Tool for supporting an internally rotatable member of a wind turbine assembly during maintenance and method of using the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a jacking tool (70, 162, 174) for a wind turbine assembly (60) having an outer housing (62) and an internally rotatable member (64) disposed within the outer housing (62) and rotatable about a rotational axis (66). The jacking tool (70, 162, 174) includes a support pin (74, 164, 176) having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a bearing (112). The support pin (74, 164, 174) is configured to be selectively movable relative to the outer housing (62). The bearing (112) is configured to contact the internally rotatable member (64) to support the internally rotatable member (64) relative to the outer housing (62) and to allow the internally rotatable member (64) to rotate within the outer housing (62) while being supported by the jacking tool (70, 162, 174).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention generally relates to wind turbines, and more particularly, to a tool for supporting an internally rotatable member of a wind turbine component during a repair / replacement process, and a method of using the tool during a repair / replacement process. Background Art

[0002] Wind turbines are used to generate electrical energy using renewable resources without burning fossil fuels. Generally, a wind turbine converts the kinetic energy from the wind into electrical power. Conventional wind turbine installations include a foundation, a tower supported by the foundation, and an energy generating unit located at the top of the tower. The energy generating unit typically includes one or more nacelles to house a plurality of mechanical and electrical components (such as a generator, a gearbox, and a main bearing), and the wind turbine also includes a rotor that is operably coupled to the components in the nacelle via a main shaft extending from the nacelle. Single-rotor and multi-rotor wind turbines (which may have multiple nacelles) are known, but for the sake of efficiency, the following description mainly relates to a single-rotor design. The rotor in turn includes a central hub and a plurality of blades that extend radially from the central hub and are configured to interact with the wind to rotate the rotor. The rotor is supported on the main shaft that is directly or indirectly operably coupled to a generator housed inside the nacelle. Thus, as the wind causes the blades to rotate, electrical energy is generated by the generator. Over the past few decades, wind power generation has grown significantly, and there are many wind turbine installations located on land and at sea.

[0003] As mentioned above, the nacelle houses a plurality of wind turbine components to convert the kinetic energy from the wind and the rotor blades into electrical energy. Many of these components include a fixed frame or outer housing and one or more rotatable members disposed within the housing. By way of example, the main bearing support, the gearbox, and the generator all include outer housings that have one or more internally rotatable members disposed therein. During the service life of a wind turbine, it may be necessary or desirable to provide repair and / or replacement (collectively referred to as maintenance) to various wind turbine components in the nacelle. During the maintenance of a wind turbine component, it may be important to maintain the position of the rotatable member relative to the outer housing in order to keep the rotational axis of the rotatable member aligned with adjacent components. For example, during gearbox maintenance, it may be important that the shafts associated with one or more gearbox stages remain in place during maintenance. This can be difficult due to the relatively large weight of the rotatable member and the general difficulty of adequately supporting a heavy member when the rotational axis is horizontally oriented (and thus under the full effect of gravity).

[0004] During maintenance, it is also important that the rotatable member remains rotatable during the maintenance process. This may be necessary or desirable in order to couple / decouple the rotatable member or other associated components with adjacent components for maintenance. For example, the sun pinion of a gearbox stage (e.g., the second gear stage of a gearbox) may have a helical configuration such that in order to decouple the sun pinion from an adjacent component (e.g., the first gearbox stage of the gearbox), the sun pinion (and its associated planetary carrier) needs to rotate to facilitate decoupling.

[0005] Current methods for maintaining the position of an internal rotatable member (e.g., along the axis of rotation) while still allowing the internal rotatable member to rotate typically involve: removing the component from the nacelle and then orienting the component such that the axis of rotation is generally aligned with the gravitational field (i.e., in a generally vertical orientation), thereby eliminating the large weight of the component before starting the maintenance process. Due to the size and weight of the wind turbine components in the nacelle, the current methods require a large crane or other lifting device to remove the component from the nacelle and properly orient the component on the ground, platform, deck, etc. in order to perform the maintenance process in a manner that minimizes misalignment of the axis of rotation. This process for repairing or replacing wind turbine components in the nacelle is expensive and time-consuming.

[0006] Accordingly, wind turbine manufacturers, installers, and operators are seeking improved options for maintaining wind turbine components located in the nacelle in a more time-saving and cost-saving manner. More particularly, there is a need for tools and methods for performing in-situ maintenance processes on wind turbine components in the nacelle that maintain the position of the internal rotatable member relative to the outer housing and allow the rotatable member to rotate within the outer housing during the maintenance process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Disclosed is a jacking tool for a wind turbine component having an outer housing and an internal rotatable member disposed within the outer housing and rotatable about an axis of rotation. The jacking tool includes a support pin having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a bearing. The support pin is configured to be selectively movable relative to the outer housing. The bearing of the inner support pin is configured to contact the internal rotatable member to support the internal rotatable member relative to the outer housing and to allow the internal rotatable member to rotate within the outer housing while being supported by the jacking tool.

[0008] In one embodiment, the jacking tool includes an outer bushing having a passage extending therethrough and configured to receive a support pin therein. The outer bushing is configured to be coupled to the outer housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the outer bushing includes: a collar at the proximal end of the outer bushing; and a shaft extending away from the collar and defining the distal end of the outer bushing. The outer bushing includes external threads for threaded coupling to the outer housing of the wind turbine assembly, such as at an orifice of the outer housing. For example, the external threads may extend along at least a portion of the length of the axis of the inner support pin.

