Space-saving housing mounting

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing (201, 501, 601) for a wind turbine gear mechanism having at least two bolt eyes, each for receiving a respective bolt (109) for fixing the housing (201, 401, 501, 601) in a means (111) that is secured to a nacelle; wherein in each case two bolt eyes (301, 303, 701) are mirror-symmetrical to each other with respect to a first longitudinal plane (105). The bolt eyes are arranged completely on the same side of a second longitudinal plane (107) that extends orthogonally to the first longitudinal plane (105).

Description

[0001] Space-saving housing storage

[0002] The invention relates to a housing according to the preamble of claim 1, a housing according to the preamble of claim 9 and a method according to the preamble of claim 10.

[0003] Wind turbine gearboxes with torque arms are known from the prior art. These are supported by connecting bolts in the nacelle's machine frame. The torque arms extend laterally outward from a housing of the wind turbine gearbox. This requires a corresponding amount of space in the nacelle.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of providing a wind turbine gearbox that is improved compared to the prior art. This object is achieved by a housing according to the preamble of claim 1, a housing according to the preamble of claim 9, and a method according to the preamble of claim 10. Preferred developments are contained in the subclaims and will become apparent from the following description.

[0005] The housing according to the invention is a housing for a wind turbine gearbox, i.e. a housing for a gearbox which is designed for use as a gearbox in the drive train of a wind turbine.

[0006] The housing has at least two bolt bosses. A bolt boss is a cylindrical recess for receiving a cylindrical portion of a bolt. Preferably, the recess and the portion of the bolt are each circularly cylindrical.

[0007] The at least two bolt eyes of the housing serve to secure the housing in a nacelle of the wind turbine or in a nacelle-fixed means. A nacelle-fixed means is a means that is fixed, i.e., is mounted in the nacelle without the possibility of relative movement. A machine support for accommodating and securing the drive train, for example, represents a nacelle-fixed means. To secure the housing by means of the at least one bolt, the nacelle-fixed means itself has at least two bolt eyes. These are each part of a group of at least two, preferably three, aligned bolt eyes.

[0008] In addition to the at least two bolt eyes of the nacelle-fixed means, the group includes at least one bolt eye of the housing. This means that each group comprises at least one bolt eye of the housing and at least one bolt eye of the nacelle-fixed means. Preferably, a group comprises exactly two bolt eyes of the housing and exactly one bolt eye of the nacelle-fixed means, exactly one bolt eye of the housing and exactly two bolt eyes of the nacelle-fixed means, or exactly one bolt eye of the housing and exactly one bolt eye of the nacelle-fixed means.

[0009] Each group has exactly one bolt that engages the bolt eyes of the group. Accordingly, the bolt eyes of each group are aligned with each other. The bolt secures the bolt eyes of the respective group to each other.

[0010] The at least two bolt bosses of the housing are mirror-symmetrical to each other with respect to a first longitudinal plane. This implies that the at least two bolt bosses belong to different groups.

[0011] A longitudinal plane refers to a plane that contains a longitudinal reference axis. In this case, the axis of rotation of the input shaft of the wind turbine gearbox serves as the longitudinal reference axis. The first longitudinal plane preferably runs vertically.

[0012] The invention provides a second longitudinal plane that runs orthogonally to the first longitudinal plane. According to the invention, the bolt bosses are arranged entirely on the same side of the second longitudinal plane. Preferably, the at least two bolt bosses are located below the second longitudinal plane. The invention results in a shift in the position of the bolt bosses away from the lateral regions of the housing, reducing the distance between the at least two bolt bosses. The lateral space requirement of the housing is correspondingly reduced.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the center axes of the bolt bosses, i.e., the center axes of the cylinders that describe the shape of each bolt boss, run parallel to the first longitudinal plane and / or the second longitudinal plane. If the center axes of the bolt bosses run parallel to the first longitudinal plane and the second longitudinal plane, the center axes run parallel to the rotational axis of the input shaft of the wind turbine gearbox.

