JP2018013063A - Wind power generator and retractable step controlling method - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a wind turbine generator capable of safely and quickly escaping from a nacelle and capable of securing an evacuation place capable of safely waiting until a rescue by a helicopter or the like arrives. A rotor 1 that rotates by receiving wind, a nacelle 2 that rotatably supports the rotor, a generator 3 that generates electric power using rotational energy of the rotor, and a part of an outer wall of the nacelle are provided. An opening / closing part capable of opening and closing the inside and outside of the nacelle is provided, and a step is formed outside the nacelle as the opening / closing part opens with respect to the nacelle. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a nacelle structure of a wind turbine generator, and more particularly to a technique effective when applied to an emergency worker rescue step.

  Maintenance and inspection of facilities is indispensable to ensure high availability of wind power generators and reduce power generation costs. These include daily operation monitoring, regular and irregular maintenance, and maintenance with modification / renovation of equipment. In particular, maintenance in the nacelle, where many operating parts such as generators, speed increasers, power transmission shafts (main shafts), and brake devices are stored, is important for improving the operating rate of wind power generators. The frequency will inevitably increase.

  On the other hand, in order to increase the amount of power generation per wind power generator, the wind turbine tends to be enlarged, and in recent years, development of a super-large wind turbine having a rotor diameter exceeding 150 m has been promoted. Along with this, the tower that supports it has become more than 100m, and maintenance in the nacelle installed at the top of the tower is a work at a high place, so there is an emergency such as a fire accident due to a lightning strike or damage to the rotor due to a gust of wind. Securing evacuation routes and how to escape are important issues.

  As a background art in this technical field, for example, there is a technique such as Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a “wind power generation facility in which a hatch is provided on the top surface of a nacelle for performing maintenance of an anemometer, an anemometer, or other installation equipment”. An operator can go out of the nacelle from the hatch and perform maintenance of the anemometer and anemometer.

  Patent Document 2 discloses “a wind turbine facility in which a door that can be opened and closed is provided in a lower part of the nacelle, and a passage that allows parts that require maintenance in the nacelle to move inside and outside the nacelle” is disclosed. ing. A device necessary for maintenance or maintenance of the nacelle can be carried out from the nacelle or carried into the nacelle through an openable / closable door provided in the lower part of the nacelle.

  Patent Document 3 discloses “a horizontal axis wind power generation system provided with a hole that can be opened and closed by a movable closing door (hatch)”. An arm can be protruded from this hole, and a frame main body and a gondola can be suspended via a wire.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-203387 Special table 2012-501400 gazette JP 2007-120286 A

  As mentioned above, there is a need for equipment design that takes into account evacuation routes and escape methods in the event of an emergency that requires evacuation during maintenance in the nacelle, and workers are especially rescued like offshore wind power generation. In situations where it is difficult to secure an evacuation site until then, special measures are needed to rescue and transport workers.

  For example, when the hatch is provided on the upper surface of the nacelle as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to ascend from the floor surface in the nacelle to the upper surface of the nacelle using a staircase or the like, and it takes time for evacuation.

  In addition, when a door is provided at the lower part of the nacelle as in Patent Document 2, there is no other way for the worker who escapes from the door to evacuate to the sea, making it difficult to rescue safely.

  Moreover, in the hole of patent document 3, it is difficult for an operator to use as an evacuation route from the installation position and magnitude | size.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an evacuation site that can safely and quickly escape from the nacelle when an emergency occurs during maintenance in the nacelle and can safely wait until the rescue by a helicopter arrives. It is providing the wind power generator which can ensure.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an evacuation route for escaping out of the nacelle safely and quickly when an emergency occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, and can safely wait until a rescue by a helicopter arrives. The object is to provide a method for controlling a retractable step serving as an evacuation site.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a rotor that rotates by receiving wind, a nacelle that rotatably supports the rotor, a generator that generates electric power using rotational energy of the rotor, and an outer wall of the nacelle. And an opening / closing portion that can be opened and closed inside and outside of the nacelle, and a step is formed outside the nacelle as the opening / closing portion opens with respect to the nacelle.

