Portable crane for use in wind turbines
Portable cranes for wind turbines are provided. In one embodiment, a crane includes a boom, a support shaft connected to the boom, and a plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies. Each of the plurality of mount assemblies is removably connectable to the support shaft and mountable to a wind turbine component. The crane is mountable to at least two different wind turbine components. In another embodiment, a crane includes a boom, a support shaft connected to the boom, and means for mounting the crane to at least one uptower wind turbine component and at least one downtower wind turbine component.
1. A portable crane for a wind turbine, the crane comprising:
a boom;
a support shaft connected to the boom; and
a plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies, each of the plurality of mount assemblies removably connectable to the support shaft and mountable to a wind turbine component, each of the plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies comprising a hinge portion in which the support shaft is rotatably mountable and further comprising one of a clamp, an enclosure or a flange,
wherein the crane is mountable to at least two different wind turbine components.
2. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein the at least two different wind turbine components comprise an uptower component and a downtower component.
3. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein the at least two different wind turbine components comprise at least two uptower components.
4. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a tower door.
5. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a bedplate.
6. The portable crane of claim 5 , wherein the crane is mountable to a lift eye of the bedplate.
7. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a gearbox.
8. The portable crane of claim 7 , wherein the crane is mountable to a transition eye of the gearbox.
9. The portable crane of claim 7 , wherein the crane is mountable to a brake caliper of the gearbox.
10. A portable crane for a wind turbine, the crane comprising:
a boom;
a support shaft connected to the boom; and
means for mounting the crane to at least one uptower wind turbine component and at least one downtower wind turbine component, the means comprising a plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies, each of the plurality of mount assemblies removably connectable to the support shaft and mountable to one of an uptower wind turbine component or a downtower wind turbine component, each of the plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies comprising a hinge portion in which the support shaft is rotatably mountable and further comprising one of a clamp, an enclosure or a flange.
11. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein the at least one downtower component comprises a tower door.
12. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein the at least one uptower component comprises a bedplate.
13. The portable crane of claim 1 , wherein the at least one uptower component comprises a gearbox.
14. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower defining an uptower portion and a downtower portion of the wind turbine;
a door defined in the downtower portion;
a nacelle mounted to the tower and disposed in the uptower portion;
a rotor coupled to the nacelle, the rotor comprising a hub and a plurality of rotor blades;
a bedplate disposed within the nacelle;
a gearbox mounted to the bedplate; and
a portable crane mountable to at least two different wind turbine components, the portable crane comprising:
a boom;
a support shaft connected to the boom; and
a plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies, each of the plurality of mount assemblies removably connectable to the support shaft and mountable to a wind turbine component, each of the plurality of interchangeable mount assemblies comprising a hinge portion in which the support shaft is rotatably mountable and further comprising one of a clamp, an enclosure or a flange.
15. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the at least two different wind turbine components comprise an uptower component and a downtower component.
16. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the at least two different wind turbine components comprise at least two uptower components.
17. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a tower door.
18. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a bedplate.
19. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein one of the at least two wind turbine components is a gearbox.