METHOD OF MOUNTING A SEGMENTED GENERATOR OF A WIND TURBINE, GENERATOR SEGMENT, SEGMENTED GENERATOR AND WIND TURBINE

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods for mounting a segmented generator of a wind turbine, wherein the segmented generator for the operation of the wind turbine is formed from two or more generator segments, wherein the generator segments each have a stator segment and a rotor segment, wherein the stator segment for fastening the stator segment to a machine carrier flange of a machine carrier has a stator flange and the rotor segment for fastening to a rotor carrier of a main bearing has a rotor flange, wherein the two or more generator segments in the circumferential direction (U) each extend between two connection interfaces (V1, V2) which are formed for connection with connection interfaces (V1, V2) of generator segments arranged adjacent in the circumferential direction (U).

Claims

1. A method for mounting a segmented generator of a wind turbine, wherein the segmented generator for operation of the wind turbine is formed from two or more generator segments, wherein the generator segments each have a stator segment and a rotor segment, wherein the stator segment for fastening the stator segment to a machine carrier flange of a machine carrier has a stator flange and the rotor segment for fastening to a rotor carrier of a main bearing has a rotor flange, wherein the two or more generator segments, in a circumferential direction (U), each extend between two connection interfaces (V1, V2) which are formed for connection with corresponding connection interfaces (V1, V2) of adjacent generator segments arranged in the circumferential direction (U), the method comprising: providing a tower the wind turbine in an installation state, providing the machine carrier; and lifting and positioning of the machine carrier at an upper end of the tower, such that the machine carrier can be rotatably coupled to the tower via a tower bearing, pre-fixing the machine carrier to the tower for mounting purposes, such that the machine carrier is rotatably mounted with respect to the tower via the tower bearing, providing two or more generator segments in a transport position, wherein the stator segment and the rotor segment of the respective generator segment are connected to one another, lifting and positioning one of the two or more provided generator segments from the transport position to a mounting position in which the stator flange is arranged on the machine carrier flange, pre-fixing the generator segment for mounting purposes via the stator flange on the machine carrier flange in the mounting position, lifting and positioning at least one additional one of the two or more generator segments from the transport position into a further mounting position on the machine carrier flange of the machine carrier such that the pre-fixed generator segment is connectable to the generator segment positioned in the further mounting position via the connection interfaces of the respective generator segments, pre-fixing the further generator segment for mounting purposes in the further mounting position via at least one of: the stator flange to the machine carrier flange or at the pre-fixed generator segment via the connection interfaces of the respective generator segments, whereby the lifting, positioning and pre-fixing with further of the two or more generator segments are repeated until the lifted, positioned and fixed generator segments form the segmented generator, providing the main bearing and a hub fastened to the main bearing in the transport position, wherein three rotor blade bearings are preferably provided on the hub, wherein the main bearing includes the rotor carrier and an axle journal, wherein the rotor carrier for the operation of the segmented generator is rotatably mounted relative to the axle journal, lifting and positioning the main bearing such that the stator flange of the stator segment is arranged between the machine carrier flange and the axle journal, and fastening the axle flange to the machine carrier flange for the operation of the wind turbine, wherein the stator flange of the stator segment is arranged between the machine carrier flange and the axle journal, wherein the rotor carrier for mounting rotor blades on the hub is not yet or will not yet be connected to the respective rotor segments of the generator segments.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a first rotor blade, lifting and positioning the first rotor blade at a first rotor blade bearing of the three rotor blade bearings, and fastening the first rotor blade to the first rotor blade bearing, wherein the first rotor blade bearing is provided in a 4 o'clock position or in an 8 o'clock position such that a connection of the first rotor blade to the first rotor blade bearing is made in the 4 o'clock position or in the 8 o'clock position.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: providing a second rotor blade, lifting and positioning the second rotor blade on a second rotor blade bearing of the three rotor blade bearings, and fastening the second rotor blade to the second rotor blade bearing, wherein the second rotor blade bearing is provided in a 4 o'clock position or in an 8 o'clock position, so that a connection of the second rotor blade to the second rotor blade bearing is made in the 4 o'clock position or in the 8 o'clock position.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: providing a third rotor blade, rotating the hub with the two fastened rotor blades such that one of the two rotor blades is aligned in a 10 o'clock position and the other of the two rotor blades is aligned in a 6 o'clock position, lifting and positioning the third rotor blade on a third rotor blade bearing of the three rotor blade bearings, and fastening the third rotor blade to the third rotor blade bearing, wherein the third rotor blade bearing is provided in a 2 o'clock position or in a 10 o'clock position such that a connection of the third rotor blade to the third rotor blade bearing is made in the 2 o'clock position or in the 10 o'clock position.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the stator segment of at least one generator segment, in a region of the stator flange, has a locking device and the rotor carrier of the main bearing has a locking receiver, in which the locking device engages in order to prevent a rotational movement of the rotor carrier and the hub with respect to the stator segment or the machine carrier, respectively, during the mounting of one of the rotor blades in a mounting position, and releases to allow a rotational movement of the rotor carrier and the hub with respect to the stator segment or the machine carrier, respectively, into a mounting position for the mounting of one of the rotor blades, and the method further comprises: locking the rotor carrier of the main bearing to at least one of the stator segment or the machine carrier before mounting the first rotor blade on the hub, releasing the lock after mounting the first two rotor blades on the hub, rotating the hub with the two mounted rotor blades before mounting the third rotor blade such that one of the two mounted rotor blades is aligned in a 6 o'clock position and the other of the two rotor blades is aligned in a 10 o'clock position or in a 2 o'clock position, locking the rotor carrier of the main bearing to at least one of the stator segment or the machine carrier before mounting the third rotor blade on the hub, and mounting the third rotor blade on the hub.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the locking device comprises at least one displaceable locking bolt and the locking receiver on the rotor carrier forms at least one bolt receiver opening corresponding to the locking bolt, wherein at least one of: the locking includes a displacing of the at least one locking bolt into the corresponding bolt receiver opening, or the releasing includes a displacing of the at least one locking bolt out of the corresponding bolt receiver opening.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: connecting the rotor carrier to the respective rotor segments of the generator segments, and releasing the stator segment from the rotor segment so that the rotor is rotatable with respect to the stator.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generator segments in the circumferential direction each extend between two connection interfaces, and the method further comprises: preparing the connection interfaces of the generator segments for the mounting of adjacently arranged generator segments, and fastening the connection interfaces of the adjacently arranged generator segments.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: fastening the pre-fixed generator segments for operating the wind turbine, after mounting the rotor blades or without a crane, or fastening the pre-fixed machine carrier to the tower for operating the wind turbine, after mounting the rotor blades or without the crane.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: fastening the rotor carrier to the rotor segments of the generator segments after the rotor blades have been fastened to the hub, without the crane.

