Modular Systems for Wind Turbine Assembly

A segmented wind turbine blade design that allows easier manufacturing of the blade sections and reduces defects compared to solid blades. The blade is made of two or more segments that can be transported separately and then joined together. The segments have male and female sections for connection. The male spar beam that connects the segments is made of separate pre-cured trailing and leading edge parts that are joined together to form the spar caps. This allows easier fabrication of the spar caps separately instead of all at once. The joints between the caps are positioned near the center where shear stresses are reduced compared to corners.

Source

Rotor design for large diameter motors used in wind turbines that enables easier transportation and maintenance. The rotor is split into segments that can be disassembled and reassembled. This allows the rotor to be divided into smaller pieces for shipping and handling when the full rotor is too large. In addition, if a segment fails, it can be replaced instead of the entire rotor. The segments have connections with pin holes that align when reassembled. The rotor segments include the magnetic yoke, rotor support, and end plate. This allows replacing faulty segments without dismantling the entire rotor.

Source

Modular nacelle design for wind turbines that allows easy access, replacement, and maintenance of components without extensive downtime. The nacelle has a frame with detachable module receiving areas. Components like transformers, converters, and control electronics are housed in individual modules that can be easily swapped in and out through access openings. This enables quick component replacement compared to accessing fixed components in the nacelle. The modular design allows lifting and moving the modules out of the nacelle for maintenance.

Source

Automated manufacturing method for wind turbine towers using additive printing to build the tower layer by layer, with integrated reinforcement. The method involves using a movable frame assembly with platforms that are raised vertically. As the platforms move, reinforcement bars are dispensed automatically from a separate assembly under tension. Then, cementitious material is printed onto the platforms to embed the bars. This allows continuous reinforcement as the tower grows. The printed layers are repeated to build the tower. The additive printing assembly has multiple printer heads for outer/inner walls and filler material.

Source

Wind turbine component design for towers and blades that allows prefabrication, easier transportation, and faster assembly compared to traditional towers. The component has a wall element with a corrugated structural element attached to it. The corrugated shape reduces weight and allows compression during transportation. The component segments can be prefabricated and connected together at the tower or blade site. This allows preassembly of larger sections offsite, simplifies transportation, and speeds up installation compared to traditional tower assembly. The corrugated shape also provides strength and stiffness.

Source

A wind turbine design with a nacelle that can be easily transported and installed in pieces to reduce costs for large-scale wind farms. The nacelle has a modular structure that can be disassembled into smaller components for transportation, then reassembled on site. This allows the nacelle to be shipped in containers or on trucks instead of as a single large unit, reducing transportation costs. The nacelle modules include the main bearing supporting the rotor and a rotor-supporting assembly. This allows the rotor to be detached from the nacelle for transport and reattached on site. The modular nacelle design enables more efficient transportation and assembly of wind turbines, particularly for large offshore turbines.

Source

Producing and demounting wind turbine components in a nacelle to simplify installation and maintenance. The method involves moving components like transformers inside the nacelle structure from a transport position to a hanging position using a guiding system. This allows installing the components inside the nacelle before lifting it onto the tower, and then lowering them into place. For demounting, a lowering device inside the nacelle is connected to the component and lowered out. This avoids crane lifts and external rigging for component installation and removal.

Source

Abstract This paper presents an innovative design and construction approach for a 220mhigh wind turbine tower, designed to meet the increasing demand renewable energy specific needs of largescale projects. The leverages hybrid structural concept with concrete foundation that supports three inclined legs composite concretesteel main optimizing both stability constructability. An analysis various load conditions, including pressure, natural frequency, embodied CO 2 emissions structure, is conducted ensure sustainable efficient performance. methodology utilizes modular, segmental assembly advanced lifting techniques, allowing effective installation. also proposes adaptation challenging environment, such as deep offshore scenario, by introducing method floating system. findings demonstrate potential this tower improve generation efficiency, reduce carbon footprint, set new benchmark future

Source

Manufacturing wind turbine rotor blades with segmented upper molds that can be assembled around the lower mold without needing excessive overhead clearance. The rotor blade molds consist of a lower mold and a segmented upper mold. The segmented upper mold has a root end section and multiple airfoil sections. The root end section is placed next to an airfoil section, then slid into position at the root. The airfoil sections are then positioned. This allows the upper mold to be assembled around the lower mold without needing the entire height of the blade length. The segmented upper mold sections can be handled sideways for assembly/disassembly.

