Method for transporting a curved wind turbine blade and associated transportation device
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorStephen Randall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of transporting a wind turbine blade with a curved central longitudinal axis includes loading the wind turbine blade onto a transportation device including first and second support bearings. The wind turbine blade is loaded in a first orientation in which the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally vertical plane. When the transportation device is preparing to turn, the wind turbine blade is rotated to a second orientation before or during turning such that the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally horizontal plane and bends around the turn. As a result, the curved wind turbine blade and transportation device can traverse tighter curves and turns during travel to an assembly site or quayside.
Claims29
A method of transporting a wind turbine blade defining a curved central longitudinal axis, the method comprising:
- loading the wind turbine blade onto a transportation device including first and second support bearings configured to receive the wind turbine blade therethrough, the wind turbine blade being loaded in a first orientation such that the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally vertical plane;
- and
- when the transportation device is preparing to turn in a turning direction, activating a drive mechanism by a controller to facilitate rotating the wind turbine blade to a second orientation before or during turning such that the curved central longitudinal axis of the wind turbine blade is located in a generally horizontal plane and bends in the turning direction.
A transportation device for transporting a wind turbine blade defining a curved central longitudinal axis, the transportation device comprising:
- a tractor;
- a first support bearing coupled to the tractor and configured to receive the wind turbine blade therethrough;
- a second support bearing configured to receive the wind turbine blade therethrough;
- a wind turbine blade having a curved central longitudinal axis and being supported by the first and second support bearing, and a drive mechanism operable to rotate the wind turbine blade within the first and second support bearings between a first orientation in which the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally vertical plane and a second orientation in which the curved central longitudinal axis is located in a generally horizontal plane, and
- a controller arranged to actuate the drive mechanism and thereby actuate rotational movement of the wind turbine blade between the first and the second orientation as well as between the second and the first orientation,
- wherein when the tractor is preparing to turn in a turning direction, the drive mechanism rotates the wind turbine blade to the second orientation before or during turning such that the curved central longitudinal axis bends in the turning direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.