Maintenance brake for yaw motor of a wind turbine

Abstract

A service brake (1) for a wind turbine yaw motor brake (20) is described, the service brake (1) comprising a brake housing (2) vertically mountable on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake (20), the brake housing further comprising a brake housing cavity (7) extending axially through the length of the brake housing (2) in the direction of a central axis (a). Additionally, a brake disc (3) is comprised within the brake housing (2), the brake disc (3) being rotatable about the central axis (a) in an air gap (12) between at least two friction plates (11). A lever (4) is connected to the brake housing (2), the lever (4) being configured to close at least a portion of the air gap (12) and bring the friction plates (11) into frictional contact with the brake disc (3) when engaged. A removable center piece (5) is insertable within the brake housing cavity (7) along the central axis (a), the center piece (5) comprising a brake disc interface (9) configured to engage with the brake disc (3) and a shaft interface (10) configured to engage with a shaft (22) to be braked. Thus, the center piece (5) can be configured to transfer a braking torque from the brake disc (3) to the shaft (22) to be braked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of service brakes for wind turbine yaw drives. Specifically, it relates to a service brake device for a wind turbine yaw motor brake and a corresponding method for applying the service brake to the wind turbine yaw motor brake. Background Technology

[0002] In the technical field described above, maintenance brakes are used in the yaw drive systems of modern wind turbines. Wind turbines are complex electrical systems used to generate electricity from wind energy and supply that electricity to the power grid. A single wind turbine typically includes a tower, a nacelle, and a rotor mounted on the tower. The rotor typically includes a hub and multiple blades. The nacelle typically houses components including a frequency converter, generator, optionally a gearbox, transformer, and yaw drive system.

[0003] The purpose of a yaw drive system is to rotate the nacelle and rotor about the tower axis and into the wind. This allows for maximum energy extraction from the wind if the rotor axis is oriented approximately in the direction of the incoming wind by activating the yaw drive system. Yaw drive systems can also be used to rotate the nacelle and rotor away from the prevailing wind direction in extreme wind conditions, thus reducing the load experienced by the wind turbine. A yaw drive system typically comprises multiple yaw drives. Each yaw drive typically includes a yaw motor, a yaw motor brake, and a yaw drive gearbox with a pinion that engages with a ring gear fixed to either the nacelle or the tower. The nacelle can rotate about the tower axis via a yaw bearing.

[0004] Typically, a wind turbine's yaw drive system utilizes a hydraulic disc brake with multiple brake calipers to maintain the desired nacelle position. Additionally, a wind turbine yaw motor brake can supplement the hydraulic disc brake and further stabilize the nacelle position. In recent wind turbine designs, it is possible to completely omit the hydraulic disc brake from the wind turbine yaw drive system. In this case, the brake used solely for maintaining the desired nacelle position is the wind turbine yaw motor brake. This design change is achieved by increasing the number of yaw actuators in the wind turbine's yaw drive system and, consequently, increasing the braking capacity.

[0005] A major technical problem arising from the omission of hydraulic brakes in new wind turbine designs is that worn yaw motor brakes can lead to insufficient braking capacity. For example, this can occur during extreme wind events where the kinetic energy of the wind exceeds the braking capacity of the yaw motor brakes, causing the nacelle to slide away from its intended position. During such a nacelle sliding event, the yaw motor brakes may wear to the point where they no longer provide sufficient braking force. Therefore, maintenance technicians may have to repair the worn yaw motor brakes.

[0006] The maintenance procedure for a worn yaw motor brake must be performed in a safe manner, minimizing any potential hazards to the maintenance technician. Standard maintenance brakes known in the art may not provide an adequate level of safety because their installation may coincide with the potential rotation of the yaw motor shaft. If a standard maintenance brake is activated, it can be pushed from its installed position, potentially causing injury to the maintenance technician. Therefore, improvements in the safety of the maintenance brake are desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This requirement can be met by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described by the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the present invention, a maintenance brake for a wind turbine yaw motor brake is described, the maintenance brake comprising a brake housing that can be vertically mounted on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake, the brake housing further comprising a brake housing cavity extending axially through the length of the brake housing in the direction of a central axis (a). Additionally, a brake disc is included within the brake housing, the brake disc being rotatable about the central axis (a) in an air gap (preferably between at least two friction plates). An actuation device, for example implemented as a lever, is connected to the brake housing, the lever being configured to close at least a portion of the air gap and cause the friction plates to frictionally contact the brake disc when engaged. A preferably removable center member is arranged (preferably insertable) along the central axis (a) within the brake housing cavity. The center member may include a brake disc interface configured to engage with the brake disc and a shaft interface configured to engage with the shaft to be braked. Thus, the center member can be configured to transmit braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked.

