Transportation of wind turbine components

Abstract

A transport structure (42) for transporting a set of wind turbine components (22) on a vehicle (92, 94). The transport structure (42) comprises: a support structure (44) comprising at least one frame (46); and a set of locking interfaces arranged on the support structure (44) to releasably secure the transport structure (42) during transport. The at least one frame (46) comprises attachment means configured for releasably securing at least one wind turbine component (22) of the set of wind turbine components to the at least one frame (46).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to transporting wind turbine components on a vehicle and, in particular, to transporting wind turbine components overseas. Background Art

[0002] As wind turbines have become progressively larger to exploit economies and efficiencies of scale, transportation of wind turbine components to installation sites has correspondingly become more challenging.

[0003] Particular challenges may arise for multi-stage journeys involving different modes of transport (for example, shipping a component overseas by sea and then transporting it by road or rail from the receiving port to the final destination).

[0004] Typically, cargo to be shipped by sea is loaded into ISO standardized shipping containers or "intermodal containers" that can be efficiently handled at the port, loaded efficiently and safely aboard the ship, and then transferred to a second compatible vehicle (such as a truck or railroad car) at the receiving port for the second stage of the journey.

[0005] However, although, for example, a 40-foot ISO container is specified to have a maximum gross mass of 36 tons and can be shipped by sea at this load, lower weight limits may apply to the second stage of the journey. For example, in the United States, a maximum load of 19 tons applies to road travel using a carrier with a three-axle chassis. In addition, the port cranes at the receiving port may not have sufficient capacity to lift a container loaded to the maximum gross mass.

[0006] In principle, this can be solved by removing and refilling some of the contents of the container at the receiving port to reduce the weight to within the limits of the port cranes and / or the second mode of transport. However, this creates additional work at the port and also requires additional containers for the removed contents.

[0007] Therefore, it is usually preferred to fill the sea container to an initial weight that is within the capacity of the port cranes and all vehicles involved in completing the journey to the final destination. This allows the container to be transferred directly from the ship to the second vehicle and thus optimizes the time in the receiving port. The disadvantage of this solution is that it enables only partially filled containers to be shipped by sea, thus wasting capacity on the ship.

[0008] A related challenge stems from the standardized nature of shipping containers, which inherently constrains the size of the components to be transported. For example, in a common configuration, an ISO container has a length of 40 feet, which therefore imposes a corresponding limit on the length of the components to be packed into the container. Since many wind turbine components are massive and slender in nature, this length constraint can become relevant and affect the design of the components.

[0009] In practice, loading heavy, elongated components into containers may also be difficult. For example, pushing such elements horizontally through the front opening of a standard container requires sufficient space in front of the container and relies on the availability of handling equipment capable of manipulating the components in this way. For this reason, ISO open top containers or ISO flat frame containers may be preferred for transporting wind turbine components, as these components can be loaded from above. However, such containers are usually heavier than corresponding closed containers to provide the required strength in an open structure, and thus further affect the total weight of components that can be carried in a single container.

[0010] It is against this background that the present invention has been devised. Summary of the invention

[0011] One aspect of the invention provides a transport structure for transporting a set of wind turbine components on a vehicle, including land, air and sea vehicles. The transport structure comprises a support structure comprising at least one frame and a set of locking interfaces arranged on the support structure for releasably securing the transport structure during transport, for example, to a vehicle and / or other transport structure such as an ISO shipping container. The at least one frame comprises an attachment device configured to releasably secure at least one wind turbine component of the set of wind turbine components to the at least one frame.

[0012] The transport structure may comprise at least two transport modules, each transport module supporting one or more of the set of wind turbine components in use, each transport module comprising a set of cooperating module-to-module locks configured to releasably interconnect the at least two transport modules to form and separate the transport structure. Thus, in such an embodiment, the transport structure is modular. This advantageously allows the structure to be transported as a complete structure on one journey where weight restrictions permit, and the structure can then be separated into its constituent modules for subsequent journeys where lower weight restrictions apply. This optimises the use of the structure and avoids wasting capacity.

[0013] Conveniently, the module-to-module lock may include corner castings, allowing the modules to be easily and quickly connected and disconnected using standard equipment (such as a twist lock interface).

[0014] At least one module may include a plurality of frames, each frame being configured to support a respective component of a set of wind turbine components. The frames may define subframes of an entire frame collectively defined by the frames, which in turn may define a support structure. For example, the frames may be stacked to form associated modules and / or an entire frame. Similarly, the modules may be stacked when assembled. The frames may include releasable couplings for securing the frames together to form associated modules. The releasable couplings may optionally include corner castings so that they can be connected using a twist-lock interface.

[0015] The transport structure may include at least one frame including a pair of orthogonal frame members coupled together, and optionally two pairs of parallel frame members arranged in a rectangular form. Such a frame provides support in an orthogonal direction and thus supports the support structure.

[0016] The transport structure may comprise at least one frame configured such that a component of the set of wind turbine components defines a frame member of the frame. For the component defining the frame member, parallel frame members of the associated frame may be secured at opposite ends of the component. Using the component as a frame member advantageously reduces the number of additional structural elements required and thus reduces the weight of the transport structure.