  Further, the present invention is a method for controlling a retractable step provided in a nacelle of a wind turbine generator, wherein an emergency button of the wind turbine generator is pressed, rotation of a rotor of the wind turbine generator is stopped, and When the output of the generator of the wind power generator is stopped, the lock of the retractable step is released, and the retractable step is protruded outward from the side surface of the nacelle.

  According to the present invention, even if an emergency situation occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, it is possible to safely and quickly escape from the nacelle, and can safely wait until the rescue by a helicopter arrives. A wind power generator capable of securing an evacuation site can be realized.

  In addition, according to the present invention, even when an emergency situation occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, it becomes an evacuation route for escaping out of the nacelle safely and quickly, and waits safely until the rescue by the helicopter arrives. It is possible to realize a method for controlling a retractable step that becomes a possible evacuation site.

  Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the following description of embodiments.

It is a side schematic diagram of a downwind type windmill concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a general-view figure of the unfolding step for rescue concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional side view of the deployment type step for rescue which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a general-view figure of the extension type step for rescue concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional side view of the extension type step for rescue which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the extension type step for rescue concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is the lighting fixture installation schematic of the step for rescue which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a lock mechanism schematic diagram of a rescue step according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a rotor lock mechanism schematic diagram of a windmill concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control flow at the time of the rescue step use which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description of overlapping portions is omitted.

  The wind power generator of Example 1 is demonstrated using FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a downwind wind turbine according to this embodiment as viewed from the side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the nacelle showing a state in which an opening / closing portion provided on the side surface is opened. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ in FIG. 2 and shows a cross section of the opening / closing part.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wind power generator according to this embodiment includes a rotor 1 that rotates by receiving wind, a nacelle 2 that rotatably supports the rotor 1, and a generator that generates electric power using the rotational energy of the rotor 1. It is composed of three. Although detailed explanation is omitted, in the nacelle 2, in addition to the generator 3, a speed increaser (gear box) that speeds up the rotation of the rotor 1 to the number of rotations necessary for power generation using a gear, Supply yaw control mechanism that controls the direction of rotor 1 and nacelle 2 according to the wind direction, brake mechanism that stops rotation of rotor 1, rotor lock mechanism that locks rotation of rotor 1, oil (lubricant) to motor and gear The oil circulation device to be stored is stored.

  Since the present invention is basically the same configuration when applied to a wind turbine generator installed on the ground and when applied to a wind turbine generator installed on the ocean, the present embodiment distinguishes between the ground and the ocean. I will explain it.

  FIG. 2 shows an overview of the unfolding (rotating) step in this embodiment. An opening / closing portion 5 provided on a part of the outer wall 4 of the nacelle 2 and capable of opening / closing the inside / outside of the nacelle 2 is provided, and a step 6 is formed outside the nacelle 2 as the opening / closing portion 5 opens with respect to the nacelle 2. Is done. That is, the inner wall with the opening / closing part 5 closed becomes step 6 when the opening / closing part 5 is released.

  The opening / closing part 5 is installed on the side surface of the nacelle 2 as a retractable door that opens outward, and functions as a step (standby place) where an operator can board when opened. FIG. 2 shows an example of an unfolding (rotating) step in which the lower end of the opening / closing part 5 is rotatably connected to the nacelle 2 and the opening / closing part 5 opens downward from the upper side of the nacelle.

  The configuration of step 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ in FIG. 2, and shows a side cross section of the unfolding (rotating) step in the present embodiment. Step 6 of this embodiment is connected to the floor surface 8 in the nacelle 2 via the first hinge portion 7 without providing a step.

  Thereby, the easy accessibility which can perform the evacuation of the worker to the step 6 from the nacelle 2 and the movement of the rescued person can be obtained. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, a frame body may be provided on the inner wall of the opening / closing part 5, which serves as a fall prevention fence for workers and rescued persons when the opening / closing part 5 is released. Thereby, after evacuating from the nacelle 2 to Step 6, the worker and the person to be rescued can safely stand by on Step 6 until relief by a helicopter or the like arrives.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, even when an emergency such as a generator fire due to a lightning strike occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, it is possible to escape from the nacelle safely and quickly. You can safely wait until the relief arrives.

  Further, since the step is normally closed, that is, step 6 is housed in the nacelle 2, the rotor 1 can receive wind without affecting the wind flow on the surface of the nacelle 2.

