阅读说明：本技术 自动标记线控制系统和使用该自动标记线控制系统处理风力涡轮机部件的方法 (Automatic marking line control system and method of processing wind turbine components using the same ) 是由 J·科夫曼 M·埃格斯特罗姆 于 2019-12-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于在使用抬升设备对风力涡轮机进行操作期间处理风力涡轮机部件的标记线控制系统。所述标记线控制系统包括标记线控制模块(74,164),所述标记线控制模块具有：外壳(80)；至少两个绞车(126,128),其设置在所述外壳内,每个绞车具有标记线线缆(130,132)；控制器(146),其设置在外壳内并操作性联接到所述至少两个绞车；以及电源(148),其设置在外壳(80)内并操作性联接到所述至少两个绞车。一种在使用抬升设备对风力涡轮机进行操作期间处理风力涡轮机部件的方法包括以下步骤：将标记线控制模块联接到抬升设备和风力涡轮机部件；并且操作标记线控制系统以实现风力涡轮机部件的位置。(A marker line control system for handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device. The marking line control system includes a marking line control module (74, 164) having: a housing (80); at least two winches (126, 128) disposed within the housing, each winch having a marker line cable (130, 132); a controller (146) disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches; and a power source (148) disposed within the housing (80) and operatively coupled to the at least two winches. A method of handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device comprises the steps of: coupling a marker line control module to the lifting device and the wind turbine component; and operating the marker line control system to effect the position of the wind turbine component.)

1. A marker line control system for handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device, the marker line control system comprising:

a marker line control module configured to be positioned intermediate a connector of the lifting device and the wind turbine component being lifted, the marker line control module comprising:

a housing;

at least two winches disposed within the housing, each winch having a marker line cable operatively coupled thereto;

a controller disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches, the marker line cables of the winches being configured to be reeled up or reeled down by the respective winch under control of the controller; and

a power source disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches.

2. The marker line control system of claim 1, further comprising a guide member configured to be operatively coupled to said marker line cable of said marker line control module to effect a change in position of said wind turbine component during use.

3. The marking line control system of claim 2, wherein the guide member comprises one or more guide cables or guide rails.

4. The marking line control system of claim 3, wherein the guide member further comprises a pulley block configured to move along a length of the one or more guide cables.

5. The marking line control system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide member is configured to be coupled to the lifting device.

6. The marking line control system of claim 5, wherein the lifting device is a crane and the guide member is configured to be coupled to one or more hangers of the crane.

7. The sign line control system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the guide member is configured to be coupled to the wind turbine.

8. The sign line control system of claim 7, wherein the wind turbine includes a tower and a nacelle, and the guide member is configured to be coupled to the tower or to the tower and the nacelle.

9. The marking line control system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide member comprises a first guide member portion configured to be coupled to the lifting device and a second guide member portion configured to be coupled to the wind turbine, and wherein the marking line control module is configured to be operatively coupled to each of the first guide member portion and the second guide member.

10. The marking line control system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the marking line control module further comprises a pair of arms extending from the housing and configured to engage with a respective marking line cable.

11. The marking line control system of claim 10, wherein the pair of arms are selectively extendable and retractable relative to the housing.

12. The marking line control system of claim 11, wherein the pair of arms are operatively coupled to the controller so as to control extension and retraction of the arms.

13. The marking line control system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more sensors configured to be coupled to the wind turbine component and to communicate with the controller in the marking line control module, the one or more sensors configured to communicate position information of the wind turbine component to the controller.

14. A method of handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a marking line control system comprising a marking line control module and a guide member, the marking line control module comprising a housing having at least two winches, a controller and a power source, each winch having a marking line cable operatively coupled thereto;

coupling the marker line control module to a connector of the lifting device and the wind turbine component such that the marker line control module is positioned between the connector and the wind turbine component;

coupling the guide member to a guide support;

coupling the marker wire cable to the guide member; and

operating the marker line control system to effect a change in position of the wind turbine component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the guide member to a guide support further comprises coupling one or more guide cables to the lift device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lifting apparatus comprises a crane having one or more hangers, and further comprising coupling the one or more guide cables to the one or more hangers of the crane.

17. The method of any of claims 14, wherein coupling the guide member to a guide support further comprises coupling one or more guide cables to the wind turbine.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the wind turbine includes a tower and a nacelle, and the guide member is configured to be coupled to the tower or to the tower and the nacelle.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the guide member to a guide support further comprises coupling one or more guide cables to the lifting apparatus and one or more guide cables to the wind turbine.

20. The method of any of claims 14-19, wherein the marker wire control module comprises a pair of adjustable arms, wherein the arms engage with respective marker wire cables, the method further comprising adjusting a length of the arms.

21. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 20, further comprising the step of:

sensing a position of the wind turbine component; and

automatically adjusting the position of the wind turbine component in response to the sensing step using the marker line control system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein sensing the position of the wind turbine component further comprises the steps of:

placing one or more sensors on the wind turbine component; and

operatively coupling the one or more sensors to the controller in the tag line control module.

23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, further comprising the steps of:

predefining design criteria for the location of the wind turbine component; and

automatically adjusting the position of the wind turbine component to maintain or achieve the design criteria using the marker line control system.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of design criteria in the controller; and

a design criterion is selected from the plurality of design criteria.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to wind turbines and, more particularly, to an automatic sign line control system for handling wind turbine components, for example during wind turbine assembly, and a method of handling wind turbine components using an automatic sign line control system during wind turbine assembly.