[0009] Compared to conventional service brakes, the improved safety features of the service brake according to the invention are reflected in the separation of the brake disc and the shaft to be braked by means of the central element. During installation of the service brake according to the invention, the dangerous possibility of a service technician installing an activated service brake on a yaw motor brake with a potentially rotating shaft to be braked is avoided.

[0010] In one embodiment, the brake housing may be cylindrical. Preferably, this allows for matching the shape of a wind turbine yaw motor brake, for example, to avoid sharp edges. Additionally, the cylindrical shape of the brake housing provides space savings in limited spaces, such as engine nacelles.

[0011] In another embodiment, the brake housing may include fastening devices, preferably bolts, to secure the brake housing to the wind turbine yaw motor brake. This allows for a stable and reliable connection between the service brake and the wind turbine yaw motor brake.

[0012] In one embodiment, the brake disc may include a central opening with a grooved surface. This allows for a surface that can mate with a corresponding opposing surface of another component to transmit torque to the brake disc.

[0013] Advantageously, the brake disc interface is an externally grooved splined shaft. The first groove pattern of the splined shaft can correspond to the second groove pattern of the surface with the central opening, such that the splined shaft can be received by the brake disc by engaging the first groove pattern of the splined shaft with the second groove pattern of the surface with the central opening. Alternatively, the brake disc interface can have a polygonal cross-sectional profile, preferably a sextant cross-sectional profile.

[0014] The shaft interface may have a polygonal cross-sectional profile, which in a preferred embodiment is a sextant profile.

[0015] The center piece for servicing the brake may include a handle for manually inserting the center piece into the brake housing cavity and / or for removing the center piece from the brake housing cavity. The handle may include radial holes for securing the center piece to an external support member.

[0016] The present invention also relates to a method for applying a maintenance brake, as defined in the preceding sections, to a yaw motor brake of a wind turbine. The method includes the steps of mounting the maintenance brake on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake and inserting a center member into the brake housing cavity. The center member engages with the brake disc via a brake disc interface and with the shaft to be braked via a shaft interface. Finally, the method includes the step of engaging a lever to close at least a portion of the air gap and bring a friction plate into frictional contact with the brake disc, thereby transmitting braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked.

[0017] Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for locking a wind turbine yaw drive system comprising multiple wind turbine yaw motor brakes. The method includes the following steps: —Multiple service brakes are mounted on top of multiple wind turbine yaw motor brakes, each of the multiple service brakes being designed according to the previous paragraph; —Insert the corresponding center piece of each of the multiple service brakes into the corresponding brake housing cavity of the multiple service brakes, and — Engage the corresponding lever of each of the multiple service brakes. The number of service brakes installed may be equal to or less than the number of yaw motor brakes on the wind turbine.

[0018] Finally, the present invention relates to a method for repairing wind turbine components, comprising the following steps: —The method described previously for multiple maintenance brakes is used to lock the wind turbine yaw drive system. —Perform maintenance operations on wind turbine components, preferably wind turbine components that are yaw motor brakes of another wind turbine.

[0019] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples of embodiments, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0020] It should be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subjects. Specifically, some embodiments have been described with reference to device type claims, while others have been described with reference to method type claims. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate from the above and below description that, unless otherwise notified, any combination of features related to different subjects (specifically, features of device type claims and features of method type claims) is also considered to be disclosed herein, except for any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The aspects defined above and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the examples of the embodiments described below, and will be explained with reference to these examples. The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples of embodiments, but is not limited thereto.

[0022] Figure 1A A maintenance brake is shown mounted on top of the yaw motor brake of a wind turbine, with the lever in the disengaged position; Figure 1B A maintenance brake is shown mounted on top of the yaw motor brake of a wind turbine, with the lever in the engaged position; Figure 2 A maintenance brake with its main components is shown; Figure 3 The maintenance brake, with its main components, is shown from different angles; Figure 4 A removable center piece with the main components is shown; Figure 5AA maintenance brake is shown mounted on top of the yaw motor brake of a wind turbine, with no removable center piece in the brake housing cavity; Figure 5B A maintenance brake is shown mounted on top of the yaw motor brake of a wind turbine, wherein a removable center piece engages with the shaft to be braked; and Figure 6 The maintenance brake is shown with the lever in the engaged position. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The illustrations in the accompanying drawings are schematic. It should be noted that similar or identical elements are given the same reference numerals in different drawings. Well-known elements are indicated in separate text and are not described in detail.

