Wind turbine generator, and method of controlling the wind turbine generator

a wind turbine generator and wind turbine technology, applied in the direction of toothed gearings, belts/chains/gearings, toothed gearings, etc., can solve the problems of affecting the durability of the gear tooth surface, the damage to the gear tooth surface from the prone to damage of the tooth surface, etc., to suppress the damage to the gear tooth surface caused by a slide thereof or impact thereon, the effect of improving the durability of the gear

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-10-09
MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026]According to the present invention, play in a small clearance due to backlash between the pinion gear and the gear wheel is eliminated against the backlash formed between the plurality of pinion gears respectively and independently rotated by the plurality of motors, and thus the damage to the gear tooth surface caused from a slide thereof or impact thereon is suppressed, resulting in improving the durability thereof.
[0027]Specifically, in the case of the pinion gears for the pitch control mechanism, one pinion gear rotates at a circumferential speed different from that of another pinion gear or one pinion gear stops at a timing different from that of another pinion gear during the operation of the blade pitch control, during the transition period when the pinion gear is to be stopped, during the operation of the yaw control of the nacelle, or during the non-operation of the pinion gear. Alternatively, one pinion gear is rotated in a reverse direction after the plurality of the pinion gears is stopped. In this manner, the pinion gears and the gear engage such that there is no play between the gears due to the backlash formed between the pinion gear and the gear wheel, resulting in suppressing the damage to the gear tooth surface caused from a slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon and improving the durability thereof.
[0028]Moreover, with the wind turbine generator of the present invention, the durability of the gear transmission mechanism for performing the blade pitch control by the variable pitch mechanism and the yaw control by the nacelle turning mechanism is enhanced.

Problems solved by technology

And this can cause damage to the tooth surfaces of the gears from a slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon and lead to a durability problem.
Particularly, the blades of the wind turbine generator is constantly subjected to the external force in turn due to the rotation or the wind force and thus if the slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon due to movement in the amount corresponding to the backlash continues over a long period of time, the tooth surface is prone to the damage.
Moreover, in recent years the wind turbine generator are getting bigger in size, by which the blades are more subjected to the external force, the force against each tooth surface inevitably becomes large and the gear transmission mechanism is even more prone to the damage.
Moreover, this problem is common not only to the variable pitch mechanism members as described above but also to a nacelle turning mechanism members (yaw control) having similar mechanism.
However, when a brake for stopping the turning of the nacelle is not put on, the external force of the wind and the dynamic force of the wind turbine generator causes the gear mechanism for the yaw control to slide in the amount corresponding to the backlash and thus the force of the impact is loaded on the tooth surfaces.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

first preferred embodiment

[0042]A first embodiment of the present invention is explained in reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. In a wind turbine generator 10 of the present embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, an internal gear 18 is formed on an inner circumference of a blade ring 30 of a blade 16 inside a hub 14 arranged at the front of a nacelle 12, and a first pinion gear 20a and a second pinion gear 20b are provided which mesh with the internal gear 18 respectively. The first pinion gear 20a and the second pinion gear 20b have a first pinion shaft 22a and a second pinion shaft 22b respectively.

[0043]FIG. 2 illustrates a variable pitch mechanism 41 having a bearing support 26 being fixed to top of the hub 14 by bolts 24. On an inner circumference side of the bearing support 26, the blade ring 30 of the blade 16 is rotatably supported via a bearing 28. On the inner side of the blade ring 30, the internal gear 18 having a large diameter is formed.

[0044]In FIG. 3(A), on the inner side of the blade ring 30 of the blade...

second preferred embodiment

[0056]Next, a second preferred embodiment is explained in reference to FIG. 6. The structure of the device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the control by the controller 36. The operation time of the plurality of the pinion gears is differentiated. The control flow is explained in reference to FIG. 6.

[0057]In FIG. 6, the control procedure is the same as that of the first embodiment from the step S20 to the step S22. Subsequently, the controller 36 sets the time T1 at which the first pinion gear 20a stops and the time T2 at which the second pinion gear 20b stops such that the time T1 is different from the time T2, e.g. T1>T2 (step S23), and accordingly controls the circumferential speed of the first drive motor 32a and the circumferential speed of the second drive motor 32b. Further, it is possible to set the time T1 and the time T2 in advance before the command for stopping the pitch control is issued.

[0058]Next, it is determined wheth...

third preferred embodiment

[0060]A third preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained in reference to FIG. 7. The structure of the device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the control by the controller 36. The control flow is explained in reference to FIG. 7.

[0061]In FIG. 7, the control procedure is the same as that of the first embodiment from the step S30 to the step S32. The controller 36 sends a command to stop the variable pitch control (step S32) and accordingly the first pinion gear 20a and the second pinion gear 20b stop the rotation such that the circumferential speeds thereof become zero (step S33).

[0062]Next, the second pinion gear 20b is rotated in the direction opposite to the first pinion gear 20a for a set amount of time (step S34). After the set amount of time has passed, the brake is put on the first drive motor 32a and the second drive motor 32b so as to stop the first pinion gear 20a and the second pinion gear 20b and maintain suc...

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Abstract

To enhance durability of a gear transmission mechanism by eliminating play in a gear engagement due to the backlash between the gears (gear clearance) of the gear transmission mechanism in a variable pitch mechanism of blades or a nacelle turning mechanism and further to reduce damages to a gear tooth surface caused by slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon due to slight vibration, the gear transmission mechanism is constructed such that a first pinion gear 20a and a second pinion gear 20b are provided to mesh with a gear wheel 18 respectively and rotated by a first drive motor 32a and a second drive motor 32b respectively, and a controller 36 controls so as to eliminate play in the engagement of the internal gear and the pinion gear due to backlash between the internal gear 18 and the first pinion gear 20a, thereby avoiding generation of a slide and impact force on the gear transmission mechanism even when the external force or the wind acts on the blade 16.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is based on, and claims priority from PCT Application Number PCT / JP2010 / 059225, filed May 31, 2010, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a wind turbine generator comprising a nacelle supported on a tower so as to perform yaw control, or a plurality of blades which are supported on a hub so as to perform pitch control of the blades, with a gear transmission mechanism provided for controlling the pitch of the blade or the yaw of the nacelle, and a method of controlling the wind turbine generator. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wind turbine generator with a gear transmission mechanism comprising pitch wheels provided on a shaft side to be controlled and pinion gears provided so as to mesh with the gears, and the controlling method thereof.[0004]2. Description of the Related...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityPatents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F16H3/72
InventorWATANABE, NAOTA
OwnerMITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD