A wind turbine nacelle top cover maintenance structure

Abstract

This invention discloses a maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover, relating to the field of turbine nacelle technology. It includes two symmetrically arranged folding sections, each comprising a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate connected sequentially. An mounting plate is fixedly connected inside the nacelle cover. A first and second parallel connecting rod are axially connected between the mounting plate and the first plate. The second plate is fixed to the second connecting rod. A third and fourth connecting rod are axially connected to the mounting plate. One end of the third connecting rod slides through a slotted groove. The third plate is axially connected to the ends of both the third and fourth connecting rods. This wind turbine nacelle cover maintenance structure, with its unique folding linkage mechanism, allows the door panels (first, second, and third plates) to fold upwards and outwards when the maintenance door is opened. This completely avoids the problems of complex segmentation and difficult waterproofing of traditional nacelle covers, providing a safe and spacious working environment for personnel operation and the handling of large equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of generator nacelle technology, specifically to a maintenance structure for a wind turbine generator nacelle cover. Background Technology

[0002] Wind turbines are typically installed at altitudes of tens to hundreds of meters or more, with their nacelles housing critical equipment such as gearboxes, generators, and pitch control systems. For routine inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting, a maintenance access door (or access door) must be installed on the nacelle for personnel to enter and exit. This door is a critical component affecting the maintainability of the turbine, operational safety, and the protection of the internal environment of the nacelle.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream wind turbine nacelle maintenance doors mainly adopt the following forms:

[0004] 1. Inward-opening swing door: This is currently the most widely used type. It connects the door to the frame via hinges and opens inwards. The advantages of this design are its simple structure and reliable sealing. However, it has significant drawbacks: the door rotates inwards into the engine compartment, occupying already limited space and interfering with the handling of large spare parts and the operating space for maintenance personnel, posing a safety hazard. Furthermore, in strong winds, negative pressure may exist inside the engine compartment, making it difficult to open the door.

[0005] 2. Upward-opening door: The door is connected by a top hinge and opens upwards. Although this design does not occupy internal space, the door is completely exposed to the airflow above when open, creating a huge wind load surface. This not only makes opening the door extremely difficult and dangerous in poor wind conditions, but also places stringent requirements on the strength and durability of the hinges and support rods. Long-term use can easily lead to deformation or damage due to fatigue and wind vibration.

[0006] 3. Sliding door: The door opens by sliding laterally along the track. Its disadvantages are that the guide rail mechanism is exposed to harsh environments such as high salt spray, high humidity, sand and dust and freezing for a long time, which makes it prone to jamming, corrosion and ice accumulation. It has low reliability, high maintenance frequency and is not suitable for wind power scenarios with extremely high requirements for maintenance-free operation.

[0007] Therefore, the aforementioned mainstream operation and maintenance door opening and closing methods all have significant drawbacks. To address this, we propose a new operation and maintenance structure for the wind turbine nacelle cover. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wind turbine nacelle cover top cover maintenance structure to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover, comprising two sets of symmetrically arranged folding sections. Each folding section includes a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate connected sequentially. When unfolded, the first, second, and third plates collectively cover the nacelle cover opening; when folded, they collectively leave the opening open. A mounting plate is fixedly connected inside the nacelle cover. A first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, parallel to each other, are axially connected between the mounting plate and the first plate. A second plate is fixed to the second connecting rod, and a waist-shaped groove is formed on the second connecting rod. The mounting plate is connected to a third link and a fourth link via a shaft. One end of the third link slides in the waist-shaped groove. The third plate is connected to the ends of the third and fourth links via shafts. The third link is connected to a drive mechanism, which drives it to rotate around the shaft connecting to the mounting plate. When the drive mechanism drives the third link to rotate, the second link rotates around its shaft connecting to the mounting plate by sliding the shaft in the waist-shaped groove. This drives the first, second, and third plates to unfold upwards from a folded state to a planar closed state, or fold downwards from a planar closed state.

[0010] Preferably, there is a closed gap between the first plate, the second plate, the third plate and the hood that contacts the plate. A sealing strip is installed on the edge of the opening of the plate and / or the hood to seal the closed gap. The sealing strip has a strip-shaped cross section and an elastic support is embedded inside it. The elastic support protrudes outward in an arc shape. When closed, the middle part of the elastic support is subjected to force, causing the upper and lower sides to bulge outward.

[0011] Preferably, from a cross-sectional perspective, the two ends of the elastic support bend in opposite directions toward the arc shape of the elastic support, forming two bends; when the maintenance door is closed and compressed, the middle part of the elastic support is compressed, causing the ends of the two bends to tend to move toward each other.