Source

A self-elevating wind turbine design that allows onsite assembly and maintenance without the need for heavy lifting equipment. The turbine has a unique substructure with upper and lower guide collars to support and elevate the tower segments. This enables stepwise vertical assembly of the turbine using hydraulic cylinders, winches, or rack/pinion systems instead of cranes. The substructure is preferably a lattice structure to maximize steel usage. The tower segments are assembled on the ground, lifted into place, and connected. The rotor is mounted first, then the rest of the tower is built up. This simplifies assembly, reduces costs, and allows easier maintenance compared to monopole towers.

Source

A modular louver design for wind turbine nacelles that allows customizable blade length and angles while reducing complexity and cost compared to one-piece blades. The louver blades are made of multiple connectable segments with interfaces, gutters, and fixation points. This allows adjusting blade length by adding/subtracting segments, rather than having separate blades for each nacelle size. The blades have a flat first side for smooth airflow and gutters on the second side to catch water. The segments connect using grooves for clamping elements. This modularity enables customization without needing specific blades for each frame size.

Source

Modular, offshore wind turbine system for large scale production of green hydrogen fuel using seawater electrolysis. The system consists of a floating tower with a wind turbine, lift pump, desalination unit, and electrolysis unit. The wind powers the pumps and electrolyzer to pump seawater, desalinate it, and split it into hydrogen. The hydrogen is exported via a riser to a pipeline or manifold on the seafloor. Multiple turbine modules can be combined into a field connected to pipelines for scalability. The system is self-contained, self-sufficient, and modular for large scale hydrogen production offshore.

Source

A floating wind turbine platform design that allows efficient assembly and transportation of the offshore platform. The platform has a T-shaped hull with three stabilizing buoyant columns supporting the platform. The hull is constructed in two separate pieces: a first pontoon with two columns and an inner part of the second pontoon, and an outer part of the second pontoon. These pieces float stable. They're joined at sea to complete the platform. This allows assembly at a sheltered location close to the final site. The separate pieces can be transported together on a ship, unlike a complete hull.

Source

Abstract The proposed concept (patent pending) is a modular, centrally located Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) floating offshore wind foundation that features simplified design, accelerated construction, and rapid assembly installation. A method for counterbalancing the also presented designed to be simple, with fast response times, ease of inspection maintenance, high reliability, remote operability. This paper explores novel approaches foundations, including new methods, aims drastically reduce overall costs, potentially by half or more. solutions are innovative have potential transform existing technologies in development energy.

Source

Stabilizing wind turbines using tether cables attached to an intermediate interface module between the lower and upper sections of the tower. The module has ears that connect to the cables and bores aligned with the tower section through-holes. Threaded fasteners secure the module to the lower section. This allows tensioning the cables before attaching the upper section. The cables stabilize the tower by providing additional load support beyond the tower's self-weight. The module provides a convenient attachment point for the cables and avoids tower modifications.

Source

System for manufacturing large scale composite structures like wind turbine blades using molds that provide precise placement and assembly of internal components like spar caps. The molds have apertures for pins to extend into the molded layers. The pins engage the internal components during layup to hold them in place. After layup, the pins can extend beyond the molded section to be trimmed. This prevents internal component misalignment during mold closure. Additional features like studs, cams, and actuators enable further component positioning and measurement.

Source

A method for assembling wind turbine components to reduce assembly time and costs by allowing personnel to remain in the tower during lifts instead of evacuating and repositioning. The method involves lowering the component to overlap the mounting interface vertically with a threshold separation. If the separation exceeds the threshold, an indicator alerts. This ensures the component can be connected without needing to evacuate and reposition personnel between lifts. The indicator uses a transmitter/receiver to verify separation during overlapping.