[0017] The transport structure may comprise a set of wind turbine components secured to a support structure. In such an embodiment, the components form part of the transport structure and may be used, for example, as frame members within the structure. Each component may act as a load-bearing element of the transport structure. In such an embodiment, the components may primarily bear horizontal loads. Using the components as load-bearing elements of the transport structure reduces the number of additional structural elements required to support the components and form the structure, thereby minimizing the weight of the support structure and thereby maximizing the total weight of the components that may be carried in the transport structure. Each component may be secured at opposite ends of the transport structure such that the components extend longitudinally through the structure.

[0018] The locking interface can be configured to dock with a corresponding interface of a standard shipping container (e.g., an ISO shipping container of any size and configuration) or with a corresponding structure for a standard shipping container. Each locking interface can include a corner casting, for example, which can match the casting of an ISO container. The transport structure can have a shape and size corresponding to a standard shipping container (e.g., an ISO container of any size and configuration). Therefore, the transport structure can be configured to be used in the same manner as a standard container, as long as the transport structure can be compatible with locking to a corresponding standard container and / or an interface on a ship for receiving a standard container. In addition, the transport structure can occupy the same envelope as a standard container and can therefore be stacked with a standard container.

[0019] The wind turbine components in the set of wind turbine components may all be of similar size and may be similar to each other. Alternatively, the structure may be configured to hold a mix of different types of components. The set of wind turbine components may include a set of tower segments. The set of wind turbine components may include a set of cooling system components, such as a radiator of the type mounted on top of a nacelle, which may be referred to as a "cooler top".

[0020] Another aspect of the invention provides a method of transporting a set of wind turbine components on a vehicle. The method includes forming a transport structure by securing the components to a support structure. The support structure supports a set of locking interfaces for securing the transport structure during transport. The method may also include transporting the transport structure on a vehicle (including land, air and sea vehicles).

[0021] The method may include mounting each component to a respective frame or a respective set of frame members to form a respective frame, and coupling the frames together to form the structure. The frames may be coupled using a twist lock interface. The method may include twisting the lock interface in a first direction for a pair of frames that will form part of a common transport module of the transport structure, and twisting the lock interface in a second direction for a pair of frames that will belong to different transport modules of the transport structure.

[0022] The method may include transporting the transport structure on a vehicle and then dividing the transport structure into a plurality of transport modules. The transport modules may then be transported further on separate vehicles. For example, the transport structure may be transported on a ship and then once the structure is divided, the transport modules may be transported on separate road vehicles and / or train cars. In general, the transport structure may be transported on a vehicle with a relatively high load capacity and the transport modules may be transported separately on a vehicle with a relatively low load capacity.

[0023] It will be appreciated that preferred and / or optional features of each aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention either alone or in appropriate combination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like features are assigned like reference numerals, and in which:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wind turbine;

[0026] Figure 2 The stereogram shows Figure 1 a tower segment of a tower of a wind turbine;

[0027] FIG3 shows a known ISO shipping container;

[0028] Figures 4 to 6 showing a view of a corner casting of the container of Figure 3;

[0029] Figure 7 A perspective view showing a Figure 2 A transport structure for a group of tower segments;

[0030] Figure 8 Shown in side view Figure 7 The transport structure;

[0031] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 7 Exploded view of the transport structure;

[0032] Fig.10 and Fig.11 Shown in perspective and side view Figure 7 The intermediate frame of the transport structure;

[0033] Fig.12 and Fig.13 The front and rear perspective views show Fig.10 and Fig.11 The frame assembly of the intermediate frame;

[0034] Fig.14 The stereogram shows Figure 7 Support of transport structures Figure 2 The base frame of the tower segment;

[0035] Fig.15 Corresponds to Fig.14 , but showing the base frame without the tower segments;

[0036] Fig.16 Corresponds to Fig.15, but the base frame is shown from the side;

[0037] Fig.17 Shows Figure 7 Detailed view of the locking interface of the transport structure;

[0038] Fig.18 Shown is the transport of Figure 7 Transport module;

[0039] Fig.19 Shows the transport on a road vehicle Figure 7 Transport modules of the transport structure;

[0040] Fig. 20 A perspective view of an alternative transport structure is shown;

[0041] Fig.21 Shows Fig. 20 Transport modules of the transport structure;

[0042] Fig. 22 shows a perspective view of another alternative transport structure;

[0043] Fig.23 Shows Fig. 22 Transport modules of the transport structure;

[0044] Fig.24 A schematic perspective view showing a transport structure for transporting a set of cooling tops; and

[0045] Fig.25 A schematic perspective view of an alternative transport structure for transporting a group of cooling tops is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In general, embodiments of the present invention provide transport structures for transporting wind turbine components by air, land or sea on vehicles such as ships, trains and trucks. These structures can be constructed to simulate the shape and size of ISO standard shipping containers so that the structures can be handled and filled in the same manner as standard containers. This also creates the opportunity to transport the structures using container liners (i.e., sea vessels that only transport ISO containers). The structures can be constructed to simulate any ISO container size.

[0047] The structure is provided with a locking interface for securing the structure in transport. The locking interface may be compatible with the locking interface of a standard shipping container so that the structure may be secured to a vehicle and / or other structures or containers in the same manner as a standard container. In fact, the locking interface may include corner castings and twist lock interfaces identical to those found on a standard container.