[0024] Figure 1A A maintenance brake 1 is shown, which can be mounted on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 via the brake housing 2. The wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 and the wind turbine yaw motor 21 are standard components of the wind turbine yaw drive and will not be discussed in detail herein. The wind turbine yaw drive houses the yaw motor shaft ( Figure 1A , Figure 1B (not shown in the image), which can be referred to as the shaft to be braked 22 ( Figure 1A , Figure 1B (Not shown in the image). The wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 may become worn, and it may be desirable to install a maintenance brake 1 on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 to provide additional braking capability for the wind turbine yaw drive.

[0025] The maintenance brake 1 includes a brake housing 2, and a lever 4 is connected to the brake housing 2. The lever 4 can be used to start or stop the maintenance brake 1. Figure 1A The lever 4 is shown in the "disengaged" position. This means that the internal brake disc 3 ( Figure 1A (Not shown) is in a free-running state and the maintenance brake 1 is deactivated. The brake housing 2 is used to house the internal components of the maintenance brake 1. The brake housing 2 can be cylindrical and can be matched with the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20, which can also be cylindrical with the same diameter as the brake housing 2.

[0026] Figure 1B The image shows brake 1 under maintenance, with lever 4 in the "engaged" position. This means that brake disc 3 ( Figure 1B (Not shown in the image) is no longer in a free-running state, that is, maintenance brake 1 is activated.

[0027] Once the maintenance brake 1 is installed, maintenance technicians can insert the shaft 22 of the coupling brake and the center piece 5 of the maintenance brake 1. Figure 1A , Figure 1B (Not shown in the image). By activating the service brake 1, the worn wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 is bypassed or its braking capacity is supported by the service brake 1. The shaft 22 to be braked is braked by the service brake 1. To activate the service brake 1, the service technician places lever 4 in the engaged position (…). Figure 1B To deactivate maintenance brake 1, the maintenance technician placed lever 4 in the disengaged position. Figure 1A ).

[0028] Alternatively, this operation of lever 4 can also be performed by an electrically driven actuator acting on lever 4.

[0029] Figure 2 The main components of the maintenance brake 1 are shown. The maintenance brake 1 includes a brake housing 2, to which a lever 4 can be connected. The brake housing 2 can accommodate a brake disc 3. Figure 2 (Not shown in the image).

[0030] The brake housing 2 can be cylindrical, but other shapes of the brake housing 2 are also possible.

[0031] The brake housing 2 can be vertically mounted on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 and can include a brake housing cavity 7 that extends axially through the length of the brake housing 2 in the direction of the central axis (a).

[0032] The brake housing 2 can be secured to the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20 using fastening devices 6. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening device 6 is a bolt.

[0033] Figure 2 Also visible is the removable center member 5, which can be inserted into the brake housing cavity 7 along the central axis (a). The center member 5 can be configured to engage with the brake disc 3 (e.g., Figure 5A , Figure 5B (as shown in the diagram) and engages with the shaft 22 to be braked, thereby transmitting braking torque from the brake disc 3 to the shaft 22 to be braked.

[0034] Figure 3 The maintenance brake 1 is shown from another angle. The brake housing 2 can accommodate the brake disc 3. The brake disc 3 is capable of housing at least two friction plates 11 (see...). Figure 5A , Figure 5B It rotates within the brake housing 2 about the central axis (a) in the air gap 12 between the two. For example... Figure 3As shown in the middle section, the center member 5 is configured to engage with the brake disc 3 via the brake disc interface 9 (see Figure 1). Figure 4 The brake disc 3 may include a central opening 13 with a grooved surface 14, and the brake disc interface 9 of the central member 5 may be received within the grooved surface 14.

[0035] like Figure 3 As seen, the bottom section of the center member 5 can be a shaft interface 10, configured to engage with the shaft 22 to be braked. In an embodiment, the shaft interface 10 of the center member 5 can have a polygonal cross-sectional profile. Preferably, as also Figure 3 As shown, the polygonal cross-sectional profile is a sextant profile. The sextant profile of the shaft interface 10 can engage with the corresponding opening of the shaft 22 to be braked.

