Wind Turbine Auxiliary Coupling With Swivel Bracket Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wind turbines face challenges with premature structural failure due to increased loads and imperfections in tower components, necessitating improved mechanical couplings that minimize invasive modifications and enhance longevity.
Innovation Solution
A coupling system with a swiveling mounting bracket and displaceable design that attaches auxiliary components to wind turbine towers, allowing for flexible installation and removal without permanent modification, using fasteners through holes in the tower.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding or invasive machining processes are used to attach auxiliary components to wind turbine towers, then the mechanical connection strength is improved, but the structural integrity and lifespan of the tower are reduced due to stress concentration and premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is divided into separate components: a mounting bracket with first fastening holes, a pad with second fastening holes, and fasteners. This segmentation allows the auxiliary component to be attached without welding or invasive machining, avoiding stress concentration while maintaining connection strength through distributed fastening points.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device acts as an intermediary component between the auxiliary component and the wind turbine tower. It distributes loads through multiple fastening holes and provides a mechanical interface that avoids direct welding or machining of the tower structure, thereby preserving structural integrity while achieving reliable attachment.
2Reliability
If permanent modifications such as welding or machining are made to the wind turbine tower, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the ease of maintenance and component replacement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device uses separate fastening components (mounting bracket, pad, and fasteners) that can be independently installed and removed. This allows the auxiliary component to be attached reliably through multiple fastening holes while enabling easy removal and replacement without permanent modification to the tower structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device is designed to be removable and reusable. After the auxiliary component is no longer needed, the coupling device can be detached from the tower and potentially reused for another auxiliary component, avoiding permanent modifications and facilitating maintenance and upgrades.
3Manufacturing precision
If a fixed geometry coupling design is used, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to different tower geometries and auxiliary components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is designed to be displaceable along the shaft of the auxiliary component, providing dynamic adjustment capability. This allows the coupling device to adapt to different geometries and positions while maintaining precise fastening through the fastening holes, combining manufacturing precision with geometric flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device is designed with universal applicability through its mounting bracket that can accommodate different shaft positions and orientations. The combination of fixed fastening holes for precision and displaceable mounting bracket for flexibility allows the same coupling device to be used with various auxiliary components and tower geometries.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is related to couplings for mechanically connecting an auxiliary component to a wind turbine tower. The couplings comprise a mounting bracket configured to be mounted on a shaft of the auxiliary component, and a tower interface configured to be arranged at an outside of the wind turbine tower and comprising a first fastener hole. The couplings further comprise a pad configured to be arranged at an inside of the wind turbine tower, and comprising a second fastener hole, wherein the first and the second fastener holes are configured to receive a fastener extending through a hole in the wind turbine tower to attach the auxiliary component to the wind turbine tower, and wherein the mounting bracket is configured to swivel about the shaft of the auxiliary component and is displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The present disclosure further relates to methods for removing auxiliary components from a wind turbine.