Wind Turbine Mounting Interface Alignment Under Lift Gap Limits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of wind turbine components, particularly the nacelle, is time-consuming and costly due to the need for personnel to evacuate and reposition within the tower during lifting, which is exacerbated by weather conditions in offshore installations, and there is a need for a method to allow personnel to remain in the tower during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving a separation verification device with a transmitter and receiver, along with a vision system using cameras and alignment guides, to maintain a predetermined vertical separation threshold between mounting interfaces, ensuring safe and efficient alignment of components without requiring personnel to fully evacuate the tower.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wind turbine components are manufactured and assembled onshore, then quality control and manufacturing precision are improved, but transportation costs increase and environmental impact worsens due to large component sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The wind turbine is divided into modular components (tower sections, blade assemblies, nacelle units) that can be manufactured separately onshore with precise quality control, then transported efficiently and assembled offshore. This segmentation allows optimization of each component's manufacturing process while reducing transportation costs through standardized modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
Smaller turbine components are nested within larger transport structures or container systems during offshore transportation. Tower sections are stacked vertically, blade assemblies are positioned within designated bays, and equipment is consolidated into compact configurations, maximizing space utilization and reducing the number of transportation voyages required.
2Power
If larger wind turbine components are used to increase power output, then energy generation capacity is improved, but transportation difficulty and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Large power-generating components are segmented into manageable modules that can be transported and assembled systematically. The turbine is divided into standardized sections that maintain high power output capability while reducing individual component size to transportation-friendly dimensions, thereby simplifying logistics and assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Assembly operations are transitioned from onshore to offshore environments, utilizing the three-dimensional space above and around the turbine structure. Cranes and assembly equipment operate from multiple directions and elevations, enabling efficient assembly of large components without requiring extensive onshore infrastructure or complex ground-based handling procedures.
3Productivity
If conventional assembly methods are used, then existing equipment can be utilized, but assembly time and productivity are reduced due to weather constraints and inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
Components are pre-assembled, pre-tested, and prepared in controlled onshore facilities before offshore transport. Pre-assembly of subcomponents, pre-installation of connection interfaces, and pre-positioning of equipment reduce the complexity and duration of final assembly operations at sea, thereby increasing productivity while minimizing weather-related delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly process is designed to proceed continuously with minimal interruptions from weather conditions. Multiple workstations operate simultaneously at different locations on the turbine structure, allowing assembly activities to continue even when certain areas are temporarily inaccessible due to weather. Parallel processing and redundant workflow paths ensure that useful assembly action continues without significant delays.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A method for assembling a wind turbine (10) having a first wind turbine component (20) with a first mounting interface (36) and a second wind turbine component (26) with a second mounting interface (34) includes positioning the second wind turbine component (26) relative to the first wind turbine component (20) such that the second mounting interface (34) is located a vertical distance above the first mounting interface (36), aligning the second mounting interface (34) to the first mounting interface (36), lowering the second wind turbine component (36) toward the first wind turbine component (20) to contact each other, and connecting the second mounting interface (34) to the first mounting interface (36). At any time during assembly when the second mounting interface (34) vertically overlaps the first mounting interface (36), the vertical distance between second mounting interface (34) and the first mounting interface (36) is maintained below a predetermined threshold (D). A system for assembling the wind turbine (10) is also disclosed.