[0009] In one embodiment, the passage of the outer bushing includes internal threads, and the support pin includes external threads for threadedly coupling the support pin to the outer bushing. Thus, the support pin can move axially independently relative to the outer bushing. In one embodiment of the present invention, there may be a pitch difference between the external threads and the internal threads of the outer bushing. This will facilitate axial movement between the support pin and the outer housing without creating rotational movement therebetween. In an alternative embodiment, the support pin may be rotatably floating within the outer bushing but not axially movable relative to the outer bushing. The proximal end of the support pin may include a tool interface for coupling to a tool configured to rotate the support pin. In another embodiment, the support pin may include a hydraulic actuator having an arm that can be selectively extended and retracted. A bearing may be positioned at the distal end of the arm for contacting the internal rotatable member. The hydraulic actuator may be coupled to a support strut on the outer housing.

[0010] The bearing at the distal end of the support pin may include a roller member facilitating rotation of the internal rotatable member relative to the jacking tool. For example, in one embodiment, the roller member may include a cylindrical roller, such as a wheel, capable of rotating relative to the axis of rotation. In an alternative embodiment, the bearing may include a spherical ball capable of rotating in any direction. In another embodiment, the bearing may include a spherical roller capable of rotating relative to the axis of rotation and capable of accommodating various misalignments in the system.

[0011] In another embodiment, a system is provided that includes a wind turbine assembly having an outer housing and an internally rotatable member disposed within the outer housing and rotatable about a rotational axis. The outer housing includes at least two apertures configured to provide access to an interior of the outer housing adjacent the internally rotatable member. The system further includes a jacking system that includes at least two jacking tools. Each jacking tool is secured to the outer housing of the wind turbine assembly and is selectively movable to engage an internally rotatable member within the outer housing. Bearing surfaces of support pins of the at least two jacking tools contact the internally rotatable member to support the internally rotatable member relative to the outer housing and to permit the internally rotatable member to rotate within the outer housing while being supported by the at least two jacking tools.

[0012] The at least two apertures may be disposed in the outer housing such that the at least two jacking tools support the internally rotatable member along a lower portion of the internally rotatable member to support the weight of the internally rotatable member. Additionally, for an elongated internally rotatable member, the at least two apertures and the at least two jacking tools may be provided as a first set of apertures and jacking tools at a first longitudinal position on the internally rotatable member and a second set of apertures and jacking tools at a second longitudinal position on the internally rotatable member. Each of the first set of apertures / jacking tools and the second set of apertures / jacking tools may generally be positioned in a plane (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internally rotatable member).

[0013] In one embodiment, the wind turbine assembly used in conjunction with the jacking system includes a main bearing support. In another embodiment, the wind turbine assembly used in conjunction with the jacking system includes a gearbox, or a portion of a gearbox (such as a gearbox stage). In another embodiment, the wind turbine assembly used in conjunction with the jacking system includes a generator. Each of these components is disposed within the nacelle of the wind turbine, and the jacking system is configured to be used with the wind turbine assembly while remaining within the nacelle.

[0014] There is also disclosed a method of performing maintenance on a wind turbine assembly. The wind turbine assembly includes an outer housing and an internal rotatable member disposed within the outer housing and rotatable about a rotational axis. The method includes the steps of: providing at least two jacking tools, each jacking tool including a support pin configured to be selectively movable relative to the outer housing, and the support pin having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a bearing; fixing the at least two jacking tools adjacent corresponding apertures in the outer housing of the wind turbine assembly; and moving the support pins of each jacking tool so that the bearings abut the internal rotatable member disposed within the outer housing of the wind turbine assembly. The at least two jacking tools support the position of the internal rotatable member relative to the outer housing so as to maintain the position of the rotational axis during maintenance.

[0015] In one embodiment, the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools further includes: threadably connecting each jacking tool to a corresponding aperture in the outer housing. For example, the at least two jacking tools may further include an outer bushing configured to receive the support pin, wherein the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools further includes: threadably connecting the outer bushing of each jacking tool to a corresponding aperture in the outer housing. Additionally, an inner support pin may be threadably connected to the outer bushing, and the step of moving the support pins of each jacking tool may further include: rotating the support pins of each jacking tool so that the bearings abut the internal rotatable member. In one embodiment, the support pin may be rotatably floating within the outer bushing, and wherein the step of moving the support pins of each jacking tool may further include: rotating the outer bushing of each jacking tool so that the bearings abut the internal rotatable member.

[0016] In one embodiment, the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools may further include: connecting each jacking tool to a corresponding support post on the outer housing. Additionally, the step of moving the support pins of each jacking tool may further include: actuating a hydraulic actuator so that the bearings abut the internal rotatable member.

[0017] According to a particular aspect of the present invention, the method may further comprise the steps of: rotating an internal rotatable member while being supported by the at least two jacking tools. This may be achieved by a bearing at the distal end of the jacking tool. In one embodiment, the bearing includes rollers (such as cylindrical rollers or spherical rollers) rotatable about a rotation axis, and the method may further comprise the steps of: orienting the bearing relative to the internal rotatable member such that the rotation axis of the rollers is generally parallel to the rotation axis of the internal rotatable member. To provide a desired orientation of the bearing relative to the internal rotatable member, the method may further comprise the steps of: radially adjusting the positions of the at least two jacking tools relative to the outer housing such that the bearing is oriented relative to the internal rotatable member. For example, the step of adjusting the radial positions of the at least two jacking tools relative to the outer housing may include: adjusting the position of the outer bushing relative to the corresponding orifice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horizontal axis wind turbine;

[0020] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a partially enlarged perspective view of the wind turbine of

[0021] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of the main bearing support shown;

[0022] Figure 4 is Figure 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of the gearbox shown;

[0023] Figure 5 is Figure 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of the generator shown;

[0024] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a general wind turbine assembly having an outer housing and an internal rotatable member disposed within the outer housing;

[0025] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a jacking tool according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 is Figure 7 an exploded perspective view of the jacking tool shown;

[0027] Figure 9 is Figure 7 a side view of the illustrated jacking tool;

[0028] Figure 10 is Figure 7 another side view of the illustrated jacking tool;

[0029] Figure 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the use of the jacking tool to support an internal rotatable member relative to the outer housing;

