Cable-Supported Rotor Installation for Longer Wind Turbine Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine manufacturers face challenges in designing longer blades due to increased weight and root diameter, which affect stability and transportation, limiting energy production and installation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cable system is installed on a wind turbine, comprising multiple cable assemblies that support the blades, allowing for longer blade lengths by sharing loads among blades and the central hub, using pulleys and hoist cables to tension and secure the cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional onshore installation methods are used for offshore turbines, then installation complexity increases, but the patent applies cable-supported methods to simplify the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cable-supported installation system as an intermediary mechanism between the land-based installation equipment and the offshore turbine. The cable-supported rotor wind turbine serves as a mediator that can be installed offshore without requiring complex offshore construction vessels or equipment, thereby simplifying the installation process while maintaining feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation system is divided into modular components: a cable-supported rotor wind turbine with separate blade assembly units, a cable support structure, and an installation vessel. This segmentation allows each component to be independently manufactured and assembled, reducing the overall complexity of the installation process compared to monolithic offshore construction methods.
2Productivity
If rotor blades are assembled onshore and then transported offshore, then installation time increases, but the patent enables offshore assembly to reduce transportation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary assembly of rotor blades and other turbine components offshore at the actual installation location rather than requiring completion of assembly onshore and subsequent transportation. This preliminary action eliminates the transportation time loss while maintaining assembly quality, as the components are prepared in advance and then installed directly into the turbine structure offshore.
3Ease of manufacture
If cable-supported rotor wind turbines are installed using existing offshore equipment, then equipment requirements increase, but the patent specifies a limited set of equipment needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex specialized offshore construction equipment by designing a cable-supported installation system that can be deployed using more common vessel types. The cable-supported rotor wind turbine design removes the requirement for heavy-duty offshore installation vessels, cranes, and specialized equipment, thereby reducing equipment requirements while maintaining installation feasibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
AI summary
A method of installing a cable system (30) including a cable assembly (32a-c) on a wind turbine (10). A rotor (22) has a central hub (24) with a plurality of blades (26a-c) coupled to the central hub (24). The cable assembly (32a-c) includes a cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c). The method includes coupling a pulley (104) to the hub (24) or a blade (26a-c), operatively coupling a hoist cable (110) to the pulley (104), attaching the hoist cable (110) to the cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c), pulling the hoist cable (110) to draw the cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c) toward the pulley (104), and coupling the cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c) to the hub (24) or to the blade (26a-c). The cable assembly (32a-c) includes another cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c) that is coupled to the hub (24) or to another blade (26a, 26b, 26c). Coupling the cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a- c) includes holding the cable assembly (32a-c) in position with the hoist cable (110) while coupling the cable (40a-c, 42a-c, 44a-c) to the hub (24) or to the blade (26a-c). Pulling the hoist cable (110) includes operating a winch (106) to draw the hoist cable (110) onto the winch (106).