An integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines

Abstract

This utility model discloses an integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines, belonging to the technical field of wind power generation equipment. The system includes a wind turbine tower, a slewing bearing, a short-section cylinder, and a lower platform. The wind turbine tower has a truss-type hollow structure. The short-section cylinder is vertically arranged and its top is welded to the lower platform as a whole. Its bottom is connected to the top of the tower through the slewing bearing. This utility model uses a hierarchical structure of truss tower-slewing bearing-short-section cylinder-platform. It utilizes the short-section cylinder to distribute the nacelle load and compensate for installation errors. Combined with the slewing bearing, it achieves low-friction and stable yaw. This structure effectively solves the problems of heavy self-weight, obvious yaw vibration, complex assembly, and easy wear of connection parts of traditional wind turbine towers. It has the advantages of lightweight, stable yaw, convenient installation, and long service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wind power generation equipment technology, specifically to a connection and yaw system for the tower and nacelle of a wind turbine generator set. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional wind turbine towers typically employ a solid cylindrical structure, which is heavy, leading to high foundation construction costs and limited wind load and overturning resistance. The nacelle and tower are mostly connected directly via yaw bearings, concentrating the nacelle load on the top of the tower. This can easily cause vibrations during yaw, affecting yaw stability and alignment accuracy. Furthermore, traditional structures require high-precision alignment during assembly, making on-site installation complex. Over long-term operation, the connection points are prone to wear due to yaw impacts, limiting the overall lifespan of the system. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this utility model is to provide an integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines that has a reasonable structure, is easy to install, has stable yaw, and has a long service life, so as to solve the problems of heavy self-weight of traditional wind turbine towers, obvious yaw vibration, complex assembly, and easy wear of connection parts.

[0004] To solve the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: an integrated wind turbine transition yaw connection system, comprising a wind turbine tower, a slewing bearing, a short-section cylinder, and a lower platform. The wind turbine tower is a truss-type hollow structure, composed of multiple diagonal and vertical members welded together to form a three-dimensional truss, with its bottom fixedly connected to the wind turbine foundation via pre-embedded bolts. The short-section cylinder is vertically arranged, with its top end welded integrally with the lower platform, forming a rigid transition structure of "short-section cylinder - lower platform". The bottom of the short-section cylinder is connected to the top of the wind turbine tower via the slewing bearing; the inner ring of the slewing bearing is bolted to the top flange of the wind turbine tower, and the outer ring is bolted to the bottom flange of the short-section cylinder, achieving smooth rotation and yaw of the nacelle around the tower axis.

[0005] Furthermore, the short cylindrical section has a length of 0.8-1.2 meters, which is used to compensate for installation errors between the tower and the nacelle and to distribute the concentrated load transmitted by the nacelle.

[0006] Furthermore, the wind turbine tower is formed by welding high-strength steel, and its structure is a three-dimensional truss type, which significantly reduces its self-weight compared to a solid cylindrical tower of the same height.

[0007] Furthermore, the slewing bearing incorporates rolling elements and a lubrication structure, supporting low-friction, high-load relative rotational motion.

[0008] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages.

[0009] 1. This utility model utilizes a truss-style hollow structure for the wind turbine tower instead of a traditional solid cylinder. While maintaining overall wind load resistance and overturning resistance, it significantly reduces steel usage, resulting in a substantial decrease in tower weight. This design not only directly reduces the manufacturing cost of the tower itself, but more importantly, it reduces the load transmitted to the wind turbine foundation, thereby lowering the requirements for foundation bearing capacity. This allows for a reduction in the scale of foundation construction and material consumption, comprehensively lowering the foundation construction cost of the wind farm. Furthermore, the hollow structure effectively reduces wind resistance in the tower body, improving structural stability under complex wind conditions.

[0010] 2. This invention uses a short-section cylindrical section as a transitional connector to distribute the concentrated load of the nacelle before transferring it to the tower, avoiding localized load concentration at the top of the tower and reducing the possibility of vibration induced by uneven stress during yaw. Simultaneously, the slewing bearing, as a mature, high-precision, low-friction rotating component, provides stable rotational support for the entire superstructure (short-section cylindrical section, platform, and nacelle). The synergistic effect of these two components effectively suppresses vibration amplitude during yaw, resulting in smoother and more fluid yaw movements, thereby improving the accuracy and response speed of the nacelle to wind adjustments.