[0030] Figure 12 is another partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the use of the jacking tool to support an internal rotatable member relative to the outer housing;

[0031] Figure 13 is a partial illustration of a support pin of a jacking tool according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 14 is a partial illustration of a support pin of a jacking tool according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a jacking tool according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0034] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a jacking tool according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,the wind turbine 10 includes: a tower 12, a nacelle 14 disposed at the apex of the tower 12, and a rotor 16 that is operably coupled to a generator 18 via a gearbox 20 housed within the nacelle 14. In addition to the generator 18 and the gearbox 20, the nacelle 14 may house various components required to convert wind energy into electrical energy and to operate and optimize the performance of the wind turbine 10. The tower 12 supports the loads provided by the nacelle 14, the rotor 16, and other wind turbine components housed within the nacelle 14, and is operative to raise the nacelle 14 and the rotor 16 to a height above the ground plane or sea level, as appropriate, at which an air flow with lower turbulence and higher velocity is typically found.

[0036] The rotor 16 may include a central shaft hub 22 and a plurality of blades 24 attached to the central shaft hub 22 at positions circumferentially distributed around the central shaft hub 22. In a representative embodiment, the rotor 16 includes three blades 24, however, this number may vary. The blades 24 projecting radially outward from the central shaft hub 22 are configured to interact with the passing airflow to generate a rotational force that causes the central shaft hub 22 to spin about its longitudinal axis. The design, construction, and operation of the blades 24 are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art of wind turbine design and may include additional functional aspects to optimize performance. For example, pitch angle control of the blades 24 may be achieved via a pitch control mechanism (not shown) in response to wind speed to optimize power production under low wind conditions and to pitch the blades if the wind speed exceeds the design limit.

[0037] The rotor 16 may be directly coupled to the gearbox 20 or, as shown, indirectly coupled to the gearbox 20 via a main shaft 26 extending between the hub 22 and the gearbox 20. The main shaft 26 rotates with the rotor 16 and is supported within the nacelle 14 by a main bearing support 28 that supports the weight of the rotor 16 and transfers the loads on the rotor 16 to the tower 12. The gearbox 20 transfers the rotation of the rotor 16 via a coupling to the generator 18. Wind above a minimum level can initiate rotation of the rotor 16, causing the rotor 16 to rotate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wind, thereby applying torque to the input shaft of the generator 18. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the electricity generated by the generator 18 can be supplied to a power grid (not shown) or an energy storage system (not shown) for subsequent release to the power grid. In this way, the kinetic energy of the wind can be used to generate electricity by the wind turbine 10.

[0038] As discussed above, the various wind turbine components within the nacelle 14 are subject to wear, breakage, and other events that may prompt a maintenance process to repair or replace components of the wind turbine components or otherwise improve the operation of the wind turbine components. By way of example and not limitation, during the operating life of the wind turbine 10, maintenance processes for the main bearing support 28, the gearbox 20, and the generator 18 may be necessary. These wind turbine components can generally be characterized as having an outer housing and internal components disposed within the outer housing, and the internal components are configured to rotate relative to the outer housing during normal use of the wind turbine 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the outer housing may be configured to be substantially stationary, and the internal rotatable components may be configured to rotate within the stationary outer housing and about a rotational axis relative to the stationary outer housing. By way of example, and as Figure 3Illustrated schematically, in the case of the main bearing support 28, the main bearing housing 36 is fixed to the floor of the nacelle 14, and the main bearing housing is configured to receive the main shaft 26 passing through the main bearing housing 36. The main shaft 26 is coupled to the rotor 16 and is configured to rotate within the main bearing housing 36 about the axis of rotation 38 and relative to the main bearing housing 36. Figure 4 Illustrated schematically is a gearbox 20 having a gearbox stage 40. The gearbox stage 40 includes a gearbox housing 42 and a planetary gear carrier 44 disposed within the gearbox housing 42. The planetary gear carrier 44 is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation 46 relative to the gearbox housing 42. Moreover, Figure 5 Illustrated schematically is a generator 18, which includes a generator housing 50 and a stator 52 and a rotor 54 positioned within the generator housing 50 for generating electrical energy. The stator 52 generally includes coils and is generally fixed relative to the housing 50 to be substantially stationary. On the other hand, the rotor 54 generally includes magnetic components and is rotatable within the housing 50 and relative to the stator 52 (and thus the generator housing 50) about the axis of rotation 56.

[0039] Figure 6 Illustrated is a schematic general wind turbine assembly 60 having an outer housing 62 and an internally rotatable member 64 configured to rotate relative to the outer housing 62 about the axis of rotation 66. It should be appreciated that the wind turbine assembly 60 can represent the main bearing support 28, the gearbox 20 (or stages of the gearbox 20), the generator 18, or other wind turbine assemblies having the general characteristics described above. As discussed above, during maintenance procedures, it may be important to support the internally rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62 in order to maintain the position of the axis of rotation 66. Allowing relative movement between the internally rotatable member 64 and the outer housing 62 during maintenance procedures may adversely affect the ability of a technician to reassemble the wind turbine assembly for optimal operation of the assembly. In addition, in some cases during maintenance procedures, when the internally rotatable member 64 is supported within the outer housing 62, it may be desirable or necessary to rotate the internally rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62.

