Device for a cable guide of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade of a wind turbine

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device for a cable guide of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade, which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, of a wind turbine. A device is provided which, with simple means, ensures a reliable and gentle guidance of cables from the rotor hub into the rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein pitching of the rotor blade should not be hindered and reliable energy supply of the electrical components in or on the rotor blade should be ensured. The rotor hub includes a bracket and the rotor blade includes a blade base. The cable guide is arranged centered in the middle between the bracket and the blade base and includes a cable ladder.

Claims

1. A device for cable guidance of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the rotor hub including a bracket and the rotor blade including a blade base, the device comprising: a cable guide arranged between the bracket and the blade base; said cable guide including a cable ladder having two support cables running side by side in spaced relationship to each other; said cable ladder further including a plurality of rungs arranged between said two support cables for accommodating thereon said cables running between said rotor hub and said rotor blade; a first fastener; a second fastener; and, said cable ladder being elastically connected to one of said bracket and said blade base via one of said first fastener and said second fastener.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said support cables of said cable ladder are respective steel cables which run in parallel to each other.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second fasteners includes lifting eyes or shackles.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said cable ladder is fixedly connected to the other one of said bracket and said blade base via the other one of said first fastener and said second fastener.

5. A device for cable guidance of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the rotor hub including a bracket and the rotor blade including a blade base, the device comprising: a cable guide arranged centered in a middle position between the bracket and the blade base; said cable guide including a cable ladder; a first fastener; a second fastener; said cable ladder being elastically connected to the bracket via said first fastener and being fixedly connected to the blade base via said second fastener; said first fastener including a bolt arranged below the bracket, a lifting eye arranged above the bracket, and a spring; said bolt being guided below the bracket by said spring; and, said lifting eye being connected fixedly to said bolt.

6. A device for cable guidance of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the rotor hub including a bracket and the rotor blade including a blade base, the device comprising: a cable guide arranged centered in a middle position between the bracket and the blade base; said cable guide including a cable ladder; a first fastener; a second fastener; said cable ladder being elastically connected to the bracket via said first fastener and being fixedly connected to the blade base via said second fastener; and, said cable ladder including two steel cables and being elastically connected on only one of said two steel cables with said first fastener.

7. A device for cable guidance of cables between a rotor hub and a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the rotor hub including a bracket and the rotor blade including a blade base, the device comprising: a cable guide arranged centered in a middle position between the bracket and the blade base; said cable guide including a cable ladder; a first fastener; a second fastener; said cable ladder being elastically connected to the bracket via said first fastener and being fixedly connected to the blade base via said second fastener; said cable ladder including two steel cables which run in parallel and a plurality of rungs arranged between said two steel cables at even distances; said rungs defining fastening holes; and, said two steel cables being fixed on said rungs in said fastening holes with holders.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a wind turbine;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the rotor hub with the rotor blade connected thereto;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the bracket of the rotor hub; and,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cut-out of the bracket with a schematic representation of the fastening of the device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a wind turbine 1 which includes a tower 3 and a nacelle 2 mounted rotatably on the top of the tower. Nacelle 2 is connected to a rotor hub 5 which itself is connected to, for example, three rotor blades 4. The device for a cable guide 6 from the rotor hub into the rotor blade of wind turbine 1 carries the signal and power cables for the stated sensors. As also mentioned further above, cable guide 6 of flexible supply and/or control lines represents a problem at the interface between rotor hub 5 and rotor blade 4 since rotor blade 4 is rotated in relation to stationary rotor hub 5. Pitching of a rotor blade is generally carried out in an angle range from 0° to 90°. Cable guide 6 must be configured so that the rotational movement of rotor blade 4 does not lead to any damage to cables 64.

(7) FIG. 2 schematically shows rotor hub 5 with rotor blade 4 connected thereto. The device for cable guide 6 is arranged centered in the middle between bracket 51 of rotor hub 5 and blade base 41 of rotor blade 4. FIG. 3 schematically shows bracket 51. The device includes a cable ladder 61 which is connected via fasteners 7 to bracket 51 and via fasteners 8 to blade base 41. Cable ladder 61 includes two steel cables 62 which run in parallel and between which rungs 63 made of sheet metal or flat steel are arranged at even distances. Rungs 63 are fastened via wire cable clamps to steel cables 62. Cables 64 are fixed with holders, here cable ties which are not represented in greater detail, to rungs 63 in fastening holes provided for this purpose.

(8) A cut-out of bracket 51 is represented in FIG. 4. The fastening of the device according to the invention to bracket 51 can furthermore be seen. Steel cables 62 of cable ladder 61 are connected by respective fasteners 7 to bracket 51. A fastener 7 for fastening to bracket 51 includes a bolt 71 below bracket 51, a lifting eye 72 above the bracket 51 and a spring 73 by which bolt 71 is guided below bracket 51. Lifting eye 72 is connected fixedly to bolt 71. The steel cable 62 is guided through lifting eye 72 and held in lifting eye 72 via a thimble 65 and cable clamps. Steel cable 62 is suspended elastically via spring 73 as a result of this arrangement—steel cable 62, lifting eye 72, bolt 71 with spring 73—as a result of which a certain expansion of cable ladder 61 can arise if rotor blade 4 is pitched and cable ladder 61 is subject to torsion. Described fastener 7 is furthermore very secure since the entire system cannot be ripped out of bracket 51, this being prevented by bolt 71. It is possible that spring 73 is arranged only on one steel cable 62 since the torsion in the event of a rotation of rotor blade 4 is not as large by at most 90°. If, however, the distance between blade base 41 and bracket 51 should be small, for example, if no extender is arranged, a fastener 7 can also be fitted on both steel cables 62 of cable ladder 61.

(9) The fastening of cable ladder 61 to blade base 41 which is generally made of GRP is not represented. This fastening is carried out via fasteners 8 which are connected fixedly to blade base 41. For example, lifting eyes or shackles can be connected fixedly to blade base 41, steel cable 62 being guided through the lifting eyes and being held via thimbles and cable clamps in the lifting eyes.

(10) Since the previous device described in detail for a cable guide 6 from a rotor hub 5 into a rotor blade 4 of a wind turbine 1 is an exemplary embodiment, it can be modified to a large extent as normal by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the concrete configuration of cable ladder 61 can proceed in a different form than that described here. Fasteners 7 and 8 can also be configured in a different form if this is necessary on the grounds of space or for reasons of configuration. The use of the indeterminate article “a” furthermore does not rule out that the relevant features may also be present several times.

(11) It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

(12) 1 Wind turbine 2 Nacelle 3 Tower 4 Rotor blade 41 Blade base of a rotor blade 4 5 Rotor hub 51 Bracket of rotor hub 5 6 Cable guide 61 Cable ladder 62 Steel cable 63 Rungs 64 Cable 65 Thimble 7 Fastener on bracket 51 71 Bolt 72 Lifting eye 73 Spring 8 Fastener on blade base 41