[0011] 3. In this utility model, the short-section cylindrical section and the lower platform are prefabricated in the factory as a rigid integral module. This module undergoes high-precision alignment and welding in a controlled factory environment, ensuring its coaxiality and the flatness of the mounting surface. During on-site installation, construction personnel only need to connect the prefabricated "short-section cylindrical section-platform" module to the top of the tower via a slewing bearing, greatly simplifying the procedures for high-altitude operations and reducing the difficulty of alignment adjustments. The design of the short-section cylindrical section itself also has a certain error compensation capability, which can absorb some of the minor axial deviations caused by tower manufacturing or installation, further lowering the precision threshold for on-site assembly, shortening the installation cycle, and improving construction efficiency.

[0012] 4. This invention employs a hierarchical load transfer path (nacelle - platform - short cylindrical section - slewing bearing outer ring - inner ring - truss tower) to ensure smoother and more rational force flow. The transition effect of the short cylindrical section effectively reduces stress concentration in the connection area (especially at the slewing bearing mounting location), resulting in a more uniform stress distribution in critical load-bearing components. Combined with the lubrication structure inside the slewing bearing, wear on the rotating contact surfaces during frequent yaw is significantly reduced. The optimized overall structure reduces the risk of fatigue damage at critical connection points, thereby comprehensively improving the overall reliability and expected service life of the system.

[0013] The combined effect of these factors makes this invention particularly suitable for small and medium-sized wind turbine generator sets that have higher requirements for cost, installation efficiency, and operation and maintenance, thus possessing high practical value and promising prospects for promotion. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a side view of the structure of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rear view structure of this utility model.

[0018] In the diagram: 1 is the wind turbine tower, 2 is the slewing bearing, 3 is the short cylindrical section, and 4 is the lower platform. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0020] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, this utility model adopts a hierarchical connection method of wind turbine tower 1-slewing bearing 2-short section cylinder 3-lower platform 4-nacelle. The short section cylinder 3 and the lower platform 4 are prefabricated and welded together in the factory to form a transition connection module; the slewing bearing 2 serves as a rotation hub, with its inner ring fixed to the top of the tower and its outer ring fixed to the bottom of the short section cylinder; the tower 1 is a truss structure, with its bottom rigidly connected to the foundation. The components are detachably connected via flanges and bolts, facilitating transportation and on-site assembly.

[0021] Working principle of this utility model The nacelle load is first transferred to the lower platform 4, which is welded to the short section cylinder 3. Through the transition and dispersion effect of the short section cylinder 3, it is transferred to the outer ring of the slewing bearing 2, and then to the wind turbine tower 1 through the inner ring of the slewing bearing 2. Finally, it is transferred to the foundation by the tower.

[0022] During yaw, the yaw drive mechanism engages with the outer ring of the slewing bearing 2, driving the outer ring to rotate. This, in turn, causes the connected short cylindrical section 3, the lower platform 4, and the entire nacelle to rotate smoothly around the axis of the wind turbine tower 1, achieving precise wind alignment. In this process, the short cylindrical section 3 not only transmits torque but also compensates for installation errors and reduces vibration, while the slewing bearing 2 provides stable and low-resistance rotational support.

[0023] In this invention, the short-section cylindrical section 3 and the lower platform 4 are welded into an integral module at the factory and their axes are aligned and calibrated. During on-site installation, the inner ring of the slewing bearing 2 is first bolted to the top flange of the wind turbine tower 1, and then the bottom flange of the short-section cylindrical section 3 is bolted to the outer ring of the slewing bearing 2. The main load-bearing structure of the nacelle is installed on the lower platform 4, completing the overall assembly. During operation, the system can achieve smooth yaw and efficient load transfer.

[0024] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wind turbine integrated transition yaw connection system, characterized in that, The system includes a wind turbine tower (1), a slewing bearing (2), a short cylindrical section (3), and a lower platform (4). The wind turbine tower (1) is a truss-type hollow structure, and its bottom is used to fix it to the wind turbine foundation. The short cylindrical section (3) is set vertically, and its top end is welded to the lower platform (4). The bottom end of the short cylindrical section (3) is connected to the top end of the wind turbine tower (1) through the slewing bearing (2). The inner ring of the slewing bearing (2) is fixedly connected to the top end of the wind turbine tower (1), and the outer ring is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the short cylindrical section (3).

2. The integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the short-section cylinder (3) is 0.8-1.2 meters.

3. The integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wind turbine tower (1) is a three-dimensional truss structure formed by welding high-strength steel.

4. The integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slewing bearing (2) has built-in rolling elements and a lubrication structure.

5. The integrated transition yaw connection system for wind turbines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower platform (4) serves as the installation foundation for the main load-bearing structure of the engine room.

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