INSTALLATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF UPENDING AND INSTALLING A WIND TURBINE TOWER

Abstract

Provided is an installation system for installing a tower of a wind turbine. The present invention further relates to a tower of a wind turbine including the installation system. The present invention further relates to a method of upending a tower of a wind turbine using the installation system. The present invention further relates to a method of installing a tower of a wind turbine using the installation system.

Claims

1. An installation system for installing a tower of a wind turbine comprising: an upending device for rotating the tower about a primary axis of rotation, and a yoke configured to be lifted by a crane, wherein the upending device is coupled to a first tower end of the tower and the yoke is coupled to a second tower end of the tower.

2. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the upending device comprises a stationary element and a rotating element.

3. The installation system according to claim 2, wherein the rotating element rotates about a primary axis of rotation by a primary axis bearing.

4. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the upending device comprises a secondary axis bearing which allows the tower to rotate about a secondary axis of rotation.

5. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the upending device comprises wheels for shifting the upending device during the upending of the tower.

6. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the upending device comprises an upending arm configured to support the rotation of the upending device about the primary axis of rotation.

7. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the upending device is releasably connected to the first tower end by a clamping system.

8. The installation system according to claim 1, wherein the yoke is coupled to the second tower end by a coupler unit.

9. The installation system according to claim 8, wherein the coupler unit is releasably connected to the second tower end by fasteners.

10. The installation system according to claim 8, wherein the coupler unit comprises a bracket.

11. The installation system according to claim 10, wherein the bracket comprises a bracket tongue for coupling the bracket to the yoke by fasteners.

12. A tower of a wind turbine comprising an installation system according to claim 1.

13. A tower according to claim 12, wherein a transport system is coupled to the first tower end and a transport system is coupled to the second tower end.

14. A method of upending a tower of a wind turbine according to claim 12, comprising: lifting the yoke of the second tower end by a crane, so that the second tower end shifts vertically, shifting the first tower end horizontally, rotating the second tower end by ninety degrees, and rotating the first tower end by ninety degrees.

15. A method of installing a tower of a wind turbine according to claim 12, comprising: attaching the yoke to the second tower end, attaching the upending device to the first tower end, upending the tower, detaching the upending device from the first tower end, shifting the tower to the desired installation spot, and detaching the yoke from the second tower end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0067] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0068] FIG. 1 shows the coupling of a yoke to a tower end according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows the coupling of a yoke to a tower end according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows the coupling of a yoke to a tower end according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows the coupling of a transport system and of a yoke to a tower end according to another first embodiment of the invention;

[0072] FIG. 5 shows the transport of the tower using a transport system attached at each tower end;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows the coupling of the upending device to the tower;

[0074] FIG. 7 shows the tower is lowered from a lifted position during transport to an engaging position;

[0075] FIG. 8 shows the transport system coupled to the first tower end approaches the upending device to couple the first tower end to the upending device;

[0076] FIG. 9 shows the disassembly of some transport system parts not needed for upending;

[0077] FIG. 10 shows the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation or transition piece;

[0078] FIG. 11 shows the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation or transition piece;

[0079] FIG. 12 shows the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation or transition piece;

[0080] FIG. 13 shows the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation or transition piece; and

[0081] FIG. 14 shows the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation or transition piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0082] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the coupling of a yoke 40 to a second tower end 4 of a tower 2 of a wind turbine. According to the embodiment shown here, the second tower end 4 does not comprise a transport system 1. This could be a simple setup for towers 2 being transported by means other than the transport system 1.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows the coupling of the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4. The second tower end 4 comprises a plurality of first fastening holes 20, which could be the fastening holes used to attach the tower to the monopile, foundation or transition piece or to attach the nacelle to the tower. The first fastening holes 20 are used to couple the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4. For this, fasteners 13 are inserted in both the first fastening holes 20 of the second tower end 4 and second fastening holes 21 of the coupler unit 10.

