacelle. Furthermore, before opening the service hatch, it may be necessary to install safety equipment around the service hatch, which further significantly reduces the space available for maintenance technicians to move and work in the nacelle. Furthermore, installing such a service hatch is associated with additional costs.

[0005] Document WO 2004 / 003381 A1 describes a maintenance hatch formed in the bottom of the nacelle and extending over most of its length and width. The maintenance hatch is closed by a plurality of panels or shutters supported by longitudinally extending longitudinal beams. When the hatch is fully open, there is no space in the nacelle for a maintenance technician and no safety mechanism appears to be provided.

[0006] The document “Hatch and fence solution for a windturbine nacelle” with IP.com number IPCOM000248179D describes a platform for a nacelle of a wind turbine, the platform comprising a rectangular opening around which a fence is arranged for the purpose of worker safety.

[0007] It is desirable to provide a more compact and cost-effective solution.Furthermore, it is also desirable to ensure operational safety for a service technician or operator working in the nacelle of a wind turbine. Summary of the invention

[0008] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least some of the above mentioned drawbacks and to provide an improved nacelle housing comprising a service hatch. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a more cost effective and less space consuming solution for providing a service hatch in such a nacelle.

[0009] This object is achieved by the features of the independent claim. The dependent claims describe embodiments of the invention.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a nacelle housing of a nacelle of a wind turbine is provided. The nacelle housing comprises a ventilation opening of a cooling system of the wind turbine and a cover closing the ventilation opening, wherein the cover is configured to allow air to flow through the cover and the ventilation opening (i.e., when the cover closes the ventilation opening, air can flow through the cover). The nacelle housing also comprises a maintenance hatch for hoisting a load into or out of the nacelle housing. The maintenance hatch is provided by the ventilation opening and the cover. The cover is configured as a maintenance door of the maintenance hatch, which can be opened to allow a load to be hoisted into or out of the nacelle housing through the ventilation opening.

[0011] By using the ventilation opening as a service hatch, a compact solution can be achieved, since no separate ventilation opening and no separate opening need be provided for the service hatch. This also results in a more compact nacelle shell and corresponding cost savings. Furthermore, since the service door of the service hatch is provided by the cover of the ventilation opening through which the air flow passes (also in the closed state of the service door), there is no need to provide an additional service hatch door, which usually has to be sealed in the nacelle shell in order to prevent moisture and humidity from entering the interior of the nacelle.

[0012] The ventilation opening may in particular be an air inlet of a cooling system.

[0013] In one embodiment, the service door of the service hatch comprises at least one, preferably two, foldable wings. Such foldable wings reduce the space required when opening or closing the service door and thus allow larger loads to be hoisted into the nacelle. This is particularly beneficial when closing the service door under the load after the load has been hoisted into the nacelle. For example, each foldable wing may have two or more elements hinged to each other. As an example, the service door may comprise three, four or more such elements, which may be part of a single wing or two or more wings. Thus, a compact construction may be achieved when the service door is opened and the wings are folded. In a preferred construction, the service door comprises two foldable wings, each wing having two such elements.

[0014] The width of all elements may be within 25% or within 20% of the width of the widest element, the width being in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hinged connection between the elements. Thus, the service door is compact when open.

[0015] The service door may comprise a grille or a grid or a plurality of openings to allow airflow through the service door and the ventilation opening when the service door is closed. Thus, a large amount of airflow can be provided to the cooling system through the service door when the service door is in the closed position. The elements of the service door may in particular be constituted by such a grille or a grid, which may be arranged in a corresponding frame.

[0016] The cabin housing may comprise a sealed cooling chamber. Such a sealed cooling chamber may, for example, be arranged in a rear part of the cabin housing and may in particular comprise a part or the whole of the rear wall of the cabin housing. The ventilation opening may be an inlet or outlet to the sealed cooling chamber, preferably an air inlet opening. The sealed cooling chamber may comprise a door towards the (rest of) interior of the cabin housing to provide access to the service hatch from the interior of the cabin housing. The interior may in particular be an interior space surrounded or enclosed by the cabin housing but not comprising the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber may be sealed towards this interior of the cabin housing. Thus, the rest of the cabin housing is protected from humidity and moisture that may enter the sealed cooling chamber through the ventilation opening.

[0017] Preferably, the ventilation opening and therefore the opening of the service hatch is arranged in the bottom side of the nacelle housing, in particular in the side facing downwardly towards the surface of the earth.Thus, a rope attached to a winch can be lowered through the ventilation opening in order to hoist a load into the nacelle.

[0018] In one embodiment, the nacelle housing comprises a service crane which is extendable or extends within the nacelle housing to a position above the service hatch, or which is (at least partially) mounted above the service hatch. The service crane may for example comprise a beam or a track, or a rope and a pulley extending to a position above the service hatch, or a winch mounted above the service hatch, or the service crane may comprise a beam which is movable or (telescopically) extendable such that it reaches a position above the service hatch. Thus, loads may be efficiently hoisted into the nacelle housing through the ventilation opening.