11. A generator segment for a segmented generator of a wind turbine, comprising: a stator segment, wherein the stator segment is configured to fasten the stator segment to a machine carrier flange of a machine carrier and has a stator flange, and a rotor segment, that has rotor flange configured to fasten to a rotor carrier of a main bearing, wherein the generator segment in a circumferential direction (U) extends between two connection interfaces which are formed to be connected to connection interfaces of generator segments arranged adjacent in the circumferential direction, the stator segment is configured to be coupled to the rotor segment via a locking device for mounting purposes, wherein the locking device is provided in a region of the rotor flange and the stator flange such that the rotor segment and the stator segment have, in the region of the rotor flange and the stator flange, at least one locking receiver formed as a bolt receiver opening, through which a locking bolt for locking the rotor segment to the stator segment is configured to be inserted from a release position such that the locking device takes a locking position, wherein the locking bolt is configured to be removed from the locking receiver for operation of the segmented generator, so that the locking device takes a release position, and the stator flange has fastening connections configured to pre-fix the generator segment to the machine carrier flange for mounting purposes and has fastening connections configured to fasten the generator segment to the machine carrier flange for the operation of the wind turbine.

12. The generator segment of claim 11, wherein the segmented generator comprises two or more generator segments.

13. The generator segment of claim 12, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one of the generator segment or the segmented generator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0072] Further advantages, features and details of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the example embodiments and the figures, which show in:

[0073] FIG. 1: a schematic three-dimensional view of an exemplary embodiment of a wind turbine;

[0074] FIG. 2: a schematic three-dimensional view of an exemplary embodiment of a segmented generator;

[0075] FIG. 3: a schematic three-dimensional view of an exemplary embodiment of a generator segment of the segmented generator shown in FIG. 2;

[0076] FIG. 4: a schematic detailed view of the segmented generator shown in FIG. 2;

[0077] FIG. 5: a schematic sectional view of the segmented generator shown in exemplary fashion in FIGS. 2-4 in the mounted state;

[0078] FIG. 6a-d: a schematic sequence of the mounting of a wind turbine with the generator segments of the segmented generator shown in FIGS. 2-4;

[0079] FIG. 7: a schematic sectional view of a wind turbine to be mounted in a first intermediate mounting stage;

