Wind turbine tower evacuation method and tool
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorsJonas Lerche Schomacker, Torben Ladegaard Baun, Niels Vinther Voigt
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Abstract
A wind turbine tower evacuation tool is provided including an object end for attachment to an object or a person and a roller end configured for connection to a surface of a wind turbine tower by magnetic attraction. The roller end includes at least one magnet body arranged for rotation around a rotational axis of the roller end. The wind turbine tower evacuation tool further includes a rope element connecting the object end to the roller end.
Claims41
A wind turbine tower evacuation tool for evacuating a person from an upper level of a wind turbine having a steel tower, comprising:
- an evacuation line configured to be connected to the wind turbine and further configured to be connected to the person for controlled descent from the upper level of the wind turbine;
- an object end configured for attachment to the person;
- a roller end configured for connection to a surface of the steel tower by magnetic attraction;
- and
- a rope element connecting the object end to the roller end,
- wherein the roller end includes at least one magnet body arranged for rotation around a rotational axis of the roller end, and
- wherein the evacuation tool is configured such that as the person descends from the upper level of the wind turbine on the evacuation line, the roller end moves along the surface of the steel tower and the rope element limits the distance the person can move away from the steel tower.
A method of evacuating a person from an upper level of a wind turbine having a steel tower making use of a wind turbine tower evacuation tool comprising an evacuation line, an object end, a roller end, and a rope element connected between the object end and the roller end, the method comprising:
- connecting the person to the evacuation line and to the object end, the person leaving the upper level and using the evacuation line for a controlled descent from the upper level of the wind turbine,
- throwing or otherwise bringing the roller end of the evacuation tool in close proximity to a surface of the steel tower, and
- connecting the roller end to the surface of the tower by magnetic attraction, and
- descending from the upper level of the wind turbine such that the roller end rolls over the surface of the steel tower during and the rope element limits the distance the person can move away from the steel tower.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.