Source

A modular mold for producing wind turbine blades that allows easy adaptation of blade length without needing to cut and replace the mold. The mold has a modular design with interchangeable tip sections that can be swapped to match updated blade geometries. The mold has a main body shell element and multiple exchangeable tip shell elements that can be fixed to the support. This allows changing the tip sections to match blade length changes without needing to modify the entire mold. The tip sections connect using flanges with aligned bolt holes for easy assembly. The modular tip sections can be different lengths to cover a range of blade tip geometries.

Source

Improved assembly and installation method for wind turbines on floating foundations that allows for more effective assembly of the wind turbine on-board the crane vessel. The method involves using the crane vessel's hull to receive and lift portions of the turbine's mast during assembly. This reduces the crane's height requirement when installing the turbine on the floating foundation. The crane also has a mast-engaging device to precisely position the mast on the foundation. The blades are handled using a specialized system that tilts them during installation/removal. This allows lifting the blades horizontally to the root end instead of vertically. It also involves sinking part of the mast into the vessel's hull during assembly. This reduces the crane's lifting height requirement.

Source

Tool for handling wind turbine tower sections during transportation and erection to make it easier and more efficient compared to traditional methods. The tool has two wheeled platforms with a frame connecting them. The frame has sections that support the ends of a sling. The tower section hangs between the sling ends supported by the frame. This allows the tower section to be moved and upended using the tool as a single unit, without needing frames or supports on each end. The tool's parallel bases and sling-hanging frame enable the tower section to be centered and balanced during handling.

Source

Modular wind turbine blade design with improved lightning protection at joints. The blade has multiple sections that can be transported separately and assembled on-site. To prevent lightning strikes from damaging the joints, the blade has an electromagnetic shield that extends across the joints. This shield isolates the joints from the main lightning current path, protecting the blade sections from voltage flashovers. The shielded joints allow lightning strikes to be received and safely discharged to ground without damaging the blade.

Source

Industrialized, cost-effective method for constructing and assembling offshore wind turbines using self-erecting lift structures, modular floating turbine sections, and specialized installation vessels. The method involves: 1) building modular floating turbine sections in a shipyard, 2) towing the sections to an offshore platform, 3) assembling the turbine on the platform using a self-erecting lift structure, 4) connecting the floating turbine to an installation base on the seafloor, 5) disconnecting the turbine from the base and raising it to float, 6) towing the assembled turbine to its final location. This allows serial production of modular turbine sections, transporting them to a central hub for assembly, and then deploying them from a fixed platform.

Source

A connection system for attaching a blade access system to a wind turbine nacelle that allows quick and repeated attachment without cutting holes in the nacelle housing. The system uses locking connectors that can be engaged and disengaged between the blade access system and nacelle. The connectors have compatible locking mechanisms to secure the access system to the nacelle when engaged, but allow disconnection by repositioning the connectors. This provides a repeatable and easy way to attach/detach the blade access system without needing to cut into the nacelle housing each time.

Source

A modular blade root cover system for wind turbines that seals the gap between the blade and spinner to prevent water ingress into the hub. The system uses interconnecting blade root cover segments that can be joined together in a loop around the blade. Each segment has a curved flange to fit against the blade surface, a cover wall extending radially, and tensioning bands to connect adjacent segments. This allows the segments to be installed sequentially around the blade without requiring precise fitting. The tensioning bands apply tension between segments to maintain a tight seal.

Source

A multiple-appliance lift system for wind turbines that allows simultaneous lifting of heavy components from the nacelle using two dedicated lifting appliances without requiring additional support structures in the nacelle. The system involves mounting the two lifting appliances on common attachment points like bearing housings or gearbox pillar blocks. This allows sharing of the nacelle structure for lifting instead of needing separate mounting platforms. It provides a compact and efficient way to lift heavy items like main bearings, shafts, and blades from the nacelle without requiring external cranes or multiple appliances in the nacelle.

Source

Method for constructing a wind turbine without using cranes or heavy equipment. The wind turbine is designed by optimizing blade area instead of swept area. This involves shorter blades with more surface area. The turbine can be manually erected, lowered to the ground for maintenance, shipped in a container, and the container becomes the turbine base. This allows a smaller, more compact turbine that can generate significant power. The container also provides storage for generated electricity and electrical distribution equipment.