[0080] FIG. 8: a schematic sectional view of a wind turbine to be mounted in a second intermediate mounting stage;

[0081] FIG. 9: a schematic block diagram of a method for mounting a wind turbine with a segmented generator;

[0082] FIG. 10a-d: a schematic sequence of the mounting of rotor blades on a segmented generator;

[0083] FIG. 11: a schematic sectional view of a wind turbine to be mounted in a third intermediate mounting state;

[0084] FIG. 12: a schematic sectional view of a wind turbine to be mounted in a completed mounting state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a wind turbine according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The wind turbine 100 comprises a tower 102 and a nacelle 104 on the tower 102. An aerodynamic rotor 106 with three rotor blades 108 and a spinner 110 is provided on the nacelle 104. When the wind turbine is in operation, the aerodynamic rotor 106 is set in rotation by the wind and thus also rotates an electrodynamic rotor or armature of a generator, which is coupled directly or indirectly to the aerodynamic rotor 106. The electric generator is arranged in the nacelle 104 and generates electrical energy. The pitch angles of the rotor blades 108 can be changed by pitch motors at the rotor blade roots 109 of the respective rotor blades 108.

[0086] The exemplary embodiment of a wind turbine 100, schematically represented in FIG. 1, comprises a segmented generator, as schematically represented in an example embodiment in FIG. 2. This segmented generator 1 comprises two generator segments 2, as represented in FIG. 3, for the operation of the wind turbine 100. These generator segments 2 each have a stator segment 3 and a rotor segment 4. The two generator segments, or rather their stator segment and rotor segment, each extend 180 in the circumferential direction between two connection interfaces V1, V2. The two generator segments 2 are each connected to one another via the connection interfaces V1, V2. This can be seen in FIG. 2. For fastening the two generator segments to the connection interfaces centering pins or centering bolts and screw connections are provided. The rotor segment and the stator segment of the respective generator segment and thus the air gap L between the segmented rotor and the segmented stator for the operation of the wind turbine 100 are aligned by means of centering pins or centering bolts.

[0087] The stator segment 3 is fastened to a machine carrier 5 for the operation of the wind turbine. For this purpose, the stator segment 3 has a stator flange 3a and the machine carrier 5 comprises a machine carrier flange 5a. In the example embodiment shown here, the stator flange 3a can be attached to the machine carrier flange 5a by means of a screw connection. The machine carrier 5 with the machine carrier flange 5a is not shown in FIG. 3.

[0088] For the operation of the wind turbine, the rotor segment 4 is attached to a main bearing 6. For this purpose, the rotor segment 4 has a rotor flange 4a, via which the rotor segment is attached to a rotor carrier 6a of the main bearing 6. In the example embodiment shown here, the rotor flange 4a can be fastened to the rotor carrier 6a by means of a screw connection. This screw connection is also not shown in FIG. 2.

[0089] The example embodiment of a segmented generator 1 and a generator segment 2, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, further comprises a locking device 8. This is evident from FIG. 4, which is a detailed view of the segmented generator shown in FIG. 2 without the main bearing. The locking device 8 comprises a locking bolt 8a. On the other hand, a locking receiver is provided, which forms a bolt receiver opening 8b corresponding to the locking bolt 8a. In FIG. 2, the locking device 8 is shown in a locking position in which the locking bolt 8a is pushed into the corresponding bolt receiver opening 8b of the locking receiver. In this position, a relative rotational movement of the rotor carrier with respect to the stator segment is prevented. For operation, the locking device 8 takes up a release position in which the locking bolt 8a is pushed out of the bolt receiving opening 8b of the locking receiver, so that the rotor carrier can perform a relative rotational movement with respect to the stator segment during operation.

[0090] In the present embodiment, the stator segment of the respective generator segment has a locking device in the region of the stator flange, which engages in the locking receiver provided in the main bearing in order to prevent a rotational movement of the rotor carrier and thus of a hub 7 with respect to the stator segment or the machine carrier 5 during the mounting of the rotor blades.

[0091] For the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 it is provided, that three rotor blades 108 are each rotatably connected to the hub 7 via a rotor blade bearing 7a. Furthermore, it is provided that the hub 7 is connected to the machine frame via the main bearing 6. This is not shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0092] However, the schematic figure in FIG. 5 shows a principle structure of a wind turbine 100 according to some aspects of the present disclosure with the previously described generator segments 2 or the previously described segmented generator 1.