[0036] Figure 4 A removable center member 5 is shown. Removable means it can be manually inserted into and / or manually removed from the brake housing cavity 7, either manually or via an actuating tool. The center member 5 may include the already mentioned brake disc interface 9, which can be configured to engage with the brake disc 3. Figure 4 (Not shown in the image). In a preferred embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the brake disc interface 9 is an externally grooved splined shaft 15. The center member 5 can be inserted into the brake housing cavity 7. The first groove pattern of the splined shaft 15 corresponds to the second groove pattern of the surface 14 of the central opening 13. Once the center member 5 is inserted, the externally grooved splined shaft 15 can engage with the central opening 13 of the brake disc 3. This achieves a direct connection between the brake disc 3 and the center member 5. This interface, defined by the mating surface of the splined shaft 15 and the surface 14 of the second groove pattern, allows the transmission of torque, such as breaking torque.

[0037] The center component 5 may include a shaft interface 10 configured to engage with the shaft 22 to be braked. Figure 4 (Not shown in the image). In a preferred embodiment, the shaft interface 10 has a polygonal cross-sectional profile. Preferably, the polygonal profile is a sextant profile (e.g., ...). Figure 4 As shown, but in Figure 3 (This can be seen better in the image). Once the center member 5 is inserted into the brake housing cavity 7, the shaft interface 10 can engage with the shaft 22 to be braked. The shaft interface 10 can protrude into the shaft 22 to be braked via a cavity present in the shaft 22 to be braked. This cavity in the shaft 22 to be braked can have a cross-sectional profile that is substantially the same as the cross-sectional profile of the shaft interface 10.

[0038] The center member 5 may include a handle 8. The handle 8 can be used to manually insert the center member 5 into and / or remove it from the brake housing cavity 7. In an embodiment, the handle 8 may include a means for inserting the center member 5, for example, via a pin 18 (see...). Figure 2 The hole 16 is fixed to the external support member 17. The external support member 17 can be mounted on the top side of the brake housing 2. The top side of the brake housing 2 is the side facing away from the wind turbine yaw motor 21. The center member 5 can be fixed to the external support member 17 in such a way that the handle 8 protrudes outward from the brake housing cavity 7. The term "outward" can be understood, for example, along the central axis (a) in a direction facing away from the wind turbine yaw motor 21. By removing the pin and releasing the handle 8, the center member 5 can be inserted into the brake housing cavity 7.

[0039] The center member 5 can be configured to engage with the brake disc 3 via the brake disc interface 9. The center member 5 can also engage with the shaft 22 to be braked via the shaft interface 10. In this way, a direct connection between the shaft 22 to be braked and the brake disc 3 can be achieved. If the maintenance brake 1 is deactivated, any rotation of the shaft 22 to be braked is directly transferred to the center member 5, and correspondingly to the freely rotating brake disc 3. If the maintenance brake 1 is activated, the braking torque from the brake disc 3 is transmitted to the shaft 22 to be braked.

[0040] Figure 5A A maintenance brake 1 is shown, vertically mounted on top of a yaw motor brake 20 of a wind turbine. The brake housing 2 includes a brake housing cavity 7 extending axially through the length of the brake housing 7 and in the direction of a central axis (a) (i.e., coaxial). The maintenance brake 1 includes a brake disc 3 within the brake housing 2. The brake disc 3 is rotatable about the central axis (a) within a surrounding air gap 12 between at least two friction plates 11. The friction plates 11 may be included within the brake housing 2.

[0041] If the brake is deactivated for maintenance, brake disc 3 can rotate freely. For example... Figure 5A As shown, the shaft 22 to be braked is separated from the brake disc 3 of the service brake 1 because the center piece 5 is not inserted into the brake housing cavity 7. This separation of the shaft 22 to be braked and the brake disc 3 is a safety feature of the service brake 1. This ensures that even if the shaft 22 to be braked is potentially rotated, the installation of the activated service brake 1 on the yaw motor brake 20 will not result in the push of the service brake 1. Since the center piece 5, which would provide the necessary connection, is absent, there is obviously no torque transmission from the shaft 22 to be braked to the brake disc 3. The connection between the brake disc 3 and the shaft 22 to be braked exists only when a service technician inserts the center piece 5 into the brake housing cavity 7. This safety feature minimizes the risk that the service brake 1 could be pushed within the nacelle due to the potentially rotating shaft 22 to be braked.