[0040] To achieve these and other objectives, and as Figures 3 to 6 illustrated, a plurality of jacking tools 70 can be provided, where each jacking tool 70 is configured to support the internally rotatable member 64 within the outer housing 62 and to allow the internally rotatable member 64 to rotate relative to the outer housing 62 about the axis of rotation 66. As Figures 7 to 12Illustrated, in an exemplary embodiment, the lifting tool 70 includes an outer bushing 72 and an inner support pin 74 movably coupled to the outer bushing 72. In one embodiment, the outer bushing 72 includes: a generally T-shaped elongated body 76 having a collar 78 at a proximal end 80; a shaft 82 extending away from the collar 78 and terminating at a distal end 84; and a central passage 86 extending through the collar 78 and the shaft 82 from the proximal end 80 to the distal end 84. Both the collar 78 and the shaft 82 are generally cylindrical, and the diameter of the collar 78 is greater than the diameter of the shaft 82 to define a proximal face 88, a distal face 90, and an outer wall 92 extending therebetween. In an exemplary embodiment, the outer diameter of the shaft 82 may be substantially constant along the length of the shaft 82. Additionally, the inner diameter of the passage 86 may also be substantially constant along the length of the outer bushing 72.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, and for reasons discussed in more detail below, the outer bushing 72 may be configured to have both internal and external threads. More particularly, at least a portion of the outer surface 94 of the shaft 82 may include external threads 96. In one embodiment, the external threads 96 may extend from the distal face 90 of the collar 78 to the distal end 84 along the entire length of the shaft 82. In an alternative embodiment, only a portion of the length of the shaft 82 (e.g., between about 30% and about 70%) may include external threads 96, such as a portion closer to the collar 78. Similarly, at least a portion of the passage 86 may include internal threads 98. More particularly, in one embodiment, the internal threads 98 may extend from the proximal end 80 to the distal end 84 along the entire length of the passage 86. In an alternative embodiment, only a portion of the length of the passage (e.g., between about 30% and about 70%) may include internal threads 98, such as a portion closer to the collar 78. In one embodiment, the internal threads 98 may be configured differently from the external threads 96. For example, the pitch of the internal threads 98 may be different from (e.g., less than) the pitch of the external threads 96. This pitch difference will facilitate axial movement between components coupled to the external threads 96 and the internal threads 98, respectively, without creating rotational movement between them. There may also be other differences in the threads 96, 98. The outer bushing 72 may be made of a suitable metal (such as steel). However, other materials are also possible.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the inner support pin 74 includes a generally cylindrical elongated body 104 having a tool interface 106 at a proximal end 108, an intermediate shaft portion 110, and a bearing 112 at a distal end 114. The tool interface 106 is configured to engage a tool (not shown) (such as a screwdriver, wrench, etc.) for rotating the inner support pin 74 about its central axis. In one embodiment, the tool interface 106 may include a pair of raised bosses 116 spaced apart by a central gap 118. Additionally, the pair of bosses 116 may form a hexagonal end or other irregular-shaped end for mating with a suitable tool (e.g., wrench, socket wrench), etc. However, it should be understood that the tool interface 106 is not limited to the above-described tool interface, but may take other suitable forms that facilitate rotation of the inner support pin 74 about its central axis. The intermediate shaft portion 110 may be sized slightly larger than the tool interface 106 to define a proximal face 120. In the exemplary embodiment, the outer diameter of the intermediate shaft portion 110 may be substantially constant along the length of the shaft portion 110.

[0043] As will be discussed in more detail below, the bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the inner support pin 74 is configured to engage and support the weight of the internally rotatable member 64, but allow the internally rotatable member to move relative to the inner support pin 74. In this regard, the bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the inner support pin 74 is configured to include a certain type of roller member that facilitates relative movement between the inner support pin 74 and the internally rotatable member 64. In the exemplary embodiment, the roller member may include a wheel (e.g., a cylindrical roller). More particularly, and as Figures 7 to 12 illustrated, in one embodiment, the bearing 112 includes a pair of spaced-apart ears 122 defining a groove 124 therebetween. A wheel 126 is disposed in the groove 124 and coupled to the ears 122 by an axle 128, and the wheel 126 is configured to rotate on the axle and define a rotational axis 130 about which the wheel 126 rotates. The wheel 126 projects beyond the ends of the ears 122 at the distal end such that the wheel 126 constitutes the most distal portion of the inner support pin 74. Thus, the wheel 126 serves as the portion of the inner support pin 74 that engages the internally rotatable member 64 during use of the jacking tool 70. The wheel 126 may be made of a suitable metal (such as steel). However, other materials are also possible, including various composite materials.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the inner support pin 74 is configured to have an external thread. More particularly, at least a portion of the outer surface 132 of the intermediate shaft portion 110 may include an external thread 134. In one embodiment, the external thread 134 may extend the entire length of the intermediate shaft portion 110. In an alternative embodiment, only a portion of the length of the intermediate shaft portion 110 (e.g., between about 30% and about 70%) may include the external thread 134, such as a portion closer to the proximal end 108 of the inner support pin 74. The external thread 134 is configured to mate with the internal thread 98 of the outer bushing 72 and thus has similar thread characteristics. The inner support pin 74 may be made of a suitable metal such as steel. However, other materials are also possible.

[0045] Now, reference will be made to Figure 11 and Figure 12 describe the use of the jacking tool 70 on the wind turbine assembly 60. First, the inner support pin 74 may be inserted into the passage 86 of the outer bushing 72 by a certain initial amount. For example, when the inner support pin 74 is rotated to engage the external thread 134 on the support pin 74 and the internal thread 98 in the passage 86 of the outer bushing 72, the outer bushing 72 may remain stationary. Once the inner support pin 74 and the outer bushing 72 are initially coupled together, the jacking tool 70 may be coupled to the outer housing 62 of the wind turbine assembly 60. In this regard, in an exemplary embodiment, the outer housing 62 includes a plurality of apertures 138 (e.g., at least two apertures) in the outer housing 62 that provide access to the interior 140 of the outer housing 62 adjacent to the location where the internal rotatable member 64 is typically disposed. The apertures 138 are threaded internally 142, and when the jacking tool 70 is not in use, the apertures 138 are typically closed by a threaded plug (not shown). The internal thread 142 is configured to mate with the external thread 96 of the outer bushing 72 and thus has similar thread characteristics. When it is desired to perform a maintenance process on the wind turbine assembly 60 that requires the use of the jacking tool 70, the threaded plug may be removed to provide an open aperture 138 configured to receive the jacking tool 70 therein.

