Storage arrangement for a gearbox

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage arrangement for a gearbox (22), wherein the gearbox (22) comprises a stationary component (50) and a rotating element (34). The stationary component (50) radially encloses the rotating element (34) and has an axial connection opening (52). The storage arrangement includes a cover device (70) configured to close the connection opening (52) for storing the gearbox (22). The cover device (70) has a fastening element (72) designed for attaching the cover device (70) to the stationary component (50) and a cover element (74) that can be attached to the fastening element (72). The cover element (74) is configured, when attached to the fastening element (72), to close an access opening in the fastening element (72) and to hold the rotating element on the stationary component (50) via the fastening element (72).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage arrangement for a gearbox. State of the art

[0002] Gearboxes must be stored and transported properly until installation to prevent damage. For example, in the case of wind turbines, storage before actual installation can be very long, and there may also be long transport distances involved. Wind turbines are used to generate electricity from wind energy. For this purpose, wind turbines have a rotor. The rotational speed of the rotor is transmitted by a rotor shaft to a gearbox. The gearbox translates the rotational speed of the rotor shaft into a suitable speed to drive a generator. Due to their size, modern wind turbines are usually transported to the installation site in several parts and only assembled on site. For example, the rotor shaft assembly and the gearbox are separate components before final assembly.The gearbox input shaft and the rotor shaft are therefore often only connected during the assembly of the wind turbine. The gearbox must first be protected from contamination, for which purpose a cover is provided.

[0003] The gearbox can only be mounted on the rotor shaft assembly. If the gearbox is a separate assembly, it is, for example, non-functional, and its rotating parts cannot be easily set in motion. However, during extended storage periods, it may be necessary to rotate these components to redistribute the lubricating oil for corrosion protection. This requires removing the cover and installing a drive unit, which is very complex. Furthermore, different covers and drives may need to be kept in stock for different gearboxes, which can be very capital-intensive.

[0004] DE 27 07 699 A1 discloses a transmission with variable gear ratio. An input stage is followed by two or more gear stages. The input stage is arranged between a first downstream stage and a second downstream stage. The first downstream stage is connected to an output of the input stage via a hollow shaft and to the second downstream stage via a torsion shaft passing through the hollow shaft. Description of the invention

[0005] One aspect concerns the housing arrangement for a gearbox. The gearbox could, for example, be designed for a wind turbine. The wind turbine might have a rotor and a generator. The rotor can drive the generator via the gearbox to produce electrical energy. The rotor is connected to the gearbox, for example, via a rotor shaft. The rotor, gearbox, and generator might be attached to a nacelle of the wind turbine. The nacelle might be mounted on a tower, either fixed or rotatable. The rotor might have a horizontal or vertical axis of rotation. The rotor might have two, three, four, or more rotor blades, which are connected to the rotor shaft via a hub. However, the gearbox could also be designed for a different type of system, such as a gearbox for a different kind of power generation plant.For example, the gearbox can connect a turbine of a gas or hydroelectric power plant to a generator. The housing may include the gearbox, or the gearbox may not be part of the housing.

[0006] The gearbox comprises a stationary component and a rotating element. The stationary component can be a component that does not rotate during gearbox operation. For example, the stationary component can be a housing. The rotating element can be a rotating component of a planetary gear set. The rotating element can be rotatable when installed in the gearbox. The rotating element can, for example, be designed as a planet carrier. The gearbox can have multiple planetary gear sets. The rotating element forms an input or output for the gearbox, at which power is applied or output. The stationary component can be a ring gear of the planetary gear set. The rotating element may, for example, not be adequately supported for gearbox operation in a state where it is an uninstalled assembly.Only when mounted on, for example, a rotor shaft of a wind turbine or other similar device, can the rotating element be sufficiently supported to transmit power from the input to the output within the gearbox. The rotating element and the stationary component can form an axial end of the gearbox.

[0007] The stationary component radially encloses the rotating element. The stationary component has an axial connection opening. This connection opening can, for example, be designed to connect the rotating element to a rotor or a generator. The stationary component can be designed to be attached to the rotor shaft assembly, such as a housing of the rotor shaft assembly, or to the generator, such as a generator housing. The stationary component can be attached to the nacelle when the gearbox is installed. The connection opening can, for example, extend axially and be bounded radially on the outside by the stationary component. The connection opening can be an axial through-hole in the stationary component. The radial and axial directions can be defined by an axis of rotation of the rotating element.

