Method of setting up, maintaining and disassembling a wind turbine

{
  "publication_number": "US2014102039A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Method of setting up, maintaining and disassembling a wind turbine",
  "abstract": "A method of erecting, and a method of servicing or dismantling, a wind energy plant with a hub height of at least 140 meters makes provision that a heavy-duty lifting device is temporarily disposed on a tower top for any installing, exchanging, or disassembling purposes, and subsequently is dismantled immediately, with all these operations being carried out without using an external crane. A light-duty lifting device attached to the tower serves for erecting the tower, so that no external large-scale cranes are required. For disassembling or exchanging the large components, an auxiliary lifting device is able to transport the heavy-duty lifting device to the top of the tower and is also capable of lowering the heavy-duty lifting device from there.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of erecting a wind energy plant comprising a tower and large components attached to a tower top, the large components comprising a nacelle, a generator, and a rotor comprising at least one rotor blade, comprising the following steps: using a light-duty lifting device designed for lightweight loads to erect the tower and attaching the light-duty lifting device to the tower during construction in order to gain height together with the tower during construction of the tower, temporarily coupling a heavy-duty lifting device suitable for the installation of the large components to the tower to form a heavy-duty crane by using the tower as a crane mast, lifting at least one of the large components with the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top for installation, and decoupling the heavy-duty lifting device from the tower after installation of the large components. 2. The method according to claim 1, including transporting the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top while being supported by the tower, and dismantling the heavy-duty lifting device from the tower after installation of the large components while being supported by the tower. 3. The method according to claim 2, including lifting the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top with the light-duty lifting device. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-duty lifting device is a rail-type lift or a climbing crane. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following materials or objects for erecting the tower is carried to the tower top by the light-duty lifting device: concrete, reinforcement material, concrete formwork, prefabricated tower segments or tower rings, composite components, wooden components, a steel mast, or steel mast segments. 6. A method of servicing or disassembling a wind energy plant comprising a tower and large components attached to a tower top, said large components comprising a nacelle, a generator, and a rotor comprising at least one rotor blade, comprising the following steps: exchanging or dismantling a large component, a heavy-duty lifting device suitable for installation of the large components is transported to the tower and is temporarily coupled to the tower for forming a heavy-duty crane, using the tower as a crane mast, exchanging or dismantling the large component(s) using the heavy-duty lifting device, and decoupling the heavy-duty lifting device from the tower after having exchanged or dismantled the large component(s). 7. The method according to claim 6, including pulling the heavy-duty lifting device up to the tower top while being supported by the tower top, and, after having exchanged or dismantled the large component(s), removing the heavy-duty lifting device from the wind energy plant while being supported by the tower top. 8. The method according to claim 6, including attaching an auxiliary lifting device to the tower top, and carrying the heavy-duty lifting device or a traction feature for hoisting the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top with the auxiliary lifting device. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary lifting device is provided on one of a tower cantilever arm and on the nacelle. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary lifting device is an electric winch. 11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device is one of a winch and a strand jack or is formed by one of a cantilever arm and a crane frame comprising a winch or a strand jack as a lifter. 12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device comprises a crane having a crane frame, said crane being temporarily disposed on the tower top for erecting, servicing, or dismantling purposes and being removed from the tower top after having erected, serviced, or dismantled the large component(s). 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the crane frame can be moved in vertical direction, is pivotable, and/or can be moved around the tower. 14. The method according to claim 6, wherein a crane frame is present on the tower top, and the heavy-duty lifting device is temporarily disposed on the tower top and is coupled to the crane frame for the formation of a crane and is removed from the tower top after having carried out construction, maintenance, or dismantling works. 15. The method according to claim 6, including permanently attaching mounting brackets for the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top. 16. The method according to claim 6, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device is attached to a head adapter as a transition between a lower tower mast section made of concrete and a fitted steel mast or a nacelle, a transition piece between a lower and an upper tower section, an intermediate flange for fastening a steel mast or the nacelle, and/or a steel mast or wooden mast fitted on a lower tower section. 