[0019] In one embodiment, the service hatch comprises an opening mechanism, the actuation of which enables the opening of the service door. The opening mechanism may be a manually operated mechanism and may comprise a handle, which is attached to the service door, for example to an element of a wing of the service door. The opening mechanism may also be an electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated mechanism. The use of a manually operated mechanism has the advantage that the construction of the service hatch may have low complexity and may be fail-safe, in particular because no power supply is required. The opening mechanism may, for example, comprise a handle, which comprises a lever and a grip, which is attached to a wing of the service door, such that actuation of the handle results in folding of the wing of the service door and thus in opening of the service door.

[0020] Preferably, the service hatch comprises a safety barrier configured to restrict access to the service hatch. The safety barrier may have a closed position, in which an access path for an operator or a service technician to the space above the service door is blocked, and an open position, in which the access path is not blocked. The access path is in particular a path from the interior of the nacelle (interior space) to a position above the service door, which may be, for example, a path into the sealed cooling chamber mentioned above. For example, when in the closed position, the safety barrier may restrict access to the sealed cooling chamber. The safety barrier may, for example, be configured to restrict access at least when the service door of the service hatch is in the open position.

[0021] Such a safety barrier can prevent an operator or maintenance technician from entering the space above the maintenance door when the maintenance door is open and thus falling through the maintenance door, thereby improving the operational safety of personnel.

[0022] The safety barrier can in particular be installed in the opening of a door leading from the interior of the nacelle to a (sealed) cooling chamber in which the ventilation opening is provided.

[0023] The safety barrier can be provided, for example, by one or more, preferably two, guardrails which are pivotable about a (vertical) hinge connection.

[0024] For example, the safety barrier may comprise two barrier elements, in particular two guardrails, wherein the two barrier elements are coupled to each other in such a way that a movement of one of the barrier elements results in a corresponding movement of the other barrier element. Such a configuration prevents that, in the event that one of the barrier elements is closed to restrict access (e.g. when a service door is open), an operator can access the space above the service door through the other barrier element. Thus, by such a coupling of the barrier elements, operational safety can be further increased. Furthermore, the provision of two barrier elements allows a more compact configuration, in particular because less space is required to open the two barrier elements compared to a single barrier element.

[0025] For example, a coupling mechanism including a coupling rod and a lever at both ends may be provided. Each lever may be connected to one end of the coupling rod and to one of the barrier elements, so that movement of one barrier element is converted into movement of the coupling rod, which in turn actuates the other barrier element, so that the other barrier element moves correspondingly to the first actuated barrier element. A lever element may, for example, be fixed to each barrier element and pivotably connected to the respective end of the coupling rod.

[0026] Preferably, the service hatch comprises a locking mechanism, which is configured to prevent the service door from opening if the safety barrier is in the open position and / or is configured to prevent the safety barrier from opening when the service door is in the open position. In particular, the opening of the service door can be locked if the safety barrier is not closed and / or the opening of the safety barrier can be locked when the service door is not in the closed position. By means of such a locking mechanism, it can be ensured that access to the space above the service door is always restricted by the safety barrier when the service door is in the open position or partially opened. This provides improved safety for the operator or service technician.

[0027] In one embodiment, the service hatch comprises an opening mechanism, which actuates to enable opening of the service door, and the opening mechanism of the service hatch comprises a handle. Such a handle can be manually operated, and it can comprise a lever arm mounted to the service door, in particular to one of the elements mentioned above, and can also comprise a grip at one end. The safety barrier comprises a guide configured to guide the handle from a first position in which the service door is closed to a second position in which the service door is open. The handle and the guide can be shaped so that if the safety barrier is in the open position, the movement of the handle from the first position to the second position is locked, and / or the safety barrier is locked in the closed position when the handle is in the second position in which the service door is open. By such a guide and such a handle, a locking mechanism with relatively low complexity and thus relatively fail-safe can be provided.

[0028] Such locking mechanism can for example lock the safety barrier in the closed position along the path that the handle travels from the first position to the second position when the maintenance door is opened. Similarly, once the safety barrier moves from its closed position to the open position, it can lock the maintenance door in the open position.

[0029] The guidance may be provided by a slot in a plate of the security barrier or by a slot in a guide element. The handle may extend through the slot and may include a curved section configured to interact with the plate or the guide element to lock movement of the handle (if the security barrier is open) or to lock the security barrier in a closed position (if the service door is open).

[0030] The guide and the handle may be shaped such that if the safety barrier is in the closed position and the maintenance door is not in the closed position, the guide is caught at the end (particularly the curved end) of the handle so that the handle can move in the guide but the safety barrier including the guide cannot move to the open position.

