Hydraulic Rotor Turning Device for Wind Turbine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rotor turning devices for wind turbines, particularly the pneumatic unbalanced rotor turning gear (URTG) drive, face challenges during rotor blade installation and repair, as they often require large cranes, are expensive, and can exceed capacity when dealing with unbalanced rotors, especially for larger blades, leading to increased stress and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic rotor turning device that engages with the brake disc adjacent to the gearbox, utilizing multiple hydraulic drives with pinions and a mounting device secured to the brake disc, allowing for balanced rotor positioning and secure locking, enabling crane-less operations and efficient handling of larger blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pneumatic unbalanced rotor turning gear (URTG) drive is used, then rotor turning is enabled during blade installation, but the device exceeds capacity when dealing with unbalanced rotors and larger blades, increasing stress and reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic URTG drive with a hydraulic drive system that uses hydraulic motors and gear mechanisms. The hydraulic system provides greater torque capacity and better control for rotating unbalanced rotors during blade installation and repair operations, eliminating the capacity limitations of the pneumatic system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the rotor turning system by using hydraulic actuators instead of pneumatic ones, enabling the system to handle larger forces and torques required for unbalanced rotors and larger blades while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If a large crane is transported to the wind turbine site, then rotor blade installation is enabled, but the cost of transport and operation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic rotor turning device enables the wind turbine itself to perform rotor positioning operations without requiring external large cranes. The system uses the turbine's own hydraulic infrastructure and brake disc mechanism to rotate the rotor during blade installation and repair, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for expensive crane transport and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a hydraulic drive mechanism as an intermediary system that mediates between the need for rotor positioning and the limitation of not having large cranes available. This intermediary hydraulic system provides the necessary torque and control to rotate the rotor during blade installation without requiring external crane equipment.
3Ease of operation
If a pneumatic URTG device is used for rotor turning, then rotor positioning is achieved, but the device is only suitable for smaller rotor blades up to about 50 meters in length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic drive system instead of a pneumatic one, providing sufficient torque and power to handle larger rotor blades exceeding 50 meters in length. The hydraulic motors and gear mechanisms deliver the necessary force to rotate and position large blades during installation and repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic rotor turning system provides dynamic adjustability in torque and power output to match the varying requirements of different blade sizes. The system can be configured to handle both smaller and larger blades, providing versatile adaptability across different wind turbine configurations.
4Ease of operation
If an unbalanced rotor is rotated, then rotor positioning is achieved, but the rotor tends to rotate back to equilibrium, putting large stress on the pneumatic URTG device
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic drive system provides greater strength and stress tolerance compared to the pneumatic system. The hydraulic motors and gear mechanisms are designed to handle the high stresses generated when rotating unbalanced rotors and holding them in non-equilibrium positions, eliminating the stress limitations of the pneumatic URTG device.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hydraulic rotor turning device allows for safe and efficient rotor balancing and positioning, reducing the need for large cranes, enabling on-site repairs and pitch bearing exchanges, and effectively managing unbalanced rotors, thus lowering operational costs and time required for rotor rotation.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic drive mechanism for operably engaging with a brake disc of the wind turbine
Implementation Method 2
Each of the pinions have a plurality of gear teeth that engage teeth of the brake disc such that the plurality of hydraulic drives drive the pinions to engage the teeth of the brake disc, thereby rotating the brake disc
Implementation Method 3
a brake disc of the wind turbine which is coupled to the rotor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A rotor turning device for balancing a rotor secured atop a tower of a wind turbine during installation and/or repair of one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine includes a hydraulic drive mechanism for operably engaging with a brake disc of the wind turbine. The brake disc is positioned adjacent to a gearbox of the wind turbine. The rotor turning device also includes a mounting device for securing the rotor turning device adjacent to the brake disc of the wind turbine. Thus, when the hydraulic drive mechanism engages the brake disc, the rotor is rotated to a desired position so as to position one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine in a balanced configuration.