Component Replacement in Wind Turbines

Installing a rotor assembly on a wind turbine tower without needing a large crane. The method involves using a movable stage and blade support device to lift and attach the blades at the top of the tower. The stage moves vertically along the tower and horizontally to align with the blade attachment port. The blade support device moves horizontally on the stage to position the blade for attachment. This allows installing the blades without needing a crane or large work area around the turbine.

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Method for assembling wind turbine blades using a moving assembly line and locating features on the spar structure. The method involves moving the spar-mounted fixture through the assembly line while attaching blade segments to the locating features. This allows simultaneous blade assembly at multiple stations. The line can have pulsed or continuous conveyance. The blades are fully assembled at the end. The locating features on the spar guide blade placement. This enables automated, efficient blade assembly for large blades that can't be easily infused.

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A deep sea wind turbine assembly device and method for assembling deep sea wind turbines. The device allows efficient and safe assembly of deep sea wind turbines using horizontal component stacking and specialized hydraulic vehicles. The assembly process involves stacking and positioning components like blades, hubs, and towers on hydraulic trolleys. These trolleys move horizontally along rails to assemble the components. The trolleys can adjust vertical position as well. This allows staging and moving components in the confined space of a ship. The horizontal assembly reduces height and risk compared to vertical assembly. The hydraulic trolleys also enable automated positioning and buffering to mitigate ship motion during assembly.

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Lifting system for erecting tall wind turbines that avoids the limitations of climbing cranes. The system uses a ground-based crane to lift a separate "second lifting structure" to specific heights along the tower. This allows vertical assembly of the tower sections and components without requiring a climbing crane. The ground crane also provides stability and guiding for the second lifting structure as it moves up the tower. The tower sections have attachment points for the second lifting structure at lower heights. This allows sequential vertical assembly of the tower sections and components, rather than climbing the entire tower.

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Method for repowering wind turbines by reusing the existing tower instead of dismantling it. The method involves removing the old nacelle from the tower and installing a new, more powerful nacelle on the tower. This allows retrofitting wind turbines with larger capacity by leveraging the existing tower rather than replacing it. The tower has a longer service life compared to the nacelle, so it can be reused multiple times as the nacelles are swapped.

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Hybrid tower assembly platform for wind turbines that improves efficiency and reduces time required for assembling steel-concrete hybrid towers. The platform has a central base with detachable connecting blocks around it. Each block has left side guide rails with sliding sliders and placement seats. The sliders move on the rails using a feeding mechanism with motors and gearboxes. The placement seats have support frames with positioning devices. This allows precise positioning and assembly of concrete tower sections by sliding them into place on the rails instead of using cranes.

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A system for assembling offshore structures like wind turbines without moving the foundation. The system involves using an erectable base structure with a lifting arrangement on top. Components like the tower and nacelle are lifted onto the erectable base and then stacked vertically. This allows assembling the structure without moving the foundation multiple times. Once completed, the erectable base can be removed.

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Device, system, and method for assembling offshore structures like wind turbines using an erectable assembly platform. The platform is deployed to the assembly location and then erected. The platform has a lifting arrangement to move the structure parts onto it. This allows assembling the structure vertically on the platform instead of on the seafloor. The platform can then be collapsed and removed after assembly. The platform can have legs with support members to prevent buckling during erection.

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A method and system for assembling wind turbine towers that avoids the need for large cranes by using a self-climbing platform attached to the first tower section. The platform lifts and connects subsequent sections directly above the first one, allowing vertical and lateral movement of components like nacelles and blades. This enables tower assembly without heavy cranes. The platform has a rack/pinion, winch, or chain hoist system for vertical motion and lateral carriers for horizontal motion.

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A wind turbine nacelle design that simplifies installation, maintenance, and servicing of the nacelle components like the generator and transformer. The nacelle has a separable main unit that attaches to the tower and an auxiliary unit that contains the operative components like the generator. The auxiliary unit can be connected to the main unit onsite for installation, then disconnected and lowered for maintenance or replacement. This allows easier access and service without lifting the entire nacelle. The separable design also reduces nacelle weight and cost since the main unit can be a standard shipping container.

