Horizontal axis type wind turbine and method of construction thereof

• US 6,408,575 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Shigeo, Takahashi, Noriyuki, Nagao, Toru, Kawakita, Yuji, Koshioka, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/537,512
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 52/40, 521/231, 527/451.7, 527/451.8, 527/411.4, 527/411.5, 527/450.4, 290/55
• US Class Current: 52/40
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/34 Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like
• 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: F05B 2230/601 using limited numbers of standard modules which can be adapted by machining
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/14 Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/916 with provision for hoisting onto the structure
• 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: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A tower comprises a base tower member fixed on a base in the ground, a lower tower member hingedly connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of the base tower member through a hinge and swinging between a lying position and a standing position, a first stage connecting tower member connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of the lower tower member, a second stage connecting tower member connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of the first stage connecting tower member, and a third stage connecting tower member connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of the second stage connecting tower member. Thus formed tower is raised swingingly around the hinge from the lying position to the standing position. A nacelle includes a tower penetrating hole through which the tower vertically penetrates and is formed by a plurality of nacelle sections divisible around the tower penetrating hole. After the tower is built, a plurality of nacelle sections are collected around the tower and are connected with each other while the nacelle is penetrated by the tower. Then, the nacelle is lifted up along the tower in that state and fixed to the top end of the tower.

Claims

1. A horizontal axis type wind turbine having a tower mounted on a base, a nacelle mounted on said tower and a rotor supported by said nacelle, said tower comprising:

a base tower member mounted on said base;

a lower tower member hingedly connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of said base tower member through a hinge so as to swing from a lying position to a standing position;

a first stage connecting tower member connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of said lower tower member; and

a highest stage connecting tower member connected at a lower end thereof with an upper end of a second highest stage connecting member.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein

said nacelle has tower penetrating hole through which said tower vertically penetrates and is formed by a plurality of nacelle sections divisible around said tower penetrating hole.

3. A method of constructing a tower of a horizontal axis type wind turbine, said tower including a base, a base tower member, a lower tower member, a hinge for hingedly connecting said base tower member and said lower tower member and at least one connecting tower member, comprising the steps of:

mounting said base tower member on said base;

connecting said lower tower member with said base tower member through said hinge in a lying position of said lower tower member;

connecting a first connecting tower member with said lower tower member in a lying position;

connecting a higher connecting tower member with said first connecting tower member in a lying position;

connecting a highest connecting tower member with said higher connecting tower member in a lying position; and

swinging said lower tower member around said hinge together with said connecting tower members connected with each other and standing said lower tower member along with said connecting members on said base tower member in a standing position.

4. A method of lifting and mounting a nacelle of a horizontal axis type wind turbine on the top end of a tower thereof, said nacelle including a tower penetrating hole through which said tower vertically penetrates and is formed by a plurality of nacelle sections divisible around said tower penetrating hole, comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of said nacelle sections and forming said nacelle while said nacelle is penetrated by said tower before lifting;

lifting said nacelle along said tower with a plurality of tensile members vertically going through the interior of said tower and a plurality of pulleys provided in said tower;

confirming whether or not said nacelle reaches a specified position of the top end of said tower; and

connecting said nacelle with the top end of said tower.

5. A horizontal axis type wind turbine, comprising:

a base;

a tower mounted on said base;

a nacelle mounted on said tower and having a penetrating hole being penetrated by said tower so as to enable lifting up said nacelle along said tower;

a rotor supported by said nacelle; and

a guide mechanism provided in said nacelle for assisting the lifting-up of said nacelle along said tower;

said guide mechanism including;

a plurality of arms swingingly connected to said nacelle; and

a guide roller rotatably connected to the tip of each of said arms, being biased on an outer peripheral surface of said tower.

6. A horizontal axis type wind turbine, comprising:

a base;

a tower mounted on said base;

a nacelle mounted on said tower and having a penetrating hole being penetrated by said tower so as to enable lifting up said nacelle along said tower; and

a rotor supported by said nacelle;

said nacelle being formed by a plurality of nacelle sections divisible around said penetrating hole, said sections being connected with each other around said tower when mounting said nacelle on said tower.

7. A horizontal axis type wind turbine, comprising:

a base;

a tower mounted on said base;

a nacelle mounted on said tower and said nacelle having a penetrating hole being penetrated by said tower so as to enable lifting up said nacelle along said tower;

a rotor rotatably supported by said nacelle; and

a safety device provided in said nacelle for preventing said nacelle from falling down from said tower by hooking said safety device on said tower.

8. The horizontal axis type wind turbine according to claim 7, wherein said safety device includes:

a supporting member supported by said nacelle,

a hook member swingingly connected to said supporting member to be engaged with a projected portion of said tower.

9. The horizontal axis type wind turbine according to claim 8, wherein said safety device further includes:

an indicator rod slidably fitted to a through hole bored in said supporting member and abutting said hook member for informing whether said nacelle is reached at the top of said tower,

wherein said indicator projects from said through hole by movement of said hook member when said hook member is pushed by said projected portion of said tower.