  The wind power generator of Example 2 is demonstrated using FIGS. 4-6. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the nacelle, and shows a state in which an opening / closing portion provided on the side surface extends outward from the nacelle. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B ′ in FIG. 4 and shows a cross section of the opening / closing part.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the present embodiment is different from the steps of the first embodiment in that the step serving as an evacuation place (standby place) is an extension step. An opening / closing portion 9 provided on a part of the outer wall 4 of the nacelle 2 and capable of opening / closing the inside / outside of the nacelle 2 is provided, and a step 10 is formed outside the nacelle 2 as the opening / closing portion 9 extends with respect to the nacelle 2. The That is, when the opening / closing part 9 extends toward the outside of the nacelle 2, the connecting portion between the opening / closing part 9 and the nacelle 2 becomes step 10.

  The opening / closing part 9 is installed as a retractable door on the side of the nacelle 2 and functions as a step (standby place) where an operator can board when opened. In FIG. 5, the opening / closing portion 9 is connected to the nacelle 2 by the two hinges of the second hinge portion 11 and the third hinge portion 12, and the opening / closing portion 9 extends toward the outside of the nacelle 2. An example is shown.

  Next, the configuration of step 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B ′ in FIG. 4, and shows a side cross section of the extension type step in this embodiment. In the present embodiment, the opening / closing part 9 and the nacelle 2 are connected via the second hinge part 11, and the second hinge part 11 forms a side wall of the open space (standby place). The opening / closing part 9 is disposed along the outer wall of the nacelle 2 and forms a front wall of an open space (standby place). Further, step 10 of the present embodiment is connected to the floor surface 8 in the nacelle 2 through the third hinge portion 12 without providing a step.

  Thereby, the easy accessibility which can perform the evacuation of the worker to the step 10 from the nacelle 2 and the movement of the rescued person can be obtained. In this embodiment, when the opening / closing part 9 extends to the outside of the nacelle 2, the second hinge part 11, which is a connection part between the opening / closing part 9 and the nacelle 2, supports the opening / closing part 9, and It also functions as a fall prevention fence for rescuers. Thereby, after evacuating from the inside of the nacelle 2 to step 10, the worker or the person to be rescued can safely stand by on the step 10 until relief by a helicopter or the like arrives.

  FIG. 6 shows a modification of this embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a top view of the extension step in this embodiment. An air bag 13 is provided on the second hinge part 11 and provided outside the open space of the opening / closing part 9 with respect to the second hinge part 11, and the second hinge part 11 has an expansion force of the air bag 13. The opening / closing part 9 is extended to the outside of the nacelle 2 by using it. Thereby, step 10 can be easily and quickly extended without using a complicated opening / closing mechanism, and step 10 can be installed outside nacelle 2.

  In addition, although the example which provided the air bag 13 in the 2nd hinge part 11 is shown in FIG. 6, you may provide in the 3rd hinge part 12 (lower hinge part of FIG. 5), It can also be provided in both the second hinge portion 11 and the third hinge portion 12. Also in this case, by providing the air bag 13 outside the open space of the opening / closing part 9 with respect to the second hinge part 11 and the third hinge part 12, when the air bag 13 is inflated, it is possible for an operator or a person to be rescued. Can prevent contact (collision).

  As described above, according to this embodiment, even when an emergency such as a generator fire due to a lightning strike occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, it is possible to escape from the nacelle safely and quickly. You can safely wait until the relief arrives.

  Further, since the step is normally closed, that is, step 10 is housed in the nacelle 2, the rotor 1 can receive wind without affecting the wind flow on the surface of the nacelle 2.

  The wind power generator of Example 3 is demonstrated using FIG. 7 is a perspective view of step 6 in FIG. 2, and the right side of FIG. 7 is a perspective view of step 10 in FIG. In this embodiment, the lighting fixture 14 is provided in the opening / closing part or in the vicinity of the opening / closing part. In the example of the left figure of FIG. 7, the lighting fixture 14 is installed in the corner | angular part of the opening-and-closing part 5 in step 6, and the outer wall surface of the nacelle 2. FIG. Moreover, in the example of the right figure of FIG. 7, the lighting fixture 14 is installed in the corner | angular part of the opening-and-closing part 9 in step 10, and the outer wall surface of the nacelle 2. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the lighting fixture 14 is installed in the opening / closing part or in the vicinity of the opening / closing part, and by illuminating the top of Step 6 and Step 10, the worker and the rescued person can safely and quickly perform Step 6 and Step 10 even at night. You can evacuate or move to. Moreover, the position of step 6 or step 10 can be visually recognized even at night, and access from a rescue helicopter can be assisted.