[0048] The transport structure may be tailored to the components that the structure is intended to transport, and may be constructed so that these components form part of the structure. This may ease constraints on the size of the components relative to the use of standard closed containers. The components may even act as frame members or other load-bearing elements within the structure, thereby reducing the number of additional structural elements required, thereby minimizing the overall weight of the structure in transport, thereby increasing the overall weight of components that can be transported by a single structure.

[0049] In some embodiments, the transport structure is modular, in the sense that the structure is composed of two or more transport modules that can be assembled to form the structure and disassembled when necessary to separate the structure. For example, the structure can be transported as a whole on a ship and then separated into its component modules at a receiving port so that each module can be carried by a separate road or rail vehicle for the next journey stage. This advantageously allows the total capacity of the structure to exceed the weight limit suitable for the second journey stage, while each module is within the weight limit. This in turn means that the structure can be fully loaded for the initial journey stage on the ship to avoid wasting ship capacity, and then separated at the receiving port to meet the requirements of the next stage of the journey.

[0050] The shipping modules can be secured together using a reversible locking interface (such as the twist lock interface already used in ISO containers), allowing the structure to be quickly connected into a structure or separated into modules without the need for specialist equipment. Therefore, separating the structure has a significantly smaller impact on the time spent at the receiving port than if a standard container had to be refilled.

[0051] To provide background for the present invention, Figure 1 A separate wind turbine 10 is shown, and components of the wind turbine 10 may be transported using the transport structure according to the present invention. It should be understood that reference is made here only as an example. Figure 1 of a wind turbine 10.

[0052] Figure 1 The wind turbine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a three-bladed upwind horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT), which is the most common type of turbine in use. The wind turbine 10 includes a rotor 12 having three blades 14 extending radially from and equiangularly spaced about a central hub 16. Note that although three blades are typical, a different number of blades may be used in alternative embodiments. The rotor 12 is supported by its hub 16 at the front of a nacelle 18, which in turn is mounted on top of a support tower 20, which is secured to a foundation (not shown) embedded in the ground.

[0053] Nacelle 18 contains a generator that is driven by rotor 12 to generate electrical energy. Thus, wind turbine 10 is capable of generating electrical power from wind flow that passes through the swept area of ​​rotor 12, thereby causing rotation of blades 14. In this regard, blades 14 cover a circular swept area that is approximately Figure 1 1 is represented by a dashed circle surrounding the tip of blade 14. Nacelle 18 also contains components of a cooling system that is used to maintain desired component temperatures while wind turbine 10 is in operation.

[0054] The wind turbine 10 is utility-scale and thus may have blades of, for example, 100 meters or more in length. The tower 20 is correspondingly longer, for example exceeding 150 meters in length. Therefore, it may not be practical to transport the tower 20 in its final form.

[0055] Thus, in some approaches, the tower 20 may be segmented in that the tower 20 is formed by assembling tower segments that may be transported separately and then assembled on site. Figure 2 An example of such a tower segment 22 is shown having the general form of an elongated plate having two mutually spaced longitudinal folds which in this example divide the plate into three planar sections, thereby defining a central plane 24 flanked on each side by edge faces 26 which will become the facets of the tower 20. In other examples, the segment may include two or more planar sections. The edge faces 26 are approximately half the width of the central plane 24 and are inclined at a shallow angle relative to the central plane 24 so that the segment 22 is effectively bent transversely about a longitudinal axis corresponding to the central axis of the assembled tower 20.

[0056] A longitudinal series of holes extends at regular intervals along each side edge of the segment 22. These holes allow the segment 22 to be coupled to a similar segment 22 along each side edge. In this embodiment, eight such segments 22 are coupled together in this manner to form a ring that will define a portion of the tower 20, but the number of segments required to form such a ring may vary in other examples, for example between six segments and fifteen segments, depending on the configuration of the segments.

[0057] Similarly, perforated end regions 28 are defined at each end of the segments 22, in which regions 28 the segments 22 include a two-dimensional array of holes. These end regions 28 interface with corresponding end regions of longitudinally adjacent segments 22 to allow for coupling of those segments 22. Thus, each completed ring of segments 22 may be coupled end-to-end to another such ring to form a stack of rings that, in turn, define the tower 20.

[0058] Thus, the tower segment 22 defines a partial shell of a portion of the tower 20 , which is arranged to be coupled to a similar segment 22 along each side and at each end to form an upwardly tapering frusto-conical shell defining the tower 20 .

[0059] The construction of the tower 20 and its segments 22 is not the subject of the present disclosure, so further details are omitted for the sake of clarity.

[0060] In order to transport the tower segment 22 to the installation site, the segment 22 can be loaded into an ISO container 30 such as shown in FIG3. More specifically, FIG3 shows a standard 40-foot ISO high-cube container. The container 30 has a frame including a set of frame members 32 in a box shape, corrugated panels 34 extending between the frame members 32 to close the interior of the container 30, and a door 36 covering a front opening that allows access to the interior. Corner castings 38 are arranged at each corner of the frame to allow the container 30 to be secured to a carrier (such as a ship, truck or train car) and / or other containers using a twist lock interface.