[0042] Figure 5BA maintenance brake 1 is shown, vertically positioned atop a wind turbine yaw motor brake 20, with a central member 5 inserted into the brake housing cavity 7, thereby engaging both the brake disc 3 and the shaft 22 to be braked. In this state, the central member 5 serves as a connecting device between the shaft 22 to be braked and the brake disc 3. In the deactivated state of the maintenance brake 1, any rotation of the shaft 22 to be braked is directly converted into rotation of the brake disc 3 via the central member 5. In the activated state of the maintenance brake 1, the braking torque of the brake disc 3 is transmitted to the shaft 22 to be braked via the central member 5.

[0043] Figure 6 A service brake 1 is shown, in which the center piece 5 is inserted into the brake housing cavity 7, thereby engaging both the brake disc 3 and the shaft 22 to be braked. Furthermore, the lever 4 is shown in the engaged position. This means that the service brake 1 is activated. A service technician can bring the lever 4 to the engaged position to activate the service brake 1. By placing the lever 4 as... Figure 6 At the engagement position indicated, at least a portion of the air gap 12 is closed, causing the friction plate 11 to frictionally contact the brake disc 3. The brake disc 3 can now transmit braking torque to the shaft 22 to be braked via the center member 5. The service brake 1 can thus bypass the wind turbine yaw motor brake 20. The spring mechanism of the service brake 1 that initiates this frictional contact is not considered part of the invention and is not discussed in detail. Several prior art braking mechanisms are known to those skilled in the art.

[0044] Under certain operating conditions of a wind turbine, multiple yaw motor brakes 20, including those in the wind turbine yaw drive system, may become worn. This situation may occur, for example, due to extreme wind loads on the wind turbine. In such a scenario, there may be a need to lock the entire wind turbine yaw drive system to enable safe repair of the wind turbine components. The wind turbine components may preferably be worn yaw motor brakes 20 or other components within the wind turbine.

[0045] A method for locking a wind turbine yaw drive system (which may include a plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20) may include the step of mounting a plurality of service brakes 1 on top of the plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20. Each of the plurality of service brakes 1 may include the components already described.

[0046] During the installation process, regardless of whether the multiple brakes 1 are in an activated or deactivated state, there is no potential danger that any one of the multiple service brakes 1 could be pushed while one or more of the multiple shafts 22 to be braked are rotating. This is because, among the multiple service brakes 1, there is no torque transmission from the corresponding brake disc 3 toward the corresponding shaft 22 to be braked before the corresponding center member 5 is inserted into the corresponding brake housing cavity 7.

[0047] Once the installation steps are completed, the center piece 5 of each service brake 1 can be inserted into the corresponding brake housing cavity 7. Afterward, a service technician can engage the lever 4 of each of the multiple service brakes 1. The wind turbine yaw drive system can thus be securely locked.

[0048] The number of multiple installed maintenance brakes 1 can correspond to the number of wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20 present in the wind turbine. This provides a safe environment for maintenance technicians performing inspection or maintenance operations on wind turbine components.

[0049] The number of multiple installed maintenance brakes 1 can be less than the number of wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20 present in the wind turbine. This also provides a safe environment for maintenance technicians to perform maintenance operations on the wind turbine components. The wind turbine component can preferably be another wind turbine yaw motor brake 20. This other wind turbine yaw motor brake may not have a maintenance brake 1; that is, the maintenance brake 1 may not be installed on the other wind turbine yaw motor brake 20.

[0050] For example, a wind turbine yaw drive system may include a total of five to twenty (preferably eight to twelve, e.g., ten) wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20, all of which may become worn. In an exemplary system with ten wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20, a maintenance technician may install nine maintenance brakes 1 on top of nine worn wind turbine yaw motor brakes 20, and preferably leave one yaw motor brake 20 without a maintenance brake 1, i.e., another wind turbine yaw motor brake 20. The maintenance technician can then perform maintenance operations on this other wind turbine yaw motor brake 20, to which the maintenance brake 1 is not installed. In this way, sufficient braking capacity can be achieved to safely hold the entire wind turbine yaw drive system braked while allowing maintenance operations to be performed simultaneously. In the mentioned example, similar results may also be achieved with even fewer maintenance brakes 1 installed.

[0051] Preferably, for X number of wind turbine yaw motor brakes, X-1 number of maintenance brakes 1 can be applied to enable maintenance of the remaining wind turbine yaw motor brakes. More generally, since X number of wind turbine yaw motor brakes exist in a wind turbine, XN number of maintenance brakes 1 can be applied to enable maintenance of the remaining N number of wind turbine yaw motor brakes.

