Suspension arrangement for attaching components on a wall of a wind turbine tower

Abstract

A suspension arrangement (7) for attachment to a support (2, 17) being made from a magnetisable material is disclosed. The suspension arrangement (7) comprises a magnetic attachment means (8) and a glue surface (9) having a glue depression (10). The magnetic attachment means (8) comprises a magnetic material allowing the suspension arrangement (7) to be releasably attached to the support (2, 17). The glue depression (10) is configured for receiving a glue portion (11) in order to permanently attach the suspension arrangement (7) to the support (2, 17). The glue surface (9) is arranged in contact with the support (2, 17) when the suspension arrangement (7) is attached to the support (2, 17).

Claims

1. A suspension arrangement for attachment to a support being made from a magnetisable material, the suspension arrangement comprising: a magnetic attachment means comprising a magnetic material allowing the suspension arrangement to be releasably attached to the support, and a glue surface having a glue depression configured for receiving a glue portion in order to permanently attach the suspension arrangement to the support, the glue surface being arranged in contact with the support when the suspension arrangement is attached to the support.

2. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a glue portion applied to the glue depression provides a holding capability against the support which is equal to or larger than a holding capability against the support provided by the magnetic attachment means.

3. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the suspension arrangement is provided with at least one glue supply channel, wherein each glue supply channel is in communication with the glue depression, thereby allowing the glue depression to be filled with a glue portion when the glue surface is arranged against the support.

4. The suspension arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the at least one glue supply channel comprises an inlet opening formed in a surface of the suspension arrangement, said surface of the suspension arrangement being arranged free of the glue surface.

5. The suspension arrangement according to claim 3, further comprising at least one glue fill check channel in fluid contact with the glue depression and with a fill check outlet arranged in a surface of the suspension arrangement, said surface of the suspension arrangement being arranged free of the glue surface, the glue fill check channel being arranged such that glue exits through the fill check outlet when the glue depression is sufficiently filled to achieve its holding capability.

6. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises a mounting interface configured for mounting a component on the suspension arrangement.

7. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glue portion comprises a two component adhesive.

8. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic attachment means is or comprises a permanent magnet.

9. A wind turbine tower being made from a magnetisable material, wherein a support is assigned to a wall of the wind turbine tower, the wind turbine tower having at least one suspension arrangement according to claim 1 attached to the support with its glue surface in contact with the support.

10. The wind turbine tower according to claim 9, wherein a glue portion applied to the glue depression provides a holding capability against the support which is equal to or larger than a holding capability against the support provided by the magnetic attachment means.

11. A method for attaching a suspension arrangement to a support being made from a magnetisable material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a suspension arrangement according claim 1, positioning the suspension arrangement on the support by means of magnetic forces acting between the support and the magnetic attachment means of the suspension arrangement, the glue surface of the suspension arrangement being arranged against the support, applying a glue portion to the glue depression of the suspension arrangement, thereby permanently attaching the suspension arrangement to the support.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the suspension arrangement further comprises a mounting interface, and wherein the method further comprises the step of mounting a component on the suspension arrangement via the mounting interface.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of cleaning at least a portion of the support prior to positioning the suspension arrangement on the support.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of applying a glue portion to the glue depression comprises applying the glue portion via a glue supply channel formed in the suspension arrangement.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of monitoring a glue filling level of glue applied to the glue depression, during the step of applying glue to the glue depression, and wherein the step of applying glue to the glue depression is stopped when the glue level reaches a predefined level.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the suspension arrangement further comprises at least one glue fill check channel in fluid contact with the glue depression and with a fill check outlet arranged in a surface of the suspension arrangement, said surface of the suspension arrangement being arranged free of the glue surface, and wherein the predefined level of glue is reached when glue exits said at least one glue fill check channel.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the method comprises the initial step of assigning the support to be part of a wall of a wind turbine tower.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the support comprises a wall of a wind turbine tower, the method further comprising: attaching a wind turbine component to the suspension arrangement to support the wind turbine component from the wall of the wind turbine tower.

