Wind Turbine Drive Train Component Handling System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large wind turbines face significant challenges in maintaining and replacing drive train components due to increased loads from wind shear, yaw misalignment, and turbulence, which leads to costly and time-consuming repairs, often requiring the removal of large rotor blades and entire drive train assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A component handling system that allows for the removal and replacement of drive train components 'uptower' of the wind turbine, utilizing a lifting assembly and shaft support assembly to decouple components from the drive shaft without removing the rotor or nacelle, reducing the need for large cranes and manpower.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If drive train components are removed and replaced by removing the rotor assembly and nacelle from the tower, then complete component access is achieved, but the cost and time required for maintenance increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the drive train into modular components (generator, gearbox, etc.) that can be independently accessed and replaced. The handling system allows individual components to be removed from the drive shaft without requiring removal of the entire rotor assembly or nacelle, enabling selective maintenance of specific components.
Solution Approach 2:
A shaft support assembly acts as an intermediary device that supports the drive shaft during component removal operations. This intermediary support structure enables component extraction without requiring full disassembly of the rotor-nacelle assembly, thereby reducing maintenance time while maintaining component accessibility.
2Ease of repair
If drive train components are removed and replaced by removing the rotor assembly and nacelle from the tower, then complete component access is achieved, but labor costs increase due to required manpower
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft support assembly serves as a mechanical intermediary that simplifies the component removal process. By providing support to the drive shaft during component extraction, it reduces the manual labor and coordination required among multiple workers, thereby reducing manpower requirements while maintaining full component accessibility.
3Ease of repair
If large rotor blades and entire drive train assemblies are removed for repair, then damaged components can be accessed, but operational downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables segmentation of maintenance operations, allowing individual drive train components to be accessed and replaced independently without removing the entire rotor assembly. This selective component replacement significantly reduces operational downtime compared to complete assembly removal, thereby improving operational efficiency while maintaining component accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft support assembly is installed and configured in advance to provide support during component removal operations. This preliminary preparation enables faster component extraction and reduces the overall maintenance time, thereby minimizing operational downtime and improving productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A component handling system (112) for use in a wind turbine (10) is described herein. The wind turbine includes a rotor (22), a drive train assembly (20) supported from a support frame (16), and a drive shaft (24) that is rotatably coupled between the rotor and the drive train assembly. The component handling system includes a lifting assembly (130) that is removably coupled to a component (114) of the drive train and a lifting device (116). The lifting assembly is configured to support the component from the lifting device, and includes a plurality of lifting legs (140) extending between the component and the lifting device. Each lifting leg of the plurality of lifting legs includes a first end, an opposite second end, and a length defined therebetween. An alignment device (160) is coupled to at least one lifting leg of the plurality of lifting legs, and is configured to adjust a length of the at least one lifting leg to adjust an orientation of the component with respect to the drive shaft.