[0031] The handle may, for example, comprise two or three bends at its ends. For example, the handle may be configured such that in the open position of the service door, a first portion of the handle extends substantially parallel to the safety barrier, a first bend section extends the handle through a slot in the guide and thus from a first side of the safety barrier towards a second side of the safety barrier, and a second bend extends the handle on the other side of the safety barrier (at least a distance) to a position beyond the slot of the guide. The second bend section may be followed by a third bend section comprising a grip. The safety barrier cannot therefore be opened because once the handle is moved out of its first position, it is caught on the second bend section extending beyond the slot.

[0032] Furthermore, the guide and the handle are shaped so that if the handle is in the first position and the safety barrier is in the open position, one end of the handle (particularly the curved end) is caught at the periphery of the guide so that the handle cannot be moved in the guide to the second position. The handle cannot therefore be moved to open the service door. The service door is thus locked in the closed position in an effective and simple manner.

[0033] When the safety barrier is not in the closed position, the curved end of the handle, in particular the third curved portion, extends through the slot towards the other side of the safety barrier, wherein the slot (and therefore the guide) is no longer aligned with the section between the first curved portion and the second curved portion. The handle is therefore unable to move in the guide, but rather its movement is limited by the periphery of the slot on which the end of the handle is caught.

[0034] When the safety barrier is in the closed position, the portion of the handle between the first bend and the second bend is aligned with the guide, allowing the handle to move in the guide while preventing opening of the safety barrier because the guide is caught on the portion of the handle behind the second bend, as shown above.

[0035] In a particular embodiment, the maintenance door comprises a first foldable wing and a second foldable wing, and the maintenance hatch comprises a first guardrail and a second guardrail, which are configured to restrict access to the maintenance hatch. Each guardrail is hinged and pivotable in the vertical direction so that the guardrail can be opened and closed. The opening mechanism comprises a first handle coupled to the first wing, in particular to its first element, and a second handle coupled to the second wing, in particular to its first element. The first guardrail comprises a first guide configured to guide the first handle, and the second guardrail comprises a second guide configured to guide the second handle. Each handle and the corresponding guide are shaped and arranged so that the handle is operable to open the corresponding wing of the maintenance door only when the guardrail is in the closed position, and the handle is inoperable when the guardrail is in the open position (in particular when it is not in the closed position). The handle can in particular be rigidly coupled to the corresponding wing or element of the wing. As described above, the first and second guardrails can be coupled together to prevent only a single guardrail from opening.

[0036] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a nacelle is provided, which comprises a nacelle shell in any one of the above-mentioned structures. Such a nacelle may also comprise a corresponding cooling system.

[0037] The cooling system may, for example, comprise at least one heat exchanger and at least one fan, which is constructed and arranged to provide an airflow through ventilation openings, in particular air inlets, and through the heat exchanger. The nacelle housing may, for example, comprise one or more outlet openings, for example in its rear wall (i.e., in the wall opposite to the wall on which the rotor is mounted), and a fan may be mounted to such outlet openings to provide an airflow through the air inlet, the heat exchanger and the outlet opening. Preferably, the cooling system comprises two such heat exchangers and two, preferably four, such fans and outlet openings. In addition to the inlet opening used as a maintenance hatch, an additional inlet opening may also be provided, and the additional inlet opening may be operated in a conventional manner. The ventilation openings, the heat exchanger and the fan may be arranged in a cooling chamber of the nacelle, which is sealed towards the rest of the interior of the nacelle.

[0038] According to another embodiment of the invention, a maintenance hatch for a nacelle of a wind turbine is provided. The maintenance hatch may have any of the above-described configurations. In some embodiments, the maintenance hatch may not employ a ventilation opening, but may have a dedicated opening in the nacelle housing. Such a maintenance hatch may in particular comprise a maintenance door, an opening mechanism for the maintenance door, a safety barrier and a locking mechanism, which may have any of the configurations described herein. Such a maintenance hatch may in particular provide improved operating safety for maintenance technicians and operators working in the nacelle of a wind turbine.

[0039] According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for hoisting a load into or out of a nacelle housing of a wind turbine is provided. The nacelle housing comprises a ventilation opening of a cooling system of the wind turbine and a cover closing the ventilation opening, wherein the cover is configured to allow air to flow through the cover and the ventilation opening. The ventilation opening and the cover provide a maintenance hatch for hoisting a load into or out of the nacelle housing. The method comprises opening the cover of the ventilation opening, the cover being configured as a maintenance door of the maintenance hatch, and hoisting a load into or out of the nacelle housing through the ventilation opening. With this method, advantages similar to those outlined further above with respect to the nacelle housing can be achieved.

[0040] The nacelle shell and the service hatch employed in the method may have any configuration described herein. Furthermore, any method steps described above or further described below with respect to the nacelle shell, the nacelle or the service hatch may form part of an embodiment of the method.

[0041] It is to be understood that the features mentioned above and the features to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations indicated, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the features of different aspects and embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, unless otherwise indicated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements.

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a wind turbine comprising a nacelle with a nacelle housing according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a rear portion of a nacelle housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2Schematic diagram of a bottom view of the rear part of the nacelle housing.