  As shown in FIG. 7, by providing the lighting device 14 separately and independently on the outer wall and the opening / closing portion of the nacelle 2, the distance between the lighting device 14 on the outer wall of the nacelle 2 and the lighting device 14 on the opening / closing portion, Since the position and size of the step can be easily recognized, the rescue from the rescue helicopter can be performed more quickly.

  The control method of the opening / closing part (storage type step) provided in the wind power generator and nacelle of Example 4 is demonstrated using FIGS. 8-10. FIG. 8 shows an overview of the steps provided with the opening / closing part locking mechanism in this embodiment. FIG. 9 shows an overview of a rotor lock mechanism that locks the rotor 1 of the windmill. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a control flow when using steps in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the opening / closing section 5 or the opening / closing section 9 described in each of the embodiments 1 to 3 includes a direct-acting cylinder type opening / closing section locking device 15, and operates the cylinder pin by an electric signal. Thus, the opening / closing part 5 (or the opening / closing part 9) can be locked to the nacelle 2. As a result, the locks of the open / close sections 5 and 9 can be released in conjunction with the stop of the rotor 1, so that the open / close sections can be prevented from being inadvertently opened during normal operation of the wind turbine generator. .

  FIG. 9 shows a configuration in which the locking of the opening / closing sections 5 and 9 is released in conjunction with the stop of the rotor 1. A rotor lock mechanism 16 that stops the rotation of the rotor 1 is provided between the rotor 1 and the nacelle 2, and an opening / closing part lock device 15 and a control unit 17 that controls the rotor lock mechanism 16 are provided. When the control unit 17 detects the rotation stop of the rotor 1 by the rotor locking mechanism 16, the opening / closing unit locking device 15 is operated to unlock the opening / closing units 5, 9, and the opening / closing units 5, 9 are moved outside the nacelle 2. To open. Or it is made to protrude outside the nacelle 2 by the expansion force of the air bag as described in the second embodiment.

  The above operation flow will be described with reference to FIG. When an emergency such as a generator fire due to a lightning strike occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, the operator presses an emergency (rescue) push button provided in the nacelle 2. The control unit 17 receives a signal from the emergency (rescue) push button as an input, determines the operation of the windmill (rotation of the rotor 1 and power generation by the generator 3), and operates the windmill (during rotation of the rotor 1 and power generation). When it is determined that power is being generated by the machine 3, a windmill operation stop signal is output to the rotor brake and the generator.

  Next, the control unit 17 determines the lock position of the rotor 1 and outputs a rotor lock locking signal for locking the rotor 1 to a safe stop position according to the wind direction and the wind speed to the rotor lock mechanism 16. Lock.

  Subsequently, when the controller 17 determines the state of the opening / closing part locking device 15 (step opening / closing locking position) and determines that the opening / closing part locking device 15 is in the state of locking the opening / closing parts 5, 9, the step opening / closing lock is performed. A release signal is output, and the lock of the opening / closing parts 5 and 9 by the opening / closing part locking device 15 is released.

  As a result, the opening / closing parts 5 and 9 can be opened toward the outside of the nacelle 2, and the opening / closing parts 5 and 9 can be opened by manual operation, or the opening / closing parts 5 and 9 can be projected by the inflation force of the air bag. It becomes.

  Finally, the control unit 17 determines the lighting of emergency lighting such as the lighting fixture 14 described in the third embodiment, and outputs an emergency lighting lighting signal to the lighting fixture 14 when determining that the lighting is not turned on. And turn on the light.

  As described above, the control unit 17 can release the lock of the opening / closing part 5 or 9 by the opening / closing part locking device 15 when the rotor 1 is stopped and the output of the generator 3 is stopped. The lighting fixtures 14 provided on the outer wall and the opening / closing sections 5 and 9 can be turned on.

  Thereby, even from the driving | running state (rotation state of the rotor 1) of a windmill, a windmill can be transferred to the state which can be rescued by pressing down an emergency button.

