Abstract
Provided is a wind turbine component transport arrangement including a plurality of rotor blade support frames; a plurality of nacelle support frames; and a plurality of tower section support frames; wherein the dimensions of a support frame correspond to the dimensions of a stack of standard containers. Also provided is a method of transporting wind turbine components on a containership using such a wind turbine component transport arrangement.
Claims
1. A wind turbine component transport arrangement comprising: a plurality of rotor blade support frames; a plurality of nacelle support frames; and a plurality of tower section support frames; wherein dimensions of a support frame correspond to dimensions of a stack of standard containers.
2. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises a number of corner castings, further wherein a corner casting is shaped to engage with a containership twistlock.
3. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a lower edge of the support frame is shaped to engage with an upper edge of a further support frame.
4. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a width of the support frame corresponds to a length of a 40-foot standard container.
5. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a height of the support frame is an integer multiple of a standard container height.
6. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a rotor blade support frame comprises a bolt circle to receive a root end of a rotor blade.
7. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a rotor blade support frame comprises an airfoil clamp to support an airfoil portion of a rotor blade.
8. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a tower section support frame comprises a bolt circle to receive a flange of a tower section.
9. The wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a nacelle support frame comprises a cradle shaped to support a nacelle.
10. A method of transporting wind turbine components on a containership using the wind turbine component transport arrangement according to claim 1, of the method comprising: preparing a component frame assembly by securing a wind turbine component to a number of support frames; lifting the component frame assembly onto a deck or into a cargo hold of the containership; and placing the component frame assembly in a space provided for the stack of standard containers.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising stacking a component frame assembly on top of another component frame assembly.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein a step of preparing a rotor blade frame assembly comprises attaching a root end of a rotor blade to a bolt circle of a first rotor blade support frame, and securing an airfoil portion of the rotor blade to an airfoil clamp of a second rotor blade support frame.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein a step of preparing a tower section frame assembly comprises attaching a flange at one end of a tower section to a bolt circle of a first tower section support frame, and attaching a flange at another end of the tower section to a bolt circle of a second tower section support frame.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein a step of preparing a nacelle frame assembly comprises mounting a nacelle onto a nacelle cradle of a nacelle support frame.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the component frame assembly is positioned in the containership such that a longitudinal axis is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the containership.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0029] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a stack of standard 40-foot containers;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a containership loaded according to the inventive method;
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a rotor blade frame assembly of an embodiment of the inventive transport arrangement;
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a tower section frame assembly of an embodiment of the inventive transport arrangement;
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a nacelle frame assembly of an embodiment of the inventive transport arrangement;
[0035] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of a containership to illustrate a possible loading sequence for the inventive transport arrangement;
[0036] FIG. 7 shows a detail of a support frame of the inventive transport arrangement; and
[0037] FIG. 8 shows a prior art approach to using a containership 3 to transport wind turbine rotor blades 51.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] FIG. 1 shows a stack SC of standard 40-foot containers C. Each container C can have a length C.sub.L of 40′ (12.192 m), a width C.sub.W of 8′ (2.438 m) and a height C.sub.H of 8′6″ (2.591 m). The stack SC of containers C has a width C.sub.L that corresponds to a single container length C.sub.L. The stack length SC.sub.L is an integer multiple of the container width C.sub.W. In this exemplary embodiment, the stack length SC.sub.L is ten times the container width C.sub.W. The stack height SC.sub.H is an integer multiple of the container height C.sub.H. In this exemplary embodiment, the stack height SC.sub.H is four times the container height C.sub.H. Each frame assembly that will be used to transport a wind turbine component will be dimensioned to fit into the space occupied by such a container stack SC, whereby the frame height and frame length can be determined by the dimensions of the component that are to be transported, while at the same time being an integer multiple of a container height C.sub.H and a container width C.sub.W, respectively.
[0039] FIG. 2 shows a containership 3 that can be loaded with standard 40′ containers C. The diagram indicates the usual tight packing configuration of containers C in a stack SC at the prow of the ship. The containers C are arranged lengthwise with respect to the fore-aft axis 3.sub.XL of the ship 3. A typical containership can have a length of about 300 m and a width of about 40 m, and it shall be understood that larger containerships are currently being deployed. Instead of transporting such stacked containers, the containership 3 is used to transport wind turbine components in frame assemblies. Some exemplary frame assemblies 1RA are indicated in the diagram, carrying rotor blades 51. Each frame assembly 1RA occupies a rectangular volume that corresponds to the volume that would be occupied by a stack of containers as explained in FIG. 1. The rotor blade frame assemblies 1RA are arranged so that each rotor blade lies parallel to the port-starboard axis 3.sub.XW of the ship 3. The rotor blades 51 are longer than the ship is wide, and extend beyond the port side in this embodiment.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows a rotor blade frame assembly 1RA. The diagram shows two rotor blade support frames 1R, each based on an end frame 10F which has been modified for the purpose of supporting a rotor blade. The root end 511 of a rotor blade 51 is connected to the bolt ring 10R of a first rotor blade support frame 1R by fasteners. The airfoil portion 512 of the rotor blade 51 is held in a cradle 10C of a second rotor blade support frame 1R. The vertical rotor blade support frames 1R are arranged at a distance corresponding to the length SC.sub.L of a container stack SC as explained in FIG. 1. Similarly, the height of a rotor blade support frame 1R corresponds to the height SC.sub.H of a container stack SC, and the width of a rotor blade support frame 1R corresponds to the width C.sub.L of a container stack SC, i.e. to the length C.sub.L of a standard container C. For a rotor blade 51 with a root end diameter of 8 m and a length of 100 m or more, the dimensions of the support frame 1R and the frame assembly 1RA may be based on a 3×20 stack of 40-foot containers. The containers that could fit into this volume are indicated in the diagram by ghost outlines. The rotor blade frame assembly 1RA can be lifted from the assembly site (e.g. from the quayside of a container port) onto the upper deck of the containership, for example using a synchronized pair of cranes acting in tandem, each crane lifting one of the rotor blade support frames 1R.
