the concept--
i suggest, that the hazards of working on large windmills, can be eliminated...or greatly reduced, via a new way of lowering the support pole/tower to the ground, that allows the "head-unit" to remain in place--
part 1--
this new method, would utilize a "flange, like the ones seen on water, or gas manifolds( a common joint, we see every day at the base of modern fire-hydrants), securing the windmill's support-pole/tower to the ground, this "flange", would have a large hinge, at the "fulcrum-point", located on one side of the "flange"( a few feet off the ground, from the base of the pole/tower)--
part 2--
by having a cement pad/slab in front of the windmill, with an "anchor-point" at each corner of the pad, a semi-truck tow vehicle, could then be chained/secured, at each corner of the frame, to these "anchors", so that the tow-vehicle is not moved by the forces incurred while lowering the pole/tower to the ground--
i believe, that an anchor point, located on the pole/tower, just above the middle of it's total height( 60 percent of the way to the top), would allow the pole/tower to be "felled" like a tree, using the "tow-truck and cable system" mentioned above...allowing it to be safely lowered to the ground, after the flange was unbolted( larger towers, would still have a "ladder-tunnel" going to the top, in the center of the tower, starting above the flange)--
part 3--
a workman's bucket, like the ones used today to clean windows, or for repairing power lines, could then be used to raise the worker safely to the anchoring eye( located on the support pole, or tower), so the worker could attach the tow-truck's cable to it, and then lower the entire unit( the pole/tower and head, with prop), to the ground safely, to be serviced--
part 4--
i suggest, that a "tower-rest" could be located on the other side of the tower( in the direction that the tower is being "felled"), to "cradle" the "head-unit", after the complete "tower/head-unit assembly" has been lowered onto it...
note--
during this "lowering process", it may be best to secure the prop, via lashing it to the tower, to hold it still, afterward, the prop could be easily removed, with the tow-trucks winch...upon completion of prop removal...the "head unit", or prop, could then be "exchanged" like smaller car parts are, in our modern auto parts stores...after being removed from it's crate, the old(damaged) unit would then be packed into the replacement's shipping container, and returned to the supplier(factory), for service--
conclusion--
i feel, that this concept removes much of the dangers involved with the repair of larger windmills, and vastly enhances the quality of service rendered to these units, as it allows them to be repaired in a controlled environment(a factory)--
the components--
the concrete "pads" in front of each windmill( for securing the tow-truck's position), the four "anchoring-posts" for each concrete "pad", the semi-truck towing vehicle( for winching the tower up and down), flange installation( modifying the existing tower to hinge at it's base), and installing a "head-cradle" for each tower( a landing site, for the motor and prop, as a complete "unit"), are all that i feel is needed, to implement this concept--
note--
after installation, only the tow-vehicle, and a workman's bucket, are needed to very quickly get a large windmill back in service( producing watts), in a safe manner--
hydraulic pitch variation service--
i feel, that hydraulic control, of the prop's pitch to the wind, may be the best way to maintain good rpms of the windmill's prop, in varying weather conditions( more or less wind present, see "hydraulic pitch-control vs gears" post), if this technique is utilized, i believe that the service of the pump, for hydraulic actuation, would become an issue...to make this task less of a hazard, and lower costs, i suggest, that the pump, and it's reservoir, could be located at the base of the windmills tower/pole...( with the pump, and reservoir, being located at "ground-level" the tower/pole need not be tilted to the ground, for service)--
note--
hydraulic "hard lines", for pitch/direction control, could be routed through the windmill's tower/pole( on the inside of the tower), to the head unit...making leaks very, very, unlikely--
best wishes, john kruschke
i suggest, that the hazards of working on large windmills, can be eliminated...or greatly reduced, via a new way of lowering the support pole/tower to the ground, that allows the "head-unit" to remain in place--
part 1--
this new method, would utilize a "flange, like the ones seen on water, or gas manifolds( a common joint, we see every day at the base of modern fire-hydrants), securing the windmill's support-pole/tower to the ground, this "flange", would have a large hinge, at the "fulcrum-point", located on one side of the "flange"( a few feet off the ground, from the base of the pole/tower)--
part 2--
by having a cement pad/slab in front of the windmill, with an "anchor-point" at each corner of the pad, a semi-truck tow vehicle, could then be chained/secured, at each corner of the frame, to these "anchors", so that the tow-vehicle is not moved by the forces incurred while lowering the pole/tower to the ground--
i believe, that an anchor point, located on the pole/tower, just above the middle of it's total height( 60 percent of the way to the top), would allow the pole/tower to be "felled" like a tree, using the "tow-truck and cable system" mentioned above...allowing it to be safely lowered to the ground, after the flange was unbolted( larger towers, would still have a "ladder-tunnel" going to the top, in the center of the tower, starting above the flange)--
part 3--
a workman's bucket, like the ones used today to clean windows, or for repairing power lines, could then be used to raise the worker safely to the anchoring eye( located on the support pole, or tower), so the worker could attach the tow-truck's cable to it, and then lower the entire unit( the pole/tower and head, with prop), to the ground safely, to be serviced--
part 4--
i suggest, that a "tower-rest" could be located on the other side of the tower( in the direction that the tower is being "felled"), to "cradle" the "head-unit", after the complete "tower/head-unit assembly" has been lowered onto it...
note--
during this "lowering process", it may be best to secure the prop, via lashing it to the tower, to hold it still, afterward, the prop could be easily removed, with the tow-trucks winch...upon completion of prop removal...the "head unit", or prop, could then be "exchanged" like smaller car parts are, in our modern auto parts stores...after being removed from it's crate, the old(damaged) unit would then be packed into the replacement's shipping container, and returned to the supplier(factory), for service--
conclusion--
i feel, that this concept removes much of the dangers involved with the repair of larger windmills, and vastly enhances the quality of service rendered to these units, as it allows them to be repaired in a controlled environment(a factory)--
the components--
the concrete "pads" in front of each windmill( for securing the tow-truck's position), the four "anchoring-posts" for each concrete "pad", the semi-truck towing vehicle( for winching the tower up and down), flange installation( modifying the existing tower to hinge at it's base), and installing a "head-cradle" for each tower( a landing site, for the motor and prop, as a complete "unit"), are all that i feel is needed, to implement this concept--
note--
after installation, only the tow-vehicle, and a workman's bucket, are needed to very quickly get a large windmill back in service( producing watts), in a safe manner--
hydraulic pitch variation service--
i feel, that hydraulic control, of the prop's pitch to the wind, may be the best way to maintain good rpms of the windmill's prop, in varying weather conditions( more or less wind present, see "hydraulic pitch-control vs gears" post), if this technique is utilized, i believe that the service of the pump, for hydraulic actuation, would become an issue...to make this task less of a hazard, and lower costs, i suggest, that the pump, and it's reservoir, could be located at the base of the windmills tower/pole...( with the pump, and reservoir, being located at "ground-level" the tower/pole need not be tilted to the ground, for service)--
note--
hydraulic "hard lines", for pitch/direction control, could be routed through the windmill's tower/pole( on the inside of the tower), to the head unit...making leaks very, very, unlikely--
best wishes, john kruschke
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