Wind Turbine Tower Shield for Ladder Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintenance personnel in wind turbine towers face safety hazards due to the height and design of the towers, which can lead to accidents when climbing or ascending for maintenance tasks.
Innovation Solution
A safety system comprising a shield with wings and attachment devices is installed to position a buffer component between hazards, such as projecting flanges, and the personnel working area, like a ladder, to prevent contact and ensure safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If maintenance personnel ascend wind turbine towers for maintenance tasks, then maintenance work can be performed on high-tower components, but personnel safety is compromised due to hazards such as projecting flanges
Solution Approach 1:
A shield is introduced as an intermediary component between the hazardous projecting flange and the maintenance personnel. The shield physically blocks the hazard from contacting the personnel while allowing maintenance work to proceed on the wind turbine tower.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is divided into multiple segments including a first portion, second portion, and third portion that can be independently positioned and attached. This segmentation allows the shield to conform to the tower structure and provide comprehensive protection while maintaining access for maintenance tasks.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a shield is installed to protect personnel from hazards, then personnel safety is improved, but the complexity of the maintenance system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is divided into multiple attachable portions (first portion with first attachment device, second portion with second attachment device, third portion with third attachment device). This segmentation allows the complex protection function to be achieved through simpler, modular components that can be independently installed and positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield extends in multiple spatial dimensions with portions positioned at different locations (first portion at first location, second portion at second location, third portion at third location). This multi-dimensional arrangement provides comprehensive safety coverage without requiring a single complex structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A safety system may include a shield for protecting or shielding personnel operating in a personnel working area from a hazard provided on a structure. The structure may be a wind turbine, the hazard may be a projecting flange of the wind turbine tower, and the personnel working area may be a ladder inside the wind turbine tower. The shield may have a bend or curvature when installed in order to cover the hazard. The shield may include a plurality of wings projecting from an intermediary portion of the shield. The wings may be separated from each other by a wing gap. Other structures, working areas, and hazards are contemplated and described in the disclosure.