TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRANSPORTING A TOWER OF A WIND TURBINE

Abstract

A transport system for transporting a tower of a wind turbine including a frame coupled to a tower end of the tower, a wing coupled to the frame, and a lifting unit configured to lift the tower is provided. A tower of a wind turbine including the transport system is also provided. A method of transporting a tower of a wind turbine using the transport system is also provided.

Claims

1. A transport system for transporting a tower of a wind turbine comprising: a frame coupled to a tower end of the tower, a wing coupled to the frame, and a lifting unit configured to lift the tower, wherein the lifting unit lifts the tower by pushing against the wing, wherein the tower is at least partially supported by the lifting unit during transport.

2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system further comprises a coupler unit to couple the frame to the tower end.

3. The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the coupler unit is releasably connected to the tower end by means of a fastener.

4. The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the coupler unit comprises a plurality of brackets distributed along the circumference of the tower end.

5. The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the frame is releasably connected to the coupler unit by means of the fastener.

6. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the wing is releasably connected to the frame by means of the fastener.

7. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the wing is releasably connected to the frame by means of a locking profile.

8. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system further comprises a base configured to support the weight of the tower.

9. The transport system according to claim 8, wherein the base is an integral part of the frame.

10. The transport system according to claim 8, wherein the base is a separate part of the frame.

11. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the lifting unit comprises detachable legs configured to be placed on the lifting unit during transport.

12. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the lifting unit comprises an extendable lifting arm configured to push against the wing to lift the tower.

13. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein two wings are coupled to the frame.

14. A tower of a wind turbine comprising the transport system according to claim 1 coupled to each tower end.

15. A method of transporting the tower of a wind turbine according to claim 14, comprising the steps of: coupling a frame to each tower end, coupling a wing to each frame, pushing against the wing of each frame with the lifting unit to lift the tower off the ground, and transporting the tower.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0063] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0064] FIG. 1 shows the process of coupling a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0065] FIG. 2 shows the process of coupling a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0066] FIG. 3 shows the process of coupling a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0067] FIG. 4 shows the process of coupling a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention:

[0068] FIG. 5 shows the mounting and transport of a lifting unit on a trailer;

[0069] FIG. 6 shows the mounting and transport of a lifting unit on a trailer;

[0070] FIG. 7 shows a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention coupled to a tower end and the lifting of the tower by means of the lifting unit and the transport system;

[0071] FIG. 8 shows a transport system according to another embodiment of the invention coupled to a tower end and the lifting of the tower by means of the lifting unit and the transport system;

[0072] FIG. 9 shows the coupling of a coupler unit according to another embodiment of the invention to a tower end of the tower;

[0073] FIG. 10 shows the coupling of a yoke to a transport system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0074] FIG. 11 shows a tower with a transport system according to one embodiment of the invention coupled to a tower end and a transport system according to another embodiment of the invention coupled to the other tower end;

[0075] FIG. 12 shows the transport of a tower to a storage facility; and

[0076] FIG. 13 shows the transport of a tower on a vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] FIGS. 1 to 4 show the coupling of a transport system 1 to a tower end 3 of a 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 tower end 3 and two wings 6 attached to the frame 5. During the coupling 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.

[0078] FIG. 1 shows the attachment of the coupler unit 10 to the tower end 3. The tower end 3 comprises a plurality of first fastening holes 20, which could be the fastening holes used to attach the tower to the foundation or the 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 tower end 3. For this, fasteners 13 are inserted in both the first fastening holes 20 of the tower end 3 and second fastening holes 21 of the coupler unit 10.

[0079] In this embodiment shown, the coupler unit 10 comprises four brackets 11 distributed along the circumference of the tower end 3, 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 or fasteners can be used.

[0080] 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.

[0081] Each bracket 11 of the coupler unit 10 further comprises a bracket tongue 12 configured to be coupled to the frame 5. 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 transport system 1, 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.

