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One-piece coupling for wind turbine drive shaft

A technology of wind turbines and main drive shafts, applied in the directions of wind turbines, wind turbine components, rigid shaft couplings, etc.

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-04-10
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The cost of generating energy (including building and maintaining wind turbines) cannot outweigh these benefits

Method used

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  • One-piece coupling for wind turbine drive shaft
  • One-piece coupling for wind turbine drive shaft
  • One-piece coupling for wind turbine drive shaft

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0048] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant to limit the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 10 of conventional construction. Wind turbine 10 includes a tower 12 and a nacelle 14 mounted thereon. A plurality of wind turbine blades 16 are mounted on a rotor hub 18 that is connected to a main flange 20 that turns...

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Abstract

The invention relates to a one-piece coupling for wind turbine drive shaft. A coupling arrangement is provided for connecting shaft components, for example drivetrain components of a wind turbine. The coupling arrangement includes a first shaft component having an end with a recess defined therein, and a second shaft component axially aligned with the first shaft component and seated within the recess. The first shaft component has an outer diameter surface in a region concentric with the recess. A single-piece clamping disk has a matching inner diameter surface and a circumferentially extending groove defined in the inner diameter surface, as well as a radially extending injection channel defined between an outer diameter surface of the clamping disk and the groove. Upon application of pressurized fluid into the injection channel, the clamping disk radially expands for sliding movement of the clamping disk along the outer diameter surface from a release position to a locking position. Upon release of fluid pressure, the clamping disk radially retracts and clamps onto the outer diameter surface to couple the second shaft component within the recess of the first shaft component.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to couplings between rotating components in wind turbines and in particular to couplings which may for example be used to couple a wind turbine drive shaft to a gearbox shaft or directly Single-piece clamping disk to generator. Background technique [0002] Compression or shrink couplings (also known as "shrink discs") are widely used in power trains to couple a rotating shaft to another component, such as a gearbox or generator. In many conventional wind turbine designs, for example, shrink couplings are used to secure the main drive shaft ("low speed shaft") to the gearbox. Such couplings can be quite large, often weighing in the range of about 2,000 lbs and various maintenance procedures require removal of the shrink coupling and subsequent attachment of the shrink coupling. For example, inspection or replacement of a low speed shaft seal (also referred to as a "front seal") in a gearbox may be accomplished ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): F16D1/04F16D1/05F03D11/02
CPCF16D1/095F16D2001/0906F16D2001/0955Y10T403/7062
Inventor H.H.考拉S.D.托马森
Owner GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
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