Segmented Pitch Tube for Wind Turbine Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing pitch tubes for wind turbines are difficult to handle and require significant space for assembly and disassembly, leading to either expensive, correspondingly dimensioned engine nacelles or cumbersome handling of long tubes.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece pitch tube design where the first and second pipe sections are detachably connected, with axial and radial fixation to prevent displacement, allowing for separate use and easy assembly/disassembly, and featuring conical support surfaces for secure alignment and reduced space requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a long pitch tube is used to accommodate electrical lines between rotor and generator, then the pitch control function is achieved, but the handling becomes problematic and assembly/disassembly requires significant free space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling of pitch tubeVSAvoidlength of pitch tube

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pitch tube is divided into multiple sections that can be detached from each other. The first pipe section can be detached from the second pipe section, allowing the long pitch tube to be assembled and disassembled in segments, significantly improving handling ease and reducing space requirements for maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If a correspondingly dimensioned engine nacelle is provided to accommodate the pitch tube, then assembly and disassembly is possible, but the engine nacelle becomes very expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly and disassembly of pitch tubeVSAvoiddimension of engine nacelle

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the pitch tube into detachable sections, the required free space in the engine nacelle is significantly reduced. The first and second pipe sections can be detached and removed separately, allowing assembly and disassembly operations to be performed in confined spaces without requiring an oversized engine nacelle, thereby reducing overall system cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the first pipe section and second pipe section are detachably connected, then handling and assembly/disassembly is simplified, but additional connection mechanisms are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly and disassembly of pitch tubeVSAvoidconnection mechanism of pipe sections

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pitch tube is divided into a first pipe section and a second pipe section that are detachably connected. This segmentation allows the pitch tube to be assembled and disassembled in sections, improving handling and maintenance operations while the connection mechanism remains integrated into the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the first and second pipe sections is designed to be detachable, allowing the pitch tube configuration to change dynamically between assembled and disassembled states. This enables flexible maintenance operations where sections can be removed as needed without permanently altering the pitch tube structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3420229B1Split pitch tube

Publication Date: 2023.05.24 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a pitch tube (101) comprising a first tube part (201) and a second tube part (203). The first tube part (201) and the second tube part (203) are detachably connected to each other.