[0046] In this regard, the assembled jacking tool 70 (i.e., the coupled outer bushing 72 and inner support pin 74) may be inserted into the aperture 138 until the external thread 96 of the outer bushing 72 engages the internal thread 142 of the aperture 138. At this time, the outer bushing 72 (and the assembled support pin 74) may be rotated such that the outer bushing 72 is securely fixed within the aperture 138. For example, in one embodiment, the outer bushing 72 may be rotated relative to the aperture 138 until the collar 78 engages the outer surface 144 of the outer housing 62, at which point the bushing 72 can no longer be rotated further. However, in an alternative embodiment, the bushing 72 may be rotated relative to the aperture 138 until the collar 78 is adjacent to but slightly spaced from the outer surface 144 of the outer housing 62.

[0047] Although in the foregoing, when the outer bushing 72 is inserted into the orifice 138 of the outer housing 62, the inner support pin 74 is coupled to the outer bushing 72, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the outer bushing 72 may be fixed within the orifice 138 of the outer housing 62, and the inner support pin 74 may not be disposed within the outer bushing. In this embodiment, after the outer bushing 72 is fixed within the orifice 138 of the outer housing 62, the inner support pin 74 may be inserted into the passage 86 of the outer bushing 72 and rotated to engage the threads 132, 98, and thereby movably couple the inner support pin 74 within the outer bushing 72.

[0048] In any case, the outer bushing 72 is fixed within the orifice 138, and the inner support pin 74 is fixed within the bushing 72. A suitable tool (not shown) may be used to rotate the inner support pin 74 relative to the outer bushing 72 such that the inner support pin 74 moves axially and toward an internal rotatable member 64 disposed within the outer housing 62. With further relative rotation of the inner support pin 74, a bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the support pin 74 is configured to engage an outer surface 146 of the internal rotatable member 64. For example, when the bearing 112 includes a wheel 126, the wheel 126 is configured to engage the outer surface 146 of the internal rotatable member 64. However, in this embodiment, in order to provide rotation of the internal rotatable member 64 when supported by the jacking tool 70, the wheel 126 must be oriented relative to the internal rotatable member 64 in a particular manner. More particularly, in this embodiment, the axle 128 supporting the wheel 126 and thus the axis of rotation 130 about which the wheel 126 rotates are configured to be substantially parallel (e.g., within about + / - 5 degrees) to the axis of rotation 66 of the internal rotatable member 64. In this way, the directions of rotation of the internal rotatable member 64 and the wheel 126 are generally aligned, and the wheel 126 supports the rotation of the internal rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62 about the axis of rotation 66.

[0049] Because the inner support pin 74 (more particularly the wheel 126) has a particular orientation relative to the internally rotatable member 64, the outer bushing 72 may have to be adjusted relative to the orifice 138 to make the axis of rotation 130 of the wheel 126 and the axis of rotation 66 of the internally rotatable member 64 substantially parallel to each other. Thus, for example, if the wheel 126 is not properly oriented when the inner support pin 74 engages the outer surface 146 of the internally rotatable member 64, the inner support pin 74 can be moved a small amount proximally out of the outer bushing 72 (to relieve any pressure on the wheel 126), the outer bushing 72 can be moved a certain amount proximally out of the orifice 138 (and the inner support pin 74 moves with the outer bushing 72), and then the inner support pin 74 can be moved distally while keeping the outer bushing 72 fixed relative to the orifice 138. It should be appreciated that this method can be repeated as needed to make the axis of rotation 130 of the wheel 126 and the axis of rotation 66 of the internally rotatable member 64 substantially parallel to each other. It should also be appreciated that there may be other ways to adjust the position of the jacking tool 70 relative to the outer housing 62 between the movement of the outer bushing 72 within the orifice 138 and the movement of the inner support pin 74 within the outer bushing 72 to provide alignment between the wheel 126 and the internally rotatable member 64. For example, the difference between the threads 96, 142 that control the relative movement between the outer bushing 72 and the orifice 138 of the outer housing 62 and the threads 98, 134 that control the relative movement of the inner support pin 74 relative to the outer bushing 72 can be utilized to properly orient the wheel 126 relative to the internally rotatable member 64. Thus, there may be various ways to make the axis of rotation 130 of the wheel 126 and the axis of rotation 66 of the internally rotatable member 64 substantially parallel to each other.

[0050] As Figures 3 to 6 Illustrated, in order to adequately support the internally rotatable member 64 having the size and weight characteristics of a wind turbine application, it may be necessary to use multiple jacking tools 70. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, two jacking tools 70 can be used to support the internally rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62. However, in an alternative embodiment, more than two jacking tools 70 can be used. In this regard, the at least two jacking tools 70 can be strategically positioned around the perimeter of the wind turbine assembly 60 to support the weight of the internally rotatable member 64. Thus, for example, the at least two jacking tools 70 can be positioned along the lower portion of the wind turbine assembly 60 so that the jacking tools 70 generally operate against gravity. However, the jacking tools 70 can also be positioned along the sides and upper portion of the wind turbine assembly 60. The number of jacking tools 70 can be selected to support the internally rotatable member 64 in a stable manner.

[0051] At this point, the outer housing 62 of the wind turbine assembly 60 can include a plurality of apertures 138 (e.g., at least two apertures) disposed about the perimeter of the outer housing 62 (such as along the lower portion of the outer housing 62). As mentioned above, during normal operation of the wind turbine assembly 60, these apertures 138 can typically be closed by threaded plugs (not shown). When a maintenance process is to be performed on the wind turbine assembly 60, the threaded plugs can be removed and the jacking tools 70 can be engaged with each of the apertures 138 as described above. Of course, in various embodiments, it is not necessary to use all of the apertures 138 in the outer housing 62 to support the internal rotatable member 64 during the maintenance process.

