A device for installing a blade assembly, a rotor unit, a wind-power plant, a method for installing a blade assembly, and use of such a device, rotor unit

Abstract

Foldable device 10 for installing a vertical axis wind turbine 3 blade assembly 12. The device comprises a first installation pivot 30 to hold the blade and attached to a rotor receiver unit 14, a second installation pivot to hold a strut 22 and attached to the rotor receiver unit, a third installation pivot 34, to hold the strut and attached to a blade 20, and a displacement arrangement 40 to guide the movement of the second or third pivots from a first position to a second position, wherein in one of the positions the second or third pivot is further or closer to the first pivot. The displacement arrangement may comprise a mechanism such as ropes and pulleys or a hydraulic system or electric motor. The device may comprise a support arm 24 and a fourth installation pivot 36 to hold the support arm and attached to the rotor receiver unit. A rotor unit and a wind power plant comprising the device. A method for installing a blade assembly comprising the device.

Claims

1. A device (10) for installing a blade assembly (12) at a rotor receiver unit (14) of a vertical axis wind turbine (3), wherein the wind turbine (3) is configured to be arranged at an elongated support pillar (5), the blade assembly (12) comprises a blade (20) configured to extend from the rotor receiver unit (14), and a strut (22) configured to be connected between the rotor receiver unit (14) and the blade (20), wherein the device (10) comprises:a first installation pivot (30) configured to hold the blade (20) rotatably attached to the rotor receiver unit (14);a second installation pivot (32) configured to hold the strut (22) rotatably attached to the rotor receiver unit (14);a third installation pivot (34) configured to hold the strut (22) rotatably attached to the blade (20); anda displacement arrangement (40) configured to hold and guide a displacement of one of the second installation pivot (32) and the third installation pivot (34) between a first position and a second position;wherein the displacement of the second installation pivot (32) or the third installation pivot (34) is such that, in the first position, said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is located further away from the first installation pivot (30) than when said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is located in the second position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein in case of the displacement of the second installation pivot (32), in the first position, the second installation pivot (32) is located further away from the first installation pivot (30) in a direction of the extension of the rotor receiver unit (14) than when the second installation pivot (32) is in the second position.

3. The device according to any of claim 1 and 2, wherein in case of the displacement of the third installation pivot (34), in the first position, the third installation pivot (34) is located further away from the rotor receiver unit (14) in a direction of the extension of the blade (20) than when the third installation pivot (34) is in the second position.

4. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the displacement arrangement (40) comprises a displacement mechanism for generating the displacement ofsaid second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) between the first position and the second position.

5. The device (10) according to claim 4, wherein the displacement mechanism comprises an arrangement of ropes and pullies.

6. The device (10) according to any of claim 4-5, wherein the displacement arrangement (40) comprises a drive unit configured to generate a force that displaces the displacement member such that said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is being displaced from the first position to the second position.

7. The device (10) according to claim 6, wherein the drive unit comprises one of a hydraulic system and an electric motor.

8. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the displacement arrangement (40) comprises a guide member and a displacement member configured to hold said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34), wherein the guide member is configured to guide the displacement of the displacement member between the first position and the second position of said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34).

9. The device (10) according to claim 8, wherein the guide member comprises a guide rail configured to be attached to the rotor receiver unit (14) or the blade (20), wherein the guide rail is configured to guide the displacement of the displacement member while said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is being displaced between the first position and the second position.

10. The device (10) according to any of claim 8-9, wherein the guide member comprises a piston cylinder and the displacement member comprises a piston rod holding the second installation pivot (32), wherein the piston cylinder is configured to guide the displacement of the piston rod while said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is being displaced between the first position and the second position.

11. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the device (10) comprises a releasable attachment member configured to form a connection between theblade (20) and the pillar (5) when the displacement arrangement (40) is in the first position, and wherein the attachment member is configured to be released from the connection to the blade (20) when the displacement arrangement (40) is in the second position.

12. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the first installation pivot (30), the second installation pivot (32) and the third installation pivot (34) comprising a respective locking means configured to pivots from rotation when said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is in the second position.

13. The device (10) according to claim 12, wherein the first installation pivot (30), the second installation pivot (32) and the third installation pivot (34) comprising a respective pin joint configured to hold the blade (20) and the strut (22) rotatably attached to the pillar (5), wherein the first installation pivot (30), the second installation pivot (32) and the third installation pivot (34) comprising said locking means configured to lock the pin joints from rotation when said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is in the second position.

14. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the displacement arrangement (40) comprises a further locking member configured to lock the displacement of displacement arrangement (40) when the second installation pivot (32) or the third installation pivot (34) is in the second position.

15. The device (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the blade assembly (12) comprises a support arm (24) configured to be connected between the pillar (5) and the strut (22), wherein the support arm (24) comprises a fourth installation pivot (36) configured to hold the support arm (24) rotatably attached to the pillar (5) and a fifth installation pivot (38) configured to hold the support arm (24) rotatably attached to the strut (22), wherein at least one of the fourth installation pivot (36) and the fifth installation pivot (38) is movably arranged in respect to its attachment.

16. A rotor unit for a vertical axis wind turbine (3), wherein the rotor unit comprises the blade assembly (12), a rotor receiver unit (14) attaching the first installation pivot (30) and the second installation pivot (32), and the device for installing the blade assembly (12) according to any of claim 1-15, wherein the rotor receiver unit (14) is configured to be rotatable attached to a circumference of the support pillar (5) and receive rotational energyfrom the blade assembly (12).

17. The rotor unit according to claim 16, wherein the rotor receiver unit (14) is shaped with an opening configured to accommodate receipt of an outer portion of the support pillar (5).

18. The rotor unit according to any of claim 16-17, wherein the rotor unit comprises a rotor transmitter unit configured to be rotatable attached at an end portion of the support pillar (5) and receive rotational energy from the rotor receiver unit (14), wherein the rotor transmitter unit is configured to be connected to a shaft of the pillar (5) that transfers the rotational energy to a generator.

19. A wind-power plant (1) comprising a vertical axis wind turbine (3), a support pillar (5) and a device (10) for installing the blade assembly (12) according to any of claim 1-15, wherein the device (10) is arranged at a rotor receiver unit (14) of the turbine (3).

20. The wind-power plant (1) according to claim 19, wherein the wind-power plant (1) comprises an upper vertical axis wind turbine (3a) and a lower vertical axis wind turbine (3b), each provided with device (10) for installing a blade assembly (12) according to above.

21. A method for installing a blade assembly (12) of a vertical axis wind turbine (3) at an elongated support pillar (5), wherein the wind turbine (3) comprises a device (10) for installing the blade assembly (12) according to any of claim 1-15, wherein the method comprises the step of:arranging one of the second installation pivot (32) and the third installation pivot (34) to the first position;raising the support pillar (5) to a vertical orientation; anddisplacing said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) from the first position to the second position by means of the displacement arrangement (40).

22. The method according to claim 22, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to that said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) has been displaced to the second position, locking said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) to the second position.

23. The method according to an of claim 21-22, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to that said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) has been displaced to the second position, locking the displacement arrangement (40) such that said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) is prevented from being displaced.

24. The method according to any of claim 21-23, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to that said second installation pivot (32) or third installation pivot (34) has been arranged to the first position, attaching the releasable attachment member.

25. The method according to any of claim 21-24, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to that the pillar (5) has been raised to the vertical orientation, releasing the releasable attachment member.

26. Use of a device (10) for installing a blade assembly (12) according to any of claim 1-15.

27. Use of a rotor unit for a vertical axis wind turbine (3) according to any of claim 16-18.

28. Use of a wind-power plant (1) according to any of claim 19-20.

Images