[0041] FIG. 4 shows a tower section frame assembly 1TA. The diagram shows two tower section support frames 1T, each based on an end frame 10F which has been modified for the purpose of supporting a tower section. Each circular end of a tower section 52 is connected to the bolt ring 10R of a tower section support frame 1T by fasteners. The vertical tower section support frames 1T are arranged at a distance corresponding to the length SC.sub.L of a container stack SC as explained in FIG. 1. Similarly, the height of a tower section support frame 1T corresponds to the height SC.sub.H of a container stack SC, and the width of a tower section support frame 1T corresponds to the width C.sub.L of a container stack SC, i.e. to the length C.sub.L of a standard container C. For a tower section 52 with an end diameter in the order of 8 m and a length of 50-55 m, the dimensions of the support frame 1T and the frame assembly 1TA may be based on a 4×20 stack of 40-foot containers. The height of such a stack exceeds 10 m, so that the frame assembly 1TA can be used for tower sections with a diameter in the order of 10 m (such diameters will not be unusual in future wind turbines). The containers that could fit into this volume are indicated in the diagram by ghost outlines. The tower section frame assembly 1TA can be lifted from the assembly site (e.g. a container port) onto the upper deck of the containership, for example using a synchronized pair of cranes acting in tandem, each crane lifting one of the vertical tower section support frames 1T.
[0042] FIG. 5 shows a nacelle frame assembly 1NA, comprising a pre-assembled nacelle 53 (with generator, hub, helicopter hoisting platform and heat-exchanger already installed) secured to a nacelle frame 1N. The nacelle frame 1N in this exemplary embodiment is assembled from a horizontal base frame 10B, two vertical end frames 10F, and frame struts 10S to add stability to the assembly 1NA. Lifting fittings such as eyelets may be assumed to be provided. The nacelle frame assembly 1NA may comprise fittings that secure the nacelle to the frame 1N, for example a cradle 10N that supports the nacelle 53 from underneath, and tensioning means (not shown) for tie-down straps 10L used to securely lash the nacelle 53 to the frame 1N. The end frames 10F are arranged at a distance corresponding to the length SC.sub.L of a container stack SC as explained in FIG. 1. Similarly, the height of an end frame 10F corresponds to the height SC.sub.H of a container stack SC, and the width of an end frame 10F corresponds to the width C.sub.L of a container stack SC, i.e. to the length C.sub.L of a standard container C. For a nacelle 53 with a length in the order of 20-25 m and a height/width in the order of 8.5 m, the dimensions of the support frame 1N and the frame assembly 1NA may be based on a 4×10 stack of 40-foot containers. A support frame 1N with such dimensions can be used in future to transport even larger nacelles, which may be expected to exceed 10 m in width/height. The containers that could fit into this volume are indicated in the diagram by ghost outlines. The nacelle frame assembly 1NA can be lifted from the assembly site (e.g. at a container port) into the cargo hold of a containership 3.
[0043] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of a containership to illustrate a possible loading sequence. In this exemplary embodiment, several nacelle frame assemblies 1NA are first loaded into the cargo hold of the containership 3. These arranged over the complete length (in fore-aft direction) of the hold. Subsequently, tower section frame assemblies 1TA are loaded into the cargo hold. These are arranged on top of the nacelle frame assemblies 1NA to form stacks. Subsequently, rotor blade frame assemblies 1RA are loaded onto the decks of the containership 3. These are also stacked as shown in the diagram. Here, the rotor blade frame assemblies 1RA are loaded and positioned so that root ends of the rotor blades are aligned along the starboard side of the containership 3. Owing to their length, the rotor blades will extend beyond the port side of the containership 3 as explained in FIG. 2.
[0044] The containership 3 is loaded with frame assemblies 1RA, 1TA, 1NA for transport to a destination such as an offshore wind park site. With the later unloading procedure in mind, the component frame assemblies 1RA, 1TA, 1NA can be loaded in a specific sequence that allows wind turbine construction to commence directly once the containership 3 has reached its destination. Such a loading sequence may be compiled so that tower sections and nacelles of two or more wind turbines are directly accessible at the upper levels (along with the corresponding number of rotor blades). Once those wind turbines have been assembled, it is then possible to access the tower sections and nacelles further down in the cargo hold.
[0045] If the containership 3 is used to transport wind turbine components from one port to a destination port, the containership 3 can be loaded with container cargo for its return trip.
[0046] FIG. 7 shows a detail at the corner of a support frame 10F that forms the basis of each support frame 1R, 1T, 1N explained above. The support frame 10F has corner castings 18 at each corner, shaped to engage with a twistlock 33 or other attachment interface provided on a deck of the containership or in the cargo hold.
[0047] FIG. 8 shows a prior art approach to using a containership 3 to transport wind turbine rotor blades 51. The diagram shows a number of rotor blades 51 each supported by a root-end frame 80 and a tip-end frame 81. The dimensions of these frames are based on the width and height of a standard container so that each rotor blade 51 can be transported by lorry, rail, or ship. However, this means that the rotor blades 51 can only be loaded in a fore-aft direction on the containership. As explained above, it is not possible to use such frames to support tower sections or nacelles, so this approach can only be used to transport rotor blades 51, and only in the configuration shown here. Furthermore, the rotor blade length is limited to the available deck space in fore-aft direction, so that this approach may not be possible for very long rotor blades.
[0048] 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.
[0049] 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.