[0052] In one embodiment, the plurality of jacking tools 70 can be configured to support the internal rotatable member 64 at one or more longitudinal positions along the length of the wind turbine assembly 60, where the longitudinal axis generally extends in a direction from the front of the assembly 60 toward the rear of the assembly 60 (e.g., generally in Figure 2 the illustrated reference system from the rotor 16 toward the generator 18). For example, the plurality of jacking tools 70 can typically be located within a support plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wind turbine assembly 60. For example, Figure 6 illustrates the plurality of jacking tools 70 in a first cross-section of the wind turbine assembly 60. However, it should be recognized that it may be necessary to support the internal rotatable member 64 within the outer housing 62 at more than one longitudinal position along the length of the internal rotatable member 64. This may be particularly true for long internal rotatable members. For example, for a long internal rotatable member 64, it may be desirable to support the rotatable member 64 adjacent to the first end of the rotatable member and adjacent to the second end of the rotatable member. Thus, the support arrangement can include a first set of jacking tools 70 located within a first support plane and a second set of jacking tools 70 located within a second support plane, the first support plane being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internal rotatable member 64 and the second support plane being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internal rotatable member 64, where the first support plane and the second support plane are longitudinally spaced from each other. Of course, more or fewer support planes can be provided depending on the particular internal rotatable member 64. Although the plurality of jacking tools 70 can preferably be disposed within one or more support planes, aspects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the jacking tools 70 can have other support arrangements configured to sufficiently support the internal rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62.

[0053] Regardless of the particular arrangement discussed above, the plurality of jacking tools 70 are configured to support the internally rotatable member 64 relative to the outer housing 62 so as to maintain the relative position of the axis of rotation 66. In other words, during maintenance, it is not desirable for the axis of rotation 66 of the internally rotatable member 64 to shift, tip, tilt, or otherwise move out of its normal alignment within the outer housing 62. Any disruption of the axis of rotation 66 of the internally rotatable member 64 can make the assembly of the wind turbine assembly 60 with adjacent components / disassembly from adjacent components more complex and difficult. The jacking tools 70 are configured to avoid displacement of the axis of rotation 66 within the outer housing 62 during maintenance.

[0054] Additionally, in some applications, it may be desirable to make the internally rotatable member selectively rotatable while still being supported (e.g., radially supported) by the jacking tools 70. For example, in order to disengage one gearbox stage from an adjacent gearbox stage, the sun pinion of the gearbox stage must be moved out of engagement with the pinion in the adjacent gearbox stage. Since the teeth on the sun pinion have a helical design, in order to perform the disengagement, the sun pinion must be rotated as the gearbox stages are separated from each other. This rotation of the sun pinion can be achieved by rotating the planet carrier within the gearbox stage and operatively coupling it to the sun pinion. In this example, the planet carrier operates as the internally rotatable member of the gearbox stage and the jacking tools 70, and the bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the jacking tools 70 provides selective rotation of the planet carrier, which allows the sun pinion to more easily disengage from the adjacent gearbox stage. Thus, the jacking tools 70 of the present invention provide significant benefits for certain maintenance processes of the wind turbine assembly 60 in the wind turbine 10.

[0055] Above, the bearing 112 of the inner support pin 74 takes the form of a wheel or cylindrical roller 126 that is rotatable about the axis of rotation 130, which promotes a specific orientation between the wheel 126 and the internally rotatable member 64. Figure 13An alternative embodiment is illustrated that eliminates the need to have a specific orientation between the bearing 112 and the internal rotatable member 64. In this embodiment, the bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the inner support pin 74a can take the form of a ball bearing 150 (e.g., a spherical ball). The ball bearing 150 is capable of rotating in any direction and is not limited to rotation about a single axis, as is the case with the wheel 126. This simplifies the use of the jacking tool 70. More particularly, the use of the inner support pin 74a eliminates the trial-and-error method of aligning the wheel 126 with the axis of rotation 66 of the internal rotatable member 64. Thus, in this embodiment, the outer bushing 72 can be inserted into the orifice 138 and the inner support pin 74a rotated to move the support pin 74a distally and towards the internal rotatable member 64 within the bushing 72. Whenever the ball bearing 150 engages the outer surface 146 of the internal rotatable member 64, the ball bearing 150 is capable of rotating in the direction of the internal rotatable member 64 as the internal rotatable member 64 rotates about its axis of rotation 66. Thus, the use of the jacking tool can be simplified. Moreover, in this embodiment, the outer bushing 72 can be omitted and the support pin 74a can have external threads to couple to the threaded orifice 138.

[0056] Figure 14 Another alternative embodiment of the bearing 112 at the distal end 114 of the inner support pin 74b is illustrated. In this embodiment, the bearing 112 can take the form of a spherical roller 152. More particularly, the spherical roller 152 can include an inner race 154 fixed to the axle 128 and an outer race 156 rotatable relative to the inner race 154, the inner race extending between the ears 122. One or more rows (e.g., two rows) of roller bearings 158 can be disposed between the inner race 154 and the outer race 156 to facilitate rotation of the outer race 156 relative to the inner race 154. The outer race 156 is configured to contact the internal rotatable member 64 during use. The spherical roller 152 allows a certain amount of misalignment between the inner support pin 74b and the internal rotatable member 64, but is still sufficient to support the weight of the internal rotatable member 64 and allow the internal rotatable member 64 to rotate about its axis of rotation 66.