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a partial perspective view of a nacelle housing including a cooling chamber according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0047] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 Schematic diagram of a partial perspective view of a nacelle housing with a maintenance door open and a safety barrier in a closed position.

[0048] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a partial perspective view of a maintenance hatch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 7-9 It shows Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a partial front view of a maintenance hatch, wherein the maintenance door moves from a closed position to an open position.

[0050] Fig.10 It shows Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a partial perspective view of a maintenance hatch with the maintenance door in an open position.

[0051] Figure 11-12 It shows Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a partial perspective view of a maintenance hatch with the safety barrier moved to an open position.

[0052] Fig.13 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.It is to be understood that the following description of the embodiments is given for the purpose of illustration only and should not be understood in a restrictive sense.It should be noted that the accompanying drawings should be regarded as schematic representations only, and the elements in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale with each other.On the contrary, the representations of various elements are selected to make their functions and general purposes become apparent to those skilled in the art.As used herein, the singular forms "one", "one" and "a kind of" may be intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.Unless otherwise stated, the terms "include", "have", "comprise" and "contain" will be interpreted as open terms (i.e., meaning "including but not limited to").

[0054] Figure 1A wind turbine 100 is schematically shown, comprising a nacelle 101, which comprises a nacelle housing 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The nacelle 101 is mounted to a wind turbine tower 102, and a rotor comprising a rotor hub 103 and rotor blades 104 is mounted to the nacelle 101. The rotor converts wind energy into rotational mechanical energy, which is provided to a generator 105. The rotor may be directly coupled to the generator 105, or a gearbox 106 may be provided to adjust the rotational speed. Further components may be provided in the nacelle 101, such as a converter (not shown) providing AC / AC conversion of the generated electricity and control electronics for controlling components of the wind turbine. A pitch drive mechanism comprising an electric or hydraulic actuator for adjusting the pitch angle of the rotor blades 104, a yaw drive for adjusting the orientation of the nacelle 101, and further components may also be provided. Some of these components may require cooling during operation. Therefore, a cooling system 20 is provided in the nacelle 101, which comprises a heat exchanger 23 and a fan 24. The fan 24 circulates air through the heat exchanger 23. The nacelle 101 comprises corresponding ventilation openings 21 configured as air inlets and also comprises corresponding ventilation openings configured as air outlets. For example, the fan 24 may be mounted directly before or after such air outlets.

[0055] It should be appreciated that the cooling system 20 may include a plurality of heat exchangers 23 , such as two, three, or more, and may include a plurality of fans 24 , such as two, three, four, six, or more.

[0056] exist Figure 1 In the example of the embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation opening 21 in the cabin housing 10 is used as an air inlet, but it can also be used as an air outlet. The ventilation opening 21 is closed by a cover 22, wherein the cover is permeable to air. The cover 22 can, for example, include a grating, a grille or any other configuration that can include holes and slots to allow air to pass between the outside and the inside of the cabin housing 10.

[0057] The cooling system 20, in particular the heat exchanger 23 and the fan 24, may be arranged in a cooling compartment or cooling chamber 27 within the nacelle 101. The cooling chamber 27 may be sealed to the further interior space 110 within the nacelle housing 10 such that air exchange between the cooling chamber 27 and the remaining interior space 110 is limited or prevented. Figure 1 Shown are walls 29 between these compartments of the nacelle housing 10. This is beneficial because the air circulating through the heat exchanger 23 may include moisture and corrosive substances, such as salt in an offshore environment, which may be harmful to components placed in the remaining interior space 110 of the nacelle 101. It should be clear that in other configurations, such a sealed cooling chamber 27 may not be provided.

[0058] In the nacelle housing 10, a crane 40 is also provided. The crane 40 may include a beam 41 and a winch 42, but in other configurations it may include only this winch 42 mounted above the opening 21. In other embodiments, the beam 41 may be a track extending into the cooling chamber 27, and the winch 42 may be mounted to a traveling trolley running on this track, so that heavy loads may be moved within the nacelle 101. In even different embodiments, the beam 41 may be a telescopic or movable beam having a pulley at its end and operable to position a winch rope above the opening 21; the winch 42 may then be provided at the other end of the crane beam 41. Thus, the beam 41 may be movable, or may be fixedly mounted within the nacelle 101.

[0059] In the nacelle housing 10, a service hatch 30 is provided. In particular, the service hatch 30 is provided by a ventilation opening 21 and a cover 22, which is configured as a service door 32. Thus, the service hatch 30 comprises a ventilation opening 21 and a cover 22 / service door 32, which can be opened in order to lift a load 45 into or out of the nacelle 101 by means of a service crane 40.

[0060] By such a configuration, no additional service hatch openings need to be provided in the nacelle housing 10. Thus, the configuration requires less space and is compact. In particular, a compact nacelle housing 10 can be achieved. Furthermore, more space is available for a service technician in the interior 110 of the nacelle 101 (outside the cooling chamber 27), making it easier for the service technician to move, transport components and perform maintenance work than with a nacelle housing with additional service hatch openings provided in the interior space 110. Furthermore, such a solution is also more cost-effective, since no additional openings need to be provided in the nacelle housing 10 and since the nacelle housing 10 can be made more compact.

