US 12,305,613 B2
Method and blade installation device for installing a blade of an offshore wind turbine
Diederick Bernardus Wijning, Schiedam (NL); and David Roodenburg, Schiedam (NL)
Assigned to ITREC B.V., Schiedam (NL)
Appl. No. 18/277,627
Filed by Itrec B.V., Schiedam (NL)
PCT Filed Feb. 16, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/053798
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 17, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/175315, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 25, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2027591 (NL), filed on Feb. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133364 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0229771 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F03D 13/10 (2016.01); B66C 19/00 (2006.01); B66C 23/20 (2006.01); F03D 13/25 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 13/104 (2023.08) [B66C 19/00 (2013.01); B66C 23/207 (2013.01); F03D 13/25 (2016.05); F05B 2230/6102 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A blade installation device configured to be temporarily installed on an offshore wind turbine for installing a blade on a horizontal axis rotational hub of the offshore wind turbine, the offshore wind turbine comprising a wind turbine mast that is supported by a foundation and a nacelle with a horizontal axis rotational hub provided on a top end of the wind turbine mast, wherein the blade installation device is transportable on a crane vessel to the offshore wind turbine, the blade installation device comprising:
a mounting part that is mounted on the foundation of the offshore wind turbine and/or on a lower portion of the wind turbine mast;
a guide mast that is erected vertically in an operational position, wherein the guide mast is supported by the mounting part and extends parallel and adjacent to the wind turbine mast, the guide mast having a track;
a support bracket that is engaged with the wind turbine mast and laterally supports the erected guide mast; and
a blade manipulator assembly comprising:
a trolley engaging the track of the guide mast and being movable along the track in a vertical direction;
a trolley drive for moving the trolley along the track;
a blade manipulator comprising blade engagement members that are provided to secure a blade relative to the blade manipulator, wherein the blade manipulator is supported by said trolley via an actuating assembly comprising actuators, the actuators being configured to enable one or more degrees of freedom of the blade manipulator relative to the trolley; and
a positioning system for controlling the actuators and thus the position of the blade that is secured relative to the blade manipulator,
wherein the trolley is configured to be brought in a lower blade receiving position thereof and the blade manipulator is configured to be arranged to receive a blade in a horizontal position thereof, wherein the blade engagement members are configured to secure the blade relative to the blade manipulator,
wherein the trolley is movable along the track by the trolley drive in an upper blade installation position thereof, and wherein the positioning system is configured to be operated to control the actuators so as to bring the blade that is secured relative to the blade manipulator in a mounting position thereof allowing for the blade in said mounting position to be attached to the horizontal axis rotational hub of the offshore wind turbine, and
wherein the blade installation device further comprises a hoist with a winch, a cable and a crane boom, the crane boom being configured to be erected with respect to a top end of the guide mast and supported via the guide mast by the foundation.