APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING THE NACELLE OF A WIND TURBINE AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20140219812A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Abolfazlian, Mazyar, Mogensen, Morten, Bovbjerg, Jan Riis
• Granted Patent: US 9,611,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/244.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/00 Wind motors with rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor controlling thereof F03D7/02
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/50 Maintenance or repair
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/14 Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49245 Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan

Abstract

A wind turbine includes a tower having an interior, an exterior, a lower end and an upper end; a nacelle coupled to the tower adjacent the upper end and movable to define at least two yaw positions of the nacelle; a rotor coupled to the nacelle; and an access apparatus disposed about the tower adjacent the upper end thereof, the access apparatus defining a passageway into the nacelle that is exterior of the tower, and the access apparatus providing access to the nacelle in the at least two yaw positions of the nacelle. A method for transporting equipment and personnel to the nacelle using the access apparatus is disclosed. A method for assembling a wind turbine having such an access apparatus is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wind turbine, comprising:

a tower having an interior, an exterior, a lower end, and an upper end;

a nacelle coupled to the tower adjacent the upper end thereof and movable relative to the tower to define at least two yaw positions of the nacelle;

a rotor coupled to the nacelle and including a hub and at least one blade extending therefrom, the rotor configured to interact with the wind to rotate the rotor; and

an access apparatus disposed about the tower adjacent the upper end thereof, the access apparatus defining a passageway into the nacelle that is exterior of the tower, and the access apparatus providing access to the nacelle in the at least two yaw positions of the nacelle.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the access apparatus is coupled to the nacelle and moves relative to the tower with movement of the nacelle.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the access apparatus provides access to the nacelle for all yaw positions of the nacelle.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the tower includes at least one sidewall that defines the interior and exterior of the tower, the tower further comprising:

a first door in the at least one sidewall adjacent the lower end of the tower; and

a second door in the at least one sidewall adjacent the upper end of the tower, each of the first and second doors providing an access path between the interior and exterior of the tower,

wherein the second door is accessible from within an interior of the access apparatus.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the passageway of the access apparatus includes a staircase.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the access apparatus further comprises:

a housing having a bottom wall and at least one sidewall that defines a housing interior, the passageway providing communication between the interior of the housing and an interior of the nacelle.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 6, wherein the passageway extends beyond a periphery of a main housing portion.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of upright supports and one or more cross supports to provide the access apparatus with a cage-like appearance.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sidewall has a solid construction.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sidewall includes at least one port and a transparent covering for covering the port.

11. The wind turbine according to claim 6, further comprising an occluding member extending between the bottom wall of the housing and the tower, the occluding member including an elastomeric member.

12. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising an emergency evacuation system for evacuating personnel from the nacelle along a route exterior to the tower.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 12, wherein the emergency evacuation system comprises:

a closure member formed in the access apparatus and selectively movable between an opened position and a closed position, a communication path being established between the interior of the access apparatus and the exterior of the access apparatus when the closure member is in the opened position, the communication path between the interior and exterior of the access apparatus being closed off when the closure member is in the closed position; and

a lift system capable of supporting and moving a load from the access apparatus to the lower end of the tower.

14. The wind turbine according to claim 13, wherein the lift system includes a winch and a cable spooled about the winch and having a sufficient length to extend from the access apparatus and the lower end of the tower.

15. The wind turbine according to claim 13, further comprising a carriage configured to be coupled to the cable to facilitate transporting the load.

16. The wind turbine according to claim 12, further comprising one or more emergency indicators for guiding personnel from the nacelle.

17. The wind turbine according to claim 16, wherein one or more emergency indicators is selected from the group consisting of a light, a sign, a noise generator, and combinations thereof.

18. A method of transporting equipment or personnel to a nacelle of a wind turbine, comprising:

i) positioning the nacelle in a first yaw position;

ii) transporting the equipment or personnel from a lower end of a wind turbine tower to an upper end of the wind turbine tower through an interior of the tower;

iii) further transporting the equipment or personnel through an opening in a sidewall of the tower and into an interior of an access apparatus adjacent an upper end of the tower and exterior of the tower;

iv) further transporting the equipment or personnel from the interior of the access apparatus to the interior of the nacelle along a passageway in the access apparatus that is exterior to the tower;

v) positioning the nacelle in a second yaw position different from the first yaw position; and

vi) performing at least step iv) when in the second yaw position.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein positioning the nacelle in the first yaw position further comprises aligning the opening in the sidewall of the tower with the passageway of the access apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising moving the access apparatus with movement of the nacelle from the first yaw position to the second yaw position.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising using a conveyor to transport equipment or personnel from the interior of the access apparatus to the interior of the nacelle.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising transporting equipment or personnel out of the nacelle along a path that is reversed relative to the path used to transport equipment and personnel to the nacelle.

23. A method of assembling a wind turbine, the wind turbine including at least a tower, a nacelle, and an access apparatus, the method comprising:

coupling the access apparatus to the tower using temporary anchoring devices;

coupling one end of the tower to a foundation;

coupling the nacelle to the other end of the tower;

coupling the access apparatus to the nacelle so that the access apparatus is secured thereto; and

removing the temporary anchoring devices so that the access apparatus is capable of moving relative to the tower.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the access apparatus is coupled to the tower prior to the tower being coupled to the foundation.