[0008] The storage arrangement may include a cover designed to close the connection opening for storing the gearbox. The cover may be oil-tight. It may, for example, prevent dirt from entering the gearbox, at least through the connection opening. The cover may incorporate sealing elements such as O-rings or labyrinth seals. The cover may be designed to be attached to the gearbox when it is not installed.

[0009] The cover assembly includes a fastening element. This fastening element is designed to attach the cover assembly to the stationary component. For example, the fastening element can be screwed to the stationary component or attached to it with a clamping connection. The fastening element can utilize, for instance, mounting points where the rotor shaft assembly or the generator is mounted during operation. For gearbox installation, the fastening element, and thus the cover assembly, is detached from the stationary component. The fastening element can, for example, be a single piece.

[0010] The cover device includes a cover element that can be attached to the fastening element. The cover element is designed to close an access opening in the fastening element when attached and to hold the rotating element to the stationary component via the fastening element. The cover element can be formed in one piece. The cover device can therefore consist of at least two parts. To close the access opening, the fastening element is attached to the stationary component, and the cover element is attached to the fastening element. The cover element can, for example, be made of metal. The cover element can be attached to the fastening element, for example, by a screw connection, a clamping device, or a snap lock.The cover element prevents, for example, unwanted displacement of the rotating element during transport and, alternatively or additionally, during assembly on other components, by holding the rotating element in place.

[0011] The cover element prevents the rotating element from rotating. The cover element is designed, for example, to hold the rotating element in a rotationally fixed position. The cover device can thus replace the need for the rotor shaft assembly or the generator to support the rotating element, at least during storage and transport, in order to protect the gearbox from damage. At the same time, the cover element can be easily removed to expose the access opening in the mounting element. This access opening provides easy access to the interior of the gearbox, for example, to rotate the rotating element for corrosion protection. The access opening can be an axial through-hole through the mounting element, designed, for example, to connect a drive to the rotating element. The mounting element can, for example, be essentially ring-shaped.The cover element can, for example, be essentially disc-shaped. The cover element can, for example, have a shoulder that engages with the rotating element. The cover device can be designed to support the rotating element axially and radially. The cover element can be attached to the rotating element, for example, by a screw connection, a clamping device, or a snap fastener.

[0012] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the storage arrangement may comprise a set consisting of a first fastening element and at least one second fastening element. The two fastening elements may have different shapes and, for example, be adapted to different stationary components in their fastening areas. When attaching the storage arrangement to the gearbox, for instance, only one of the fastening elements is used at any given time. The first fastening element may be designed for fastening to the stationary component of a first configuration of the gearbox. The second fastening element may be designed for fastening to the stationary component of a second configuration of the gearbox. The first and second configurations of the gearbox may differ at least in the design of their respective stationary components.This storage arrangement can be used to protect and transport various gearboxes, always using the same cover element. For example, the storage arrangement can be used for different gearbox series with a large number of identical parts. This minimizes the effort required for storage and offering different series, for example, to meet varying performance requirements. The set of fasteners can also include three or more different fasteners. All fasteners can feature an access opening and, alternatively or additionally, a connection to a corresponding cover element.

[0013] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the arrangement may comprise a set consisting of a first cover element and at least one second cover element. The two cover elements may have different shapes and, for example, be adapted to different stationary components in their mounting areas. When attaching the storage arrangement to the gearbox, only one of the cover elements is used at a time. The first cover element may be designed to hold the rotating element of a first gearbox configuration. The second cover element may be designed to hold the rotating element of a second gearbox configuration. The first and second gearbox configurations may differ at least in the design of their respective rotating elements. In this way, the storage arrangement can be used to protect and transport different gearboxes.For example, this storage arrangement can be used for different series of gearboxes with a large number of identical parts. This minimizes the effort required for storage and offering different series, for example, to meet varying performance requirements or connection points for the gearbox. The set of cover elements can also include three or more different fastening elements. The connection to a respective fastening element can be identical for all cover elements. However, areas for supporting and securing the rotating element, for example, can be designed differently. For instance, the same fastening element can always be used for the different gearbox configurations.