  As described above, according to each embodiment of the present invention, even when an emergency situation occurs during maintenance in the nacelle, the opening / closing portion is installed on the side surface of the nacelle that is easily accessible, Since it is not necessary to open and close the hatch, the worker and the person to be rescued can escape or move out of the nacelle safely and quickly, and can safely wait until the rescue by the helicopter arrives.

  Further, since there is no step between the floor in the nacelle and the standby place (step), it is possible to move the rescued person and escape the worker himself without barriers.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to an above-described Example, Various modifications are included. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail for easy understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Further, a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of another embodiment can be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Further, it is possible to add, delete, and replace other configurations for a part of the configuration of each embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotor, 2 ... Nacelle, 3 ... Generator, 4 ... Outer wall, 5,9 ... Opening / closing part, 6,10 ... Step, 7, 11, 12 ... Hinge part, 8 ... Floor surface, 13 ... Air bag, 14 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Lighting fixture, 15 ... Opening-and-closing part locking device, 16 ... Rotor locking mechanism, 17 ... Control part.

Claims (15)

A rotor that rotates in response to the wind;
A nacelle for rotatably supporting the rotor;
A generator for generating electric power using rotational energy of the rotor;
Provided on a part of the outer wall of the nacelle, comprising an opening / closing part capable of opening and closing the inside and outside of the nacelle,
A step is formed outside the nacelle as the opening / closing portion opens with respect to the nacelle. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1,
The wind power generator is characterized in that the step is connected to the floor surface in the nacelle without providing a step. The wind power generator according to claim 1 or 2,
The said step is a 1st hinge part which connects between the said opening-and-closing part and the said nacelle, The wind power generator characterized by the above-mentioned. The wind turbine generator according to claim 3,
A second hinge part that connects between the opening and closing part and the nacelle, and that forms a side wall of an open space of the opening and closing part;
An air bag provided on the second hinge portion and provided closer to the open space of the opening / closing portion than the second hinge portion;
The wind power generator, wherein the second hinge part opens the opening / closing part by using an expansion force of the air bag. The wind power generator according to claim 1 or 2,
The said step is an inner wall of the said opening-closing part, The wind power generator characterized by the above-mentioned. The wind power generator according to claim 5,
A wind turbine generator connected to the step without providing a step and provided with a deployment portion disposed along the outer wall of the nacelle with respect to the step. The wind power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An opening / closing part locking mechanism for locking the opening / closing part;
The open / close portion locking mechanism releases the lock of the open / close portion when the rotor is stopped. The wind power generator according to claim 7,
A rotor lock mechanism for stopping rotation of the rotor;
A control unit for controlling the opening / closing unit locking mechanism;
The said control part cancels | releases the lock | rock of the said opening-closing part, when the rotation stop of the said rotor by the said rotor lock mechanism is detected, The wind power generator characterized by the above-mentioned. The wind turbine generator according to claim 7 or 8,
The open / close part lock mechanism releases the lock of the open / close part when the rotor is stopped and when the output of the generator is stopped. The wind power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The step is a deployable step in which a lower end of the opening / closing part is rotatably connected to the nacelle, and the opening / closing part opens downward from above the nacelle. The wind power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The wind power generator according to claim 1, wherein the step is an extendable step in which a connecting portion that connects the opening / closing portion and the nacelle extends toward the outside of the nacelle. A method for controlling a retractable step provided in a nacelle of a wind turbine generator,
The emergency button of the wind turbine generator is pressed,
When the rotation of the rotor of the wind power generator is stopped and the output of the generator of the wind power generator is stopped, the retractable step is unlocked and the retractable step is directed outward from the side surface of the nacelle. A method for controlling a retractable step, wherein the step is projected. A method for controlling a retractable step according to claim 12,
The retractable step is a retractable step control method, wherein a lower end of the retractable step is rotatably connected to the nacelle and opens downward from above the nacelle. A method for controlling a retractable step according to claim 12,
The method of controlling a retractable step, wherein the retractable step is an extendable step in which the retractable step extends toward the outside of the nacelle. The method for controlling a retractable step according to claim 14,
A method for controlling a retractable step, wherein the air bag provided in the retractable step is inflated to extend the retractable step toward the outside of the nacelle.

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