[0061] Figures 4 to 6 The front, rear and bottom views of the corner casting 38 of the container 30 are shown, respectively, revealing that the casting 38 has the form of a hollow rectangular block with a central elongated slot 40 on three adjacent sides. The remaining three sides are solid and uninterrupted. The slot 40 is arranged to align with a corresponding slot 40 of a locking interface of a carrier or a casting 38 of another container, and receives a locking member extending through the two slots 40 and shaped to be retained in the slot 40 when rotated to secure the casting 38 in place.

[0062] It should be noted that the corner castings 38 of the container 30 are not all constructed in the same manner, but rather the slots are different as is conventional with regard to the location of the castings 38 on the container 30. In particular, the castings 38 on the top corners of the container 30 are different than the castings 38 on the bottom corners.

[0063] If the tower segments 22 are to be transported in the container 30 of Figure 3, the segments 22 will need to be sized accordingly. In particular, the length and width of each segment 22 must allow the segment 22 to be received within the container 30. The size of the segments 22 in turn determines how many segments 22 the tower 20 must be divided into for a tower of a given proportion.

[0064] Once the segments 22 have been designed to fit within an ISO container 30, the number of segments 22 that can be packed into a single container may be limited by the final weight of the packed container. In particular, if the container 30 is to be carried by rail or road for part of its journey, the associated weight restrictions typically require that the number of segments 22 that can be loaded into the container 30 is less than the space in the container 30 allows, resulting in wasted space in the container 30.

[0065] In this article, Figures 7 to 9 A transport structure 42 is shown which provides an alternative means of transporting a group of tower segments 22. Fig. 9 Best seen in the exploded view of the transport structure, it carries seven Figure 2 2. Although tower segment 22 is shown in FIG. 2, in other examples, the transport structure may be configured to carry a different number of components.

[0066] like Figure 7 As best shown, the transport structure 42 has the same outer shape and dimensions as the standard container 30 of FIG. 3. Thus, the transport structure 42 can be handled and loaded on a vehicle as if it were a container 30 as shown in FIG. 3. In addition, each corner of the transport structure 42 is provided with a corner casting 38 that matches in structure and position the casting 38 at the corresponding corner of the standard container 30. This allows the transport structure 42 to be secured to a vehicle and / or other structures or containers in the same manner as the standard container 30.

[0067] The transport structure 42 comprises a support structure 44 to which the tower segments 22 are mounted and fixed. Thus, unlike the standard container 30 of Figure 3, the segments 22 form part of the transport structure 42. In fact, as will become clear from the following description, some of the tower segments 22 serve to some extent as load-bearing elements of the structure 42. This reduces the demand on the support structure 44, enabling the support structure 44 to be made more lightweight.

[0068] The support structure 44 comprises a stack of seven generally rectangular frames 46 of similar proportions, each frame supporting a respective one of the tower segments 22 such that the segments 22 extend longitudinally through the transport structure 42 parallel to one another at regular vertical intervals.

[0069] The frames 46 are fixed to each other to form a support structure 44, which may alternatively be viewed as an integral frame made up of a stack of sub-frames, each frame 46 representing a sub-frame. Fig. 9 As shown, the frame 46 includes three base frames 46a and four intermediate frames 46b, which are arranged such that two pairs of intermediate frames 46b are sandwiched between the base frames 46a disposed at the top, bottom and center of the stack.

[0070] Compared to the standard container 30 of Figure 3, the support structure 44 of the transport structure 42 has an open construction so that the segments 22 therein are visible. The open construction of the transport structure 42 in turn reduces the combined mass of the structural elements and thus allows the mass of the transported components to be increased compared to the standard container 30. However, it should be noted that the transport structure 42 may optionally be shielded by a lightweight protective cover when transported.

[0071] exist Fig.10 and Fig.11 4 and 4. The intermediate frame 46b is shown separately in the figure and is composed of a pair of spaced apart parallel frame assemblies 48 arranged at opposite ends of the tower segment 22. Each frame assembly 48 is fixed to the opposite frame assembly 48 by its respective end of the tower segment 22 and supported relative to the opposite frame assembly 48. Thus, the tower segment 22 defines the frame members of the intermediate frame 46b. The frame assembly 48 is in turn coupled to the adjacent frame 46 to integrate the intermediate frame 46b into the transport structure 42.

[0072] When assembled in the transport structure 42, vertical support for the frame assembly 48 is provided by the other frames 46 of the support structure 44. At the same time, the tower segments 22 of the intermediate frames 46b contribute some horizontal support to the intermediate frames 46b, and thus alleviate the need for additional horizontal elements. In this way, the use of tower segments 22 as frame members in the intermediate frames 46b reduces the weight of structural elements in the support structure 44. Conversely, the stresses applied to the tower segments 22 in use are relatively low because the frame assembly 48 is also held in place when assembled in the transport structure 42 by being fixed to the stacked adjacent frames 46.

[0073] like Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, each frame assembly 48 includes a beam member 50 in the form of an I-beam, a pair of corner castings 38 mounted at each end of the beam member 50, and a pair of L-shaped mounting brackets 52 fixed to one side of the beam member 50 (either side of the center of the beam member 50).