[0061] Figure 2 Pictured Figure 1 A specific embodiment of the cabin shell 10 and the cabin 101, so that the above description is also applicable to Figure 2 As can be seen, the rear wall of the nacelle, i.e. the wall of the nacelle opposite the side on which the rotor is mounted, comprises four ventilation openings 25 configured as air outlets. A fan 24 is mounted in front of each air outlet. The ventilation openings 21 are arranged on the underside of the nacelle housing 10, in particular in the bottom wall. The ventilation openings 21 are configured as air inlets, have a rectangular shape and are closed by a cover 22. Of course, additional inlet openings 26 can be provided, for example, next to the ventilation openings 21, such as Figure 2 as shown in .

[0062] The ventilation opening 21 used as a maintenance hatch and the further air inlet 26 are arranged in Figure 3 As further indicated, a maintenance crane 40 may be arranged at a position above the ventilation opening 21 so as to be able to lift a load through the ventilation opening 21. The ventilation opening 21 is arranged adjacent to the rear wall of the nacelle shell 10, is centered in the transverse direction, and has a rectangular shape.

[0063] It should be clear that other configurations and shapes of the ventilation openings 21 and the additional inlet openings 26 may be implemented. It should also be clear that the air flow may be reversed and the ventilation openings 21 may be used as air outlets.

[0064] Figure 4 Pictured Figure 2 The interior of the cabin housing 10 is shown, wherein the outer wall of the cabin housing 10 is not shown. Two fans 24 and a heat exchanger 23 are arranged on either side of the ventilation opening 21, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 In addition, the cooling chamber 27 and the further interior space 110 in the cabin are separated by Figure 4 In particular, a partition wall 29 may separate the cooling chamber 27 from the rest of the interior space 110, and one or more doors 28 may provide access to the cooling chamber 27. The walls of the cooling chamber 27 may be sealed to the nacelle shell 10, and by closing the door 28, the space in the cooling chamber 27 may be isolated from the rest of the interior space 110. Figure 4 In the example of FIG. 4 , the partition wall 29 comprises a recess 44 through which a beam 41 of a maintenance crane 40 can extend into the cooling chamber 27 . Figure 4 4, but it will be appreciated that the beam may be sealed against the periphery of the recess 44 to provide a sealed cooling chamber 27, or an additional door may be provided to seal against the track of the service crane 40 on which the trolley including the capstan runs.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown in FIG, the maintenance hatch 30 may also include a safety barrier 50, which may include barrier elements 51 and 52. Figure 4 21 is shown in an open position, wherein the maintenance door 32 provided by the cover 22 is shown in a closed position. Therefore, an operator or maintenance technician is allowed to enter the ventilation opening 21 and the space above the maintenance door 32 without the risk of falling through the ventilation opening 21.

[0066] Figure 5A similar perspective view is shown, in which the safety barrier 50 is in the closed position and the service door 32 is in the open position. In this position, access to the area above the ventilation opening 21 is therefore restricted. When the service door 32 is open, loads can be hoisted into or out of the nacelle 101 via the service crane 40. In particular, the access path from the interior space 110 through the opening in the partition wall 29 to the cooling chamber 27 is blocked by the safety barrier 50 in the closed position of the safety barrier 50. If the safety barrier 50 is opened, the access path is clear again. The safety barrier 50 is mounted in a door opening in the partition wall 29 that separates the cooling chamber 27 from the interior space 110 of the nacelle.

[0067] Figure 6 A maintenance hatch 30 according to an embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated. The maintenance hatch 30 is shown without the nacelle housing 10, the cooling system 20 and the other components of the cooling chamber 27, but it should be clear that Figure 6 The maintenance hatch 30 can be used in any of the above configurations. Therefore, the above description also applies to Figure 6 Maintenance hatch 30.

[0068] The maintenance door 32 comprises elements 33 and 34 forming a first wing 37, and also elements 35 and 36 forming a second wing 38. The wings 37, 38 are foldable so that when the maintenance door 32 is open, it only occupies a relatively small space in the height direction. In particular, the elements 34 and 33 are hinged to each other, and the elements 35 and 36 are hinged to each other so that they can be folded, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 . With such a configuration, even if a load is hoisted into the nacelle above the maintenance door 32 and the load has a relatively large extension in the height direction, the maintenance door 32 can be closed without interfering with the load. Therefore, such a configuration allows hoisting of large loads. The maintenance door is configured to open in a transverse direction of the nacelle shell, i.e. in a direction towards the side wall. Therefore, a relatively large opening can be provided while keeping the extension of the cooling chamber in the longitudinal direction (from rear to front) relatively small.