17. The method according to claim 6, including permanently attaching a crane bridge to the tower top, and temporarily fitting the heavy-duty lifting device on the crane bridge. 18. The method according to claim 6, including permanently providing a tower cantilever arm on the tower top and engaging the tower cantilever arm with the heavy-duty lifting device. 19. The method according to claim 6, including fastening the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower and pulling the heavy-duty lifting device upward to the tower top via the heavy-duty lifting device. 20. The method according to claim 6, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device alone has such a lifting force that the heavy-duty lifting device is capable of lifting each of the large components to the tower top. 21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device is one of a winch and a strand jack or is formed by one of a cantilever arm and a crane frame comprising a winch or a strand jack as a lifter. 22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device comprises a crane having a crane frame, said crane being temporarily disposed on the tower top for erecting, servicing, or dismantling purposes and being removed from the tower top after having erected, serviced, or dismantled the large components. 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the crane frame can be moved in vertical direction, is pivotable, and/or can be moved around the tower. 24. The method according to claim 1, wherein a crane frame is present on the tower top, and the heavy-duty lifting device is temporarily disposed on the tower top and is coupled to the crane frame for the formation of a crane and is removed from the tower top after having carried out construction, maintenance, or dismantling works. 25. The method according to claim 1, including permanently attaching mounting brackets for the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower top. 26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device is attached to a head adapter as a transition between a lower tower mast section made of concrete and a fitted steel mast or a nacelle, a transition piece between a lower and an upper tower section, an intermediate flange for fastening a steel mast or the nacelle, and/or a steel mast or wooden mast fitted on a lower tower section. 27. The method according to claim 1, including permanently attaching a crane bridge to the tower top, and temporarily fitting the heavy-duty lifting device on the crane bridge. 28. The method according to claim 1, including permanently providing a tower cantilever arm on the tower top and engaging the tower cantilever arm with the heavy-duty lifting device. 29. The method according to claim 1, including fastening the heavy-duty lifting device to the tower and pulling the heavy-duty lifting device upward to the tower top via the heavy-duty lifting device. 30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavy-duty lifting device alone has such a lifting force that the heavy-duty lifting device is capable of lifting each of the large components to the tower top."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a method of erecting, servicing, and dismantling wind energy plants, in particular with a hub height of at least 140 meters.\n\nWind energy plants with a horizontal rotor axis, to which the methods of the invention are related, comprise a tower and very heavy, large components attached to the tower top. These large components are the nacelle, the electric generator, the rotor comprising at least one rotor blade and, if any, a gearbox for the rotor.\n\nWind energy plants of different size, power, and of various types are spreading in ever increasing numbers, in order to produce electric energy from the kinetic energy of the wind. The effectiveness of such a wind energy plant depends, among other factors, on the fact that the wind is present as long and as evenly distributed as possible throughout the year.\n\nIt is known that the yields which can be produced by wind energy plants from the wind supply distributed over the year are the larger the higher the wind energy plants can be constructed, as in at larger heights the wind blows faster on an average and in a more laminar fashion. This applies in particular to inland regions, or to hilly or mountainous regions.\n\nIn the recent years, the trend is moving towards ever increasing wind energy plants due to economic considerations, with the most widespread type of wind energy plants, the type with a multi-blade rotor having a horizontal axis and being provided on a tower, still having the largest market potential.",
  "cpc": [
    "E04H 12/34",
    "E04H 12/342",
    "E04H 12/344",
    "F03D 11/045",
    "F03D 13/10",
    "F03D 13/20",
    "F03D 13/22",
    "F03D 80/50",
    "F05B 2240/912",
    "F05B 2240/913",
    "F05B 2240/916",
    "Y02E 10/72",
    "Y02E 10/728"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E04H 12/34",
    "F03D 11/04",
    "E04B 1/00",
    "F03D 1/00"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Philipp Wagner"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-05-25",
  "publication_date": "2014-04-17",
  "priority_date": "2011-05-25",
  "application_number": "US-201214119594-A",
  "family_id": "46201566",
  "cited_by_count": 36,
  "citations": [
    "US20100101086A1",
    "US20120131880A1"
  ]
}