19. The suspension arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic attachment means and the glue surface are spaced away from each other so as to be separate structures.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind turbine,

(3) FIGS. 2-4 illustrate a suspension arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 5 shows the suspension arrangement of FIGS. 2-4 attached to a support,

(5) FIGS. 6-8 show a ladder mounted on a wall of a wind turbine tower by means of suspension arrangements according to an embodiment of the invention,

(6) FIG. 9 is a detail of the ladder and suspension arrangement of FIGS. 6-8,

(7) FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to a first embodiment of the invention, and

(8) FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(9) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind turbine 1 comprising a wind turbine tower 2 mounted on a foundation 3 and carrying a nacelle 4. The wind turbine 1 further comprises a hub 5 carrying three wind turbine blades 6.

(10) FIGS. 2-4 are perspective views of a suspension arrangement 7 according to an embodiment of the invention, seen from various angles. The suspension arrangement 7 comprises magnetic attachment means 8 in the form of two permanent magnets embedded within a body of the suspension arrangement 7, and a glue surface 9 with two glue depressions 10 formed therein. The glue depressions 10 are configured to receive a glue portion 11 via respective glue supply channels 12, each having an inlet opening 13 formed in a surface 14 of the suspension arrangement 7 being arranged opposite to the glue surface 9. FIG. 3 shows the glue depressions 10 without a glue portion 11, and FIG. 4 shows the glue depressions 10 with a glue portion 11 filled therein.

(11) The suspension arrangement 7 is further provided with a mounting interface 15, allowing a component to be mounted on the suspension arrangement 7. This will be described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 6-9.

(12) The suspension arrangement 7 of FIGS. 2-4 may be attached to a support being made from a magnetisable material in the following manner. Initially, the suspension arrangement 7 is positioned against the support, e.g. in the form of a part of a wall, with the glue surface 9 facing the support. Due to magnetic forces acting between the magnetic attachment means 8 of the suspension arrangement 7 and the magnetisable material of the support, the suspension arrangement 7 is detachably attached to the support. This allows the suspension arrangement 7 to be accurately positioned relative to the support.

(13) Once the suspension arrangement 7 has been accurately positioned relative to the support, a glue portion 11 is supplied to the glue depressions 10 formed in the glue surface 9. The glue portion 11 is supplied via the inlet openings 13 and the glue supply channels 12, i.e. from the surface 14 which is arranged opposite to the glue surface 9. Thereby the glue portion 11 can be easily applied to the glue depressions 10, even though the glue surface 9 is arranged against the support. During this step, the suspension arrangement 7 is kept firmly in place relative to the support by means of the magnetic attachment means 8.

(14) When the glue depressions 10 have been filled with the glue portion 11, glue starts exiting the glue depressions 10 via glue fill check channels 16 interconnecting the glue depressions 10 and a surface being arranged free of the glue surface 9. Thus, by visually inspecting the outlets of the glue fill check channels 16 it can be established when the glue filling in the glue depressions 10 has reached a certain level. When this is the case, the supply of glue to the glue depressions 10, via the inlet openings 13 and the glue supply channels 12 can be stopped.

(15) The glue portions 11 are then allowed to cure, while the suspension arrangement 7 is kept in position by means of the magnetic attachment means 8. Since the glue portions 11 are arranged against, and thereby in contact with, the support, the glue portions 11 permanently attach the suspension arrangement 7 to the support.

(16) Thus, the suspension arrangement 7 is accurately positioned relative to the support, by means of the magnetic attachment means 8, and permanently attached to the support, with a required holding capability, by means of the glue portions 11. Accordingly, the suspension arrangement 7 is attached to the support in an accurate and cost effective manner, while a sufficient holding capability is ensured, without weakening the support.

(17) FIG. 5 shows the suspension arrangement 7 of FIGS. 2-4 attached to a support 17, in the form of a part of a wall, e.g. an inner wall of a wind turbine tower.

(18) FIGS. 6-8 show a ladder 18 mounted on a wall of a wind turbine tower 2 by means of suspension arrangements 7 according to an embodiment of the invention. The suspension arrangements 7 could, e.g., be of the kind illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, and they may be attached to the wall of the wind turbine tower 2 in the manner described above.

(19) The ladder 18 is mounted on the suspension arrangements 7 via mounting legs 20 which are in turn mounted on the suspension arrangements 7 via mounting interfaces 15. The suspension arrangements 7 are initially attached to the inner wall of the wind turbine tower 2, e.g. in the manner described above with reference to FIGS. 2-4. Next, the ladder 18 is mounted on the suspension arrangements 7 by attaching the mounting legs 20 to the mounting interfaces 15 of the suspension arrangements 7 by means of bolts screwed onto the mounting interfaces 15.