[0082] In FIG. 2, the frame 5 is attached to the tower end 3 of the tower 2 by fastening the frame 5 to the coupler unit 10, the coupler unit 10 being already fastened to the tower end 3. For this, the frame 5 comprises a plurality of fourth fastening holes 23 corresponding to the third fastening holes 22 of the bracket tongues 12 of the coupler unit 10. Fasteners 13 are inserted in both the fourth fastening holes 23 of the frame 5 and the third fastening holes 22 of the brackets 11 to couple the frame 5 to each bracket 11 and, thus, to couple the frame 5 to the tower end 3 of the tower 2. As the lower brackets 11 support a higher load due to the weight of the tower 2, they both comprise two third fastening holes 22 at each bracket tongue 12. Hence, the frame 5 comprises at is lower part two fourth fastening holes 23 at each side configured to be inserted by fasteners 13 and coupled to the corresponding third fastening holes 22 of the coupler unit 10.

[0083] Once the frame 5 is attached to the tower end 3, the tower 2 can be supported by the frame 5. For this, the frame 5 of the transport system 1 has a base 7 which is formed as an integral part of the frame 5, which means that the frame 5 and the base 7 are formed as a single body.

[0084] FIG. 3 shows the next step of the attachment of the transport system 1. In this embodiment, two wings 6 are coupled to the frame 5 at each side of the frame 5. Each wing 6 has two locking profiles 14, which are configured to be coupled to a complementary locking profile 14 of the frame 5. Hence, the wings 6 and the frame 5 can be locked together via said profiling, wherein the locking is achieved by shifting a locking element 15 of the locking profiles 14 of the wings 6 in a receptor element 16 of the locking profiles 14 of the frame 5. The locking element 15 is a protruding tab designed to mate with the receptor element 16, which is designed as an aperture. The locking is achieved by first shifting the wings 6 horizontally towards the edge of the frame 5 until the locking elements 15 of the wings 6 are horizontally aligned with the receptor elements 16 of the frame 5, and subsequently by shifting the wings 6 vertically so that the locking elements 15 are locked in the receptor elements 16.

[0085] FIG. 4 shows the last step of the attachment of the transport system 1. Here, the wings 6 are secured by stoppers 17, so that the locking profiles 14 of both the wings 6 and the frame 5 do not detach. The stoppers 17, in this case configured as pins, are inserted in insertion holes 24 bored at the frame 5 below each wing 6. The stoppers 17 prevent the wings 6 to vertically shift down and therefore the locking elements 15 of the wings 6 to detach from the receptor elements 16 of the frame 5.

[0086] Additionally, the wings have each one sixth fastening hole 26 corresponding to a fifth fastening hole 25 of the frame 5 to further secure and fasten the wings 6 to the frame 5 by means of a fastener 13, inserted in the sixth fastening hole 26 and the fifth fastening hole 25. This is an additional measure to secure that the locking profiles 14 do not detach during transport.

[0087] FIG. 5 shows a lifting unit 31 which is used to lift the tower 2 of the wind turbine for transport. The lifting unit 31 comprises detachable lifting unit legs 32 for easily mounting the lifting unit 31 on a trailer 30 and to reduce the space needed on the trailer 30. The lifting unit 31 further comprises a lifting unit arm 33 which is extendable in order to lift the tower 2.

[0088] The lifting unit 31 is mounted on the lifting unit legs 32 to easily shift the trailer 30 under the lifting unit 31 and mount the lifting unit 31 on the trailer 30. The trailer 30 shown here is a 10 axle SPMT.

[0089] Once the lifting unit 31 is mounted on the trailer 30, the lifting unit legs 32 can be detached and secured on the lifting unit 31 for the transport, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0090] FIG. 7 shows the alignment of the lifting unit 31 under the wing 6 in order to lift the tower 2. For each wing 6, a lifting unit 31 is used. The lifting unit arms 33 are placed under each wing and extended, so that the tower 2 is lifted. The extension of the lifting unit arms 33 can be done using hydraulics.

[0091] FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the transport system 1 with a single wing 6. In this case, only one lifting unit 31 is used at this tower end 3 in order to lift the tower 2. The lifting unit 31 is in this case standing on two trailers 30, however it is also possible to use a single trailer 30 for the lifting unit 31.