[0012] Preferably, the sealing strip is made of a material that covers the entire outer surface of the elastic bracket and extends into the area of ​​the bend.

[0013] Preferably, the sealing strip has a cavity area in the middle of its cross-section.

[0014] Preferably, the cross-section of the mating edge of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate is an arc shape that bulges outward from the middle, so that when the plates are mated, the cross-sectional shape of the closed gap formed is a gradually narrowing gap that is wide at both ends and narrow in the middle.

[0015] Preferably, the elastic modulus of the bent portions at both ends of the elastic support is lower than the elastic modulus of the intermediate region located between the two bent portions.

[0016] Preferably, the elastic support has a yielding part at the connection of the two bends; when the closed compression stroke reaches a preset threshold, the yielding part undergoes plastic deformation or buckling, causing the elastic reaction force it provides to drop sharply.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] This invention utilizes a unique folding linkage mechanism to allow the maintenance door panels (first, second, and third panels) to fold upwards and outwards when opened, completely avoiding the problem of traditional inward-opening doors occupying the compact interior space of the cabin, and providing a safe and spacious working environment for personnel operation and the handling of large equipment;

[0019] The overall height of the folded door panel of this invention is effectively reduced, which greatly reduces the projected area subjected to strong wind load when the door is open. Compared with the top-hinged door, it significantly reduces the impact of wind load on the door body and hinge mechanism, making it easier and safer to open the door in severe wind conditions, and also improves the service life and reliability of the mechanism.

[0020] All motion linkage mechanisms in this invention are located inside the cabin cover or in a protected position, avoiding direct exposure to harsh external environments such as high salt spray, sand and dust, and ice and snow, as is the case with sliding door tracks. This fundamentally solves problems such as corrosion, jamming, and ice accumulation, resulting in high reliability and almost no special maintenance required.

[0021] The specially designed sealing strip and its internal elastic support can change the contact sequence and force direction during the door panel closing process, so that the middle part of the sealing strip is in contact and compressed first, which delays the tilting friction of the edge part and effectively reduces the wear of the sealing strip in repeated opening and closing, thereby extending its sealing performance and service life.

[0022] The bent sections at both ends of the elastic bracket in this invention can expand the sealing contact area when closed, and even form multiple sealing barriers. Combined with the arc-shaped design of the plate edge and the cavity area within the sealing strip, it ensures full and uniform compression sealing after complete closure, providing excellent rainproof, dustproof, and sound insulation effects.

[0023] This invention can standardize the mold opening problem of the top compartment. Depending on the width of the nacelle cover, it can be assembled in three or four pieces and share the same mold. Moreover, the linkage mechanism is easy to open and close, which greatly facilitates the operation and maintenance of the main unit and reduces costs. In addition, this waterproof structure can effectively prevent rainwater from seeping into the interior of the nacelle. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the half-closed state of the maintenance door of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the half-process structure of the operation and maintenance portal.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded and folded structure of the maintenance door;

[0028] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure before the first and second plates are closed;

[0029] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the structure in which a sealing strip extends from the bent section;

[0030] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the external seal and cavity area formed by the bend;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the cavity region;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the state after the yield point of the elastic support reaches the critical point.

[0033] In the figure: 1-First plate; 2-Second plate; 3-Third plate; 4-Mounting plate; 5-First connecting rod; 6-Second connecting rod; 7-Waist-shaped groove; 8-Third connecting rod; 9-Fourth connecting rod; 10-Closed gap; 11-Sealing strip; 12-Elastic bracket; 13-Bending part; 14-Cavity area; 15-Yielding part. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4This invention provides a technical solution: a maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover, comprising a maintenance door body consisting of a first plate 1, a second plate 2, and a third plate 3 sequentially hinged together. The two symmetrically arranged door bodies together seal the maintenance opening on the nacelle cover. An mounting plate 4 is fixedly installed on the inner side above the nacelle cover opening, serving as the mounting base for the entire linkage drive system. The mounting plate 4 is approximately quadrilateral, with its upper edge connected to one end of a first link 5 and a second link 6 via pivots. The other ends of the first link 5 and the second link 6 are rotatably connected to the first plate 1. The first link 5 and the second link 6 are of equal length and remain parallel during movement, forming a parallel four-bar linkage. The second plate 2 is fixedly installed on the second link 6. When the maintenance door is fully closed, the adjacent edges of the first plate 1 and the second plate 2 abut against each other. A waist-shaped groove 7 is machined on the second link 6, the length direction of which forms a certain angle with the body of the second link 6. The lower edges of the mounting plate 4 are rotatably connected to a third link 8 and a fourth link 9, respectively. The free end of the third link 8 has a slider or pin, which is embedded in the slot 7 of the second link 6 and slides with it. The free end of the fourth link 9 is rotatably connected to the third plate 3, which is also rotatably connected to the end of the third link 8 with the slider / pin. When the maintenance door is closed, the edge of the third plate 3 abuts tightly against the lower edges of the second plate 2 and the hood opening. Preferably, two sets of the above links are provided, located at both ends of the plate width, to provide stable support and drive. The third link 8, as the active drive rod, can be powered by a drive motor, hydraulic cylinder, or other drive mechanism mounted on its shaft connected to the mounting plate 4, or a manual drive device (such as a handwheel) can be mounted on this shaft to achieve manual opening and closing.