[0074] The beam members 50 have a length corresponding to the width of the transport structure 42 and are arranged parallel to each other and longitudinally aligned so that their respective corners are positioned to coincide with the corners of the rectangular profile of the transport structure 42. In this example, the beam members 50 include rectangular holes for weight reduction.

[0075] Each pair of corner castings 38 is supported by an end mounting 54 disposed between the castings 38 to form a corner assembly 56. The end mounting 54 of each corner assembly 56 is fixed to the respective ends of the beam member 50, such as by welding, so that one corner casting 38 is aligned with the upper end of the beam member 50 and the remaining corner castings 38 are aligned with the lower end of the beam member 50. Each corner casting 38 is oriented so that its slot 40 is disposed on a face directed outwardly from the intermediate frame 46b. Thus, for example, the upper corner casting 38 is oriented so that its slot 40 is located on its upper surface and on the outer side face facing away from the tower segment 22. Thus, when assembled, each corner casting 38 is arranged to butt with the corresponding corner casting 38 of the frame 46 above and below the intermediate frame 46b in the stack.

[0076] Corner castings 38 match those used in standard containers and in the corners of transport structure 42 to form part of a standard twist lock interface, allowing frame 46 to be connected and disconnected. Fig.17 and described in more detail later.

[0077] Each mounting bracket 52 is formed of a steel plate that is bent at right angles to form a base 58 and a mounting flange 60. The base 58 is fixed to the side of the beam member 50 and thus extends in a vertical plane, and is oriented so that the mounting flange 60 extends from the upper end of the base 58 orthogonal to the side of the beam member 50. Fig.13 As shown, each mounting bracket 52 is further provided with a triangular support plate 62 extending between the base 58 and the mounting flange 60 and being orthogonal to the base 58 and the mounting flange 60 to increase the strength of the bracket 52 .

[0078] The mounting brackets 52 are arranged on the beam members 50 so that the respective mounting flanges 60 are aligned in a common plane, and the frame assemblies 48 are in a mirrored relationship so that their respective mounting flanges 60 extend toward each other to form a pair of spaced apart mounts between which the tower segment 22 can rest. The mounting flanges 60 include slots 64 that cooperate with holes in the end regions 28 of the tower segment 22 to enable the segment 22 to be secured to the mounting brackets 52, and in turn to the frame assemblies 48, using suitable fasteners. Thus, the mounting flanges 60 provide an attachment means for releasably securing a wind turbine component (i.e., a tower segment 22) to an associated frame 46.

[0079] Note that the configuration of the mounting bracket 52 is merely an example, and the frame assembly 48 may be configured and secured to the tower segment 22 in any suitable manner.

[0080] Now turn to the attached Figures 14 to 16, a base frame 46a is shown. The base frame 46a includes a pair of frame assemblies 48 that match the frame assemblies of the intermediate frame 46b. However, while the frame assemblies 48 are connected at the intermediate frame 46b by the tower segment 22, the base frame 46a includes a pair of mutually parallel longitudinal frame members 66 that connect the frame assemblies 48 at the corners so that the longitudinal frame members 66 and the beam members 50 of the frame assemblies 48 form a closed outer frame 68 having a rectangular profile corresponding to the profile of the transport structure 42.

[0081] The longitudinal frame members 66 are defined by I-beams of the same cross-section as the beam members 50 of the frame assemblies 48. The length of the longitudinal frame members 66 allows the frame assemblies 48 to be fixed relative to each other at the same spacing as the intermediate frames 46b so that the corresponding frame assemblies 48 of the intermediate and base frames 46 are aligned when stacked.

[0082] The base frame 46a also includes an inner frame 70 positioned within and supporting the outer frame 68. The inner frame 70 includes a central longitudinal strut 72 extending between the beam members 50 of the frame assembly 48 below the mounting flange 60, and a series of regularly spaced transverse struts 74 extending between the longitudinal frame members 66 and thus spanning the longitudinal struts 72. For example, the struts 72, 74 of the inner frame 70 can be welded together, and in turn the inner frame 70 can be welded to the outer frame 68.

[0083] Thus, the base frame 46 a , by virtue of its inner frame 70 and outer frame 68 , is rigid and strong and in turn imparts rigidity to the transport structure 42 .

[0084] Fig.14 It is shown that the tower segments 22 can be mounted between opposing mounting flanges 60 of the base frame 46a in the same manner as in the intermediate frame 46b, although in the base frame 46a the segments 22 do not define frame members or bear any significant loads because the base frame 46a is a self-supporting unit. Fig.15 The clearest one, Fig.15 The base frame 46a is shown without the attachment segments 22 .

[0085] Fig.15 Also shown are pads 76 placed on the inner frame 70 at spaced locations to provide additional support to the tower segment 22 and dampen vibrations of the segment 22 when transported. In this example, the pads 76 include PUR (polyurethane) blocks, but other materials may also be useful, such as inflatable bags or other deformable bodies. It should be understood that pads may be placed at various locations throughout the transport structure 42 to support the tower segment 22 as needed.

[0086] Note that the base frame 46a and the intermediate frame 46b allow more longitudinal space for the tower segment 22 than the standard container 30 of FIG. 3 by eliminating the need for doors and side panels and by using the support structure 44 to directly support the segment 22. In contrast, when a standard container 30 is used, a separate support frame may be required inside the container 30 to securely hold the tower segment 22, which requires additional space and adds weight. Thus, the transport structure 42 allows the tower segment 22 to be manufactured in a longer length than if the segment 22 were transported in a standard container 30. This in turn reduces the total number of segments 22 required to form the tower 20.

