Modular Nacelle with Side Units for Wind Turbines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Large wind turbines pose transportation challenges due to increased size, requiring larger nacelles that are difficult to transport and install, and existing designs increase torque loads on the nacelle and tower, necessitating stronger construction and potentially larger cranes.
Innovation Solution
A nacelle design featuring a main unit connected to the wind turbine tower via a yawing arrangement, with side units mounted alongside to create a common interior space, allowing for easier access and transport, and distributing weight closer to the tower to reduce torque loads, enabling use of traditional transport means and minimizing crane requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the nacelle size is increased to accommodate larger wind turbine components, then the capacity to accommodate components is improved, but the difficulty of transportation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nacelle is divided into a main unit and at least one side unit that can be transported separately. The side unit is designed to be detachably mounted to the main unit, allowing the components to be transported in smaller, manageable segments that fit within standard transportation constraints, then assembled at the installation site to form the complete nacelle structure.
2Volume of stationary object
If modules are arranged one behind the other along the rotor axis direction, then the nacelle can accommodate more components, but the torque loads on the nacelle and tower increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging modules in a linear sequence along the rotor axis (one-dimensional arrangement), the invention utilizes a two-dimensional arrangement by mounting side units alongside the main unit in a direction substantially transverse to the rotor axis. This dimensional change allows the center of gravity to be positioned closer to the tower, reducing the lever arm and consequently the torque loads on the nacelle and tower while still accommodating the required component volume.
3Strength
If the nacelle is designed as a single large unit, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the requirement for larger cranes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nacelle is segmented into a main unit and side units that can be transported and installed separately using smaller, more readily available cranes. The side unit is designed with detachable mounting mechanisms that allow it to be securely attached to the main unit at the installation site, maintaining the structural integrity of the complete nacelle while enabling the use of less complex lifting equipment during installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A nacelle for a wind turbine and a method for erecting a wind turbine are disclosed. The nacelle comprises a main unit arranged to be connected to a wind turbine tower, via a yawing arrangement, and at least one side unit mounted along a side of the main unit in such a manner that direct access is allowed between the main unit and the side unit(s), each side unit accommodating at least one wind turbine component, and at least one side unit being capable of carrying the wind turbine component(s) accommodated therein. The main unit and at least one of the side unit(s) are distributed side by side along a substantially horizontal direction which is substantially transverse to a rotational axis of a rotor of the wind turbine. A sufficient interior space of the nacelle is obtained while allowing the nacelle to be transported due to the modular construction. The weight of the wind turbine components is arranged close to the tower due to the transversal arrangement of the side unit(s) relative to the main unit.