Wind Turbine Cable Support Arrangement with Offset Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable support arrangements in wind turbines face issues with cable damage due to stress and slippage during yaw motion, and the installation process is costly and complex, especially in offshore locations.
Innovation Solution
A cable support arrangement that organizes power cables in bundles, using smaller cable bundle guides with offset fixation means to maintain regular intervals and secure the guides, allowing for efficient yaw displacement and simplified installation by sliding guides into place before tower erection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual power cables are passed through holes in cable guides to maintain them apart during yaw motion, then the cables are kept at a distance and rotational displacement is distributed evenly, but the cables become stressed against the guide holes when hot, causing damage such as insulation wear and core fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cable support system into multiple cable guide assemblies spaced at intervals along the flexible portion. Each assembly contains multiple cable guides that hold individual cables at defined positions, segmenting the support function across multiple discrete units rather than relying on a single continuous support structure. This segmentation distributes the mechanical stress and prevents concentration of force at any single point.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide assemblies are pre-positioned and secured to the flexible portion at predetermined intervals before the wind turbine enters operation. The offset fixation means pre-establishes the correct spacing and orientation of each cable guide assembly, ensuring that cables are properly positioned and supported from the outset, preventing stress concentration and damage during subsequent yaw motions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If cable guides are secured to power cables using cable ties to maintain regular intervals, then the guides are fixed in position, but the ties must not be too tight allowing cables to twist, which causes cable guides to slip downwards and lose their regular positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an offset fixation means as an intermediary element between adjacent cable guide assemblies. This fixation means positively maintains the correct offset distance and spacing between assemblies without requiring tight cable ties on the power cables themselves. The intermediary fixation mechanism decouples the spacing function from the cable securing function, allowing cables to twist freely while maintaining guide assembly positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide assemblies are designed as identical or substantially similar units that are replicated at multiple positions along the flexible portion. Each assembly copies the same structural configuration, cable guide arrangement, and spacing dimensions. This standardization ensures uniform cable support and spacing throughout the system, maintaining regular intervals without requiring complex individual adjustments for each position.
3Reliability
If a large number of cable guides with multiple through-holes are arranged at intervals over power cables, then individual cables are held apart, but the overall power cable loop becomes very large and cumbersome, requiring costly crane installation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple cable guide functions into integrated cable guide assemblies. Each assembly consolidates multiple cable guides and the offset fixation means into a single unified structure that is mounted as one unit on the flexible portion. This merging reduces the overall number of separate components, minimizes the volume of the power cable loop, and eliminates the need for complex crane installation while maintaining effective cable separation and motion distribution.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention describes a cable support arrangement (1) realised to support a plurality of power cable bundles (30B) in an upper region of a wind turbine tower (2), which cable support arrangement (1) comprises a plurality of cable bundle guides (10), wherein a cable bundle guide (10) comprises a plurality of through-openings (100), wherein each through-opening (100) is realised to encompass a power cable bundle (30B) comprising a plurality of power cables (30); and an offset fixation means (11) realised to maintain an offset distance between consecutive cable bundle guides (10). The invention also describes a wind turbine; and a method of installing a cable support arrangement (1) according to the invention in an upper region of a wind turbine tower (2).