[0087] For example, Figure 7 The transport structure 42 has an overall length of 12.2 metres to correspond to the 40 foot container 30 of Figure 3, which has been found to allow tower segments 22 to be up to 11.8 metres in length. However, the segment 22 shown in this example is 10.98 metres in length.

[0088] As mentioned above, Fig.17 The twist lock interface 78 of the transport structure 42 is shown, and specifically the interface between the corresponding corners of the base frame 46a and the intermediate frame 46b is shown to lock the corners of the two frames 46 together. It should be understood that a similar locking interface is provided between each other corner of the illustrated frame 46 and between the corresponding corners of each other pair of frames 46 within the structure 42.

[0089] The twist lock interface 78 includes a pair of corner castings 38, each belonging to a corresponding frame 46, and a locking member in the form of a conventional twist lock 80. The twist lock 80 includes a central body 82 supporting upper and lower male connectors 84, which extend in opposite directions from the body 82 and are rotatable relative to the body 82 using a lever 86 extending from the body 82. Fig.17 4, the upper male connector 84 is shaped to be received within the slot 40 in the lower surface of the corner casting 38 of the intermediate frame 46b, and the lower male connector 84 is received within the slot 40 in the upper surface of the corner casting 38 of the base frame 46a. Thus, the slot 40 and its associated casting 38 represent the female connector of the interface 78. When the frames 46 are joined together, the central body 82 of the twist lock 80 is interposed between the corresponding corner castings 38 of the intermediate and base frames 46 and thus holds the frames 46 slightly apart.

[0090] Each male connector 84 has an outer profile that is complementary to, but not necessarily matching, the profile of the slot 40 in which the male connector 84 is received, the profile being elliptical or otherwise non-circular to define side protrusions or lobes that retain the connector 84 in the casting 38 when the connector 84 is rotated 90°.

[0091] It should be noted that the twist lock 80 may also be integrated with or built into the corner casting 38, such as by welding the twist lock 80 to the corner casting 38. In this case, the corner casting 38 including the twist lock 80 includes an outwardly projecting male connector 84 that can be received by a corresponding corner casting 38 of an adjacent frame 46, and only the male connector 84 needs to be rotated and thus locked to secure the frame corners together. Alternatively, the integrated twist lock 80 may define a female connector for receiving a male connector of an adjacent frame.

[0092] It should be noted that the vehicle that will transport the transport structure 42 includes similar twist lock interfaces 78, specifically a set of twist locks projecting upward from the floor or deck of the vehicle that receive the corner castings 38 of the bottom frame 46 of the structure 42. Once mounted to the vehicle, the vehicle itself may contribute some strength to the structure, securing the corners of the bottom base frame 46a in place.

[0093] It will be apparent from the above that the frames 46 may be connected and disconnected in any combination. Figure 7 In the example shown, the upper two base frames 46a and the intervening pair of intermediate frames 46b are intended to form part of a first transport module 88, and the lower base frame 46a and the lower pair of intermediate frames 46b form part of a second transport module 90. Thus, in this example, the first transport module 88 and the second transport module 90 are stacked when assembled into the transport structure 42, and are therefore arranged to be separated in a horizontal plane when the structure 42 is separated into its constituent modules 88, 90. Thus, the transport structure 42 is modular.

[0094] like Fig.18 and Fig.19 As shown, in use, the first transport module 88 and the second transport module 90 may be initially connected to form the full transport structure 42 so that the transport structure 42 may be transported as a whole on a ship 92. Then, when the ship 92 arrives at a receiving port, the transport structure 42 may be separated into the first module 88 and the second module 90 so that each module 88, 90 may be loaded onto a separate road vehicle 94 to continue the journey. Fig.19 The first transport module 88 is shown on a road vehicle 94, and it should be understood that the second transport module 90 is loaded onto a separate road vehicle.

[0095] exist Fig.18 and Fig.19 In the scenario depicted in , the total weight of the transport structure 42 exceeds the capacity of the road vehicle 94 , and therefore the ability to separate the structure 42 into modules 88 , 90 allows the full capacity of the transport structure 42 to be utilized during the first stage of the journey on the ship 92 .

[0096] Thus, the locking interface 78 connecting the first module 88 and the second module 90 together defines a module-to-module lock that is intended to operate when switching transport modes. The remaining locking interfaces 78 connecting the frames 46 within each module 88, 90, while also releasable couplings, are not intended to operate during the journey to the final destination of the components.

[0097] To help ensure that the structure 42 is properly separated at the receiving port, it is contemplated that the twist-lock interfaces 78 can be arranged so that those twist-lock interfaces to be operated are obvious. For example, the interface 78 connecting the upper intermediate frame 46b of the second transport module and the lower base frame 46a of the first transport module 88 (which must be unlocked to separate into modules 88, 90) can be oriented with the corresponding levers 86 facing outward, making them easily accessible. The remaining twist-lock interfaces 78 between the frames 46 that are not separated can be oriented with the corresponding levers 86 facing in the opposite direction, and therefore into the structure 42, making them more difficult to access and therefore less likely to be accidentally unlocked.