[0036] Specifically, when the drive mechanism (electric or manual) drives the third link 8 to rotate about its hinge point with the mounting plate 4 (in order to... Figure 2 Taking the shown perspective as an example (clockwise rotation), the slider at its end slides within the waist-shaped groove 7, thereby causing the second connecting rod 6 to rise upwards and rotate clockwise around its own hinge point. During this process, the first plate 1 moves along a specific arc trajectory, exhibiting an approximate translational motion of first rising and then falling; the second plate 2 flips along with the second connecting rod 6; and the third plate 3 simultaneously rotates and translates. The overall motion state of the door body changes from... Figure 2 The fully closed state shown, after Figure 3 The intermediate half-open state shown eventually reaches... Figure 4 The image shows the fully folded and stowed state. In the fully folded state, the overall height of the door is significantly reduced, effectively decreasing the area exposed to wind. The closing process is the reverse of the above movement.

[0037] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6 At the opening of the maintenance door, specifically between adjacent panels and between the panel and the edge of the nacelle opening, there will be a slight gap when the door is closed, known as the closing gap 10. Because this invention uses a folding motion mechanism, the relative movement trajectory of each panel during closure differs from that of a traditional swing door. For example… Figure 5 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the first plate 1 and the second plate 2 nearing closure. At the end of the closure process, the lower edge of the first plate 1 will contact the second plate 2 before the upper edge. At this point, if a conventional sealing strip is used, its lower side will bear an oblique compressive force rather than a direct pressure. With frequent opening and closing over a long period, this area is prone to excessive wear, leading to premature degradation of the sealing performance.

[0038] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment offers an improvement. A sealing strip 11, U-shaped in cross-section, is installed within the closed gap 10 and fitted and fixed to the edge of the panel or cabin opening. Crucially, an elastic support 12 is embedded within the sealing strip 11. This elastic support 12 protrudes from the edge of the panel towards the mating gap, and its cross-section is arched (or approximately bow-shaped). During closure, thanks to the support of the elastic support 12, the protruding portion in the middle of the sealing strip 11 contacts the mating panel (such as the second panel 2) first. As pressure increases, the middle of the elastic support 12 is compressed, forcing its upper and lower sides to extend outwards. This allows the upper and lower wings of the sealing strip 11 to contact the mating surface later and more gently, significantly reducing wear caused by edge-tilting friction. When the door is fully closed, because the designed compression of the sealing strip 11 is greater than the final gap of the closed gap 10, it can still be sufficiently compressed to achieve a reliable seal. It should be noted that when the elastic bracket 12 is installed on the edge that moves synchronously with the plate, it can be an integral long strip structure; while when it is installed on the edge of the fixed cabin cover, since the gap gradually disappears from one end to the other when the door is closed, the elastic bracket 12 can be composed of a series of independent short bracket units arranged along the length of the sealing strip 11 to achieve local sequential deformation.

[0039] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, the cross-section of the mating edges of the first plate 1, the second plate 2, and the third plate 3 is designed to be an outwardly convex arc. This design makes the cross-sectional shape of the closed gap 10 further present as a shape that is wider at both ends and narrowest in the middle when the plates are mated, which helps to further delay the timing of the lower edge of the sealing strip 11 making oblique contact with the mating surface.

[0040] As another optimized implementation, based on the above embodiment, the cross-section of the elastic support 12 can be designed so that its upper and lower ends are bent in opposite directions, forming two bent portions 13. This reverse-bending structure can change the force transmission path under pressure, causing the ends of the bent portions 13 to have a stronger tendency to move in opposite directions. Figure 6As shown (the sealing strip covering layer is not shown in the figure for clarity), the reverse-bending end of the bend 13 can directly or through the sealing strip material contact the upper and lower surfaces of the mating plate, thereby forming an auxiliary sealing barrier on the outside of the closed gap. When the sealing strip 11 completely covers the elastic bracket 12, this design can effectively extend the sealing contact area. Preferably, the material hardness or structural stiffness of the bend 13 areas at both ends of the elastic bracket 12 can be designed to be lower than that of the middle area.