[0014] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the storage arrangement may include a bearing device. The bearing device may be designed to be attached to the mounting element in place of the cover element when the cover element is not mounted, and to hold the rotating element rotatably on the stationary component via the mounting element. For example, the bearing device may provide support similar to that on the rotor shaft assembly or the generator and allow at least some rotation of the rotating element and other gearbox components as during operation, but at a lower speed, for example. This ensures corrosion protection during long storage periods. The bearing device may, for example, have a housing that can be attached to the stationary component or the mounting element.The mounting element of the cover device can remain in place when the bearing device is attached to the stationary component. A connecting shaft of the bearing device can be mounted on the housing, for example, with two rolling bearings. The connecting shaft can be designed to be rotationally fixed to the rotating element of the gearbox through the access opening in the mounting element, for example, by clamping or screwing. The connecting shaft can be connected to a drive to power the rotating element.

[0015] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the storage arrangement may include at least one rotary element adapter element. The rotary element adapter element may be designed to be attached to the storage device, for example, to its connecting shaft. With the rotary element adapter element attached, the storage device may be configured to rotatably hold the rotary element of a second gearbox configuration. With the rotary element adapter element not attached, the storage device may be configured to rotatably hold the rotary element of a first gearbox configuration. For this purpose, the storage device may be used without the rotary element adapter element or with a further rotary element adapter element.The first and second gearbox configurations differ at least in the design of their respective rotating elements, for example, their connection areas to which shafts can be attached. The storage arrangement can also include two, three, or more rotating element adapter elements to connect different gearbox configurations to the storage device and thus to the drive. This eliminates the need to completely replace the storage device for different gearboxes, making corrosion protection cost-effective for a wide variety of gearboxes. The rotating element adapter elements can be designed, for example, as simple plates or discs.

[0016] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the storage arrangement may include at least one fastening element adapter element. The fastening element adapter element may be designed to be attached to the storage device, for example, to its housing. With the fastening element adapter element attached, the storage device may be designed to be fastened to a second configuration of the fastening element. With the fastening element adapter element not attached, the storage device may be designed to be fastened to a first configuration of the fastening element. For this purpose, the storage device may be used without the fastening element adapter element or with a further fastening element adapter element.The first and second mounting adapter elements can be designed for attachment to gearboxes with different stationary components. The first and second gearbox configurations differ at least in the design of their respective stationary components, such as their connection areas. This eliminates the need to adapt the mounting device to different gearboxes, enabling cost-effective corrosion protection for a wide variety of gearboxes. The rotating adapter elements can be designed, for example, as simple rings or discs.

[0017] In one embodiment of the storage arrangement, the storage arrangement may include a drive unit that can be connected to the rotating element via the bearing device for rotating the rotating element. The drive unit may, for example, have a housing that can be connected to the housing of the bearing device. The drive unit may have a motor shaft that can be connected to the rotating element via the connecting shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The drive unit may be designed separately from the bearing device or integrated into it. The drive unit may, for example, include an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. The drive unit may also include an energy storage device, such as a battery or a fuel tank.

[0018] In one embodiment, the storage arrangement comprises a gearbox according to one of the embodiments described above. The gearbox has a stationary component and a rotating element, wherein the stationary component radially surrounds the rotating element and has a connection opening axially. For details and advantages of the individual elements, reference is made to the above descriptions. Brief description of the characters Fig. Figure 1 schematically illustrates a wind turbine with a gearbox. Fig. Figure 2 schematically illustrates in a sectional view a conventional storage arrangement for the gearbox of the wind turbine of Fig. 1, if the gearbox is not mounted in the wind turbine. Fig. Figure 3 schematically illustrates in a sectional view a conventional bearing device for supporting the gearbox of the wind turbine. Fig. 1 to drive when the gearbox is not mounted in the wind turbine. Fig. Figure 4 schematically illustrates in a sectional view an embodiment of a storage arrangement for the gearbox of the wind turbine of Fig. 1, if the gearbox is not mounted in the wind turbine. Fig. Figure 5 schematically illustrates in a sectional view the replacement of a lid element of the storage arrangement according to Fig. 4 against a bearing device to support the gearbox of the wind turbine from Fig. 1 to drive when the gearbox is not mounted in the wind turbine. Fig. Figure 6 schematically illustrates in a sectional view adapter elements for the storage device of Fig. 5 different gearboxes to be able to be mounted, as well as the integration of a drive. Detailed description of embodiments