[0069] The elements 33 to 36 are formed as gratings, grids or grilles and act as covers 22 for the ventilation openings 21, in particular allowing air to pass through, even when the service door 32 is in the closed position. It should be clear that other configurations of the service door are conceivable, such as providing only a single wing, which may have two, three, four, six or even more elements; providing two wings, each of which has two, three, four or even more elements, or providing only a single wing with a single element.

[0070] The maintenance hatch 30 also includes an opening mechanism 60 that can be actuated to open the maintenance door 32. Figure 6In the embodiment of the present invention, the opening mechanism 60 includes a first handle 61 coupled to the first wing 37 and a second handle 62 coupled to the second wing 38. The handles 61 and 62 are manually operated, each handle is coupled to an element of the corresponding wing, and is movable to fold the corresponding wing to open the maintenance door 32. In other configurations, an electric motor or a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator may be provided to open the maintenance door 32, in particular to fold each wing of the maintenance door 32. The provision of manually operated handles has the following advantages, namely, the configuration is less complex, has a longer life and is fail-safe.

[0071] The safety barrier 50 comprises first and second barrier elements 51, 52 which are arranged at Figure 6 In the embodiment of the present invention, the guardrails are provided in the form of guardrails. These guardrails can be hinged to a wall of the cabin housing 10, such as a partition wall 29, for example, and can be pivoted about a vertical axis to Figure 6 Move from the closed position shown in Figure 4 The safety barrier 50, in particular each barrier element 51, 52, has a corresponding guide 53, 54, which is Figure 6 In the example of , it is provided in the form of a groove. It should be clear that other types of guides may also be used. The guides 53 and 54 are configured to guide the respective handles 61, 62 when the opening mechanism 60 is actuated.

[0072] This is Figures 7 to 9 In the figure. Figure 7 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the maintenance door 32 is in the closed position and the wings 37, 38 are unfolded. The handles 61, 62 include a grip 64 at each respective end. The grips can be grasped by an operator and the handles 61, 62 can be moved to open the maintenance door 32, wherein the movement is guided by the respective slots 53, 54. Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the handles 61 , 62 are moved from their initial (first) position towards their final position, the wings 37 , 38 begin to fold and release the opening of the service hatch. Fig. 9 The handles 61, 62 are shown in their final (second) position, in which the wings 37, 38 are folded and the service door 32 is in the open position. Loads can now be lifted through the service hatch 30, in particular through the ventilation opening 21.

[0073] Return to Figure 6 The maintenance hatch 30 also includes a locking mechanism 70. The locking mechanism is Figure 6 In the example of the embodiment of the present invention, the first and second handles 61, 62 and the first and second guides 53 and 54 are implemented. They are particularly configured to interact in such a way that when the handles 61, 62 are in the second, final position where the maintenance door 32 is opened, the handles prevent the corresponding barrier element from being opened. Figure 6 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 It can be seen that when the barrier element is in the closed position, on the side of the barrier element facing the maintenance door 32, the handle has a portion extending substantially parallel to the barrier element. The handles 61, 62 also include a first curved portion that allows the handle to pass through the corresponding slots 53, 54 and extend toward the other side of the corresponding barrier element. The handle also includes a second curved portion that extends beyond the periphery of the corresponding slot so that the barrier element is prevented from passing over the handle and opening in a direction away from the maintenance door 32. It should be clear that the opening of the corresponding barrier element in the direction toward the maintenance door 32 is similarly prevented by the corresponding handle, but it can also be prevented in a different way, for example by providing a corresponding hinge that does not open in this direction. Figures 7 to 9 The sequence diagram shows that as soon as the handle 61, 62 is moved from the first position (in which the door is closed) towards the second position and guided in the corresponding slot 53, 54, the barrier element 51, 52 is locked and cannot be opened. Thus, as soon as the service door 32 starts to open and a part of the handle, and in particular the grip 64, is placed in front of the corresponding service barrier, access to the service hatch and to the corresponding opening is blocked. The operating safety can thereby be increased.

[0074] If one wing of the maintenance door 32 is open, thereby locking the corresponding barrier element, while the other wing is closed and thus allowing the other barrier element to be opened, a dangerous situation may occur because an operator will be able to enter the maintenance hatch when part of the maintenance door is open. In order to avoid such a situation, the first and second barrier elements 51, 52 are coupled by a coupling mechanism 80. The coupling mechanism 80 includes a coupling rod 81 and levers 82, 83, which are coupled to the ends of the coupling rod 81 and are also connected to the corresponding barrier elements 51, 52 (see Fig.10 ). The coupling mechanism 80 is configured to synchronize the movement of the barrier elements 51, 52, that is, if one of the barrier elements 51, 52 is opened, the other barrier element automatically follows. Fig.10 The barrier element 51 shown in the figure pulls the coupling rod 81 via the lever element 82, which in turn actuates the second barrier element 52 via the lever element 83 and causes it to also open. Thus, by means of such a coupling rod or bar 81, synchronization of the two guardrails can be achieved and one guardrail automatically follows the movement of the other guardrail. In this way, if only one of the wings 37, 38 is opened and locks the corresponding guardrail, the other guardrail is automatically locked and it cannot move independently.

