Modular systems and methods for transporting tower assembly of wind turbine

• Main Authors: Keller Evan, Poisler Marco A, Sindelar Joseph M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.06.2017
• Subjects: BLASTING; BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; RAILWAYS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TOCARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WIND MOTORS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

A system and method are used for transporting a plurality of tower sections of a wind turbine on beds of transport devices, such as flat railcars. Supports affix at support locations on beds to accommodate at least one of the tower sections on each of the transport devices. The supports can include bed supports, such as tabs, extending from the beds, and can include cradle supports with slots that engage on the tabs. A circumferential dimension of a cradle is adjusted on each of the supports against which the tower section rests. Each of the tower sections is then supported with at least two of the supports by loading the tower sections on the transport devices. An end of each of the tower sections is then affixed to a flange on at least one of the supports on each of the transport devices.