Background

Wind turbines are used to generate electrical energy using renewable resources without burning fossil fuels. Typically, wind turbines convert kinetic energy from the wind into electrical energy. A horizontal axis wind turbine comprising: a tower; a nacelle located at the apex of the tower; and a rotor having a central hub and a plurality of blades coupled to and extending outwardly from the hub. The rotor is supported on a shaft extending from the nacelle, which shaft is operatively coupled, either directly or indirectly, to a generator housed within the nacelle. Thus, when the wind forces the blades to rotate, the generator produces electrical energy.

In recent years, wind power generation has become a more attractive alternative energy source, and the number of wind turbines, wind farms, etc. has increased significantly both on land and at sea. In addition, the size of wind turbines has also increased significantly, with modern wind turbine blades extending between 50 and 80 meters in length and wind turbine towers exceeding 200 meters in height. Wind turbine components and wind turbine heights are expected to continue to increase in size in the future. However, the increase in the size of wind turbine components presents challenges during assembly, disassembly, or maintenance of the wind turbine. During assembly, disassembly or maintenance, large cranes are often brought to the wind turbine site to facilitate handling of wind turbine components. In this regard, the crane is configured to elevationally elevate various wind turbine components (including, for example, the nacelle, the hub, and the blades) in the air. The costs associated with using large cranes are prohibitively expensive and manufacturers are continually striving to effectively utilize cranes in these operations.

In conventional methods, control of wind turbine components during lifting of a large crane is achieved using one or more marker lines extending from the lifting member to the ground. On the ground, the service personnel manually grasp the marker line and move the marker line in a coordinated manner to control the lifted wind turbine component and position the component at the desired location. Due to the large size of modern wind turbine components, the extremely high heights at which the wind turbine components are raised in the air, and the significant wind speeds at the raised heights, it is often necessary for a large group of service personnel to work in a coordinated manner to control and orient the wind turbine components. In addition, the manual process of controlling and orienting wind turbine components is time consuming because a large number of service personnel may be difficult to move in a coordinated manner and the wind at the heights required by modern wind turbines is unpredictable. Thus, the assembly, disassembly or maintenance of the wind turbine may be high between the cost of the crane and the cost associated with manual labor.

Furthermore, rigging associated with lifting wind turbine components with a large crane is often specific to the particular component being lifted. For example, the rigging (including the marker line device) required to lift the nacelle to the top of the tower is typically different from the rigging required to lift the rotor hub or wind turbine blade to the top of the tower. Replacing rigging and marker lines in order to lift various wind turbine components is time consuming, thus prolonging the use of large cranes. This in turn further increases the costs associated with wind turbine operation.

In recent years, there have been several attempts to minimize the amount of manual labor required to control and orient the part being lifted by the crane. Such methods typically include a sheave arrangement mounted to the crane cradle, a winch mounted to the crane bed and having a control cable running along the crane cradle, around the sheave and to the component or a yoke mounted to the component. For example, various controls of the winch may be positioned at the base of the crane by the operator of the crane. However, such systems also have their drawbacks. In this regard, large cranes must be modified to make specific adjustments to such systems and often include complex brackets and sheave arrangements on the gantry or other portion of the crane. Furthermore, the components of the control system are not independent, but are distributed on the crane, including various elements on the crane gantry, crane bed (e.g., winches), and various elements in the crane cab to facilitate control of the winches and control cables. Additionally, the rigging that fits the various control cables to the component may be specific to the particular wind turbine component being lifted by the crane.

In view of the high cost of crane usage and the drawbacks of conventional control strategies for handling wind turbine components, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for assembling, disassembling or repairing wind turbines. More specifically, there is a need for a marker line control system that improves handling of wind turbine components during crane operations and a method of handling wind turbine components during crane operations using such a marker line control system.

Disclosure of Invention

To these and other objects, aspects of the present invention relate to a marker line control system for handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device. A marker line control module is configured to be positioned intermediate the connector of the lifting device and the wind turbine component being lifted. The tag line control module includes: a housing; at least two winches disposed within the housing, each winch having a marker line cable operatively coupled thereto; a controller disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches, the marker line cables of the winches being configured to be reeled up or reeled down by the respective winch under control of the controller; and a power source disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches.

In one embodiment, the marker line control system may further comprise a guide member, wherein the guide member is configured to be operatively coupled to the marker line cable of the marker line control module to effect a change in position of the wind turbine component during use. The guide member may comprise one or more guide cables or guide tracks. The guide member may further comprise a pulley arrangement configured to move along the length of the one or more guide cables. In one embodiment, the guide member is configured to be coupled to the lifting device. For example, the lifting device may comprise a crane and the guide member may be configured to be coupled to one or more spreaders of the crane. In another embodiment, the guide member is configured to be coupled to the wind turbine. For example, the wind turbine may include a tower and a nacelle, and the guide member may be configured to be coupled to the tower or to the tower and the nacelle. In other embodiments, the guide member comprises a first guide member portion configured to be coupled to the lifting device and a second guide member portion configured to be coupled to the wind turbine. The marker line control module is configured to be operatively coupled to each of the first guide member portion and the second guide member.

In one embodiment, the marker wire control module can further include a pair of arms extending from the housing and configured to engage a respective marker wire cable. The pair of arms are selectively extendable and retractable relative to the housing. Preferably, the pair of arms are operatively coupled to the controller so as to control the extension and retraction of the arms.