[0092] FIG. 9 shows the coupling of a coupler unit 10 according to another embodiment of the invention to a tower end 3 of the tower 2 of a wind turbine. The tower end 3 comprises a plurality of first fastening holes 20, which are used to couple the coupler unit 10 to the tower end 3. For this, fasteners 13 are inserted in both the first fastening holes 20 of the tower end 3 and second fastening holes 21 of the coupler unit 10.

[0093] In this embodiment shown, the coupler unit 10 comprises four brackets 11 distributed along the circumference of the tower end 3, 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 or fasteners can be used.

[0094] 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. 10. 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, as shown here. To attach the frame 5 to the bracket 11 as seen in FIG. 10, the bracket tongue 12 has third fastening holes 22 configured to be fastened by fasteners 13.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 10, once the frame 5 is attached to the tower end 3, 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. After coupling the frame 5 to the coupler unit 10, two wings 6 are coupled to the frame 5 at each side of the frame 5.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 10, a yoke 40 can be 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 means of 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.

[0097] FIG. 11 shows a tower 2 with a transport system 1 according to one embodiment of the invention coupled to a tower end 3 and a transport system 1 according to another embodiment of the invention coupled to the other tower end 2. At one tower end 3, the transport system 1 is configured as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, with a coupler unit 10, a frame 5 with an integral base 7 and two side wings 6. At the other tower end 3, the transport system 1 is configured as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, 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 one tower end 3 configured to rotate the tower 2 while the crane lifts the yoke 40 attached to the other tower end 3.

[0098] 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.

[0099] FIG. 12 shows the transport of the tower 2 using the transport system 1. The tower 2 was lifted using the methods described above and is then transported with the trailers 30. The trailers 30 are SPMT. Four 10 axle SPMT's are used, one in each corner, where in FIG. 12 only two trailers 30 are shown. A load spreading structure is made for each SPMT, which also allows the SPMT to rotate slightly when driving on uneven terrain.

[0100] In this figure, the tower 2 is transported to a storage facility 70 and then stored there. Due to the modular design of the transport system 1, the wings 6 can be removed of the tower 2 in the storage facility 70 to reduce the space needed to store the tower 2. When the tower 2 is transported again, the wings 6 can be reattached to the transport system 1.

[0101] FIG. 13 shows the loading of a vessel 71 with towers 2 for the installation of offshore wind turbines. The towers are transported with four 10-axle SPMT as trailers 30. A ramp 73 with a platform is used to load the towers 2. The platform can be a floating platform or a static platform, which is raised and lowered following the tide. Additionally, the lifting unit 31 can lift the tower 2 at each end of the tower 3 to a sufficient height to avoid that the tower 2 hits the ground when it is loaded on the ramp 73 to the vessel 71. For example, it avoids a collision against the ground at low tides, where the height difference between the vessel 71 and the harbor is high. The upending devices 50 used for upending the tower 2 at the installation site are also shown in this figure.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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

[0104] 1 Transport system

[0105] 2 Tower

[0106] 3 Tower end

[0107] 5 Frame

[0108] 6 Wing

[0109] 7 Base

[0110] 10 Coupler unit

[0111] 11 Bracket

[0112] 12 Bracket tongue

[0113] 13 Fastener

[0114] 14 Locking profile

[0115] 15 Locking element

[0116] 16 Receptor element

[0117] 17 Stopper

[0118] 20 First fastening hole

[0119] 21 Second fastening hole

[0120] 22 Third fastening hole

[0121] 23 Fourth fastening hole

[0122] 24 Insertion hole

[0123] 25 Fifth fastening hole

[0124] 26 Sixth fastening hole

[0125] 27 Eighth fastening hole

[0126] 30 Trailer

[0127] 31 Lifting unit

[0128] 32 Lifting unit leg

[0129] 33 Lifting unit arm

[0130] 34 Support

[0131] 40 Yoke

[0132] 41 Lifting trunnion

[0133] 42 Yoke tongue

[0134] 50 Upending device

[0135] 70 Storage facility

[0136] 71 Vessel

[0137] 72 Rails

[0138] 73 Ramp