Wind Turbine Blade Mounting Gripper with Insertion Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting and unmounting wind turbine blades are costly and inefficient, particularly due to the high costs associated with using cranes of increased height and lifting capacity, which pose risks of damaging the blades and require high gripping forces.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus involving a gripper with teeth that grip the blade by inserting into receptacles, allowing the blade to be rotated about a perpendicular axis, thereby reducing the need for strong gripping forces and enabling safer, faster, and more cost-efficient mounting and unmounting by using cranes of lower height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cranes with increased height and lifting capacity are used to lift larger blades, then the blade mounting capability is improved, but the costs associated with mounting or unmounting of blades increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the gripping method from external skin contact to internal receptacle engagement. The gripper's teeth insert into receptacles within the blade structure, fundamentally changing how the blade is held and positioned. This allows standard cranes to handle larger blades effectively, resolving the contradiction between mounting capability and cost.
2Stability of the object's composition
If strong gripping forces are applied to hold the blade, then the blade positioning stability is improved, but the risk of damaging the blade increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacles act as intermediaries between the gripper teeth and the blade structure. Instead of applying gripping force directly to the blade skin, the force is transmitted through the receptacles which are designed to bear these loads. This eliminates the damage risk to the blade skin while maintaining secure positioning.
3Ease of operation
If the blade is lifted and installed with the blade axis oriented in a horizontal direction, then the installation process is simplified, but the crane height and lifting capacity requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables vertical blade orientation during lifting by having the receptacles extend through the outer skin in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal blade axis. This allows the blade to be lifted vertically with the axis oriented vertically, then rotated into the horizontal installation position, reducing crane height requirements while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method (100) of mounting a blade (22) to or unmounting a blade (22) from a rotor hub (20) of a wind turbine (10), the wind turbine (10) comprising a tower (12) and a nacelle (16) mounted on the tower (12), the rotor hub (20) being coupled to the nacelle (16), the method (100) comprising gripping the blade (22) using a gripper (50), the gripper (50) comprising gripping members (58) configured for gripping the blade (22) and teeth (60) protruding from the gripping members (58), wherein gripping comprises inserting the teeth (60) of the gripper (50) into receptacles (78) of the blade (22); and rotating the blade (22) about a rotation axis (54) perpendicular to a longitudinal blade axis (53) using a blade rotation device (52) of the gripper (50), wherein the teeth (60) are configured for transmitting an axial load (57) of the blade (22) between the blade (22) and the gripping members (58).