(20) Moreover, the suspension arrangements 7 can be pre-mounted on the inner wall of the wind turbine tower 2 with the magnetic attachment means 8 in a position close to their end position. Then the ladder 18 can be arranged in position and attached to the suspension arrangements 7 that are still free to make adjustments. When the ladder 18 is in its final position the glue portions 11 are applied to the suspension arrangements 7 in order to finally attach them to the inner wall of the wind turbine 2.

(21) It should be noted that, even though FIGS. 6-8 show a ladder 18 mounted on an inner wall of a wind turbine tower 2, the present invention also covers other kinds of components, such as platforms, cable holders, lamps, electrical equipment and cabinets, etc., mounted on walls of wind turbine towers or other kinds of supports, including steel foundations, nacelle walls, hub parts, etc.

(22) FIG. 9 is a detail of a suspension arrangement 7 and a mounting leg 20 of the kind illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. It can clearly be seen how the mounting leg 20 is attached to the mounting interface 15 of the suspension arrangement 7.

(23) FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The process is started at step 21. At step 22, a suspension arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention is attached to a support being made from a magnetisable material, by means of magnetic attachment means of the suspension arrangement.

(24) At step 23 it is investigated whether or not the suspension arrangement is positioned correctly with respect to the support, i.e. whether or not the suspension arrangement is in a correct or desired position. If this is not the case, the process is forwarded to step 24, where the position of the suspension arrangement with respect to the support is adjusted until the suspension arrangement is correctly positioned. This is possible because the magnetic forces acting between the magnetic attachment means of the suspension device and the magnetisable material of the support provide a releasable attachment.

(25) When the suspension arrangement is positioned correctly with respect to the support, the process is forwarded to step 25, where a glue portion is supplied to glue depressions formed in a glue surface of the suspension arrangement. The suspension arrangement is arranged on the support in such manner that the glue surface, and thereby the glue depressions, are arranged against the support. Thereby the glue portion is applied to an interface between the suspension arrangement and the support.

(26) At step 26 it is investigated whether or not a glue fill level in the glue depression has reached a predefined level. The predefined level could, e.g., be a level at which the glue depression is filled, ensuring that there are no voids between the glue and a surface of the support, thereby ensuring a desired holding capability of the glue portion towards the support. However, the glue depression should not be allowed to fill to a level where there is a risk that the glue portion pushes the suspension arrangement out of contact with the support. It may, e.g., be established whether or not the glue fill level in the glue depression has reached the predefined level by visually inspecting a glue fill check channel, through which glue spills when the predefined glue fill level has been reached.

(27) In the case that step 26 reveals that the predefined glue fill level has not yet been reached, the process is returned to step 25 for continued supply of glue to the glue depression. In the case that step 26 reveals that the predefined glue fill level has been reached, the process is forwarded to step 27, and the glue supply to the glue depression is stopped.

(28) The glue portion is now left to cure in order to provide a permanent attachment of the suspension arrangement to the support, by means of the glue portion. Accordingly, at step 28 it is investigated whether or not the required curing time has elapsed. When the required curing time has elapsed, the suspension arrangement is considered as being permanently attached to the support with a sufficient holding capability to withstand expected loads. The process is then forwarded to step 29, where a component is mounted on the suspension arrangement, via a mounting interface formed on the suspension arrangement. The component could be any suitable component which it is desired to mount on the support, e.g. a ladder, a platform, a lamp, a cable holder, etc.

(29) FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to a second embodiment of the invention.

(30) The method is similar to the method illustrated in FIG. 10, except that in this embodiment the suspension arrangements as well as the component are mounted prior to the application of the glue portion, see steps 22 and 29. In this way the component itself is used for positioning the suspension arrangements.

(31) This embodiment can be varied in that the number of suspension arrangements can be selected such that the component, e.g. a ladder, can still be adjusted, i.e. for example four suspension arrangements can be attached to the component as a first step. Then the component with the four suspension arrangements is mounted to the support, e.g. in the form of an inner wall of a wind turbine tower. Then the suspension arrangements can be permanently attached by applying glue portions prior to mounting the remaining suspension arrangements. Alternatively the remaining suspension arrangements can be installed and then all suspension arrangements are permanently attached by applying glue portions in a single step.