[0075] Return to Figure 6The locking mechanism 70, in particular the first and second handles 61, 62 and the first and second guides 53, 54, are configured such that when the safety barrier 50 is open (in particular when it is not closed), actuation of the opening mechanism 60 is prevented. Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , each handle 61 , 62 has at its end a grip 64 which extends on a side of the barrier element facing away from the service door in a direction corresponding to the direction in which the barrier element can be opened. Fig.11 The condition in which the barrier element 52 is only slightly opened is shown. As can be seen, the grip 64 of the handle 60 limits the movement of the handle 62, because the grip 64 is caught by the guide 54, in particular by the outer periphery of the groove. Fig.12 The same situation is shown in FIG. 1 , in which the barrier element 52 is further opened. In particular, the end of the handle 62 extends far enough so that in the fully opened position of the barrier element 52, the handle 62 is still locked and cannot be moved to open the maintenance door 32. Therefore, the maintenance door 32 can be prevented from being accidentally opened when the safety barrier 50 is not closed. Thereby, the operational safety can be improved.

[0076] It should be clear that Figures 6 to 12 The described maintenance hatch may be used in any of the above-described embodiments of the nacelle 101 and the nacelle shell 10. Furthermore, it should be clear that the maintenance hatch 30 may be modified in a variety of ways. For example, the safety barrier 50 may include only a single guardrail, or may include one or more barrier elements, such as doors, having different configurations. Furthermore, it should also be clear that the shape of the guides 53, 54 and the handles 61, 62 may be varied while still implementing the above-described locking mechanism. Further, it should be clear that the maintenance door 32 may include only a single wing, and therefore only a single handle may be provided. Preferably, the locking mechanism 70 implements both: locking the safety barrier 50 in the closed position when the maintenance door 32 is not in the closed position; and locking the maintenance door 32 in the closed position when the safety barrier 50 is not in the closed position. In some embodiments, the maintenance hatch may include a separate opening in the interior space 110 of the nacelle 101.

[0077] Fig.13 201, the guardrails 51, 52 are placed in a closed state, such as Figure 6 In step 202, the handles 61, 62 are actuated to open the maintenance door, whereby the guardrail is locked in the closed state. Figures 7 to 9. Then, a maintenance crane is used to lift the load through the ventilation opening 21 (step 203). This may involve moving a traveling trolley to a position above the ventilation opening 21 before opening the maintenance door 32, to which a winch is attached, and the traveling trolley moves on a track in the nacelle. Once the maintenance door is opened, the winch can be actuated to pay out a winch rope (e.g., a steel wire) through the ventilation opening, to which the load is attached. The rope can then be rolled up by operation of the winch, thereby lifting the load into the nacelle. In step 204, handles 61, 62 are actuated to close the maintenance door 32, thereby releasing the locking of the guardrails 51, 52. Then, in step 205, the guardrails are opened to provide access to the load. For example, the load can be lowered onto the (closed) maintenance door 32 and can be picked up by a maintenance technician, or the load can be transported along the track into the interior space 110 of the nacelle by means of a traveling trolley. As mentioned above, the maintenance crane may, in other configurations, include a telescopic and / or movable boom that may be controlled to transport a load into the nacelle.

[0078] Hence, a safe maintenance hatch may be provided, which is efficiently operable and in particular does not use additional space in the nacelle 101. A compact, safe and cost-effective solution is thereby provided.

[0079] Although specific embodiments are disclosed herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The present embodiments should be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalent range of the appended claims are intended to be included therein.

Claims

1. A nacelle housing (10) of a nacelle (101) of a wind turbine (100), comprising: - a ventilation opening (21) of a cooling system (20) of the wind turbine (100), - a cover (22) closing the ventilation opening (21), the cover (22) being configured to allow airflow through the cover (22) and the ventilation opening (21), and - a maintenance hatch (30) for lifting loads into or out of the nacelle housing (10), wherein the maintenance hatch (30) is provided via the ventilation opening (21) and the cover (22), wherein the cover (22) is configured as a maintenance door (32) of the maintenance hatch (30), the maintenance door (32) being openable to allow a load to be hoisted into or out of the nacelle shell (10) through the ventilation opening (21), The maintenance door (32) comprises a grille, a grid or a plurality of openings to allow the airflow to pass through the maintenance door (32) and the ventilation opening (21) when the maintenance door (32) is closed.

2. The nacelle housing according to claim 1, wherein: The service door (32) of the service hatch (30) comprises at least one foldable wing (37, 38).

3. The nacelle housing according to claim 2, wherein: The maintenance door (32) of the maintenance hatch (30) comprises two foldable wings.

4. The nacelle housing according to claim 2, wherein: Each foldable wing (37, 38) has two or more elements (33-36) hinged to each other.

