Modular systems and methods for transporting tower assembly of wind turbine

A method of securing a tower section of a wind turbine onto a bed of a transport device, the method comprising:

• accommodating differences in a longitudinal length of the tower section by adjusting one or more of a plurality of supports disposed on the bed of the transport device in a longitudinal direction to accommodate the longitudinal length of the tower section;
• accommodating differences in the circumference of the tower section along the longitudinal length of the tower section by:
• adjusting a lateral separation between opposing cradle saddles being moveable in a lateral direction and attaching removably to a base component of at least one of the plurality of supports disposed on the bed of the transport device, wherein:
• each of the opposing cradle saddles includes a pivoting cradle surface pivotable about a longitudinal pivot and configured to support the circumference of the tower section;
• the base component comprises a plurality of struts;
• and
• each opposing cradle saddle comprises two adjacent members that sit between the plurality of struts of the base component;
• allowing each pivoting cradle surface to pivot in a radial direction about a respective longitudinal pivot, wherein the respective longitudinal pivot is attached to a respective opposing cradle saddle without attaching to a base component of the at least one of the plurality of supports;
• loading the tower section onto the plurality of supports;
• and
• affixing the tower section to the plurality of supports.

A device for accommodating differences in a circumference of a tower section of a wind turbine along a longitudinal length of the tower section during transport on a transport device, the device comprising:

• a base component of a cradle support configured to be attached to a bed of the transport device and to support the tower section, the base component comprising a plurality of struts;
• a plurality of opposing cradle saddles configured to support the circumference of the tower section, where a first opposing cradle saddle and a second opposing cradle saddle are removably attached to opposing sides of the base component of the cradle support, wherein:
• the plurality of opposing cradle saddles is configured to allow a lateral separation between the first opposing cradle surface and the second opposing cradle saddle;
• the first opposing cradle saddle and the second opposing cradle saddle are moveable in a lateral direction with respect to each other on the cradle support;
• and
• the first opposing cradle saddle and the second opposing cradle saddle each comprise two adjacent members that sit between the plurality of struts of the base component;
• a pivoting cradle surface attached to each of the plurality of opposing cradle saddles and pivotable about a longitudinal pivot, wherein the pivoting cradle surface is configured to allow the pivoting cradle surface to pivot in a radial direction about the longitudinal pivot, wherein the longitudinal pivot is attached to a respective opposing cradle saddle without attaching to the base component of the cradle support.