Wind Turbine Crane Trolley Load Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of wind turbine blades is challenging due to their susceptibility to wind load, making it difficult to connect them to the nacelle, especially in offshore installations where wind loads are larger, and existing solutions require complex and heavy crane designs or complex load-catching processes.
Innovation Solution
A crane system using a hoisting cable to carry the weight of the load and separate attachment means to position the load connector relative to the trolley, allowing for easier control of the load's position and eliminating the need for complex load-catching processes, with the use of tugger lines to provide additional rotational freedom and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the entire weight is carried by the positioning device guided by the boom, then the load can be positioned, but the manipulators become complex and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the load support function into two separate components: the hoisting cable carries the weight, while the positioning device (trolley with attachment means) only performs positioning. This segmentation allows the manipulator to be simpler and lighter while still achieving load positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The hoisting cable acts as an intermediary element that transfers the load weight to the boom, eliminating the need for the manipulator to bear the full weight. This mediator approach reduces the complexity and weight requirements of the manipulator components.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a guide device catches the load connector in between a fork, then sideways motion is limited, but the process becomes relatively complex involving tilting the boom
Solution Approach 1:
The hoisting cable is guided by the cable guide on the trolley before the load connector is attached to the trolley via the attachment means. This preliminary action allows control of the load position from the moment the load connector is connected to the load, eliminating complex catching processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide is extracted as a separate component on the trolley that handles the hoisting cable independently from the load connector attachment process. This separation simplifies the overall load-catching process by eliminating the need for complex fork-based catching mechanisms and boom tilting.
Data Source
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AI summary
Crane comprising: -a crane structure defining a substantially vertical rotation axis; -a boom connected with a first end to the crane structure to be rotatable about the vertical rotation axis; -a trolley moveable along the boom in longitudinal direction of the boom; -a hoisting cable and a load connector, wherein the load connector is arranged at a free end of the hoisting cable to be connected to a load for hoisting purposes; wherein the trolley comprises a cable guide to guide the hoisting cable, and wherein the trolley comprises attachment means to temporarily attach the load connector to the trolley to fix the position of the load connector relative to the trolley.