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates a horizontally oriented wind turbine 10. The wind turbine 10 has a rotor 12, which is held on a rotor shaft 16 via a hub 14. The axis of rotation of the rotor shaft 16 extends essentially horizontally. The rotor shaft 16 is supported in a nacelle 20 by two rolling bearings 18, thus forming a rotor shaft assembly. The rotor shaft 16 is mechanically connected to a generator 24 via a gearbox 22. A brake 26 is arranged in the operative connection between the gearbox 22 and the generator 24, which acts on an input shaft of the generator 24. The nacelle 20 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of a tower 28, which is anchored to the ground. The wind turbine 10 has a grid connection 100 next to the tower 28.

[0020] Wind turbine 10 is transported to its installation site in separate assemblies. The gearbox 22, the rotor shaft assembly, and the generator 24 are transported separately as unconnected assemblies. The gearbox 22 is therefore only installed at the installation site and connected to the other assemblies.

[0021] Details of the transmission 22 are shown in the following figures. The transmission 22 comprises a first planetary gear set 30 and a second planetary gear set 40. The first planetary gear set 30 includes a first sun gear 32, a first planet carrier 34, and a first ring gear 36. A set of first planet gears 38 is rotatably mounted on the first planet carrier 34, each meshing with the first sun gear 32 and the first ring gear 36. The second planetary gear set 40 includes a second sun gear 42, a second planet carrier 44, and a second ring gear 46. A set of second planet gears 48 is rotatably mounted on the second planet carrier 44, each meshing with the second sun gear 42 and the second ring gear 46. The transmission 22 also includes a stationary component 50, which forms a housing for the transmission 22. The first sun wheel 32 is permanently and rotationally fixed to the second planet carrier 44.The first planet carrier 34 forms an input to the gearbox 22 and, when installed on the wind turbine 10, is permanently and rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft 16. The stationary component 50 has a connection opening 52 on its end face at an axial end facing the rotor 12. The stationary component 50 radially encloses the two planet gear sets 30, 40 on its outer surface.

[0022] The first planet carrier 34 is only operationally mounted when it is attached to the rotor shaft 16. The first planet carrier 34 is then supported and mounted via the rotor shaft 16 at the rolling bearings 18. In contrast, the first planet carrier 34 cannot be driven readily in its unmounted state. Furthermore, the rotatable parts of the gearbox 22 cannot be rotated about their axis of rotation, or only with excessive wear. The first planet carrier 34 here constitutes the rotating element of the gearbox 22 relevant to this disclosure, even though other parts of the gearbox 22 are also rotatable. The first ring gear 36 is permanently and rotationally fixed to the stationary component 50. The second sun gear 42 forms an output of the gearbox 22 and, when mounted on the wind turbine 10, is permanently and rotationally fixed to the generator 24.The second ring gear 46 is permanently connected to the stationary component 50 in a rotationally fixed manner and is therefore fixed.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 2 illustrates a conventional storage arrangement for the gearbox 22. The storage arrangement has a one-piece cover 60. The cover 60 is screwed to the stationary component 50. The cover 60 also forms a shoulder on which the first planet carrier 34 is held by a screw. This secures the first planet carrier 34 and keeps it safely in position during transport, preventing damage to the gear teeth.

