A climbing device for carrying out a movement relative to a tower, to a part-ring segment for a tower, to a tower, to a wind power installation, and to a method for producing a tower. A climbing device for carrying out a movement relative to a tower, comprising a main body having a longitudinal extent from a first end to a second end, wherein the second end in an operating state faces a foundation of a tower; at least one first climbing element having an extent between a first inner end and a first holding end; at least one second climbing element having an extent between a second inner end and a second holding end; wherein the first climbing element is disposed and configured for carrying out a first holding movement of the first holding end relative to the main body, by way of a first holding movement direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal extent, and/or for carrying out a first climbing movement of the first holding end relative to the main body.

The present invention relates to a method for installing an offshore wind turbine at a target location at sea with an installation vessel, the vessel comprising:—a nacelle support structure for temporarily supporting a nacelle comprising a hub having a plurality of root end connectors to which the root ends of the blades are to be connected, the nacelle support structure comprising:—a support tower extending upwardly from a deck of the installation vessel,—a support platform configured to temporarily support the nacelle,—one or more lifting devices configured for:—lifting the nacelle onto the support platform,—lifting a nacelle assembly including the blades onto a wind turbine mast located adjacent the vessel, wherein the method comprises: a) lifting the nacelle onto the support platform, and securing the nacelle to the support platform, b) orienting a root end connector of the hub of the nacelle in a direction facing a guide path of the blade moving system, c) connecting the root end of the first blade to the corresponding first root end connector of the hub, d) repeating steps b) and c) for subsequent blades and root end connectors until all blades are connected to the hub of the nacelle, thereby providing a RNA, e) lifting the RNA from the nacelle support structure and positioning the RNA onto a wind turbine mast located adjacent the vessel.

A motion compensating crane for use on an offshore vessel having a hull with a design waterline, wherein the crane includes a revolving superstructure, a main boom mounted to the revolving superstructure and pivotally connected at an inner end thereof about a substantially horizontal boom pivot axis to the revolving superstructure, the main boom having a tip end remote from the inner end, a main boom luffing assembly adapted to set an angle of the main boom relative to the superstructure within a main boom working angle range, a rigid jib frame pivotally connected to the tip end of the main boom about a substantially horizontal jib frame pivot axis, and a level setting assembly adapted to set the rigid jib frame in a levelled position whilst the main boom has an angle within the main boom working angle range. The rigid jib frame is provided with a set of parallel X-direction tracks which are substantially horizontal in the levelled position of the rigid jib frame. The crane further has a mobile carrier supported by the X-direction tracks and movable by a motor powered X-motion displacement actuator assembly. The mobile carrier is provided with one or multiple parallel Y-direction tracks and a mobile jib hoist cable suspension member is supported by the one or more Y-direction tracks and movable relative thereto.

Provided is a method for handling a section of a wind turbine, including the steps: Inserting an inner part) of a first tool into an open first end of the section and/or inserting the first end of the section into an outer part of the first tool, actuating the first tool to exert pressure onto an inner surface and/or an outer surface of a wall of the section along the entire circumference or in multiple areas spaced along the circumference of the wall, and moving the first tool while the first tool is exerting the pressure on the inner and/or outer surface to move the section.

The invention relates to a crane for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location, to a vessel for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location, and to a method for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location. According to the invention the crane is provided with a base section and a top section, wherein the top section is rotatable supported by a bearing, and can be rotated with the wind turbine hoisting device relative to the base section about a vertical axis, wherein a first trolley guide is mounted to a top section of the installation crane for giding a vertically mobile wind turbine supporting trolley. According to the invention the vessel is provided with one or more assembly stations on different sides of the installation crane.

The present invention relates to a blade assembly method on a rotor hub of a wind turbine wherein the maximum torque supported by the gearbox is greater in one direction than in other (positive in the invention instead of negative) selecting an appropriate direction for rotating the hub and an appropriate side for connecting each blade.

A device for mounting wind turbine components and mounting method using the device is disclosed. The device is used to lift the components, such as the segments (1) forming the tower and the nacelle (2) of a wind turbine, these components are mounted to the structure of the wind turbine, the device having a lower portion (3) and an upper portion (4) coupled by a swivel joint (5), the lower portion (3) associated with a telescopic assembly (6) fastening to the segments (1) of the already-mounted tower portion of the wind turbine, while a lift (10) is movable along the whole of both portions (3) and (4), securing the components (1, 2) of the wind turbine to be mounted, to lift these components (1, 2) of the wind turbine to be mounted to the mounting positions thereof, in movements from the lower portion of the tower.

The disclosure relates to a crane (200) for erecting a tower including a plurality of tower segments (171, 72, 173, 174, 175), the crane (200) comprising: a telescopic mast (210), and a jib (230) rotatably mounted with respect to the telescopic mast (210) and comprising lifting equipment (240). The telescopic mast (210) comprises a lower mast segment (211) having one or more lower clamp assemblies (202, 204) for selectively gripping portions of the tower and a roller assembly (300) for rolling along the tower, and comprising one or more further mast segments (212, 213, 214, 215, 216) having an upper clamp assembly (206) for selectively gripping portions of the tower, the further mast segments (212, 213, 214, 215, 216) being slidable with respect to the lower mast segment (211). The disclosure also relates to methods for climbing a tower with a crane (200) and methods for mounting a wind turbine tower.

A method of installing a rotor on a nacelle (44) on a wind turbine generally includes providing a rotor hub counterweight assembly (10, 10′) which are rotated and lifted from a downtower location to an uptower location at which wind turbine blades (50, 52, 54) are progressively attached and the counterweights (14, 16), (14′, 16′) are progressively removed. The rotor hub and counterweight assembly (10, 10′) for use when installing a rotor on a wind turbine (46) generally includes a rotor hub (12) having first, second and third flanges (18, 20, 22), a first counterweight (14, 14′), a second counterweight (16, 16′), and a lifting apparatus connecting member (26, 26′). A lifting apparatus connecting member (26) is configured with at least two connection points (60, 62) being configured for allowing at least two of three operations including installation, rotating and lifting the rotor hub (12), and removal of the lifting apparatus connecting member (26′).

A stability frame for the installation of a wind turbine on an offshore substructure, wherein the wind turbine comprises a tower configured to be anchored to a rigging assembly below the barycenter of the wind turbine, has a main body configured to be mounted about the upper part of the tower; and a plurality of guides, which extend outwardly from the main body and are configured for constraining parts of the rigging assembly so as to laterally support the wind turbine by the rigging assembly.