In another embodiment, the marker line control system may further comprise one or more sensors configured to be coupled to the wind turbine component and to communicate with the controller in the marker line control module. The one or more sensors are configured to communicate position information of the wind turbine component to the controller. In this way, the marker line control system may adjust the position of the wind turbine component based on readings from the one or more sensors. This can be configured as an automated process. A manual override mode may also be provided.

A method of handling wind turbine components during operation of a wind turbine using a lifting device includes providing a marker line control system. The marking line control system includes a marking line control module and a guide member. The marking line control module includes a housing having at least two winches, each winch having a marking line cable operatively coupled thereto, a controller, and a power source. The method further comprises the steps of: coupling the marker line control module to a connector of the lifting device and the wind turbine component such that the marker line control module is positioned between the connector and the wind turbine component; coupling the guide member to a guide support; coupling the marker wire cable to the guide member; and operating the marker line control system to effect a change in position of the wind turbine component.

In one embodiment, coupling the guide member to the guide support may further comprise coupling the one or more guide cables to the lifting apparatus. The lifting apparatus may comprise a crane having one or more spreaders, and the method may further comprise coupling the one or more cables to the one or more spreaders of the crane. In another embodiment, coupling the guide member to a guide support may further comprise coupling the one or more guide cables to the wind turbine. The wind turbine may include a tower and a nacelle, and the method may further include coupling the one or more guide cables to the tower or to the tower and the nacelle. In other embodiments, coupling the guide member to the guide support may further comprise coupling the one or more guide cables to the lifting device and coupling the one or more guide cables to the wind turbine.

In one embodiment, the tag line control module includes a pair of adjustable arms, wherein the arms engage with respective tag line cables. In one embodiment, the method further comprises adjusting the length of the arm. This enables the distance between the marker wire cables at the marker wire control module to be varied. Increasing the distance between the marker wire cables at the marker wire control module may increase the amount of control that the marker wire control module applies to the wind turbine component.

In other embodiments, the method may further comprise: sensing a position of the wind turbine component; and automatically adjusting the position of the wind turbine component in response to the sensing step using the marker line control system.

The step of sensing the position of the wind turbine component may further comprise the steps of: placing one or more sensors on the wind turbine component; and operatively coupling the one or more sensors to the controller in the tag line control module.

In one embodiment, the method may further comprise the steps of: predefining design criteria for the location of the wind turbine component; and automatically adjusting the position of the wind turbine component to maintain or achieve the design criteria using the marker line control system.

In other aspects of the method, a plurality of design indicia may be stored in the controller, and the design criteria may be selected from the plurality of design indicia stored in the controller. The marking line control system then operates to implement or maintain the selected design criteria.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a wind turbine assembled using a marker line control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a marking line control module in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the marking line control module illustrated in FIG. 2, taken generally along line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a wind turbine assembled using a marker line control system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a wind turbine assembled using a marker line control system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sign line control module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to FIG. 1, a wind turbine 10 includes: a tower 12; a nacelle 14 disposed at a vertex of the tower 12; and a rotor 16 operatively coupled to a generator (not shown) housed within nacelle 14. In addition to the generator, the nacelle 14 houses various components required for converting wind energy into electrical energy and for operating, controlling, and optimizing the performance of the wind turbine 10. The tower 12 supports loads incurred by the nacelle 14, rotor 16, and other components of the wind turbine 10 housed within the nacelle 14, and also operates to elevate the nacelle 14 and rotor 16 to a height above ground level or sea level (as the case may be) at which a low-turbulence, faster-moving airflow will typically occur.

The rotor 16 of the wind turbine 10, represented as a horizontal-axis wind turbine, serves as the prime mover for the electromechanical system. Wind exceeding a minimum level will cause the rotor 16 to start and induce rotation in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of the wind. The rotor 16 of the wind turbine 10 includes a central hub 18 and at least one rotor blade 20, the rotor blade 20 projecting outwardly from the central hub 18 at locations distributed around the circumference of the central hub 18. In the exemplary embodiment, rotor 16 includes three blades 20, but the number may vary. The blades 20 are configured to interact with a passing airflow to generate lift that causes the central hub 18 to spin about a central longitudinal axis.

Wind turbine 10 may be included in a collection of similar wind turbines belonging to a wind farm or wind farm that functions as a power generation device connected by a transmission line to a power grid such as a three-phase Alternating Current (AC) grid. The power grid typically includes a network of power stations, transmission circuits, and substations coupled by a network of transmission lines that transmit power to loads in the form of end users and other customers of the power facility. Under normal circumstances, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, power is supplied from the generator to the grid.

As illustrated in fig. 1, assembly of the wind turbine 10 may be accomplished by utilizing a large crane 30, which large crane 30 is transported to the wind turbine installation site and is capable of lifting and manipulating weights to a desired location. In this regard, the crane 30 is configured to lift various wind turbine components, such as the tower portion 12a of the tower 12, the nacelle 14, the hub 18, and the blades 20, during the assembly process. For this purpose, the crane 30 generally comprises a base 32, the base 32 being supported, for example, on the ground and having a control cab 34 for accommodating an operator of the crane. The main hanger 36 is movably coupled to the base 32 at a first lower end and may have, for example, a generally lattice-like structure as is conventional in the art. Boom hanger 38 has a first end movably coupled to a second upper end of main hanger 36. The second end of the boom hanger 38 includes a main pulley 40, the main pulley 40 being rotatably coupled to the boom hanger 38 to receive the rigging of the crane. The boom mast 42 may be pivotally coupled to the main boom 36 at a junction between the main boom 36 and the boom 38. The stage 44 may also be movably coupled to the base 32.