[0024] Fig. Figure 3 schematically illustrates in a sectional view a conventional bearing device for driving the gearbox 22 of the wind turbine 10 when the gearbox 22 is not installed in the wind turbine 10. The bearing device has a housing 62, which is attached to the stationary component 50 by a screw connection in place of the cover 60. A shaft 64 is rotatably mounted in the housing 62 via two rolling bearings 66. The first planet carrier 34 is rotatably held by the shaft 64. The bearing device thus forms a bearing cassette. A drive can then be connected to the shaft 64 or to the first planet carrier 34 to rotate the first planet carrier 34, and thus also the other rotatable parts of the two planet gear sets 30, 40, at a low speed.For long storage periods, the bearing device and also the drive are occasionally attached to the gearbox 22 instead of the cover 60 in order to distribute lubricating oil for corrosion protection by rotating the rotatable parts of the two planetary gear sets 30, 40.

[0025] In Fig. Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a cover device 70, which is designed in multiple parts. The cover device 70 has an annular fastening element 72, which is attached to the stationary component 50 by a screw connection. The fastening element 72 forms an access opening in its central axial through-opening. A cover element 74 is attached to the fastening element 72, here by a screw connection or a clamping fastener. When attached to the fastening element 72, the cover element 74 closes the access opening. The connection opening 52 is also closed by the fastening element 72 with the attached cover element 74. The cover element 74 has a shoulder on which the first planet carrier 34 is held, here in a rotationally fixed manner. Optionally, the first planet carrier 34 is attached to the cover element 74 by a screw connection or another component.The first planet carrier 34 is held by the cover element 74 via the fastening element 72 on the stationary component 50.

[0026] In one embodiment, the storage arrangement also includes a storage device 80, which is located in Fig. Figure 5 shows that the cover element 74 can be attached to the fastening element 72. The fastening element 72 can thus remain on the stationary component 50 even when a drive 90 is connected for rotation and thus corrosion protection.

[0027] The storage device 80 has a housing 82 which can be attached to the fastening element 72 in place of the cover element 74, here by means of a screw connection. A connecting shaft 84 is rotatably mounted in the housing 82 via two rolling bearings 86. The first planet carrier 34 is rotatably held by the connecting shaft 84. The storage device 80 thus forms a bearing cassette. The drive 90 can be connected to the connecting shaft 84 in order to rotate the first planet carrier 34 and thus also the other rotatable parts of the two planet gear sets 30, 40 at a low speed. The drive 90, which forms part of the storage device 80 and also of the storage arrangement, is in Fig. Figure 6 shows that a motor shaft can be connected to the connecting shaft 84 in a rotationally fixed manner or is permanently connected. A motor housing can be attached to the housing 82 or is permanently attached. Fig. 5 and Fig.Figure 6 also illustrates various adapters to enable the storage arrangement to be used easily and with minimal effort on different gearboxes 22.

[0028] Furthermore, a rotary adapter element 92 is provided, which enables the connecting shaft 84 of the bearing device 80 to be attached to differently designed connection areas of the first planet carrier 34. A first design of the rotary adapter element 92 is provided for a first configuration of the gearbox 22 with a first design of the first planet carrier 34. A second design of the rotary adapter element 92 is provided for a second configuration of the gearbox 22 with a second design of the first planet carrier 34. In a third configuration of the gearbox 22 with a third design of the first planet carrier 34, the connecting shaft 84 can be attached without the rotary adapter element 92 in order to keep the first planet carrier 34 rotatable. In other embodiments, more or less different rotary adapter elements 92 are provided.

[0029] A fastening element adapter element 94 is provided, which enables the housing 82 of the storage device 80 to be fastened to differently designed fastening elements 72. The storage arrangement, for example, has a set of at least two different fastening elements 72 to enable the lid device 70 to be fastened to differently designed stationary components 50. Alternatively or additionally, and unlike what is shown here, the fastening element adapter element 94 is configured in other embodiments for fastening the same fastening element 72 to differently designed stationary components 50.