[0052] Performing maintenance operations may include inspection, repair procedures, or replacing wind turbine components with replacement parts.

Claims

1. A maintenance brake (1) for a yaw motor brake (20) of a wind turbine, said maintenance brake (1) comprising: A brake housing (2) which can be vertically mounted on top of the wind turbine yaw motor brake (20), the brake housing (2) including a brake housing cavity (7) extending axially through the length of the brake housing (2) in the direction of the central axis (a). Brake disc (3), which is located within the brake housing (2), is rotatable about the central axis (a) in the air gap (12); At least one friction plate (11) is arranged within the brake housing (2) to provide frictional contact with the brake disc (3); An operating device connected to the brake housing (2) is configured to cause the friction plate (11) to frictionally contact the brake disc (3) when engaged; as well as The center component (5) includes a brake disc interface (9) configured to engage with the brake disc (3) and a shaft interface (10) configured to engage with the shaft (22) to be braked. The center component (5) is configured to transmit braking torque from the brake disc (3) to the shaft (22) to be braked.

2. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The center element is removable and configured to be inserted into the brake housing cavity (7) along the central axis (a).

3. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The maintenance brake (1) includes at least two friction plates (11) to provide frictional contact with the brake disc (3), wherein the brake disc (3) is arranged between the at least two friction plates (11).

4. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The operating device is implemented as a rod (4) connected to the brake housing (2), wherein the rod (4) is configured to close at least a portion of the air gap (12) when engaged and to cause the friction plate (11) to frictionally contact the brake disc (3).

5. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake housing (2) is cylindrical in shape.

6. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake housing (2) includes a fastening device (6) for securing the brake housing (2) to the wind turbine yaw motor brake (20).

7. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake housing (2) includes bolts for securing the brake housing (2) to the wind turbine yaw motor brake (20).

8. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake disc (3) includes a central opening (13) with a grooved surface (14).

9. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 8, wherein, The brake disc interface (9) is an externally grooved splined shaft (15).

10. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 9, wherein, The first groove pattern of the spline shaft (15) corresponds to the second groove pattern of the grooved surface (14) of the center opening (13), such that the spline shaft (15) can be received by the brake disc (3) by engaging the first groove pattern of the spline shaft (15) with the second groove pattern of the grooved surface (14) of the center opening (13).

11. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake disc interface (9) has a polygonal cross-sectional profile.

12. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The brake disc interface (9) has a sextant cross-sectional profile.

13. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shaft interface (10) has a polygonal cross-sectional profile.

14. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shaft interface (10) has a sextant cross-sectional profile.

15. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The center piece (5) includes a handle (8) for manually inserting the center piece (5) into and / or removing the center piece (5) from the brake housing cavity (7).

16. The maintenance brake (1) according to claim 15, wherein, The handle (8) includes a hole (16) for fixing the center member (5) to the external support member (17).

17. A method for applying the maintenance brake (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16 to a yaw motor brake (20) of a wind turbine, the method comprising the steps of: The maintenance brake (1) is installed on top of the yaw motor brake (20) of the wind turbine; The center member (5) is inserted into the brake housing cavity (7), the center member (5) engages with the brake disc (3) via the brake disc interface (9), and engages with the shaft (22) to be braked via the shaft interface (10), and Engage the actuating device to close at least a portion of the air gap (12) and cause the friction plate (11) to frictionally contact the brake disc (3). This transmits the braking torque from the brake disc (3) to the shaft (22) to be braked.

18. A method for locking a wind turbine yaw drive system comprising a plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes (20), the method comprising the steps of: A plurality of maintenance brakes (1) are mounted on top of the plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes (20), wherein each of the plurality of maintenance brakes (1) is designed according to any one of claims 1 to 16; The corresponding center piece (5) of each of the plurality of maintenance brakes (1) is inserted into the corresponding brake housing cavity (7) of the plurality of maintenance brakes (1), and Engage the corresponding lever (4) of each of the plurality of maintenance brakes (1).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The installation steps include installing the maintenance brake (1) in a number equal to the number of the wind turbine yaw motor brakes (20).

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The installation steps include installing fewer of the maintenance brakes (1) than the number of the wind turbine yaw motor brakes (20).

21. A method for repairing wind turbine components, comprising the following steps: For the plurality of maintenance brakes (1), lock the wind turbine yaw drive system according to claim 20. Maintenance operations are performed on the wind turbine components.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, The wind turbine component is another wind turbine yaw motor brake (20).

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