[0093] FIGS. 6a to 6d schematically show a procedure for mounting a wind turbine with generator segments of the segmented generator shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, according to a possible embodiment.

[0094] The method initially comprises the steps of providing 1010 a tower 102 of the wind turbine 100 in an installation state, providing 1020 the machine carrier 5 and lifting and positioning 1030 of the machine carrier 5 at an upper end of the tower 102, so that the machine carrier 5 can be coupled rotatably to the tower 102 via a tower bearing 103. The machine carrier was initially only pre-fixed to the turret for mounting purposes in accordance with the pre-fixing 1040 process step, so that the machine carrier 5 is rotatably mounted relative to the tower 102 by means of the tower bearing 103.

[0095] Furthermore, it can be seen in FIG. 3 that two generator segments 2 were provided in a transport position 1050, the stator segment 3 and the rotor segment 4 of the respective generator segment 2 being connected to one another.

[0096] FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of a corresponding tower 102, to the upper side of which a tower bearing is bolted. A machine carrier 5 is positioned on the upper side of the tower bearing 103, which, as previously described, has been pre-fixed by means of screws S1 to the tower bearing for mounting purposes. Furthermore, in this example embodiment, it can be seen that the rotor segment and the stator segment are connected by a flange F by means of a screw connection (not shown).

[0097] FIG. 6b shows a generator segment 2 that has been lifted and positioned from the transport position to a mounting position at a 6 o'clock position in accordance with the lifting and positioning steps 1060, so that the stator flange 3a is arranged on the machine carrier flange 5a. Furthermore, the pre-fixing step 1070 has been carried out in this mounting position, in which the generator segment 2 has been pre-fixed to the machine carrier flange 5a for mounting purposes by means of the stator flange 3a. This is realized via a screw connection S2. Accordingly, the machine carrier has through-holes on the machine carrier flange 5a and the stator flange has blind-hole bores with an internal thread. For pre-fixing, the screws are inserted through the through-holes on the machine carrier flange 5a and screwed into the blind-hole bores with the internal thread in the stator flange.

[0098] FIG. 6c shows the second generator segment in the mounting position, which was lifted and positioned from the transport position to a further mounting position in a 12 o'clock position on the machine carrier flange 5a of the machine carrier 5, so that the already pre-fixed generator segment 2 can be connected to the generator segment positioned in the further mounting position via the connection interfaces of the respective generator segments. In this position, the further generator segment 2 was pre-fixed 1090 for mounting purposes by means of the stator flange 3a at the connection interfaces connection, V2 of the already pre-fixed generator segment and the machine carrier flange 5a in this further mounting position (12 o'clock position).

[0099] This intermediate step, in which the two generator segments are pre-fixed to the machine carrier, can be seen in FIG. 7.

[0100] Finally, FIG. 6d shows the main bearing 6, which is provided in accordance with the process step providing 1100 of the main bearing 6, to which a hub 7 is fastened, which has three rotor blade bearings 7a (not shown in FIG. 6d). A corresponding rotor blade bearing 7a can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 8-10. The main bearing 6 was lifted together with the hub and positioned 1110 so that the stator flange 3a of the stator segment 3 is positioned between the machine carrier flange 5a and the axle journal 6b. In the mounting progress shown in FIG. 3d, it is further intended that the axle flange 6b is fastened 1120 to the machine carrier flange 5a for the operation of the wind turbine, wherein the stator flange 3a of the stator segment 3 is positioned between the machine carrier flange 5a and the axle journal 6b, and the machine carrier is fastened 1130 to the tower 102 for the operation of the wind turbine 100.

[0101] This is shown in FIG. 8. It can be seen that the hub is fastened to the rotor carrier 6a of the main bearing 6 by means of a screw connection S3. Furthermore, FIG. 8 shows that the axle journal 6b of the main bearing 6 is fastened to the machine carrier flange 5a. For this purpose, the axle journal 6b, the stator flange 3a and the machine carrier flange 5a have through-holes through which an S4 bolt of the appropriate length extends. To fix the stator flange and the axle journal to the machine carrier flange 5a for the operation of the wind turbine, threaded nuts are screwed onto the screws. Accordingly, a clamping force acts via the screws, fixing the stator flange and the axle journal and the machine carrier flange to each other for the operation of the wind turbine.

[0102] FIG. 9 shows a schematic block diagram of the process 1000 for mounting a wind turbine with the segmented generator shown in FIGS. 2-4, as described in relation to FIGS. 3a to 3d and FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0103] FIGS. 10a to 10d show a schematic sequence of the mounting of rotor blades on the segmented generator according to a possible embodiment. The mounting sequence of the rotor blades shown there follows on from the process steps described in relation to FIGS. 6a to 6d and 9.

[0104] The method provides for the provision of a first, second and third rotor blade. First, the first rotor blade is lifted and positioned and attached to a first of the three rotor blade bearings 7a. This is shown in FIG. 10a. In this example embodiment, the first rotor blade bearing 7a is provided in a 4 o'clock position, so that the first rotor blade 108 is fastened to the first rotor blade bearing 7a in the 4 o'clock position. Subsequently, the second rotor blade is lifted and positioned and fastened to a second rotor blade bearing of the three rotor blade bearings 7a. In this example embodiment, the second rotor blade bearing 7a is provided in an 8 o'clock position, so that the second rotor blade 108 is fastened to the second rotor blade bearing 7a in the 8 o'clock position. This is shown in FIG. 10b. Rotation to the 8 o'clock position is also carried out with the help of a main crane.

[0105] For the mounting of the third rotor blade, the hub with the two fastened rotor blades is turned so that one of the two rotor blades is aligned in a 10 o'clock position. In one example, the second rotor blade is aligned in the 10 o'clock position and the first rotor blade is aligned in the 6 o'clock position. This alignment of the rotor blades with the hub is shown in FIG. 10c. The third rotor blade is then mounted in the 2 o'clock position, as shown in FIG. 10d. The mounting of the third rotor blade is then analogous to the mounting of the first two rotor blades, i.e. first the third rotor blade is lifted and positioned at a third rotor blade bearing of the three rotor blade bearings and fixed there.

[0106] In one example it is provided, that the method provides to lock the rotor carrier 6a of the main bearing 6 to the stator segment 3 or the machine carrier 5 before the first rotor blade 108 is mounted on the hub 7 using the previously described locking device 8. The lock is then released after the first two rotor blades 108 have been mounted on the hub, i.e. the locking bolts are moved out of the locking receiver. The hub 7 is then turned together with the two mounted rotor blades 108 before the third rotor blade 108 is mounted, so that one of the two already mounted rotor blades is aligned in a 6 o'clock position and the other of the two rotor blades is aligned in a 10 o'clock position or in a 2 o'clock position. If a new lock has been applied before the third rotor blade is mounted, the procedure provides for the lock to be released after the three rotor blades have been mounted on the hub.

[0107] It is to be understood that the turning of the hub in the various mounting positions is done with the help of a main crane. Up to this point and also during the mounting of the rotor blades, the rotor carrier 6a is not bolted to the rotor flange 4a or connected in any other way. Until then, it is also provided that the rotor segment and the stator segment are connected to each other in a rotationally fixed manner by means of the flange F and a screw connection not shown. This is shown in FIG. 11.

[0108] Furthermore, in order to operate the wind turbine, it is necessary to release the stator segment from the rotor segment so that the rotor can rotate relative to the stator. In the present embodiments, the flange with the screw connection is to be released and the rotor carrier 6a is to be connected to the rotor flange 4a. This can be done by means of a screw connection S4, as shown in FIG. 12. This step is necessary when the stator segment is connected to the rotor segment.

[0109] Finally, the pre-fixed generator segments and the pre-fixed machine carrier on the tower must be fastened for the operation of the wind turbine.

[0110] It is advantageous if the rotor carrier can be fastened to the rotor flange and the pre-fixed generator segments and the pre-fixed machine carrier on the tower without the aid of a crane. In one example, the crane used to lift the machine carrier, the generator segments, the main bearing and the hub, and the rotor blades can be demounted and moved to another location while the rotor carrier is being fastened to the rotor flange, the pre-fixed generator segments and the machine carrier pre-fixed to the tower.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0111] 1 Segmented generator [0112] 2 Generator segment [0113] 3 Stator segment [0114] 3a Stator flange [0115] 4 Rotor segment [0116] 4a Rotor flange [0117] 5 Machine carrier [0118] 5a Machine carrier flange [0119] 6 Main bearing [0120] 6a Rotor carrier [0121] 6b Axle journal [0122] 7 Hub [0123] 7a Rotor blade bearing [0124] 8 Locking device [0125] 8a Locking bolt [0126] 8b Locking receiver [0127] 100 Wind turbine [0128] 102 Tower [0129] 103 Tower bearing [0130] 104 Nacelle [0131] 105 Machine carrier [0132] 106 Rotor [0133] 108 Rotor blade [0134] 109 Rotor blade roots [0135] 110 Spinner [0136] U Circumferential direction