[0098] Since each frame 46 uses the same corner castings 38, the frames 46 are interchangeable and thus the transport structure 42 can be reconfigured in a variety of ways. Typically, each transport module of the structure 42 is provided with at least one base frame 46a to provide rigidity to the module when separated. For added strength and versatility, all frames 46 of the structure may be base frames 46a, noting that such a structure may be divided into modules in a variety of different ways to suit the requirements of different journeys.

[0099] Fig. 20 and Fig.21 Another possibility in this regard is shown, in which the transport structure 142 is completely composed of Fig.10 The intermediate frame of the example shown is composed of the same intermediate frame 46b. Fig. 20 and Fig.21 The transport structure 142 relies primarily on the tower segments 22 for horizontal strength, but as described above, the vehicle itself can contribute to horizontal support when the structure 142 is secured to the vehicle during transport.

[0100] Fig. 20 The structure 142 shown in FIG. 1 comprises twelve frames 46, each frame supporting a respective tower segment 22, as in the previous examples. The transport structure 142 can be divided into modules, in this case into three modules 144 each having four frames 46, and Fig.21 One such module 144 is shown. The structure 142 can be divided into modules in different ways.

[0101] Fig. 22 and Fig.23Another example of a modular transport structure 242 for tower segments 22 is shown. In this example, the segments 22 are not supported on individual frames 46 as in the previous examples. Instead, the structure 242 includes a stack of three rectangular end frames 246 at each end, each frame 246 supporting four segments 22 mounted to the frames 246 in any suitable manner. The frames 246 include corner castings 38 as in the previous examples, allowing the structure 242 to be secured to a vehicle, and also allowing the frames 246 to be disconnected and separated into transport modules. Fig.23 One such transport module 248 is shown having a single frame 246 at each end and supporting four segments 22 .

[0102] More generally, the frame may be configured in any suitable manner to provide the desired modularity while enabling the tower segments 22 to be secured to the support structure defined by the frame.

[0103] Furthermore, the transport structure may be adapted to support a variety of other types of components and need not be modular. Examples of which are now described in Fig.24 and Fig.25 Shown in.

[0104] Fig.24 Shown for transport Figure 1 A transport structure 342 is provided that includes a set of components (particularly a pair of cooler frames or "cooler tops" 344) of a cooling system for a wind turbine 10. In this regard, the cooler tops 344 include a rectangular frame that can be appropriately sized to serve as a frame for the transport structure 342 during transport. To form the transport structure 342, a corner casting 38 is secured to each corner of each cooler top 344, such as by welding, to enable the transport structure 342 to be secured to a carrier and / or other transport structure, whether a similar transport structure or a standard shipping container.

[0105] Structural beams defining frame members 346 are secured between the corner castings 38 to hold them relative to each other. In this example, transverse frame members 346 are mounted between each pair of corresponding corners of the cooler top, and additional frame members 346 are mounted to extend diagonally across the structure 342. Fig.24 The specific positions of the frame members 346 shown in are illustrative only, and the frame members 346 can be positioned to suit the requirements of each application. The frame members 346 collectively form a frame around or between the cooler tops 344 that holds the cooler tops in position relative to each other so that the cooler tops 344 and the frame together define the transport structure 342. Thus, in this example, the corner castings 38 define attachment means for releasably securing the cooler tops 344 to the frame defined by the frame members 346.

[0106] As in previous examples, the transport structure 342 may be configured to have the same shape and size as a standard ISO container 30 , such as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0107] at last, Fig.25 Another transport structure 442 is shown for transporting a set of cooler tops 344, in this example a set of four cooler tops 344 similar to the previous examples. Fig.25 The transport structure 442 includes a pair of frames 444 disposed at each end of the structure 442 and secured to the end corners of each cooler top 344 .

[0108] Each frame 444 includes four corner castings 38 arranged in a rectangle that will become the corners of the transport structure 442, thereby enabling the structure 442 to be secured, as in other examples.

[0109] A pair of frame members 446 extend between diagonally opposed corner castings 38, the frame members 446 thus crossing one another. Another pair of frame members extend parallel to one another and include an upper frame member 448 extending between the upper pair of corner castings 38 and a lower frame member 450 extending between the lower pair of corner castings 38. Each of the upper frame member 448 and the lower frame member 450 carries two couplings 452 disposed between the associated corner castings 38 (at Fig.25 448 ) such that the castings 38 and the connectors 452 are at regular intervals, with the connectors 452 of the upper frame member 448 being vertically aligned with the corresponding connectors 452 of the lower frame member 450 .

[0110] Each cooler top 344 is provided with couplings 454 at each corner. Fig.25 Each coupling 454 is configured to couple to a corresponding coupling 452 or corner casting 38 of an associated end frame 444. Thus, Fig.25 The front and rear cooler tops 344 , 344 shown are provided with connectors 454 for securing to the corner castings 38 of each frame 444 , while the middle pair of cooler tops 344 are provided with connectors 454 complementary to the connectors 454 of the upper and lower frame members 448 , 450 of the frames 444 .