[0084] In this embodiment shown, the coupler unit 10 comprises four brackets 11, each of the brackets comprising a plurality of second fastening holes 21 which are fastened by fasteners 13. The fasteners 13 in this example are bolts, which can be screwed to an inner thread of the first fastening holes 20 and are then fastened with a nut. However, other fastening means can be used.

[0085] By using releasable fasteners 13 such as a nut-bolt connection, the brackets 11 and, thus, the complete transport system 1 can be releasably connected to the tower 2. This releasable connection has the advantage that the transport system 1 can be removed during the installation step of the wind turbine, as the transport system 1 is not needed during operation of the wind turbine.

[0086] Each bracket 11 of the coupler unit 10 further comprises a bracket tongue 12 configured to be coupled to the yoke 40. For this, the bracket tongue 12 has third fastening holes 22 configured to be fastened by fasteners 13. Depending on the size and weight to be supported by the yoke 40, the bracket tongues 12 of a coupler unit 10 can have different sizes. Alternatively, each bracket 11 can comprise more than one bracket tongue 12. Alternatively, each bracket 11 can comprise a plurality of third fastening holes 22.

[0087] In FIG. 2, the yoke 40 is coupled to the second tower end 4 of the tower 2 by fastening the yoke 40 to the coupler unit 10, the coupler unit 10 being already fastened to the second tower end 4. For this, the yoke 40 comprises a plurality of yoke tongues 42, each yoke tongue 42 corresponding to a bracket tongue 12. Each yoke tongue 42 comprises an eighth fastening hole 27 corresponding to the third fastening holes 22 of the bracket tongues 12 of the coupler unit 10. Fasteners 13 are inserted in both the eighth fastening holes 27 of the yoke tongues 42 and the third fastening holes 22 of the brackets 11 to couple the yoke 40 to each bracket 11 and, thus, to couple the yoke 40 to the second tower end 4 of the tower 2.

[0088] The yoke 40 comprises further a lifting trunnion 41 for the balance of the weight and for the rotation of the yoke 40. The rotation of the yoke 40 with the lifting trunnion 41 allows for the alignment of the yoke tongues 42 with the bracket tongues 12 to fasten both components together.

[0089] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the coupling of both a transport system 1 and a yoke 40 to the second tower end 4 of the tower 2 of a wind turbine. The transport system 1 shown in these figures comprises a coupler unit 10, a frame 5 being coupled through the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4 and two wings 6 attached to the frame 5. During the attachment of the transport system 1, the tower 2 stands on a support 34 to avoid direct contact of the tower 2 with the ground, thus preventing a possible damage of the tower 2 during the installation and simplifying the attachment of the transport system 1. When the frame 5 is installed, its base 7 can serve as a tower-support and the support 34 can be removed.

[0090] FIG. 3 shows the attachment of the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4. The second tower end 4 comprises a plurality of first fastening holes 20, which could be the fastening holes used to attach the tower to the monopile, foundation 60 or transition piece or to attach the nacelle to the tower. The first fastening holes 20 are used to couple the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4. For this, fasteners 13 are inserted in both the first fastening holes 20 of the second tower end 4 and second fastening holes 21 of the coupler unit 10.

[0091] In this embodiment shown, the coupler unit 10 comprises four brackets 11 distributed along the circumference of the second tower end 4, each of the brackets comprising a plurality of second fastening holes 21 which are fastened by fasteners 13. The fasteners 13 in this example are bolts, which can be screwed to an inner thread of the first fastening holes 20 and are then fastened with a nut. However, other fastening means can be used. These fasteners 13 are releasable, thus the transport system 1 is releasably connected to the tower 2 and can be removed from the tower 2 after the transportation and installation of the wind turbine.

[0092] Each bracket 11 of the coupler unit 10 further comprises two bracket tongues 12. The outer bracket tongue 12 of each bracket 11 is configured to be coupled to the frame 5, as seen in FIG. 4. The inner bracket tongue 12 of each bracket 11 is configured to be coupled to a yoke 40, which is used for the upending of the tower 2. Due to the modular design of the transport system 1, the transport system 1 can be used for further purposes, such as the upending of the tower.