Source

A floating offshore wind turbine assembly unit that enables efficient installation and maintenance of floating wind turbines in deep water offshore. The assembly unit consists of two modified oil tankers joined together by an extended deck. This forms a drydock that can be positioned near a wind farm. Wind turbine components like the hull, tower, nacelle, and blades can be assembled on the drydock. This avoids needing large crane vessels or working in high winds. The assembled turbine can then be lowered into the water for wet tow installation.

Source

A specialized car system for installing tall wind turbines without cranes. The system involves a traveling car that can move vertically up and down the tower during construction. The car has a movable deck section that carries components to be installed at each height. The car raises and lowers using winches and balancing devices. This allows components to be positioned and installed directly from the car as it ascends the tower. The car can also connect to the tower to be raised by winches on the uppermost section. This enables the car to be lifted and lowered without external cranes. The car can also balance against tower sway and wind forces using weights and winches. The car system provides a self-contained vertical transport system for installing wind turbine components without relying on external cranes.

Source

Modular transport system for moving large cylindrical items like wind turbine tower sections using railcars. The system has adjustable supports that adapt to the length and circumference of the tower sections. Longitudinally adjustable end supports fix to the ends of the tower section. Intermediate supports have adjustable cradles to accommodate the tower section circumference. This allows precise fitting of the tower sections onto the railcars for safe and secure transportation.

Source

Tower structures, like wind turbine towers, manufactured using additive printing techniques to enable on-site construction of tall towers without transportation limitations. The towers have walls printed with variable-width deposition nozzles to create voids between layers. Reinforcement members are placed in these voids, closer to the neutral axis than the wall surfaces, for improved structural integrity. This allows optimized placement of reinforcement without needing thicker wall sections. The variable-width nozzle allows customizing deposition paths to form the voids.

Source

Modular wind turbine system that allows scaling wind power generation capacity by connecting multiple smaller turbines into a larger structure. The modular turbine has a stator with a housing containing a generator, and a turbine with multiple rotors separated by plates. Each rotor has magnets. The turbine sections can be connected to form a larger turbine with more rotors and power output. An anemoscope and motors on the stator baffles can adjust rotation and deflection angles for optimal power capture based on wind direction and speed. This allows scaling wind power capacity by connecting multiple smaller turbines into a larger structure.

Source

Planetary blade wind turbine with multiple power units that maximize wind energy capture in a compact space. The turbine has a fixed shaft and multiple rotating shafts with blades. The blades are connected to the fixed shaft via worm gears. The blades have swinging wings to buffer wind loads. The rotating shafts are stacked like planetary gears around the fixed shaft. This allows all blades to rotate together when wind hits one side. It prevents the blades on the other side from spinning. The turbine has multiple power units arranged like planetary gears around the fixed shaft. The blades on adjacent units rotate in opposite directions. This allows simultaneous blade rotation on both sides of the fixed shaft.

Source

A method and mobile factory for modular wind turbine blade assembly. This method involves manufacturing blade sections at a factory, transporting them to the wind turbine site, and using a movable factory platform to connect the sections in the field. This approach enables the production and transport of longer blades in shorter, more manageable sections that can be joined on-site.

Source

Electric generators designed for wind turbines that are compact yet scalable to very high power outputs. The generator utilizes multiple axial flow electrical machines with coaxial rotors and surrounding stators. The rotors can be manufactured independently and then secured together to generate multiple magnetic fluxes simultaneously when rotated. This modular design allows for the combination of multiple machines of the same or different sizes and technologies to increase power output.

Source

A modular wind turbine blade design and manufacturing method that simplifies the assembly of turbine blades on-site. The modular blade design utilizes double-tapered connections between blade sections. A connecting member with double-tapered ends links two blade modules together. Each module incorporates an internal double-tapered channel. These matching double-tapered connections enable modules to be aligned and easily joined during assembly. The double tapers provide self-aligning assembly and create strong connections between the modules. Additionally, a blade module manufacturing process using tapered molds is described.

