WIND TURBINE HUB

Abstract

Provide is a wind turbine hub including at least a main body portion realized for connection to a plurality of rotor blades, and including an interior cavity dimensioned to accommodate service personnel; a removable access hatch arranged at the front of the hub; a locking arrangement realized to lock the access hatch in place and to release the access hatch from its locked state to expose an access opening at the front of the hub; and wherein the access hatch and locking arrangement are constructed to allow the released access hatch to be moved only into the interior cavity of the main body portion. Also provided is a method of operating an access hatch of such a wind turbine hub and a wind turbine.

Claims

1. A wind turbine hub comprising at least a main body portion realized for connection to a plurality of rotor blades, and comprising an interior cavity dimensioned to accommodate service personnel; a removable access hatch arranged at the front of the hub; a locking arrangement realized to lock the access hatch in place and to release the access hatch from its locked state to expose an access opening at the front of the hub; and wherein the access hatch and locking arrangement are constructed to allow the released access hatch to be moved only into the interior cavity of the main body portion.

2. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, wherein the removable access hatch is realized as the foremost portion of the wind turbine hub.

3. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, wherein the locking arrangement is accessible from the interior cavity.

4. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, wherein the locking arrangement comprises a first annular structure arranged about the access hatch and a complementary second annular structure arranged on the main body portion.

5. The wind turbine hub according to claim 4, wherein each annular structure comprises an outer diameter and a smaller inner diameter, and wherein the outer diameter of the first annular structure exceeds the diameter of the access opening.

6. The wind turbine hub according to claim 4, wherein the locking arrangement comprises a number of two-part locking devices, wherein the first part of a locking device is mounted to the first annular structure and wherein the second part of the locking device is mounted to the second annular structure, and wherein a two-part locking device comprises a release mechanism that can be opened to release the first part from the second part or closed to lock the first part to the second part.

7. The wind turbine hub according to claim 6, wherein the release mechanism comprises a hook arranged in the first part to engage a pin arranged in the second part.

8. The wind turbine hub according to claim 6, wherein the release mechanism is constructed to be actuated by an Allen key.

9. The wind turbine hub according to claim 6, wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least three locking devices arranged equidistantly about the access hatch.

10. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the access opening is at least 0.5 m.

11. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, further comprising an annular adapter realized for mounting between the access hatch and the main body portion, which annular adapter comprises elements of the locking arrangement.

12. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, adapted to accommodate a rescue assembly, which rescue assembly comprises a means of securing a stretcher being moved through the access opening; a hoist rope for connection to the stretcher; and a winch configured to lower the stretcher to a level below the hub.

13. A method of operating an access hatch of a wind turbine hub according to claim 1, comprising the steps of opening the locking arrangement to release the access hatch from its locked state to expose an access opening at the front of the hub, and subsequently moving the released access hatch into the interior cavity of the main body portion; or positioning the access hatch to close the access opening at the front of the hub and subsequently closing the locking arrangement to lock the access hatch in place on the hub.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of opening and closing the locking arrangement are performed with a hand-held Allen key.

15. A wind turbine comprising an aerodynamic rotor, which aerodynamic rotor comprises a number of rotor blades mounted to a hub according to claim 1.

16. The wind turbine hub according to claim 6, wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least six locking devices arranged equidistantly about the access hatch.

17. The wind turbine hub according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the access opening is at least 0.6 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0026] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the wind turbine hub of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a simplified cross-section through the upwind portion of a further embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an inner collar about an access hatch in an embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a cutaway view through mated inner and outer collars in an embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub;

[0032] FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative realization of a locking arrangement;

[0033] FIG. 8 shows a stage during a rescue procedure carried out in an embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub; and

