US 11,781,528 B2
System and method for servicing a jointed rotor blade of a wind turbine
Aaron Alpheus Yarbrough, Greenville, SC (US); and Scott Jacob Huth, Greenville, SC (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/630,971
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 31, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/044366
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/021160, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0268262 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. F03D 80/50 (2016.01); F03D 13/00 (2016.01); B23P 6/04 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 80/50 (2016.05) [B23P 6/045 (2013.01); F03D 13/00 (2016.05); F05B 2230/61 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for servicing a jointed rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
positioning the jointed rotor blade in a six o'clock position;
securing a blade tip support element to a tip section of the jointed rotor blade;
securing at least one lift-support element at a mounting location above the blade tip support element;
coupling a lifting line between the at least one lift-support element and the blade tip support element;
separating the tip section of the jointed rotor blade from a root section of the jointed rotor blade such that the tip section is suspended above a support surface of the wind turbine via the blade tip support element and the lifting line;
servicing the tip section of the jointed rotor blade; and
wherein the blade tip support element is located at a spanwise location between a distal and a proximal end of the tip section and encircles the tip section at the spanwise location.