System for handling a nacelle of a wind turbine and related methods
AssigneeNordex Energy Spain, S.A.U.
InventorsLuis PALACIOS BURGOS, Unai ARRAZTON MAGAÑA, Idoia ABOITIZ GARROGUERRICAECHEBARRIA, Iñaki GONZALEZ LAHERA
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system for handling a nacelle of a wind turbine for instance for the purpose of transporting the nacelle to or from a site of installation of the wind turbine, wherein the system reduces the loading and/or unloading time and provides a more flexible planning for the nacelle transportation, and the invention also relates to a method for loading a nacelle of a wind turbine on a transportation means and a method for unloading a nacelle of a wind turbine from a transportation means.
Claims15
A system for handling a nacelle (30) of a wind turbine, the system comprising a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction (T);
- wherein the nacelle (30) comprises a nacelle frame (31) being adapted to rest, by means of a first transport frame (1), on a transportation means (40);
- wherein the nacelle frame (31) comprises a first width (W1) defined in the transversal direction (T), a main support frame (32) and a generator frame (33);
- wherein the transportation means (40) comprises a second width (W2) defined in the transversal direction (T) and a loading platform (41);
- and
- wherein the system comprises:
- the first transport frame (1) configured to be connected to the main support frame (32) of the nacelle frame (31) and configured to rest on the transportation means (40);
- at least one first crossbeam (11) disposed in the transversal direction (T) of the system and comprising:
- a first length (L1) defined in the transversal direction of the system;
- an upper surface (21), wherein the first transport frame (1) is configured to be supported on the upper surface (21) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle (30) on the transportation means (40);
- a first end (22) and a second end (23), each one of the first end (22) and the second end (23) comprising a lower surface (24);
- wherein the first length (L1) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) is bigger than the second width (W2) of the transportation means (40);
- at least two first lateral supports (101) configured to be disposed on a ground (G) separated by a first distance (D1) defined in the transversal direction (T) of the system, wherein the first distance (D1) is bigger than the second width (W2) of the transportation means (40) and smaller than the first length (L1) of the at least one first crossbeam (11), the at least two first lateral supports (101) also configured to support the at least one first crossbeam (11), the first transport frame (1) and the nacelle (30), such that the lower surface (24) of the first end (22) and the second end (24) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) rests on the at least two first lateral supports (101) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle on the transportation means (40).
The system according to any one of the previous claims comprising at least two first crossbeams (11), wherein the at least two first crossbeams (11) are disposed in a symmetrical way with regard to an axis of symmetry which passes by a centre of the first transport frame (1) in the transversal direction (T).
The system according to any one of the previous claims further comprising:
- a second transport frame (2) configured to be connected to the generator frame (33) of the nacelle frame (31) and configured to rest on the transportation means (40);
- at least one second crossbeam (12) disposed in the transversal direction (T) and comprising:
- a second length (L2) defined in the transversal direction of the system;
- an upper surface (26), wherein the second transport frame (2) is configured to be supported on the upper surface (26) of the at least one second crossbeam (12) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle (30) on the transportation means (40);
- a first end (27) and a second end (28), each one of the first end (27) and the second end (28) comprising a lower surface (29);
- wherein the second length (L2) of the at least one second crossbeam (12) is bigger than the second width (W2) of the transportation means (40);
- at least two second lateral supports (102) configured to be disposed on the ground (G) separated by a second distance (D2) defined in the transversal direction (T) of the system, wherein the second distance (D2) is bigger than the second width (W2) of the transportation means (40) and smaller than the second length (L2) of the at least one second crossbeam (12), the at least two first lateral supports (102) also configured to support the at least one second crossbeam (12), the second transport frame (2) and the nacelle (30), such that the lower surface (29) of the first end (27) and the second end (28) of the at least one second crossbeam (12) rests on the at least two second lateral supports (102) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle (30) on the transportation means (40).
The system according to any one of the previous claims further comprising at least two third lateral supports (103) configured to be disposed on the ground (G) separated by a third distance (D3) defined in the transversal direction (T) of the system, wherein the third distance (D3) is bigger than the second width (W2) of the transportation means (40) and smaller than the first length (L1) of the at least one first crossbeam (11), the at least two third lateral supports (103) also configured to support the first transport frame (1) and the nacelle (30) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle (30) on the transportation means (40), such that the at least two third lateral supports (103) comprise an upper surface (25) disposed at a greater height than the upper surface (21) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) when the lower surface (24) of the first end (22) and the second end (23) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) rests on the at least two first lateral supports (101) during at least a loading or unloading operation of the nacelle (30) on the transportation means (40).
Method for loading a nacelle of a wind turbine on a transportation means, the method carried out with the system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
- a step of positioning the loading platform (41) of the transportation means (40) under the first transport frame (1), the nacelle (30) and optionally under the at least one first crossbeam, in between the at least two first lateral supports (101) wherein the lower surfaces (24) of the first end (22) and the second end (23) of the at least one first crossbeam (11) are configured to rest;
- and
- a step of raising the loading platform (41) of the transportation means (40) such that the at least one first crossbeam (11) ceases to rest on the at least two first lateral supports (101), and the at least one first crossbeam (11), the first transport frame (1) and the nacelle (30) rest on the loading platform (41).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.