[0093] To attach the frame 5 to the bracket 11, the bracket tongue 12 has third fastening holes 22 configured to be fastened by fasteners 13. Depending on the size and weight to be supported by the transport system 1, the bracket tongues 12 of a coupler unit 10 can have different sizes. Alternatively, each bracket 11 can comprise a plurality of third fastening holes 22.

[0094] In FIG. 4, the frame 5 is attached to the second tower end 4 of the tower 2 by fastening the frame 5 to the coupler unit 10, the coupler unit 10 being already fastened to the second tower end 4. Once the frame 5 is attached to the second tower end 4, the tower 2 can be supported by the frame 5. For this, the frame 5 in this embodiment of the transport system 1 has a base 7 which is formed as a separate part of the frame 5, which means that the frame 5 and the base 7 are separate pieces connected by a releasable joining method, such as a pin, a screw, a shape fit or a friction connection. This is particularly useful during upending of the tower 2, i.e., during the installation of the tower 2, where the base 7 can be attached to the ground and the frame 5 can be lifted from the ground by detaching itself from the base 7, when the frame 5 is pulled up by a crane 45. Additionally, two wings 6 are coupled to the frame 5 at each side of the frame 5, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower 2.

[0095] The yoke 40 is coupled to the inner bracket tongues 12 of the coupler unit 10 of the transport system 1. For this, the yoke 40 has yoke tongues 42 with eighth fastening holes 27 configured to be attached to the third fastening holes 22 of the bracket tongues 12 by fasteners 13. The yoke 40 comprises further a lifting trunnion 41 for the balance of the weight and for the rotation of the yoke 40.

[0096] FIG. 5 shows the lifting of the tower 2 using a transport system 1 coupled to the first tower end 3 and a transport system 1 coupled to the second tower end 4. At the first tower end 3, the transport system 1 is configured with a coupler unit 10, a frame 5 with an integral base 7 and two side wings 6. At the second tower end 4, the transport system 1 is configured with a coupler unit 10, a frame 5 with a detachable base 7 as a separate part of the frame 5, two side wings 6 and a yoke 40. This configuration is advantageous for upending the tower 2, where an upending device 50 is attached to the first tower end 3 for rotating the tower 2 while the crane 45 lifts the yoke 40 attached to the second tower end 4.

[0097] For each wing 6 of each transport system 1, a separate lifting unit 31 is placed under the wing 6 and a separate lifting unit arm 33 of each lifting unit 31 extends and pushes the wing 6 upwards to lift the tower 2. In this case, each transport system 1 has two wings 6, so there are four wings 6 in total. Thus, there are also four lifting units 31, placed on four trailers 30. When the tower 2 is lifted, the supports 34 can be removed, as the tower 2 is supported by the lifting units 31 on the trailers 30. The trailers 30 are configured as SPMTs.

[0098] FIG. 6 shows the engagement of the upending device 50 at the first tower end 3 of the tower 2. In this figure, the tower 2 on the left side is being engaged to the upending device 50, whereas the towers 2 on the right are already engaged to the upending device 50. The tower 2 is transported at both tower ends 3, 4 by a transport system 1 as shown in FIG. 8, wherein the transport system 1 coupled to the first tower end 3 approaches the upending device 50 to couple the first tower end 3 to the upending device 50. For this, the transport system 1 is coupled to the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50. The engagement takes place on the vessel 71, as in this case the upending device 50 relates to an offshore wind turbine. However, the same method could be used for onshore wind turbines for the upending of the tower 2.

[0099] The upending device 50 can be shifted on wheels 54 built on rails 72 on the deck of the vessel 71. The wheels 54 contribute to a load distribution of the tower's weight during upending and allow the upending device 50 to roll towards the starting position of the yoke 40 during upending. The wheels 54 are fixed to a stationary element 59 of the upending device 50, the stationary element 59 being a component of the upending device 50 which does not rotate during the upending of the tower 2 at the installation site. The rails 72 can also be used to fix and secure other components, such as the transport system 1.