[0030] A first design of the fastening element adapter element 94 is provided for a first configuration of the gearbox 22 with a first design of the stationary component 50, in one embodiment also with a first design of the fastening element 72. A second design of the fastening element adapter element 94 is provided for a second configuration of the gearbox 22 with a second design of the stationary component 50, in one embodiment also with a second design of the fastening element 72. In a third configuration of the gearbox 22 with a third design of the stationary component 50, the housing 82 of the bearing device 80 can be attached directly to the fastening element 72 without an adapter. In one embodiment, the housing 82 of the bearing device 80 can be attached to the fastening element 72 via a third design of the fastening element 72.In other embodiments, more or less different fastening element adapter elements 94 are provided. Reference sign 10 wind turbines 12 Rotor 14 hub 16 Rotor shaft 18 rolling bearings 20 gondolas 22 gearboxes 24 Generator 26 brake 28 Tower 30 First planetary gear set 32 First sun wheel 34 First planet carrier / rotating element 36 First ring gear 38 First planetary gear 40 Second planetary gear set 42 Second sun wheel 44 Second planetary carrier 46 Second ring gear 48 Second planetary gears 50 stationary component 52 Connection opening 60 lids 62 cases 64 Connecting shaft 66 rolling bearings 70 Lid device 72 Fastening element 74 Cover element 80 Storage device 82 cases 84 Connecting shaft 86 rolling bearings 90 drive 92 Rotary element adapter element 94 Fastening element adapter element 100 network connection

Claims

Storage arrangement for a gearbox (22), wherein the gearbox (22) comprises a stationary component (50) and a rotary element (34) designed as an input or output for the gearbox (22), wherein the stationary component (50) radially surrounds the rotary element (34) and axially has a connection opening (52), wherein the storage arrangement comprises a cover device (70) designed to close the connection opening (52) for storing the gearbox (22), wherein the cover device (70) comprises a fastening element (72) designed for fastening the cover device (70) to the stationary component (50), and a cover element (74) attachable to the fastening element (72), wherein the cover element (74) is designed toin its attached state to the fastening element (72) to close an access opening in the fastening element (72) and to hold the rotating element on the stationary component (50) via the fastening element (72). Storage arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage arrangement comprises a set with a first fastening element (72) and at least one second fastening element (72), wherein the first fastening element (72) is designed for fastening to the stationary component (50) of a first configuration of the transmission (22) and the second fastening element (72) is designed for fastening to the stationary component (50) of a second configuration of the transmission (22), wherein the first configuration of the transmission (22) and the second configuration of the transmission (22) differ at least by a design of the respective stationary component (50). Storage arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage arrangement comprises a set with a first lid element (74) and at least one second lid element (74), wherein the first lid element (74) is designed for holding the rotary element (34) of a first configuration of the transmission (22) and the second lid element (74) is designed for holding the rotary element (34) of a second configuration of the transmission (22), wherein the first configuration of the transmission (22) and the second configuration of the transmission (22) differ at least by a design of the respective rotary element (34). Storage arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage arrangement has a storage device (80), wherein the storage device (80) is designed to be attached to the fastening element (72) in place of the lid element (74) in the released state and to hold the rotating element rotatably on the stationary component (50) via the fastening element (72). Storage arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the storage arrangement has at least one rotary element adapter element (92), wherein the rotary element adapter element (92) is designed to be attached to the storage device (80), wherein the storage device (80) in the unmounted state of the rotary element adapter element (92) is designed for rotatably holding the rotary element (34) of a first configuration of the transmission (22), and wherein the storage device (80) in the attached state of the rotary element adapter element (92) is designed for rotatably holding the rotary element (34) of a second configuration of the transmission (22), wherein the first configuration of the transmission (22) and the second configuration of the transmission (22) differ at least by a design of the respective rotary element (34). Storage arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the storage arrangement has at least one fastening element adapter element (94), wherein the fastening element adapter element (94) is configured to be attached to the storage device (80), wherein the storage device (80) in the unmounted state of the fastening element adapter element (94) is configured for attachment to a first configuration of the fastening element (72) and wherein the storage device (80) in the attached state of the fastening element adapter element (94) is configured for attachment to a second configuration of the fastening element (72), wherein the first fastening element (72) and the second fastening element (72) are configured for attachment to gearboxes (22) with different stationary components (50). Storage arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the storage arrangement has a drive (90) which can be connected to the rotary element (34) via the bearing device (80) for rotating the rotary element. Storage arrangement according to one of the preceding claims with a gearbox (22), wherein the gearbox (22) has a stationary component (50) and a rotating element (34), and wherein the stationary component (50) radially surrounds the rotating element (34) and axially has a connection opening (52).

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