Patent ID: 12247544

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows a wind turbine40. The wind turbine40comprises a hub43connected to a generator (not shown) arranged inside a nacelle1. The hub43comprises three wind turbine blades44. The nacelle1is arranged at an upper end of a tower41comprising multiple tower sections. A longitudinal axis42passing through the nacelle1and the hub43is shown in the figure.

FIG.2shows a drive train30inside a nacelle1. There are two main types of wind turbines40, the ones with a gearbox32and direct drive gearless wind turbines40. Here, a drive train30comprising a gearbox32is shown, but drive trains30without a gearbox32for direct drive gearless wind turbines40are also suitable for embodiments of the invention.

The drive train30comprises a main bearing31, a gearbox32and a generator33arranged along the longitudinal axis42passing through the nacelle1.

FIG.3shows a nacelle roof2of a nacelle1according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections, which are a first sliding section3, a second sliding section4, and a third sliding section5. At least the first and second sliding section3,4comprise a plurality of panels6. The nacelle roof2further comprises a static section10, which is a part of the nacelle roof2fixed to the housing of the nacelle1. The third sliding section5has a dome-shaped region7, which is the region at the transition between the nacelle1and the hub43. Through openings in the dome-shaped region7, workers can pass from the nacelle1to the hub43. The nacelle1comprises a front opening9at the surface in contact with the hub43for a main shaft of the wind turbine40to be able to extend from the hub43to the nacelle1.

FIGS.4to15show the shifting of sliding sections3,4,5over the nacelle roof2. In particular,FIGS.4to8show the side view andFIGS.9to15show the top view of the shifting of sliding sections3,4,5over the nacelle roof2.

FIG.4shows the shifting of the second sliding section4over the first sliding section3. This shifting results in an opening8at the initial position of the second sliding section4. Similarly,FIG.5shows the shifting of the third sliding section5over the second sliding section4, resulting in an opening8at the region where the third sliding section5was positioned before the shift.

After stacking the third sliding section5over the second sliding section4, the opening8resulting from this shift can be further widened by stacking the stack of the third sliding section5and the second sliding section4over the first sliding section3, as shown inFIG.6. Hence, the first, second, and third sliding sections3,4,5can form a stack together. If a sliding section3,4,5has a dome-shaped region7, as it is the case in this Figure with the third sliding section5, then this particular sliding section will be stacked over the other sliding sections, as the other sliding sections can be flat and suited to support further sliding sections on top of them.

As shown inFIGS.7and8, the stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections3,4,5can be axially shifted over the nacelle roof2. InFIG.7, the stack of sliding sections3,4,5can axially move back and forth on the opening8of the nacelle roof2. InFIG.8, the stack of sliding sections3,4,5can axially move back and forth on the opening8of the nacelle roof2, as well as on the static part10of the nacelle roof2. The width of the opening8can be maximized by completely stacking all the sliding sections3,4,5on the static part10of the nacelle roof2, as shown inFIG.8.

FIG.9shows the top view of the nacelle roof2. The drive train30is arranged under the sliding sections3,4,5to ease the mounting and demounting of components of the drive train30through openings8on the nacelle roof2. In particular, the generator33of the drive train30is arranged under the first sliding section3, the gearbox32of the drive train30is arranged under the second sliding section4, and the main bearing31of the drive train30is arranged under the third sliding section5.

FIG.10is the top view of the nacelle roof resulting from the shift shown inFIG.4, where the second sliding section4is shifted over the first sliding section3. This shifting results in an opening8over the gearbox32, which allows to hoist the gearbox32out of the nacelle1or in the nacelle1. Similarly, by shifting the third sliding section5over the second sliding section4, an opening8over the main bearing31results, which allows to hoist the main bearing31out of the nacelle1or in the nacelle1, as shown inFIG.11.

FIG.12is the top view of the nacelle roof resulting from the shift shown inFIG.6, where the stack of the third and second sliding sections5,4is shifted over the first sliding section3, resulting in an opening8over the main bearing31and the gearbox32. If the stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections3,4,5is further shifted on the static part of the nacelle roof2, as shown inFIGS.8and13, the width of the opening8is maximized, in this case uncovering the complete drive train30comprising the main bearing31, the gearbox32, and the generator33.

The stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections3,4,5can be axially shifted over the nacelle roof2, as shown inFIGS.14and15. Even if the static part10of the nacelle roof2were not suited for the stack to be shifted on it, the shifting of the stack on the opening8of the nacelle roof2allows for a high flexibility for hoisting.

FIGS.16and17show a crane11installed at different positions inside the nacelle1. The crane11can be permanently installed at a position inside the nacelle1or moved inside the nacelle1. Alternatively, a crane11installed on the static portion10of the nacelle roof2is also possible.

Due to the flexibility of operation of the shifting of the sliding sections3,4,5, the crane11can be installed or deployed at multiple positions in the region of the opening8. By shifting the stack of sliding sections3,4,5, the crane11can be then deployed in a different position. This is very helpful depending on the component which is to be hoisted in the nacelle1. For example, if the gearbox32is being installed or replaced, the stack of sliding sections3,4,5is shifted over the initial position of the first sliding section3and thus the crane11can be deployed over the main bearing31and the opening above the main bearing31and the gearbox32allows to hoist the gearbox32out of the nacelle1, as shown inFIG.16. Similarly, if the generator33is being installed or replaced, the stack of sliding sections3,4,5is shifted over the initial position of the third sliding section5and thus the crane11can be deployed over the gearbox32and the opening above the gearbox32and the generator33allows to hoist the generator33out of the nacelle1, as shown inFIG.17.

FIG.18shows a lifting system24comprising shifting means20, rails21and studs22. The shifting means20are wheels coupled at the bottom part of the sliding section3,4,5and arranged parallelly to the longitudinal axis42of the nacelle1and the rails21are placed under the wheels. For one sliding section3,4,5, two rails21can be placed parallelly to the longitudinal axis42under the sliding section3,4,5at each side of the sliding section3,4,5for a good stability of the sliding section3,4,5during the lifting and shifting. At last, studs22are supported on the nacelle1by a supporting element23, in this case a bracket, wherein an end of the studs22abuts the rails21.

FIGS.19to26show how a lifting system24is operated to lift, shift and stack sliding sections3,4,5.

FIGS.19to23show a possible way of lifting the rails21, which results in a lifting of the sliding sections3,4,5to roll and stack sliding sections3,4,5on each other. Here, four studs22in their corresponding supporting elements23are shown, which lift a single rail21. For this, the studs22are turned or pressed by means of a screwdriver or a hammer, which results in the end of the studs22abutting the rail21pushing the rail21up and lifting the rail21. As the studs21have a limited length, the height of the lifting is also limited, but can be controlled precisely by the length of the studs22.

InFIG.20, a stud22at an end point is turned. Afterwards, as shown inFIG.21, the stud22at the other end point is turned. To increase the stability of the rail21and to avoid a bending of the rail21, the rest of the studs22between the end points can also be turned, as shown inFIG.22.

FIGS.23to26show the lifting, stacking and shifting of the sliding sections3,4,5by means of the lifting system24.

FIG.23shows the initial position of the sliding sections3,4,5. Under each sliding section3,4,5, a rail21is placed. Each sliding section3,4,5comprises shifting means20configured as wheels to roll over other sliding sections3,4,5or other parts of the nacelle roof2.

FIG.24shows the stacking of the third sliding section5over the second sliding section4. For this, the rail21under the third sliding section5is lifted, the third sliding section5is rolled over the second sliding section4by means of the wheels of the third sliding section5, and the rail21of the third sliding section5, which stayed in the lifted position as it is not coupled to the third sliding section5, is lowered back to its initial position.

FIG.25shows the stacking of the stack of the third and second sliding sections4,5over the first sliding section3. For this, the rail21under the stack of the third and second sliding sections4,5is lifted, the stack is rolled over the first sliding section3by means of the wheels of the second sliding section4, which is the lowest section in the stack, and the rail21of the second sliding section4used to lifted the stack is lowered back to its initial position.

When all rails21are lowered to their initial position, the stack of sliding sections3,4,5can freely move axially on the rails21, as shown inFIG.26.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1Nacelle2Roof3First sliding section4Second sliding section5Third sliding section6Panels7Dome-shaped region8Roof opening9Front opening10Static section11Crane20Shifting means21Rail22Stud23Bracket/supporting element24Lifting system30Drive train31Main bearing32Gearbox33Generator40Wind turbine41Tower42Longitudinal axis43Hub44Blade