[0057] Figure 15 Another embodiment of a jacking tool 162 similar to the jacking tool 70 described above is illustrated. Like reference numerals refer to features similar to those described above with reference to the jacking tool 70. The main difference between the jacking tool 162 and the jacking tool 70 described above is the manner in which the inner support pin 164 is mounted to the outer bushing 166. In the jacking tool 70, the inner support pin 74 is coupled to the outer bushing 72 via a pair of threads 98, 134. This allows the inner support pin 74 to move independently of the outer bushing 72. In Figure 15In the illustrated embodiment, the inner support pin 164 is effectively floating within the outer bushing 166. In other words, the threads 98, 134 are removed, and the inner support pin 164 is rotatably mounted within the passage 86 of the outer bushing 166 by one or more bearings 168. This arrangement allows the inner support pin 164 to rotate relative to the outer bushing 166, but does not allow relative axial movement of the inner support pin 164 relative to the outer bushing 166. The jacking tool 162 can still be coupled to the outer housing 62 through the engagement between the external threads 96 of the outer bushing 166 and the internal threads 142 of the orifice 138.

[0058] The use of the jacking tool 162 is similar to that described above. More particularly, the jacking tool 162 can be inserted into the orifice 138 until the external threads 96 of the outer bushing 166 engage the internal threads 142 of the orifice 138. At this time, the outer bushing 72 (and the support pin 164) can be rotated so that the outer bushing 72 is firmly fixed within the orifice 138. The outer bushing 166 can be rotated relative to the orifice 138 until the collar 78 is adjacent to but slightly spaced from the outer surface 144 of the outer housing 62. In the case where the bearing 112 is in almost contact or slightly contacting the internal rotatable member 64, the inner support pin 164 can be rotated relative to the outer bushing 166 until the bearing is properly oriented relative to the internal rotatable member 64. When the bearing 112 is properly oriented, the inner support pin 164 can be held fixed, and the outer bushing 166 can be further tightened so that the jacking tool 162 provides sufficient support to the internal rotatable member 64. It should be noted that the difference in the pitch between the internal thread 98 and the external thread 96 of the bushing 166 facilitates this further tightening. In an alternative method, the inner support pin 164 can be initially positioned relative to the internal rotatable member 64 in a proper orientation (such as through markings or other indicators on the outer housing 62 and / or the support pin 164), and the inner support pin 164 can be held in a fixed position as the outer bushing 166 is screwed into the orifice 138 and tightened, so as to enable the jacking tool 162 to provide sufficient support to the internal rotatable member 64.

[0059] It should be understood that the various alternative features described above for the jacking tool 70 can also be applied to the jacking tool 162. For example, the bearing 112 can take the form of a ball bearing 150 (and avoid any orientation problems between the support pin 164 and the internal rotatable member 64) or a spherical roller 152 (to accommodate various misalignments between the support pin 164 and the internal rotatable member 64). Thus, various alternatives and combinations are possible and still fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0060] For example, in an alternative embodiment, the bearings 112 at the distal ends 114 of the inner support pins 74, 164 may take the form of spherical balls 150. As mentioned above, this eliminates the orientation problem between the inner support pins 74, 164 and the internal rotatable member 64. Thus, the two-piece jacking tools 70, 162 (i.e., the outer bushings 72, 166 and the inner support pins 74, 164 mounted therein) may no longer be necessary. Accordingly, the jacking tool may be formed by a single body support pin having external threads that permit the jacking tool to be coupled to the orifice 138 in the outer housing 62. The jacking tool of this embodiment provides the same function as the jacking tools 70, 162 in that it relates to the support of the internal rotatable member 64 and permits the internal rotatable member 64 to rotate while being supported, but has fewer components and may be simpler in its construction and use.

[0061] Figure 16 Illustrated is a jacking tool 174 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The jacking tool 174 of this embodiment does not have a two-piece construction similar to that described above, but rather has a support pin 176 that is coupled to the outer housing 62 and, similarly to the above, rotatably supports the internal rotatable member 64. In this embodiment, the support pin 176 may take the form of a hydraulic actuator 178 that has a base or housing 180 and an arm 182 that is selectively extendable / retractable from the housing 180 into the housing. For example, the actuator 178 may be coupled to a controller (not shown) for controlling the movement of the arm 182 relative to the housing 180. The distal end 184 of the arm 182 may include a bearing 112 that, similarly to the above, engages the internal rotatable member 64. In this regard, the outer housing 62 and / or the support pin 176 may include markings or indicia to provide proper orientation of the bearing 112 relative to the internal rotatable member 64.

[0062] As Figure 16As shown, the jacking tool 174 can be coupled to the outer housing 62 in a manner different from that described above. More particularly, while the above-described jacking tool is typically coupled to the outer housing 62 via threads in the orifice 138, the jacking tool 174 can be coupled to the outer housing 62 via a support strut on the outer housing 62. For example, the support strut can include a pair of spaced-apart ears 186 to receive the jacking tool 174 therebetween. A locking pin 188 can be used to couple the jacking tool 174 to the outer housing 62. When coupling the jacking tool 174 to the outer housing 62, at least the arm 182 of the actuator 178 (and possibly a portion of the housing 180) can be configured to extend through the orifice 138 toward the inner rotatable member 64. The controller can be operated so that the bearing 112 at the distal end 184 of the arm 182 engages the inner rotatable member 64 to rotatably support the inner rotatable member 64. The orifice 138 can still include internal threads 142 so that when the jacking tool 174 is not in use, the orifice 138 can be closed by a threaded plug.

[0063] While the invention has been illustrated by the description of various preferred embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to limit or in any way restrict the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the various features of the invention can be used singly or in any combination, depending on the needs and preferences of the user.

Claims

1. A jacking tool (70, 162, 174) for a wind turbine assembly (60), the wind turbine assembly having an outer housing (62) and an internally rotatable member (64) disposed within the outer housing (62) and rotatable about a rotational axis (66), the jacking tool (70, 162) comprising: an outer bushing (72, 166) having a passage (86) extending therethrough and configured to be coupled to the outer housing (62); a support pin (74, 164) received within the passage (86) and having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a bearing (112), the support pin (74, 164) being configured to be selectively movable relative to the outer bushing (72, 166) by rotation relative to the outer bushing (72, 166), alternatively, the jacking tool (174) includes a support pin (176) coupled to the outer housing (62), the support pin (176) including a hydraulic actuator (178) having an arm (182) that is selectively extendable and retractable, and a bearing (112) is positioned on a distal end (184) of the arm (182), wherein the bearing (112) of the support pin (74, 164, 176) is configured to contact the internally rotatable member (64) to support the internally rotatable member (64) relative to the outer housing (62) and to allow the internally rotatable member (64) to rotate within the outer housing (62) while being supported by the jacking tool (70, 162, 174).

