ROTOR HUB FOR A WIND TURBINE HAVING PRE-POSITIONED FASTENERS AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20180372064A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Joensen, Hogne
• Granted Patent: US 10,662,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0658 Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/50 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/301 Retaining bolts or nuts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

A rotor hub for a wind turbine includes a hub frame having a blade attachment site configured for attachment of a wind turbine blade to the hub frame, and a dispenser coupled to the hub frame and containing one or more fasteners, wherein the one or more fasteners is selectively releasable from the dispenser to facilitate attachment of the wind turbine blade to the hub frame. A plurality of dispensers may be provided, each having a plurality of fasteners disposed therein. The dispensers may be coupled to the hub frame and distributed about the periphery of the blade attachment site. A method of attaching a blade to a rotor hub includes positioning the blade adjacent the attachment site on the hub frame, and securing the blade to the hub frame at the attachment site using the fasteners from the dispensers.

Claims

1. A rotor hub for a wind turbine, comprising:

a hub frame having at least one blade attachment site configured for attachment of a wind turbine blade to the hub frame; and

a dispenser coupled to the hub frame and containing one or more fasteners, wherein the one or more fasteners is selectively releasable from the dispenser to facilitate attachment of the wind turbine blade to the hub frame.

2. The rotor hub according to claim 1, wherein the hub frame includes a pitch bearing at the at least one blade attachment site, wherein the pitch bearing is configured to be attached to a wind turbine blade.

3. The rotor hub according to claim 2, wherein the pitch bearing includes an inner ring and an outer ring rotatable relative to each other, wherein the inner ring is coupled to the hub frame and the outer ring is configured to be coupled to a wind turbine blade.

4. The rotor hub according to claim 3, wherein the rotor hub further comprises a spinner, wherein the outer ring is disposed in a space between an exterior of the hub frame and the spinner.

5. The rotor hub according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dispensers, each dispenser including a plurality of fasteners, wherein the plurality of dispensers are coupled to the hub frame and distributed about a periphery of the blade attachment site.

6. The rotor hub according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of dispensers are coupled to the outer ring of the pitch bearing.

7. The rotor hub according to claim 5, wherein a dispenser comprises:

an elongate hollow body having a first end, a second end, and an interior passage between the first and second ends, wherein the plurality of fasteners is positioned within the interior passage;

at least one tab at the first and/or second end of the elongate hollow body to prevent movement of a fastener out of the dispenser through the first and/or second end; and

at least one connecting flange for coupling the dispenser to the hub frame.

8. The rotor hub according to claim 7, wherein the dispenser has a two-part construction, comprising:

a base member having an elongate body with a first end, a second, and an open channel between the first and second ends; and

an insert having an elongate hollow body with a first end, a second end, and an interior passage between the first and second ends, wherein the plurality of fasteners is positioned within the interior passage,

wherein the insert is positioned in the open channel of the base member to couple the insert with the base member and thereby form the dispenser.

9. The rotor hub according to claim 8, wherein the base member includes the at least one tab and the at least one connecting flange.

10. The rotor hub according to claim 8, wherein the base member and the insert are formed from different materials.

11. The rotor hub according to claim 10, wherein the base member is formed from a material having a hardness greater than the hardness of the material from which the insert is formed.

12. The rotor hub according to claim 10, wherein the base member is formed from a metal and the insert is formed from a rubber material.

13. The rotor hub according to claim 7, wherein the elongate hollow body includes a removable portion, and wherein when the removable portion is removed, the plurality of fasteners is accessible and selectively removable from the dispenser.

14. The rotor hub according to claim 13, wherein the elongate hollow body includes a pair of tear lines that facilitate separation of the removable portion from the elongate hollow body.

15. The rotor hub according to claim 13, wherein the tear lines are formed in an insert.

16. The rotor hub according to claim 13, wherein the elongate hollow body defines a pair of spring fingers upon removal of the removable portion, the spring fingers configured to be flexed so as to allow a selected fastener to be removed from the dispenser while retaining any remaining fasteners within the dispenser.

17. The rotor hub according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise threaded nuts.

18. A wind turbine construction, comprising:

a tower; and

a rotor hub according to claim 1 positioned atop the tower.

19. A method of attaching at least one wind turbine blade to a wind turbine rotor hub, comprising:

providing a wind turbine hub frame having at least one blade attachment site for attachment of the at least one wind turbine blade;

providing a dispenser coupled to the hub frame and containing one or more fasteners;

positioning the at least one wind turbine blade adjacent the at least one blade attachment site on the hub frame; and

securing the at least one wind turbine blade to the hub frame at the at least one blade attachment site using the one or more fasteners from the dispenser.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing a wind turbine hub frame further comprises:

erecting a wind turbine tower at a wind turbine installation site; and

coupling the hub frame atop the tower, wherein the coupling of the hub frame to the top of the tower precedes securing the at least one wind turbine blade to the hub frame.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising providing a plurality of dispensers, each dispenser including a plurality of fasteners, wherein the plurality of dispensers are coupled to the hub frame and distributed about a periphery of the blade attachment site.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of dispensers are coupled to a hub frame prior to the coupling of the hub frame atop the tower.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of dispensers are coupled to the hub frame at a manufacturing site for the hub frame.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising removing a portion of the dispenser to provide access to the plurality of fasteners in the dispenser.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein removing a portion of the dispenser further comprises tearing a portion of the dispenser disposed between a pair of tear lines in the dispenser.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising flexing a pair of spring arms to remove a selected fastener from the dispenser, the spring arms retaining any remaining fasteners within the dispenser.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein securing the at least one wind turbine blade to the hub frame further comprises securing the at least one wind turbine blade to a pitch bearing on the hub frame.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising securing the at least one wind turbine blade to an outer ring of the pitch bearing.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the outer ring of the pitch bearing is external to the hub frame, and wherein the at least one wind turbine blade is coupled to the outer ring of the pitch bearing in a space between an exterior of the hub frame and a spinner of the rotor hub.

30. The method according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of fasteners includes threaded nuts, and securing the at least one wind turbine blade to the hub frame comprises tightening the threaded nuts to threaded ends of a connector extending from the at least one wind turbine blade.