Source

A modular wind turbine blade design featuring continuous spars across module joints, allowing the blade to be divided into multiple transportable sections. The spars extend seamlessly from one blade module into the next when assembled, ensuring a continuous load path through the joint.

Source

A modular wind turbine blade design enabling longer blades to be divided into shorter modules for easier transportation and on-site assembly. The blade modules feature a tapered dovetail joint and a connecting member that securely fits into the joint to connect the modules. During manufacturing, the blade modules are produced using a split mold assembly with a tapered feature to create the dovetail joint recess in the blade shell. This process ensures precise alignment and bonding of the connecting member to the spar inside the recess. The double-tapered dovetail joint provides a robust, self-aligning connection between the blade modules.

Source

Multi-segment rotor blade for horizontal-axis wind turbines that allows pitch angle control of each blade segment to optimize performance and reduce loads. The blade is made up of multiple segments that can rotate relative to each other to change the pitch angle. The blade segments are connected by guiding structures and actuating mechanisms that allow variable pitch between segments. This enables independent pitch control of each segment for optimal angle of attack and feathering. The blade design increases efficiency, reduces loads, and allows transportation of larger blades.

Source

A modular pitch tube design for wind turbine installations that enables easy assembly and disassembly in a reduced space. The pitch tube is split into two detachable parts that can be connected and disconnected to pass through the rotor shaft and other components.

Source

Concrete wind turbine towers that are assembled from cylindrical segments joined at vertical flanges. The invention enables more accurate and efficient assembly of wind turbine towers. It provides alignment tools and systems that mount on the tower segments' vertical flanges to guide their connection. These tools have heads with surfaces that engage and slide along opposing flanges during assembly, aligning them. This ensures the bolt holes in the flanges line up properly. The tools avoid direct contact with the flanges to prevent damage during alignment.

Source

A modular cable fastening system for securing and guiding cables in wind turbines. The system uses retaining bodies that can be combined with a star-shaped supporting structure to form a modular cable fastening system. The retaining bodies have partial bodies that engage with the supporting structure to prevent axial shifting.

Source

Modular brushless permanent magnet motor/generator design for large direct drive turbines. The design uses segmented rotor and stator rings that can be manufactured in sections and assembled on-site. This enables large diameter, high power generators without the need for a gearbox. The rotor segments contain magnet modules that encircle the stator segments containing coil modules. The modular design allows the stator and rotor to be manufactured in sections that are assembled on-site, reducing transportation and installation challenges. The rotor and stator segment also allows for automatic calibration to maintain optimal air gap distance.

Source

Modular transportation and storage system for wind turbine blades that can be flexibly adjusted to accommodate different sizes and shapes of blades. The system includes modular tip end and root end frames that can be configured to hold blades at different angles. This allows blades with varying dimensions to be securely stored and transported together, reducing damage and costs. For example, the tip end frame can support blades vertically or at an angle, while the root end frame can rotate to match blade orientations.

Source

A wind turbine design with multiple concentric rings of blades attached around the hub to improve efficiency and enable portability. The rings hold the blades in place and provide support to the hub. The rings can be detached for transport and reassembled at the installation site. This allows the turbine to be easily moved and set up in multiple locations. The multiple rings of blades around the hub also improves efficiency compared to a single blade design. The rings can be spaced apart to optimize blade angles for different wind speeds.

Source

A wind power generation system that improves efficiency and reduces cost compared to conventional wind turbines. The system uses an upper wind power generation unit on top of a tall tower. The upper unit has an internal vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with blades that can rotate in both directions. This allows power generation from winds coming from any direction, unlike horizontal axis turbines that need winds from the side. The upper unit also has an outer vertical axis turbine that can stop rotation in high winds to prevent damage. The tower has an intake duct for the internal turbine and an outlet duct for the external turbine. This allows wind to be shared between the inner and outer turbines. The tower bottom has an inlet damper and air supply duct for the internal turbine. This allows wind to be shared between the tower-mounted turbines and the tower-top turbine. The tower also has an

Source