The rigging of the crane 30 includes a main load cable 46 for supporting and lifting various wind turbine components. One end of main carrier cable 46 is connected to boom hanger 38. The other end of the main carrier cable 46 is towed (i.e., laid or guided) over a sheave on the boom block 48, over the main sheave 40 on the second end of the boom hanger 38, over a second sheave 50 rotatably mounted on the boom mast 42, and connected to a main winch 52 supported on the base 32. The rigging further includes a catenary cable 54, one end of the catenary cable 54 being connected to the boom hanger 36 (such as adjacent a second end of the boom hanger) and being trained over a third pulley 56 rotatably mounted on the boom mast 42 to a second winch 58, the second winch 58 being capable of winding up and unwinding the catenary cable 54 in a controlled manner to move or adjust the angle of the boom hanger 38. The rigging may also include a guy 60, one end of the guy 60 being connected to the main hanger 36 (such as adjacent a second end of the main hanger) and being trained over a fourth pulley 62 on the trolley 44 to a third winch 64, the third winch 64 winding up and down the guy 60 in a controlled manner to move or adjust the angle of the main hanger 36. The boom block 48 may include a lifting hook 66 for facilitating connection between the crane 30 and a wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the above-described components of crane 30 are generally well known in the art and are described herein to provide a complete description and understanding of the aspects and features that will be described below. Further, the description of the crane 30 provided above is exemplary, and one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety of cranes or other lifting devices may be used in conjunction with aspects of the present invention, and thus aspects of the present invention are not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1 and in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, control of the wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30 is facilitated by a marker line control system (shown generally at 72). Although the particular wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30 is illustrated as a wind turbine blade 20, it should be understood that the wind turbine component 70 may take the form of a tower section 12a, nacelle 16, hub 18, or other component of the wind turbine 10. In the exemplary embodiment, marking line control system 72 includes a marking line control module 74 and a guide member 76 that is operatively coupled to marking line control module 74. As will be discussed in more detail below, the marker control module 74 and the guide member 76 collectively facilitate control of the wind turbine component 70 as the wind turbine component is being lifted by the crane 30. Moreover, the marker line control module 74 and the guide member 76 collectively enable selective adjustment of the position (e.g., orientation) of the wind turbine component 70.

As illustrated in fig. 2 and 3, the sign line control module 74 includes a generally rectangular housing 80, the housing 80 having a substantially planar upper wall 82, a lower wall 84, side walls 86, 88, a front wall 90 and a rear wall 92. The housing 80 has a housing configuration including an upper housing 94 and a lower housing 96, the upper housing 94 and the lower housing 96 mating along an interface 98 in a closed configuration of the housing. One or more latches 100 may selectively retain the housing in a closed configuration. The latch 100 may be released such that the upper housing 94 may be removed from the lower housing 96, thereby providing the housing 80 with an open configuration. In this manner, various components (discussed below) disposed within the interior chamber 102 of the housing 80 may be accessed by service personnel or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 80 may be made of a durable metal such as aluminum or steel. Alternatively, however, the housing 80 may be made of various plastic materials such as ABS, polycarbonate, nylon, polyamide, polyetheretherketone, and other engineering plastics. Further, although the housing 80 is described herein as having a generally rectangular configuration, aspects of the present invention are not limited to such an arrangement as the housing may take on other shapes and configurations.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, the marker line control module 74 is preferably disposed between a crane connector 104 (such as the crane's hook 66 or other similar crane connection interface) and the particular wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30. As such, the tag line control module 74 includes a crane connection interface 106 that facilitates connection between the tag line control module 74 and a crane connector 104 of the crane 30. For example, the crane connection interface 106 may include one or more trunnions 108 secured to the housing 80. In one embodiment, two trunnions 108 extend from each of the side walls 86, 88. Such an arrangement provides a well-balanced distribution of the crane connection interfaces 106 over the housing 80. However, other arrangements of the trunnions 108 are possible. For example, the trunnions 108 may extend from other walls of the housing 80. Other crane connection interfaces 106 (such as various hooks, hubs, etc.) may also be used to couple the sign line control module 74 to the crane 30. Thus, aspects of the invention should not be limited to the particular arrangements illustrated in the figures. In any event, one or more connectors may couple the trunnion 108 with the hook 66 of the crane 30. For example, various flexible connectors 110 (such as slings, straps, ropes, chains, etc.) may extend between the trunnions 108 on the sign line control module 74 and the hook 66 of the crane 30, as illustrated in fig. 1.

In addition, the sign line control module 74 includes a component connection interface 112 that facilitates connection between the sign line control module 74 and the wind turbine component 70. For example, the component connection interface 112 may include one or more tabs 114 secured to the housing 80, wherein each tab 114 includes a hole or aperture 116 for receiving a fastener (such as a bolt, hook, clip, etc.). In one embodiment, four tabs 114 extend from the lower wall 84 to provide a well balanced distribution of the component connection interfaces 112 on the housing 80. However, it should be appreciated that other arrangements of the tabs 114 are possible, including having the tabs 114 extend from other walls of the housing 80. Other component connection interfaces 112 are also possible.