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A method for installing floating wind turbines that allows deploying wind turbines on deep water floating foundations. The method involves using a specialized floating installation vessel that can operate in deep waters. The vessel has features like water regulation to maintain levelness for hoisting turbines. This allows lifting and installing wind turbines on floating foundations in deep waters where conventional jack-up vessels cannot access. The floating installation vessel mitigates the challenges of alignment and installation on moving floating foundations due to wind, waves, and currents.

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A device and method for facilitating assembly of wind turbines onshore or offshore in a weather-independent manner. The device is a vertical structure with spaces for assembling tower, nacelle, and blades. It has passages for moving components in and out. The tower is guided along tracks. A hoisting device handles the tower and nacelle. A winch on a floating frame lowers assembled turbines. The device enables independent assembly steps and storage of components. It allows vertical assembly and lowering without rotating cranes or large swing radii.

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Cable winch unit for safely lifting and lowering components of wind turbines during assembly/disassembly. The winch has a base, pivot arm, and holding unit. The pivot arm has a winch at the end and the holding unit pivots on the arm. The holding unit attaches to the component and the winch holds the lifting cable. The pivot arm configuration with angled sections prevents the winch from swinging wildly during lifts/lowers.

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Installing offshore wind turbines using horizontal mating and towing of the turbine assembly and floating substructure instead of lifting and craning the turbine onto a fixed substructure offshore. The method involves combining the tower, nacelle, and blades horizontally on land. Then aligning and attaching the floating substructure horizontally. This allows towing the integrated turbine to the offshore site where it can be upended and installed without cranes.

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Method for changing blades on floating offshore wind turbines that enables faster, simpler and less expensive blade swaps compared to bringing the entire turbine to shore. The method involves temporarily mounting a crane on the floating platform and using it to lift and replace blades while the turbine continues operating. The crane attaches to the platform and positions itself near the turbine. It then handles the blade in a horizontal position without needing to move the entire turbine. This allows blades to be swapped without disconnecting the turbine from the grid or exposing workers to extreme sea conditions.

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Wind turbine tower assembly platform that improves efficiency and reduces errors in assembling wind turbine towers with mixed steel and concrete sections. The platform has a pre-assembled square shape with two rectangles and a semi-platform connected together. It has an outline positioning line for assembling fillet components first, then hoisting plate components. This allows convenient and quick positioning and assembly by following the outline. The pre-assembled platform connects curved steel bars to reduce twisting and deformation during assembly.

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A method for assembling a segmented wind turbine tower section at a wind farm site to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and mitigate assembly challenges. The method involves forming a frame assembly with two tower segments in a horizontal position, then attaching the remaining segments to the frame vertically. This allows pre-installing splice plates before vertical assembly, reducing on-site bolting. The horizontal frame provides stability during assembly and allows tower segments to be lifted and connected in sequence. It also enables tower sections to be transported as stacks with pre-installed splice plates.

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Method and tool for assembling hubs, generators, and frames in direct drive wind turbines to enable efficient and safe assembly of large direct drive wind turbines. The method involves vertically moving the hub and generator towards each other, attaching them to form an assembly, rotating the assembly while holding the hub, and attaching it to the frame. The tool has a manipulator to grip the hub, supports to hold it, and allows vertical and rotational movement. This allows lifting, lowering, and rotating the hub while attached to the generator for assembly. The vertical movement reduces the required height for assembly.

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A method for lifting and assembling large wind turbines without requiring massive cranes. The method involves using a triangular array of lifting systems around the base of the tower. Each lifting system has a platform that can raise and lower 12 meters. This allows the modules of the tower and nacelle to be lifted and connected gradually. The triangular arrangement provides stability and counterweights to balance forces during lifting. It enables modular assembly of large wind turbines without needing huge cranes.

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A method for constructing large-scale wind turbines that avoids the problems of traditional ground assembly and crane lifting. The method involves flipping the turbine sections onto the tower base instead of assembling the nacelle on the ground. A tower clamping device with hydraulic cylinders lifts the upper tower section onto the base. The nacelle is then lowered onto the upper section. This allows larger turbines with longer blades to be built with shorter cranes and less ground space. The flipping technique also reduces wind loads and transportation costs compared to hoisting the nacelle.

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