Wind Turbine Panel Fastening for One-Person Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbine maintenance requires two workers to retighten bolt connections, which is inefficient and costly, and alternative solutions using heavy metal blocks are cumbersome and expensive.
Innovation Solution
The fixation devices feature a bolt with a tool mount on the inner shaft end, allowing a single worker to perform maintenance from inside the nacelle or hub, combined with a sealing washer to prevent water ingress and a spring washer for vibration security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional bolt connections are used with bolt head on outside and nut on inside, then the connection is secure, but maintenance requires two workers (one outside, one inside) which is expensive and elaborate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional bolt connection configuration by placing the tool mount (for holding the bolt) on the inside of the nacelle/hub instead of the outside, and the nut on the outside. This allows a single worker inside the nacelle to perform maintenance by holding the bolt with a tool attached to the tool mount while tightening the nut, eliminating the need for a second worker outside.
2Ease of operation
If thick metal blocks with threaded blind bolts are used on outside, then maintenance can be performed by one worker from inside, but it requires many heavy and expensive stainless steel blocks that are effortful to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the heavy, expensive stainless steel blind bolt blocks with a lighter bolt-nut connection system. The bolt with tool mount and nut provides the necessary maintenance capability without requiring massive metal blocks, reducing both weight and material cost while maintaining the one-worker maintenance capability.
3Strength
If bolt connections are used for facing elements, then the fixation is secure, but water can ingress through the bolt holes compromising the sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces sealing washers as intermediary elements between the bolt shaft and the facing element/mounting structure. These sealing washers fill the gap around the bolt shaft, preventing water ingress through the bolt holes while allowing the bolt connection to maintain its fixation strength. The sealing washer acts as a mediator that preserves both the mechanical connection and the water tightness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Wind turbine with a nacelle (3) comprising a mounting structure (22) to which at least one facing element (7) is attached and/or with a hub (4) comprising a mounting structure (22) to which at least one facing element (7) is attached, which at least one facing element (7) is attached with several fixation devices (11), whereby each fixation device (11) comprises a bolt (12) with a bolt head (13) at one end, a threaded shaft (14) extending through an opening (23, 24) in the facing element (7) and the mounting structure (22) and a tool mount (15) for attaching a tool for holding the bolt (12), and a nut (21) screwed on the threaded shaft (14), with the bolt head (13) positioned at the outside of the nacelle (3) or the hub (4) and the tool mount (15) and nut (21) positioned at the inside of the nacelle (3) or the hub (4).