In any event, one or more tabs 114 are configured to couple wind turbine component 70 to marker line control module 74. May be coupled directly to the wind turbine component 70 or indirectly to the wind turbine component 70 via additional support elements disposed between the marker line control module 74 and the wind turbine component 70. In this regard, many of the wind turbine components 70 lifted by the crane 30 may include component-specific support frames 118. For example, as illustrated in fig. 1, to facilitate lifting of the wind turbine blade 20, the blade holder 120 may be mounted to the blade and engaged with the blade in a manner that not only supports the blade but also minimizes damage to the blade due to lifting. In this case, tabs 114 on marker wire control module 74 can be coupled to blade holder 120 via one or more connectors 110 (such as slings, straps, ropes, chains, etc.). The blade holder 120 is generally well known in the industry and therefore will not be described in further detail herein. In another embodiment, a yoke of some type may support the wind turbine component 70 during crane lifting, i.e. the yoke operates as a support frame 118 for the lifted wind turbine component. In this case, the tabs 114 on the tag line control module 74 can be connected to the yoke by one or more connectors 110 (such as slings, straps, ropes, chains, etc.). One of ordinary skill in the art can identify other support elements based on the particular wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30 and understand how to attach the marker line control system 74 to such support elements.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sign line control module 74 also includes one or more support feet 122 for supporting the sign line control module 74 on the ground, ship deck, or other support surface. Four such support feet 122 are shown, but the specific number may vary. Support foot 122 extends under tab 114 so that the foot first engages the support surface. In one embodiment, support feet 122 may have shock absorbing capabilities.

As discussed above, many existing marker line systems have various elements dispersed around the crane. For example, the winches used to control the marking lines are often located on the base of the crane, while the winch controller is integrated in the main cab of the crane. The crane is then independently modified for a specific purpose. In one aspect of the invention, some of the elements of the sign line control system 72 are contained within a housing 80 of the sign line control module 74. As explained in more detail below, the drawworks, controls, energy source, etc., may all be located in the interior chamber 102 of the housing 60. In this manner, the marker line control system 72 is a stand-alone system that is easily incorporated by the large crane 30 into the overall assembly process of the wind turbine 10. In other words, the marker line control system 72 can be implemented and commissioned with minimal modification to a wide variety of cranes and a wide variety of wind turbine components 70. The "positioning" of marker line control system 72 provides a number of benefits to service personnel during assembly of wind turbine 10. These benefits include not only those provided above relating to crane implementations, but also maintenance and more focused design performance. Accordingly, it is believed to be particularly advantageous to concentrate many of the elements of the marker line control system 72 within a single, independent housing 80.

In this regard, FIG. 3 illustrates the various components of the sign control system 72 contained within a housing 80 of the sign control module 74. In this regard, the marking line control module 74 includes at least two winches 126, 128, the winches 126, 128 being secured to an inner surface 130 of the lower wall 84 and adjacent the front wall 90 of the housing 80. The winches 126, 128 may be standard winches readily available commercially and known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, additional description of the drawworks 126, 128 will not be provided herein. Each of the two or more winches 126, 128 includes a marker line cable 130, 132, the marker line cables 130, 132 being associated with the winches 126, 128, respectively, and being capable of being reeled in or reeled out upon actuation of the respective winch 126, 128. The marker wire cables 130, 132 extend through respective openings or slots 136, 138 in the front wall 90 and terminate in fasteners 140, which fasteners 140 may take the form of clamps, hooks, loops, clips, or other types of cable connectors known in the art. To guide the marker wire cables 130, 132 through their respective slots 136, 138, one or more pulleys (two shown) 142, 144 may be provided and positioned within the interior chamber 102 of the housing 80 to facilitate movement of the marker wire cables 130, 132 through the slots 136, 138.

To control the operation of the winches 126, 128, an onboard controller 146 is disposed in the interior chamber 102 of the housing and is operatively coupled to each of the two or more winches 126, 128. The controller 146 may represent any computer, computer system, or programmable device recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art and capable of performing the functions described herein, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The controller 146 generally includes at least one processor coupled to a memory. The processor may represent one or more processors (e.g., microprocessors), and the memory may represent Random Access Memory (RAM) devices, including the main memory of the controller 146, as well as any supplemental levels of memory, e.g., cache memory, non-volatile or backup memory (e.g., programmable or flash memory), read-only memory, etc. Additionally, the memory may be considered to include memory physically located elsewhere in the controller 146, e.g., any cache memory in the processor and any storage capacity used as virtual memory, e.g., stored on a mass storage device.

The controller 146 may be coupled with a user interface configured to receive a plurality of inputs and outputs for communicating information externally. For interaction with a user or operator, the user interface typically includes one or more user input devices (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a joystick, a touchpad, a keypad, a stylus, and/or a microphone, among others) and a display (e.g., a CRT monitor or an LCD display panel, among others).

The controller 146 operates under the control of an operating system and executes or otherwise relies upon various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, and the like. Generally, the routines executed by the controller 146 to operate the tag line control system 72, whether implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions, will be referred to herein as "computer program code". The computer program code typically comprises one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices in the computer, and that, when read and executed by one or more processors in the computer, cause the computer to perform the steps necessary to execute steps or elements embodying the various aspects of the invention. The controller 146 includes digital and/or analog circuitry that interfaces the processor with the winch motors of the winch drums of the winches 126, 128.

