SUPPORTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING WINDING COILS IN A WIND TURBINE GENERATOR
The device includes a flexible member that is in a relaxed, substantially concave configuration before being inserted between two adjacent stator portions, and in an operating, substantially flattened configuration when inserted between two adjacent stator portions in which the flexible member is compressed by the stator portions and the winding coils. The flexible member may be in an inserting, substantially convex configuration for being inserted between the adjacent stator portions.
1 . A supporting device for supporting winding coils in a wind turbine generator, the device comprising:
a flexible member configured to be attached between two adjacent stator portions of the generator, the flexible member being in a relaxed configuration before being inserted between the two adjacent stator portions, and the flexible member being in an operating configuration when inserted between the two adjacent stator portions in which the flexible member is compressed by the stator portions and the winding coils.
2 . A supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein the relaxed configuration of the flexible member is a substantially concave configuration.
3 . A supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating configuration of the flexible member is a substantially flattened configuration.
4 . A supporting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pre-tensioning tool that is configured to be applied to the flexible member for bringing it into an inserting configuration such that the flexible member can be inserted between the two adjacent stator portions.
5 . A supporting device according to claim 4 , wherein the inserting configuration of the flexible member is a substantially convex configuration.
6 . A supporting device according to claim 4 , wherein the pre-tensioning tool comprises two separate walls and a tightening element, wherein the separate walls are configured to push on opposite edges of the flexible member as the tightening element is tightened to the flexible member to bring the flexible member into the inserting configuration.
7 . A supporting device according to claim 6 , wherein the tightening element of the pre-tensioning tool is a screw adapted to be screwed on the winding coil coupling portion such that the walls of the pre-tensioning tool push on the flexible member.
8 . A supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible member has a coupling portion adapted to be at least partially inserted into a gap between adjacent winding coils when in the operating configuration.
9 . A supporting device according to claim 8 , wherein the winding coil coupling portion is adapted to be always in contact with adjacent winding coils.
10 . A supporting device according to claim 8 , wherein the winding coil coupling portion is movable with respect to the stator portions to adapt to the gap between adjacent winding coils.
11 . A supporting device according to claim 8 , wherein the winding coil coupling portion has at least one projection extending outwards to adapt to the gap between adjacent winding coils.
12 . A method for supporting winding coils in a wind turbine generator, the method comprising the steps of:
providing at least one supporting device according to claim 11 comprising a flexible member that is in a relaxed configuration,
compressing the flexible member into an inserting configuration such that it can be arranged between two adjacent stator portions,
inserting the flexible member between the two adjacent stator portions, and leaving the flexible member between the adjacent stator portions such that it is in an operating configuration in which the flexible member is compressed by the stator portions and the winding coils.
13 . A method according to claim 12 , wherein the flexible member compressing step is carried out through the use of a pre-tensioning tool that is configured to put the flexible member in the inserting configuration before being inserted between two adjacent stator portions.
14 . A method according to claim 13 , wherein the flexible member compressing step is carried out by tightening the pre-tensioning tool to the flexible member causing the separate walls of the pre-tensioning tool to push on transverse edges of the flexible member tending to put it into the inserting configuration.
15 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of removing the pre-tensioning tool from the flexible member once the flexible member has been fitted between adjacent stator portions and arranged in the operating configuration.
16 . A method for supporting winding coils in a wind turbine generator, the method comprising the steps of:
compressing a flexible member of a supporting device from a relaxed configuration into an inserting configuration such that the flexible member can be arranged between two adjacent stator portions of the generator;
inserting the flexible member between the two adjacent stator portions; and
leaving the flexible member between the adjacent stator portions such that it is in an operating configuration in which the flexible member is compressed by the stator portions and the winding coils.
17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the compressing step is carried out through use of a pre-tensioning tool that is configured to put the flexible member in the inserting configuration before being inserted between two adjacent stator portions.