5. Nacelle housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The nacelle housing (10) comprises a maintenance crane (40) which can be extended or is extended to a position above the maintenance hatch (30) in the nacelle housing (10), or the maintenance crane (40) is installed above the maintenance hatch.

6. The nacelle housing according to claim 1, wherein: The maintenance hatch (30) includes an opening mechanism (60), and actuation of the opening mechanism (60) enables opening of the maintenance door (32).

7. The nacelle housing according to claim 6, wherein: The opening mechanism (60) is a manually operated mechanism or an electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated mechanism.

8. The nacelle housing according to claim 1, wherein: The service hatch (30) includes a safety barrier (50) configured to restrict access to the service hatch (30), the safety barrier (50) having a closed position in which an access path for an operator to reach the space above the service door (32) is blocked, and an open position in which the access path is not blocked.

9. The nacelle housing according to claim 8, wherein: The safety barrier (50) comprises two barrier elements (51, 52), wherein the two barrier elements (51, 52) are coupled to each other in such a way that a movement of one of the barrier elements (51) results in a corresponding movement of the other barrier element (52).

10. The nacelle housing according to claim 9, wherein: The two barrier elements (51, 52) are two guardrails.

11. The nacelle housing according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The maintenance hatch (30) includes a locking mechanism (70) configured to prevent the maintenance door (32) from opening when the safety barrier (50) is in the open position and / or configured to prevent the safety barrier (50) from opening when the maintenance door (32) is in the open position.

12. The nacelle housing according to claim 8, in, The maintenance hatch (30) comprises an opening mechanism (60), actuation of which enables opening of the maintenance door (32), the opening mechanism (60) of the maintenance hatch comprising handles (61, 62), and wherein the safety barrier (50) comprises guides (53, 54), the guides (53, 54) being configured to guide the handles (61, 62) from a first position in which the maintenance door (32) is closed to a second position in which the maintenance door (32) is opened, The handles (61, 62) and the guides (53, 54) are shaped so that - if the safety barrier (50) is in the open position, the movement of the handle from the first position to the second position is locked, and / or - When the handle is in the second position with the service door (32) open, the safety barrier (50) is locked in the closed position.

13. The nacelle housing according to claim 12, wherein: The guide (53, 54) is provided by a slot in a plate of the safety barrier (50) or by a slot in a guide element, the handle (61, 62) extending through the slot and comprising a bent section configured to interact with the plate or the guide element to respectively lock the movement of the handle (61, 62) or to lock the safety barrier (50) in the closed position.

14. The nacelle housing according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The guides (53, 54) and the handles (61, 62) are shaped so that if the handles (61, 62) are in the first position and the safety barrier (50) is in the open position, the ends (64) of the handles (61, 62) are caught at the periphery of the guides (53, 54) so ​​that the handles (61, 62) cannot be moved in the guides to the second position.

15. The nacelle housing according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The guides (53, 54) and the handles (61, 62) are shaped so that if the safety barrier (50) is in the closed position and the maintenance door (32) is not in the closed position, the guides (53, 54) are caught at the ends of the handles (61, 62), so that the handles (61, 62) can move in the guides (53, 54), but the safety barrier (50) including the guides (53, 54) cannot move to the open position.

16. The nacelle housing according to claim 6, wherein: The maintenance door comprises a first foldable wing (37) and a second foldable wing (38), The maintenance hatch (30) comprises a first guardrail (51) and a second guardrail (52), both of which are configured to restrict an operator from entering the maintenance hatch (30). wherein each guardrail is hinged in a vertical direction and can pivot so that the guardrail can be opened and closed, The opening mechanism (60) includes a first handle (61) coupled to the first wing (37) and a second handle (62) coupled to the second wing (38). wherein the first guardrail (51) includes a first guide (53) configured to guide the first handle (61), and wherein the second guardrail (52) includes a second guide (54) configured to guide the second handle (62), each handle (61, 62) and the corresponding guide (53, 54) being shaped and arranged so that the handle can be operated to open the corresponding wing (37, 38) of the maintenance door (32) only when the guardrail (51, 52) is in a closed position, and the handle (61, 62) is inoperable when the guardrail is in an open position.

17. A method of lifting a load into or out of a nacelle housing (10) of a wind turbine (100), wherein: The nacelle housing (10) comprises a ventilation opening (21) of a cooling system (20) of the wind turbine (100) and a cover (22) closing the ventilation opening (21), the cover being configured to allow airflow through the cover and the ventilation opening, wherein the ventilation opening (21) and the cover (22) provide a maintenance hatch (30) for lifting loads into or out of the nacelle housing, The cover (22) is configured as a maintenance door (32) of the maintenance hatch (30), wherein the maintenance door (32) comprises a grille, a grid or a plurality of openings to allow the airflow to pass through the maintenance door (32) and the ventilation opening (21) when the maintenance door (32) is closed, Wherein, the method comprises: - opening the cover (22) of the ventilation opening (21), and - lifting a load (45) into or out of the nacelle housing (10) through the ventilation opening (21).

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