In facilitating the independent aspect of the marker line control module 74, the housing 80 further includes a power source 148, the power source 148 carried within the interior chamber 102 of the housing 80 and configured to provide power to the winches 126, 128 to selectively wind up or unwind the marker line cables 130, 132. The inclusion of the power source 148 within the housing 80 itself contrasts with many existing marker control systems. In this regard, since the winches typically associated with the marking lines require electrical power, the winches have traditionally been provided at the base of the crane from which the electrical power is readily available. Aspects of the present invention overcome this limitation (which makes for crane-specific applications) by locating the power supply 148 within the separate housing 80 of the marker line control module 74. As a result, the marking line control system 72 described herein can be used with a wider variety of cranes or other lifting devices, and in a simplified manner.

In an exemplary embodiment, the power source 148 may be a battery pack that stores energy sufficient to power the winches 126, 128 during at least one wind turbine component lift (and preferably during multiple wind turbine component lifts). Preferably, the batteries in the battery pack may be of a rechargeable type. Such cells are known to those of ordinary skill in the art and will not be described further herein. In an alternative embodiment, the power source 148 may take the form of a generator. For example, the generator may include a fuel tank for powering an electric motor that generates the necessary electrical power to power the winches 126, 128 during lifting of the wind turbine component 70. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other power sources suitable for the present application. However, it is preferred that any alternate power source be contained within the housing 80 of the tag line control module 74 itself. Thus, power is not necessarily transmitted from an external power source (such as a crane) to the winches 126, 128 in the tag line control module 74, but is provided locally, i.e., within the housing 80 itself.

As discussed above, the marker line control system 72 further includes at least one guide member 76, the guide member 76 configured to cooperate with the marker line control module 74 to achieve sufficient control and orientation of the wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30. In a broad sense, the guide member 76 transmits the force of the marker wire cables 130, 132 to the support to provide a reaction force that enables operation of the marker wire cables 130, 132 to affect the position of the wind turbine component 70. In exemplary embodiments and as illustrated in FIG. 1, guide member 76 may include one or more guide cables 154, guide cables 154 extending generally vertically in the air and adjacent to wind turbine 10 being assembled. One or more guide cables 154 may, in turn, be coupled to a guide support sufficient to withstand the forces and loads expected to be experienced by the sign line control system 72. In an exemplary embodiment, the guide support for the one or more guide cables 154 may be provided by the crane 30 itself. For example, as illustrated in fig. 1, one or more guide cables 154 may be coupled to one or more of the hangers of the crane 30. As illustrated, one or more guide cables 154 may be coupled to the main boom 36 of the crane 30. The guide member 76 may further include a pulley arrangement 156, the pulley arrangement 156 being associated with the one or more guide cables 154 and configured to move along a longitudinal length of the one or more guide cables 154 during use. As shown in fig. 1, the ends of the marker wire cables 130, 132 are configured to be removably coupled to the pulley block 156, thereby operatively coupling the marker wire control module 74 to the guide member 76.

Aspects of the present invention are not limited to the particular arrangement shown in fig. 1. In this regard, one or more cables 154 may be coupled to more than one of the hangers of crane 30. For example, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the lower ends of one or more cables 154 may be coupled to main hanger 36, while the upper ends of one or more cables may be coupled to boom hanger 38. It should be appreciated that when the wind turbine component 70 is in its lowest position (e.g., for coupling to a crane) and its desired assembled position on the wind turbine 10, one or more wires 154 may be coupled to the crane 30 in a manner sufficient to engage the marker wire cables 130, 132. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention are not limited to the aspect illustrated in fig. 1. Further, the guide member 76 should not be limited to one or more guide cables. In this regard, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the guide member 76 may comprise a guide rail extending generally vertically in the air and adjacent to the wind turbine 10 being assembled. For example, the guide rails may include beams (e.g., i-beams) attached to one or more hangers of the crane 30. The marker wire cables 130, 132 may be coupled to the beam, such as by, for example, a bracket that is movably attached to the beam and configured to move along the length of the beam. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other flexible or rigid elongated members that may operate as the guide member 76.

The use of the marking line control system 72 will now be described with reference to fig. 1, 4 and 5. In an initial step, the tag line control module 74 can be coupled to the rigging of the crane 30. More specifically, the sign line control module 74 may be coupled to the boom block 48 of the main load cable 46 of the crane 30 via the hook 66. In this regard, and as discussed above, a flexible connector 110 can be used to couple the trunnion 108 of the marker line control module 74 to the hook 66 of the crane 30 such that the marker line control module 74 is suspended by the crane 30 and is movable with the hook 66 by actuation of the crane 30. Additionally, guide members 76 may be disposed adjacent to wind turbine 10 and coupled to the guide support. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the guide support is provided by a crane 30. Thus, the lower end of the one or more cables 154 may be coupled to the crane 30 adjacent the crane base 30. For example, one or more guide cables 154 may be coupled to a lower end of main hanger 36. Similarly, the upper end of one or more cables 154 may be coupled to the crane 30 at a location adjacent to where the wind turbine component 70 is to be coupled to the wind turbine 10. For example, one or more guide cables 154 may be coupled to the crane 30 at an upper end of the main boom 36. Thus, the crane spreader 36 provides the necessary support and load transfer capability to accommodate the forces generated by the line control module 74 during use. The ends of the marker line cables 130, 132 may be coupled to a pulley block 156, the pulley block 156 being movably coupled to one or more guide cables 154. As the marking line control module 74 moves vertically under actuation of the crane 30, the pulley block 156 will move along one or more guide cables 154.