[0100] The upending device 50 comprises two primary axis bearings 57, one at each side of the upending device 50. The primary axis bearings 57 allow the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50 and the tower 2 fixed to this rotating element 53 to rotate about a primary axis of rotation 51, which is the axis of rotation parallel to the decks surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower 2. This allows for the upending of the tower 2, i.e., to rotate the tower 2 form a horizontal position to a vertical position. The upending is done directly on the vessel 71.

[0101] The upending device 50 further comprises a secondary axis bearing 58 at the center of the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50. The secondary axis bearing 58 allows the tower 2 to rotate sideways about a secondary axis of rotation 52 during upending to account for vessel 71 movements. The secondary axis of rotation 52 is perpendicular to the decks surface when the tower 2 is in a horizontal position fixed to the upending device 50 and parallel to the decks surface when the tower 2 is in a vertical position, as seen in FIG. 15.

[0102] The upending device 50 further comprises a clamping system 55 with clamps used to couple the tower 2 to the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50. The clamping system 55 is a quick way to releasably connect and disconnect the tower 2 to the upending device 50.

[0103] The upending device 50 further comprises an upending arm 56 which is fixed at the stationary element 59 of the upending device 50 and pushes against the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50 to rotate the rotating element 53 of the upending device 50 about the primary axis of rotation 51.

[0104] FIGS. 7 and 8 show the engagement of the upending device 50 at the first tower end 3 of the tower 2. In FIG. 7, the tower 2 is lowered from a lifted position during transport to an engaging position. For this, the lifting unit 31 has lifting unit arm 33 which can lower the tower 2. In FIG. 8, the clamping system 55 is being engaged so that the first tower end 3 is coupled to the rotating element 53. For this, the clamping system 55 comprises a plurality of clamps, which extend inside the first tower end 3 and press the flange of the first tower end 3 from the inside towards the rotating element 53, which couples the tower 2 to the upending device 50.

[0105] FIG. 9 shows a tower 2 where the transport to the vessel 71 is completed, hence the tower 2 is secured on the vessel 71. The tower 2 can be secured by securing the base 7 of the transport system 1 to rails 72 in the vessel 71. For this, the width of the frame 5 is chosen to fit between rails 72 on the deck of a vessel 71 for securing the tower 2 during sea transport. When the tower 2 is secured, the wings 6 and the trailers 30 with the lifting units 31 can be removed to gain storage space on the vessel 71 and to be reused for the transport of further towers 2.

[0106] FIGS. 10 to 14 show the upending and the installation of the tower on the monopile, foundation 60 or transition piece.

[0107] FIG. 10 shows the first step of the upending process. The yoke 40, which is attached to the second tower end 4, is lifted by a crane 45. For this, a belt 43 is fastened to the yoke 40, which is pulled up by a hook 44 of the crane 45.

[0108] The frame 5 of the transport system 1 the yoke 40 is attached to has a base 7 which is formed as a separate part of the frame 5, which means that the frame 5 and the base 7 are separate pieces connected by a releasable joining method, such as a pin, a screw, a shape fit or a friction connection. This is particularly useful, as the base 7 can be secured at the rails 72 of the vessel 71 and it is not necessary to detach the base 7 during the upending process. Through this base 7, the frame 5 can be lifted from the ground by detaching itself from the base 7, when the frame 5 is pulled up by a crane 45.

[0109] FIG. 11 shows the next step of the upending process. When the second tower end 4 is detached from the ground, it is lifted vertically using the yoke 40 by the crane 45, which pulls the hook 44 attached to the belt 43 fastened to the yoke 40. Through the lifting trunnion 41, the yoke 40 rotates to allow for the vertical movement through a rotation of the second tower end by ninety degrees.

[0110] While the second tower end 4 is being pulled up by the crane 45, the first tower end 3 follows by shifting horizontally on the vessel 71 towards the starting position of the yoke 40. Thus, only a single crane 45 is needed for the upending of the tower 2, as the vertical movement of the second tower end 4 results simultaneously in a horizontal movement of the first tower end 3 until the upending process is finished. The crane 45 is attached only to the second tower end 4 of the tower 2 and not to each tower ends 3, 4.