[0111] Thus, the frame 444 may be secured to the cooler top 344 at each end by engaging associated couplers 452, 454 to form a transport structure 442. Again, the transport structure 442 has a shape and size corresponding to a standard ISO container 30 such as that shown in FIG.

[0112] Fig.25 The couplings 452 , 454 shown in FIG. 4 may be of any suitable type and may be standard corner castings 38 .

[0113] Fig.24 and Fig.25 The structures 342, 442 shown in FIG. 4 provide similar advantages in that they allow components to be shipped (in this case, cooler tops 344) to be larger than if they were packed within a standard shipping container 30. Figure 7 Moreover, the weight of the frame of the structure is relatively low, thereby increasing the combined weight of the components that can be transported.

[0114] Although Fig.24 and Fig.25 The structures shown in are not configured as modular, but it should be understood that these structures can be modified to become modular if necessary. For example, Fig.25 The frame of the structure 442 shown in FIG. 4 can be divided into two interlocking frames at each end of the structure, thereby allowing the structure to be connected with Figure 7 The structure is divided into modules in a similar manner to adapt to the constraints of different transport modes.

[0115] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the specific embodiments described above without departing from the inventive concept defined by the claims.

[0116] For example, while the above-described transport structures are configured to split in a horizontal plane to separate the constituent transport modules, in other examples, the transport modules may be connected side-by-side, for example using bridging fittings and vertical twist locks, to form a transport structure that may split in one or more vertical planes.

[0117] More generally, it is emphasized that the above structures are examples only, and that the transport structure may be constructed in any suitable manner to transport a variety of different wind turbine components. In some examples, the transport structure may be configured to hold a mix of different types of components. In each case, a suitable support structure including one or more frames is provided to support and secure the components during transport.

[0118] Although a conventional twist lock interface is used in the above examples, the transport structure may use any other suitable locking interface.

Claims

1. A transport structure (42) for transporting a group of wind turbine components (22) on a vehicle (92, 94), the transport structure (42) comprising: a support structure (44), the support structure comprising at least one frame (46); as well as a set of locking interfaces arranged on the support structure (44) to releasably secure the transport structure (42) during transport; The at least one frame (46) comprises an attachment device configured to releasably secure at least one wind turbine component (22) of the set of wind turbine components to the at least one frame (46).

2. A transport structure (42) according to claim 1, comprising at least two transport modules (88, 90), each transport module supporting one or more components of the set of wind turbine components (22) in use, each transport module (88, 90) including a set of cooperating module-to-module locking members (78), the module-to-module locking members (78) being configured to releasably interconnect the at least two transport modules (88, 90) to form and separate the transport structure (42).

3. The transport structure (42) according to claim 2, wherein: The module-to-module lock (78) includes a corner casting (38).

4. A transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least one transport module (88, 90) includes a plurality of frames (46), each frame (46) being configured to support a respective component (22) of the set of wind turbine components.

5. The transport structure (42) according to claim 4, wherein: The frames (46) are stacked to form associated transport modules (88, 90).

6. The transport structure (42) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The frames (46) include releasable couplings for securing the frames (46) together to form associated transport modules (88, 90).

7. The transport structure (42) of claim 6, wherein: The releasable coupling includes a corner casting (38).

8. The transport structure (42) of any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one frame (46a) comprising a pair of orthogonal frame members (50, 66) coupled together.

9. A transport structure (42) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one frame (46b), the at least one frame being configured such that a component (22) of the set of wind turbine components defines a frame member of the at least one frame (46b).

10. The transport structure (42) of claim 9, wherein: Parallel frame members (50) of an associated frame (46b) are secured at opposite ends of the component (22) defining the frame members.

11. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a set of wind turbine components (22) fixed to the support structure (44).

12. The transport structure (42) of claim 11, wherein: Each component (22) serves as a load-bearing element of the transport structure (42).

13. The transport structure (42) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: Each component (22) is secured at opposite ends of the transport structure (42).

14. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The locking interface is configured to dock with a corresponding interface of or for a standard marine container (30).

15. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Each locking interface includes a corner casting (38).

16. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, having a shape and dimensions corresponding to a standard marine container (30).

17. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The set of wind turbine components includes a set of tower segments (22).

18. The transport structure (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The set of wind turbine components includes a set of cooler tops.

19. A method of transporting a group of wind turbine components (22), the method comprising forming a transport structure (42) by securing the components (22) to a support structure (44), wherein: The support structure (44) supports a set of locking interfaces for securing the transport structure (42) during transport.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising mounting each component (22) to a respective frame (46) or a respective set of frame members to form a respective frame (46), and coupling the frames (46) together to form the transport structure (42).

21. The method of claim 20, comprising coupling the frame (46) using a twist-lock interface (78).

22. The method according to claim 21, comprising: The locking interface (78) is twisted in a first direction for a pair of frames (46) that will form part of a common transport module (88, 90) of the transport structure (42); and the locking interface (78) is twisted in a second direction for a pair of frames (46) that will belong to different transport modules (88, 90) of the transport structure (42).

23. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 22, comprising transporting the transport structure (42) on a vehicle (92, 94) and then dividing the transport structure (42) into a plurality of transport modules (88, 90).

24. The method of claim 23, comprising continuing to transport the transport module (88, 90) on a separate vehicle (92, 94).

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