With this arrangement, the marker line control module 74 may be disposed adjacent to the wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30. The location may be adjacent to, for example, the ground, the deck of the vessel, etc. As mentioned above, the wind turbine component 70 will typically include a support frame 118 for supporting the component 70. In the embodiment of fig. 1, the wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30 is a wind turbine blade 20, and the support frame 118 takes the form of a blade holder 120. In this case, the marker line control module 74 may be attached to the blade holder 120 at an appropriate lift point on the blade holder 120. In this regard, the flexible connector 110 may be used to couple the tab 114 of the marker line control module 74 to a blade holder 120 associated with the wind turbine blade 20. The operator of the crane may then activate the crane 30 to initially lift the wind turbine component 70 off the ground. As further described above, the marker line control module 74 is disposed between the hook 66 and the wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30. The connection of the marker wire cables 130, 132 to the guide member 76 (in this case, one or more guide cables 154) enables the marker wire cable control module 74 to adjust the position of the wind turbine component 70 by manipulating the marker wire cables 130, 132.

To this end, in one aspect of the invention, the control of the wind turbine component 70 by the marker line control module 74 during lifting by the crane 30 may be an automated process. In this regard, one or more position sensors 158 may be coupled to wind turbine component 70 (on component 70 itself and/or on a support frame 118 associated with component 70) and configured to communicate with controller 146 in marker line control module 74. For example, the sensor 158 may be configured to wirelessly communicate with the controller 146 via Bluetooth (r) or other wireless communication protocol. Position sensors 158 may include a wide variety of sensors that indicate the position of wind turbine components, including without limitation height, inclination, torsion, yaw, and/or other position and orientation variables. For example, the sensors may include various tilt sensors (e.g., inclinometers), GPS sensors, orientation sensors based on magnetism, for example, or other sensors known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The controller 146 of the marker line control module 74 may be configured to receive the signal from the position sensor 158 and actuate one or both of the winches 126, 128 and thereby the marker line cables 130, 132 associated with the winches 126, 128 to adjust the position of the wind turbine component 70 according to the operating protocol. For example, the controller 146 may be configured to adjust the marker line cables 130, 132 such that the wind turbine component 70 substantially maintains a certain yaw (referred to as a design criterion) with respect to, for example, the rotor hub 18 to which the blades 20 are being attached. The design criteria are typically known or predetermined prior to crane lifting and may depend on the particular wind turbine component 70 being lifted by the crane 30. In any case, the controller 146 and the sensor 158 can be programmed with design criteria such that the marking line control module 74 can take readings from the sensor 158 and operate the marking line control module 74 to maintain or achieve the design criteria. In this regard, the controller 146 may be configured to store a plurality of various design criteria, such as in a memory, so that a user may select a design criteria from a library of preprogrammed criteria. The controller 146 may be configured to enable a user to select (such as from a drop down menu) the type of wind turbine component 70 being lifted and the particular design criteria for that component. The designated yaw position is only one possible design criterion and the marker line control module 74 may be configured to maintain or achieve this design criterion during crane lift. However, the invention is not so limited, as a wide variety of design criteria are possible within the scope of the invention.

In addition to the automated process described above, the marker line control system 72 may be augmented with a manual override mode that enables service personnel to control the marker line control module 74 to adjust the position of the wind turbine component 70. For this purpose, service personnel on the ground or possibly in or on the wind turbine 10 may have a remote control (not shown) that can activate the winches 126, 128 in the marker line control module 74 to adjust the position of the wind turbine component 70. This type of manual override may be desirable near the end of the lifting process (such as just before the wind turbine component 70 is attached to the wind turbine 10) to make minor adjustments to the position, which facilitates the connection of the wind turbine component 70 with the wind turbine 10.

By utilizing the marker line control system 72, control of the wind turbine component 70 may be maintained during lifting (e.g., from the ground to the top of the wind turbine 10), and the component 70 may be set in a desired orientation for attachment to the wind turbine 10 at the top of the lift. This positioning of the wind turbine component 70 may be accomplished without a large number of markers extending from the wind turbine component to the ground or without a large group of service personnel on the ground that must work in a coordinated manner to maintain control during lifting and achieve the desired orientation when the wind turbine component 70 reaches its position of assembly to the wind turbine 10. Another benefit of the present invention is that the marker line control system 72 can be used on a wide variety of wind turbine components 70. Thus, for example, the marker line control system 72 may be used for lifting the nacelle 14, hub 18, and blade 20. No specific rigging is required, depending on what the wind turbine component is being lifted by the crane 30. The marker line control module 74 is configured to engage with each wind turbine component 70, such as listed above, directly, through the support frame, or via a yoke. This versatility in the marker line control system 72 reduces rigging assembly time to achieve lifting of many different wind turbine components. Thus, due to aspects of the present invention, more efficient use of large cranes may be achieved and operating costs may be reduced.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig. 4, where like reference numerals refer to like features shown and described with reference to fig. 1 in fig. 4. The embodiment shown in fig. 4 is similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 1, and therefore only the differences will be described in further detail. In this regard, the primary differences with respect to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 relate to the configuration of the guide member 76. In fig. 1, guide support for the guide member 76 is provided by the crane 30, more specifically by the main cradle 36 of the crane 30. Due to the large weight of the various wind turbine components 70 lifted by the crane 30, the crane hangers 36, 38 are subjected to large loads during use. Coupling the guide member 76 to the crane spreader only further increases the load experienced by the crane 30. To ensure that the crane is able to handle the increased load, an oversized crane must be used to accommodate the increased load due to the marking line control system 72.

