Wind Turbine Tower Damper Installation Using Guiderail and Trolley
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mounting damper units in the upper part of a wind turbine tower is challenging due to their weight and the difficulty in achieving a desired installation position when the tower is erected, especially when the tower section is in a horizontal orientation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a guiderail and trolley system is used to introduce and mount damper units in a tower section by arranging the tower horizontally, introducing a guiderail, mounting a trolley, moving the damper unit along the guiderail, and elevating it to a vertically offset position for attachment, utilizing hydraulic cylinders for precise positioning and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If damper units are mounted in the uppermost tower section before the tower is erected, then the damper units can be installed in the upper part of the tower, but the desired installation position cannot be readily reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guiderail that extends both inside and outside the tower section, creating a three-dimensional access path. The guiderail allows the trolley to approach the tower section from the outside, move along the rail to the interior, and access positions that would otherwise be unreachable when the tower is in horizontal orientation. This dimensional extension resolves the contradiction by providing access to the installation position while maintaining the horizontal tower configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The trolley mounted on the guiderail serves as an intermediary device between the external installation area and the interior installation position. The trolley carries the damper unit along the guiderail and can elevate it to the required height, acting as a mediator that bridges the gap between the accessible external area and the previously unreachable internal installation position.
2Ease of operation
If the tower section is arranged with its centre axis in a substantially horizontal orientation, then the tower section can be accessed for installation, but the damper units cannot be positioned at the desired vertical height
Solution Approach 1:
The trolley system mounted on the guiderail provides dynamic positioning capability. The trolley can move along the guiderail and elevate the damper unit to the required vertical height, allowing precise positioning to be achieved even when the tower section is in horizontal orientation. This dynamic adjustment mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling both accessibility and positioning precision simultaneously.
3Stability of the object's composition
If damper units are introduced into the tower section after the tower is erected, then the tower structure is complete, but the heavy damper units cannot be easily mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary mounting of heavy damper units on the trolley before the tower is fully erected. The guiderail system allows the damper unit to be positioned and prepared for installation while the tower is still in horizontal orientation, making use of gravity and the stable horizontal position to facilitate handling of heavy components before vertical erection.
Solution Approach 2:
The trolley acts as an intermediary carrier that handles the heavy damper unit during installation. By mounting the damper unit on the trolley which travels along the guiderail, the heavy component can be moved and positioned without requiring direct manual handling or complex lifting equipment during the tower erection process.
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
Ensures appropriate introduction and mounting of damper units within the tower section, allowing for efficient installation and alignment without collisions, even when the tower is in a horizontal orientation, facilitating the handling of oscillations along multiple directions.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing hydraulic cylinders for precise positioning and alignment
Data Source
AI summary
A method for installing at least one damper unit in a tower section of a wind turbine tower is disclosed. The tower section is arranged with its centre axis in a substantially horizontal orientation, and a guiderail is introduced into the tower section. A trolley is mounted on a part of the guiderail extending out of the tower section, the damper unit is mounted on the trolley, and the trolley with the damper unit is moved along the guiderail to a position inside the tower section. The damper unit is positioned in an installation position being vertically offset from the centre axis of the tower section, wherein the positioning comprises elevating the damper unit, and the damper unit is attached to the tower section at the installation position.