[0041] In another embodiment, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, a cavity area 14 can be provided in the middle of the cross-section of the sealing strip 11. Figure 7 The cavity area 14 shown is located in the inner groove area of ​​the U-shaped cross-section of the sealing strip 11. Figure 8 The cavity 14 shown is located inside the solid structure of the sealing strip 11. The presence of the cavity 14 provides additional space for the elastic support 12 to deform under pressure, which helps to reduce the compressive stiffness and make the sealing process smoother.

[0042] Please see Figure 9 Furthermore, a yielding portion 15 can be provided on the elastic support 12 between the two bends 13. This yielding portion 15 can be designed as a locally narrowed, perforated, or weak area with a specific geometry. Its working principle is similar to an overload protection mechanism: when the closing compression force does not exceed the design value, the elastic support 12 undergoes elastic deformation as a whole; once the compression reaches a preset critical point, the yielding portion 15 first undergoes plastic yielding or buckling instability, causing a sudden decrease in the elastic reaction force provided by this part (i.e., "breaking the critical point"). At this time, the door can be completely closed in place, and the two bends 13 can still maintain the adhesion tension to the plate surface under the action of the remaining elastic force, and the sealing of the closing gap 10 does not require the pressure of the elastic support 12. When the maintenance door is opened again, the movement of the plate edge will "push open" one of the bends 13, and this action will help the yielding portion 15 recover from the yielded state or re-enter a working elastic state.

[0043] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0044] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A maintenance structure for the top cover of a wind turbine nacelle, characterized in that, The device includes two symmetrically arranged folding sections, each comprising a first plate (1), a second plate (2), and a third plate (3) connected sequentially. When unfolded, the first plate (1), second plate (2), and third plate (3) together cover the opening of the hood, and when folded, they together leave the opening open. A mounting plate (4) is fixedly connected inside the hood. A first connecting rod (5) and a second connecting rod (6) are axially connected between the mounting plate (4) and the first plate (1), and are parallel to each other. The second plate (2) is fixed on the second connecting rod (6), and a waist-shaped groove (7) is provided on the second connecting rod (6). A third connecting rod (8) and a third connecting rod (9) are axially connected on the mounting plate (4). The four-link (9) has one end of the third link (8) sliding with the waist-shaped groove (7). The third plate (3) is connected to the end shafts of the third link (8) and the fourth link (9) respectively. The third link (8) is connected to a drive mechanism to drive it to rotate around the connection shaft with the mounting plate (4). When the drive mechanism drives the third link (8) to rotate, the second link (6) is driven to rotate around the connection shaft with the mounting plate (4) by sliding the shaft in the waist-shaped groove (7). This drives the first plate (1), the second plate (2) and the third plate (3) to unfold upward from the folded state to the planar closed state, or to fold downward from the planar closed state.

2. The wind turbine nacelle cover maintenance structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: There is a closed gap (10) between the first plate (1), the second plate (2), the third plate (3) and the hood that contacts the plate. A sealing strip (11) is installed on the edge of the opening of the plate and / or the hood to seal the closed gap (10). The sealing strip (11) has a strip-shaped cross section and an elastic bracket (12) is embedded inside it. The elastic bracket (12) protrudes outward in an arc shape. When closed, the middle part of the elastic bracket (12) is subjected to force so that the upper and lower sides are outward.

3. The wind turbine nacelle cover maintenance structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: From a cross-sectional perspective, the two ends of the elastic support (12) bend in opposite directions toward the arc of the elastic support (12), forming two bends (13); when the maintenance door is closed and compressed, the middle part of the elastic support (12) is compressed, causing the ends of the two bends (13) to tend to move toward each other.

4. The wind turbine nacelle cover maintenance structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The material of the sealing strip (11) covers the entire outer surface of the elastic bracket (12) and extends to the area of ​​the bend (13).

5. The maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing strip (11) has a cavity area (14) in the middle of its cross section.

6. The maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The cross-section of the mating edge of the first plate (1), the second plate (2) and the third plate (3) is an arc shape that bulges outward from the middle, so that when the plates are mated, the cross-sectional shape of the closed gap (10) formed is a gradually narrowing gap that is wide at both ends and narrow in the middle.

7. The wind turbine nacelle cover maintenance structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic modulus of the bent portions (13) at both ends of the elastic support (12) is lower than that of the intermediate region between the two bent portions (13).

8. The maintenance structure for a wind turbine nacelle cover as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic support (12) has a yielding part (15) at the connection of the two bending parts (13); when the closed compression stroke reaches the preset threshold, the yielding part (15) undergoes plastic deformation or buckling, resulting in a sharp decrease in the elastic reaction force it provides.

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