However, as illustrated in FIG. 4, this load burden added due to the marker line control system 72 may be off the crane 30 and placed on the wind turbine 10, and more specifically, on the wind turbine tower 12. In this embodiment, the guide member 76 may include one or more guide cables 154. The lower end of one or more guide cables 154 may be attached to a lower end of the wind turbine tower 12, the base of the wind turbine, or a post or support in the ground adjacent to the base of the tower 12. The upper end of one or more guide cables 154 may be attached to the upper end of the wind turbine tower 12, or alternatively to the nacelle 14. For example, a removable collar or clamp (not shown) may be provided adjacent the top of tower 12 to which the upper end of one or more guide cables 154 may be attached. The guide member 76 may further include a pulley arrangement 156, the pulley arrangement 156 being associated with the one or more guide cables 154 and configured to move along a longitudinal length of the one or more guide cables 154. As shown in fig. 4, the ends of the marker line cables 130, 132 are configured to be removably coupled to the pulley block 156. The operation of the sign line control system 72 illustrated in fig. 4 is similar to that described above with respect to fig. 1. The main difference is that the forces generated by the marker line control system 72 are now carried by the wind turbine 10 rather than the crane 30. This makes the crane 30 retrofit less obtrusive and makes the sign line control system 72 suitable for use with a wider range of cranes.

Other embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in fig. 5, where in fig. 5 like reference numerals refer to like features shown and described with reference to fig. 1. The embodiment shown in fig. 5 is similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 4, and therefore only the differences will be described in further detail. In this regard, the primary differences with respect to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 4 relate to the configuration of the guide member 76. More specifically, the embodiment shown in fig. 5 is a combination of the embodiments shown in fig. 1 and 4. In this regard, the marking line control system 72 includes two guide members 76a, 76 b. The first guide member 76a may include one or more guide cables 154a, the guide cables 154a having a lower end coupled to the main hanger 36 adjacent the lower end of the main hanger 36 and an upper end coupled to the main hanger 36 adjacent the upper end of the main hanger 36. The guide member 76a may also include a pulley arrangement 156a, the pulley arrangement 156a being associated with the one or more guide cables 154a and configured to move along the longitudinal length of the one or more guide cables 154 a. The ends of the marking line cables 130a, 132a are configured to be removably coupled to the pulley block 156a and operated by a pair of winches (not shown) in the marking line control module 74 under the command of the controller 146.

In a similar manner, the guide member 76b may include one or more guide cables 154 b. The lower end of one or more guide cables 154b may be attached to a lower end of the wind turbine tower 12, the base of the wind turbine, or a post or support in the ground adjacent to the base of the tower 12. The upper end of the one or more guide cables 154b may be attached to the upper end of the wind turbine tower 12, or alternatively to the nacelle 14. The guide member 76b may also include a pulley arrangement 156b, the pulley arrangement 156b being associated with the one or more guide cables 154b and configured to move along the longitudinal length of the one or more guide cables 154 b. The ends of the marking line cables 130b, 132b are configured to be removably coupled to the pulley block 156b and operated by a second pair of winches (not shown) in the marking line control module 74 under the command of the controller 146. The operation of the sign line control system 72 illustrated in fig. 5 is similar to that described above with respect to fig. 1. The main difference is that the forces generated by the marker line control system 72 are carried by both the crane 30 and the wind turbine 30. Because the loads placed on the crane 30 are reduced by sharing the marker line control system loads with the tower 12, a smaller crane may be used to assemble the wind turbine component 70 to the wind turbine 10.

Another embodiment of the marker line control module 164 is illustrated in FIG. 6, in which FIG. 6 like reference numerals refer to like features in previous figures. The tag line control module 164 is similar to that shown in FIG. 2, and therefore only the differences will be described in further detail. In this regard, housing 80 of marker line control module 164 includes a pair of arms 166, 168 extending from housing 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the arms 166, 168 extend from the side walls 86, 88, respectively, of the housing 80. In one embodiment, the arms 166, 168 may be selectively extended or retracted relative to the housing 80. For example, the arms 166, 168 may be configured as telescoping arms with suitable motors or other actuators to control the extension/retraction of the arms 166, 168. In this regard, the arms 166, 168 are operatively coupled to the controller 146 in the marker line control module 74 for controlling the extension/retraction of the arms 166, 168.

Each of the arms 166, 168 has a first end generally fixed to the housing 80 and a second terminating end including pulleys 170, 172. As illustrated in fig. 6, the marker wire cables 130, 132 extend from the respective side walls 86, 88 via slots 136, 138 (only slot 136 shown in fig. 6) and are configured to engage with pulleys 170, 172 at the ends of the respective arms 166, 168. The purpose of the arms 166, 168 is to increase the distance D between the marker wire cables 130, 132 at the point where the marker wire cables 130, 132 effectively extend from the marker wire control module 74. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, the distance D is limited by the width of the housing 80. However, in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, the distance D is controlled by the length of the arms 166, 168. As can be appreciated, the greater the distance D, the more control the marker line control system 72 can exert over the position of the wind turbine component 70. Thus, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 provides a greater degree of control over the wind turbine component 70 than the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In an exemplary embodiment, the arms 166, 168 may be arranged such that the marker line cables 130, 132 form an equilateral triangle near the assembly position of the wind turbine component 70 with the wind turbine 10. In any event, the operation of the tag line control module 164 is similar to that described above with reference to the tag line control module 74.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various preferred embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the various features of the present invention can be used alone or in any combination depending on the needs and preferences of the user.