General Electric Company
Counterweight Assembly for Use During Single Blade Installation of a Wind Turbine

Abstract:

A method for installing a plurality of rotor blades to a rotatable hub secured atop a tower of a wind turbine includes providing a counterweight assembly having, at least, a mounting assembly and a counterweight mass secured at a distal end of the mounting assembly. The method also includes securing the mounting assembly at a first position on the hub of the wind turbine such that the counterweight mass biases the hub to rotate about its rotation axis in a first direction. Further, the method includes consecutively installing the plurality of rotor blades onto the hub of the wind turbine. Moreover, the method includes adjusting a position of the counterweight mass between each consecutive installation of the plurality of rotor blades to continuously change a center of gravity of the hub and maintain a balanced rotor of the wind turbine during installation of the plurality of rotor blades.