Adapter Element Load Distribution for Wind Turbine Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transportation systems for wind turbine components, particularly heavy components like rotor blades and towers, face challenges in safely stacking multiple components vertically due to uneven load distribution and stability issues, limiting the number of components that can be transported efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A transportation system comprising a lower and upper transport frame, an auxiliary element, and an adapter element that connects these frames to distribute the load vertically, allowing for additional components to be stacked safely by diverting the load downwards through the lower and auxiliary elements, thereby enhancing stability and enabling more components to be transported.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple heavy components are stacked vertically for transportation, then transportation efficiency increases, but load distribution becomes uneven and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter element serves as an intermediary component between the lower transport frame and the upper transport frame. It includes a load distribution mechanism with multiple support points that contact both the lower frame and auxiliary elements, effectively mediating the load transfer and distributing forces evenly across the stacking structure to maintain stability while enabling vertical transportation of multiple heavy components
Solution Approach 2:
The load distribution mechanism is segmented into multiple support points distributed across the adapter element. Each support point independently contacts either the lower transport frame or auxiliary elements, dividing the concentrated load from the upper frame into multiple distributed forces. This segmentation allows the system to handle heavier and taller stacks by spreading the stress across multiple locations rather than concentrating it at a single point
2Quantity of substance
If multiple heavy components are stacked vertically for transportation, then the number of transportable components increases, but the load on the lower transport frame becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter element acts as a load-bearing intermediary that introduces auxiliary elements as additional support structures. The load distribution mechanism transfers part of the upper frame's load to these auxiliary elements through multiple support points, thereby reducing the cumulative force that would otherwise be borne entirely by the lower transport frame and enabling safe transportation of more components
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary elements are arranged horizontally adjacent to the lower transport frame, introducing a horizontal dimension to the load support structure. This spatial arrangement allows the load to be distributed not only vertically through the adapter element but also laterally to the auxiliary elements, effectively reducing the vertical load concentration on the lower frame and enabling greater component stacking
Data Source
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AI summary
The transportation system comprises a lower transport frame (22, 32) for a component for a wind turbine, an auxiliary element (23,33) placed horizontally next to the lower transport frame, an adapter element (10, 11) placed onto the pair of the lower transport frame and the auxiliary element and an upper transport frame (21, 31) for a component for a wind turbine. The upper transport frame is placed onto the adapter element so that the adapter element is arranged vertically between the upper transport frame and the pair of the lower transport frame and the auxiliary element. The adapter element comprises first connection means (1a, 1b) with the help of which it is connected to the upper transport frame, second connection means (2a, 2b) with the help of which it is connected to the lower transport frame and third connection means (3a, 3b) with the help of which it is connected to the auxiliary element. The adapter element distributes a load from the upper transport frame to the lower transport frame and to the auxiliary element so that the load is diverted downwards via the lower transport frame and the auxiliary element.