[0111] The first tower end 3 shifts horizontally on the vessel 71 by the upending device 50, whose stationary element 59 rolls on the wheels 54 on the rails 72 of the deck. The rotation of the tower 2 is achieved by the rotation of the rotating element 53 about the primary axis of rotation 51. As the rotating element 53 is coupled to the first tower end 3, the horizontal shifting of the stationary element 59 and the rotation by ninety degrees of the rotating element 53 and of the first tower end 3 happen simultaneously.

[0112] After the upending process, the first tower end 3 has shifted horizontally on the deck and is rotated by ninety degrees, the second tower end 4 has shifted vertically and is rotated by ninety degrees, and the tower 2 has turned from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The upending process is achieved with a single crane 45 attached only to the second tower end 4.

[0113] Additionally, the upending process can be supported by an upending arm 56. The upending arm 56 can assist the rotation of the rotating element 53 about the primary axis of rotation 51 by pushing against this rotating element 53 and might impede the rotating element 53 to rotate back to the original position, which is advantageous for the assistance of the rotation.

[0114] FIG. 12 shows the last step of the upending process, when the clamping system 55 is released from the first tower end 3 to separate the upending device 50 from the tower 2. At this step, the transport system 1 is also released from the first tower end 3. Thus, the first tower end 3 is released from both the transport system 1 and the installation system. After this step, the installation of the tower 2 on the foundation 60 takes place. The tower 2 can be installed with the same method on a monopile or on a transition piece or on the ground.

[0115] FIG. 13 shows the installation of the upended vertical tower on the foundation 60. After the clamping system 55 and the transport system 1 is released from the first tower end 3, the tower 2 is lifted vertically by the crane 45, leaving the clamping system 55 and the transport system 1 on the deck of the vessel 71. The tower 2 is then shifted and placed vertically over the foundation 60 and then lowered on the foundation 60. The tower 2 can be coupled to the foundation 60 by the first fastening holes 20 of the first tower end 3. To damp the movement of the tower 2 while the tower is being lifted and shifted from the vessel 71 to the foundation 60 and to damp the approaching of the tower 2 on the foundation 60, the hook 44 of the crane 45 has a heave compensator 46.

[0116] FIG. 14 shows the removal of the transport system 1 and of the yoke 40 from the second tower end 4. This is done after the tower 2 is fastened to the foundation 60. As both the yoke 40 and the transport system 1 are releasably connected to the second tower end 4, the connections can be detached. For example, if these components are connected by brackets 11 of the coupler unit 10 to the second tower end 4, the brackets 11 then detached from the second tower end 4. The tower 2 then stands on the foundation 60 and the nacelle can be coupled to the second tower end 4.

[0117] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred 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.

[0118] 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 LIST

[0119] 1 Transport system [0120] 2 Tower [0121] 3 First tower end [0122] 4 Second tower end [0123] 5 Frame [0124] 6 Wing [0125] 7 Base [0126] 10 Coupler unit [0127] 11 Bracket [0128] 12 Bracket tongue [0129] 13 Fastener [0130] 20 First fastening hole [0131] 21 Second fastening hole [0132] 22 Third fastening hole [0133] 27 Eighth fastening hole [0134] 30 Trailer [0135] 31 Lifting unit [0136] 32 Lifting unit leg [0137] 33 Lifting unit arm [0138] 34 Support [0139] 40 Yoke [0140] 41 Lifting trunnion [0141] 42 Yoke tongue [0142] 43 Belt [0143] 44 Hook [0144] 45 Crane [0145] 46 Heave compensator [0146] 50 Upending device [0147] 51 Primary axis of rotation [0148] 52 Secondary axis of rotation [0149] 53 Rotating element [0150] 54 Wheels [0151] 55 Clamping system [0152] 56 Upending arm [0153] 57 Primary axis bearing [0154] 58 Secondary axis bearing [0155] 59 Stationary element [0156] 60 Foundation [0157] 70 Storage facility [0158] 71 Vessel [0159] 72 Rails [0160] 73 Ramp