2. The jacking tool according to claim 1, wherein, the outer bushing (72, 166) includes an external thread (96) for threaded coupling to the outer housing (62) of the wind turbine assembly (60).

3. The jacking tool according to claim 2, wherein, the outer bushing (72, 166) further includes: a collar (78) at the proximal end of the outer bushing (72, 166); and a shaft (82) extending away from the collar (78) and defining the distal end of the outer bushing (72, 166), wherein the external thread (96) extends along at least a portion of the length of the shaft (82).

4. The jacking tool according to claim 1, wherein, the passage (86) of the outer bushing (72) includes an internal thread (98), and the support pin (74) includes an external thread (134) for threadedly coupling the support pin (74) to the outer bushing (72).

5. The jacking tool according to claim 1, wherein, the support pin (164) is rotatably floating within the outer bushing (166).

6. The jacking tool according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, The proximal end of the support pin (74, 164) includes a tool interface (106) for coupling to a tool configured to rotate the support pin (74, 164).

7. The jacking tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, the bearing (112) includes one of cylindrical rollers (126), spherical balls (150), or spherical rollers (152).

8. A system comprising a wind turbine assembly (60) and a jacking system, wherein: the wind turbine assembly (60) has an outer housing (62) and an internally rotatable member (64) disposed within the outer housing (62) and rotatable about a rotational axis (66), the outer housing (62) having at least two apertures (138) configured to provide access to the interior of the outer housing (62) adjacent to the internally rotatable member (64); and the jacking system includes at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) each according to any one of claims 1 to 7, each jacking tool (70, 162, 174) being fixed to the outer housing (62) of the wind turbine assembly (60), and the bearings (112) of the support pins (74) of the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) contacting the internally rotatable member (64) to support the internally rotatable member (64) relative to the outer housing (62) and to allow the internally rotatable member (64) to rotate within the outer housing (62) while being supported by the at least two jacking tools (70).

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, the at least two apertures (138) are positioned in the outer housing (62) such that the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) support a lower portion of the internally rotatable member (64).

10. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, the at least two apertures (138) and the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) are provided as a first set of apertures (138) and jacking tools (70, 162, 174) at a first longitudinal position on the internally rotatable member (64), and a second set of apertures (138) and jacking tools (70, 162, 174) at a second longitudinal position on the internally rotatable member (64).

11. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, the wind turbine assembly (60) includes a main bearing support (28).

12. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, the wind turbine assembly (60) includes a gearbox (20).

13. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, the wind turbine assembly (60) includes a portion of a gearbox (40).

14. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, the wind turbine assembly (60) includes a generator (18).

15. A wind turbine (10), the wind turbine comprising: a nacelle (14) disposed on top of a tower (12); a rotor including a hub (22) and a plurality of blades (24), the rotor being supported on the nacelle (14); and a system comprising a wind turbine assembly (60) and a jacking system according to any one of claims 8 to 14.

16. A method of performing maintenance on a wind turbine assembly (60), the wind turbine assembly (60) having an outer housing (62) and an internal rotatable member (64) disposed within the outer housing (62) and rotatable about a rotational axis (66), the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) each according to any one of claims 1 to 7; fixing the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) adjacent to respective apertures (138) in the outer housing (62) of the wind turbine assembly (60); and moving the support pins (74, 164, 176) of the respective jacking tools (70, 162, 174) relative to the outer housing (62) to bring the bearing (112) into contact with the internal rotatable member (64) disposed within the outer housing (62) of the wind turbine assembly (60), wherein the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) support the internal rotatable member (64) relative to the outer housing (62) at a position to maintain the position of the rotational axis (66) during maintenance.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools (70, 162) further comprises threadedly connecting each jacking tool (70, 162) to the respective aperture (138) in the outer housing (62).

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein, the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools (70, 162) further comprises threadedly connecting the outer bushings (72, 166) of the respective jacking tools (70, 162) to the respective aperture (138) in the outer housing (62).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, the support pin (74) is threadedly connected to the outer bushing (72), and wherein the step of moving the support pin (74) of each jacking tool (70) further comprises rotating the support pin (74) of each jacking tool (70) to bring the bearing (112) into contact with the internal rotatable member (64).

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, the support pin (164) is rotatably floating within the outer bushing (166), and wherein the step of moving the support pin (164) of each jacking tool (162) further comprises rotating the outer bushing (166) of each jacking tool (162) to bring the bearing (112) into contact with the internal rotatable member (64).

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein, the step of fixing the at least two jacking tools (174) further comprises: connecting each jacking tool (174) to a corresponding support pillar (186) on the outer housing (62).

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, the step of moving the support pins (176) of each jacking tool (162) further comprises: actuating a hydraulic actuator (178) to bring the bearing (112) into contact with the internally rotatable member (64).

23. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, the method further comprises the steps of: rotating the internally rotatable member (64) while being supported by the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174).

24. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein, the bearing (112) includes rollers (126, 152) capable of rotating about a rotation axis (130), and the method further comprises the steps of: orienting the bearing (112) relative to the internally rotatable member (64) such that the rotation axis (130) of the rollers (126, 152) is generally parallel to the rotation axis (66) of the internally rotatable member (64).

25. The method according to claim 24, the method further comprises the steps of: adjusting the radial positions of the at least two jacking tools (70, 162, 174) relative to the outer housing (62) to orient the bearing (112) relative to the internally rotatable member (64).

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