[0034] FIG. 9 shows a release mechanism as used in FIGS. 4 and 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub 2. Maintenance work can be carried out by service personnel P in the interior cavity 210 of the hub 2. The hub 2 comprises a main portion 21 and a two-part nose or front portion 1, 11. The two-part front portion 1, 11 comprises an annular ring 11 that is fixed relative to the main portion 21, and a removable access hatch 1. FIG. 2 shows a front view of the same wind turbine hub 2 after release of the removable access hatch 1, giving a view through an access opening E (with diameter D.sub.E) into the interior 210 of the hub 2. The removable access hatch 1 may be assumed to be stowed in the interior 210 of the hub 2.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a simplified cross-section through the upwind portion of an alternative embodiment of the inventive wind turbine hub 2, showing the wind turbine hub 2 in its closed state (on the left-hand side) and in its open state (on the right-hand side). On the left-hand side, the diagram shows an upwind removable access hatch 1 connected to the downwind hub portion 21 by means of complementary annular structures 10, 20 in the form of flanges or collars, and a lock/release mechanism (not shown). The diagram serves to illustrate the inward displacement of the removable access hatch 1 into the interior cavity 210 of the hub 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow. This is facilitated by the orientation of the annular collars 10, 20. By releasing the removable access hatch 1 and pulling it into the interior cavity 210, an access opening E with a diameter D.sub.E is revealed. An injured person can be placed on a stretcher and comfortably transferred through the exit opening from the hub to the outside.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the inner collar 10, i.e. the collar or flange formed about the access hatch 1. The diagram indicates a possible complex shape of the inner collar 10, with raised and recessed portions that will provide a form-fit with a complementary inward-facing collar 20 (shown in FIG. 3) formed about the access opening at the front of the hub. This diagram also shows a number of release mechanism parts 30 attached to the inner collar 10. Each release mechanism first part 30 has a latch hook 31 that will engage a pin of a release mechanism second part 30B. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, which shows a cutaway view through the mated or locked inner and outer collars 10, 20. The diagram shows a number of two-part release mechanisms 30, one in cutaway view, showing a latch hook 31 of a first part 30A engaged with a pin 32 of a second part 30B. The diagram also indicates a hex socket 33. An Allen key can be inserted into the hex socket 33 and turned to either open the release mechanism or to close it.

[0038] Several such release mechanisms 30 are provided about the circumference of the access opening. While three can be sufficient to hold the removable access hatch 1 in place, it may be preferred to provide more, for example six, nine, or twelve such release mechanisms.

[0039] FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative realization of a locking arrangement. Here, FIG. 6 shows a section of the first annular collar 10 arranged about the removable access hatch 1. The diagram also shows a projecting structure 100 of the lock/release mechanism, shaped as a flat foot. The projecting structure 100 has sloped side faces. FIG. 7 shows a section of the second annular collar 20 arranged to face inwards to the interior cavity of the hub. This annular collar 20 can be part of the main body portion of the hub for attaching to the access hatch or can be part of a two-part nose which is mounted to the main body portion of the hub. The diagram also shows a recess 200 of the lock/release mechanism, shaped with slanted side faces to accommodate the projecting structure 100 of the first annular collar 10 of FIG. 6. This second collar 20 is shaped to lie against the first collar 10 when the footrests inside the shoe. The foot may be regarded as a male part of a form-fit connection, while the shoe may be regarded as a female part.

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a stage during a rescue procedure. An injured person has been placed on a stretcher 4 which can be moved through the access opening E. A hoist rope (not shown) may be assumed to be connected to the stretcher 4, and a winch (not shown) is provided in the hub interior to lower the stretcher 40 to a level below the hub 2.

[0041] FIG. 9 shows a release mechanism 30 as used in the embodiment described in FIGS. 4 and 5. The diagram shows the two-part release mechanism 30 comprising a first part 30A and a second part 30B. Each of these can be bolted riveted or otherwise fastened to the inner collar 10 and outer collar 20 respectively. The diagram also shows a moveable hook 31 which is shaped to engage with a pin positioned inside the second part 30B. To move the hook 31, a hex socket 33 is provided. An Allen key 5 is used to rotate the hex socket in one direction to release the hook 31 from the pin, or to rotate the hex socket in the opposite direction to engage the hook 31 with the pin.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.