[0014] Preferably, the housing is further developed with defined distances between the center axes of the pin bosses and the first and second planes. The distances are selected such that the pin bosses are positioned in the corner areas of the nacelle. This creates installation space that would otherwise be unused. This allows for particularly effective use of the available installation space in the nacelle.

[0015] In a corresponding preferred development, the distance of the center axes of the bolt eyes to the first plane is not greater than twice the distance of the center axes of the bolt eyes to the second plane.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment, the distance between the center axes of the pin bosses and the first plane is no greater than the distance between the center axes and the second plane. This corresponds to an arrangement of the pin bosses such that their center axes form an angle of no more than 45° with the rotational axis of the input shaft of the wind turbine gearbox.

[0017] Conversely, in a preferred embodiment, the distance between the center axes of the pin bosses and the second plane is not greater than twice the distance between the center axes of the pin bosses and the first plane. In a further preferred embodiment, the distance between the center axes of the pin bosses and the second plane is not greater than the distance between the center axes and the first plane. This corresponds to an angle of not less than 45° between the center axes of the pin bosses and the rotational axis of the input shaft of the wind turbine gearbox.

[0018] In particular, it is possible to arrange the pin bosses such that the distance between their center axes and the first plane coincides with the distance between their center axes and the second plane. This corresponds to an angle of exactly 45° between the center axes and the rotational axis of the wind turbine gearbox's input shaft.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, a housing wall has at least two support arms. The term "housing wall" refers to a part of the housing that encapsulates a cavity containing the internal components of the transmission, such as shafts, bearings, and gears. For example, the housing wall can encapsulate a rotor or input shaft of the transmission and its bearings.

[0020] The housing wall separates the cavity from the surroundings. The housing wall thus runs between the cavity and the surroundings. Support arms are the supporting structures for the housing wall. Torques and other forces acting on the housing are absorbed via the support arms. In particular, the support arms can be integrally connected to the housing wall.

[0021] According to the further development, the at least two support arms each have one of the at least two bolt eyes.

[0022] The at least two bolt eyes are each formed by a means having a corresponding recess for receiving the respective bolt. The means can be integrally connected to the housing or to the respective support arm. In a preferred embodiment, however, the means are designed as pieces physically separate from the housing wall, in particular from the support arms. According to the embodiment, the at least two means are therefore not integrally connected to the housing wall. Preferably, the at least two means are detachably joined to the housing wall or to one of the at least two support arms.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment, the at least two support arms each comprise one of the at least two means. Since the support arms are part of the housing wall, according to the embodiment, there is a physical separation between the means and the respective support arm.

[0024] The at least two means, each of which comprises one of the at least two bolt eyes, can be constructed in two pieces. In this case, the at least two means each consist of at least two physically separate pieces that are joined together. Preferably, the pieces are removably joined together. Elastomers with which the at least two means are mounted in the bolts can be more easily inserted into the respective bolt eye in a two-piece design.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, one of the pieces is connected in one piece to the housing wall or to one of the support arms. The two-piece design of the at least two means ensures simplified assembly and disassembly.

[0026] The at least two means, each of which has one of the at least two bolt eyes, can alternatively be integrally connected to the respective bolt according to a further aspect of the invention. The above statements regarding the bolt eyes then apply mutatis mutandis to the bolts.

[0027] A physically separate design of the at least two means from the housing wall, together with the inventive arrangement of the bolt eyes, is advantageous with regard to the assembly and disassembly of the wind turbine gearbox in the nacelle. This is because the inventive arrangement of the bolt eyes impairs their accessibility. By designing them as pieces physically separate from the housing wall, it is possible to first fix the at least two means in the nacelle using the respective bolt in a method according to the invention, before the at least two means are subsequently joined to the housing wall or to the respective support arm. This is done by inserting the bolt into the bolt eyes of the respective group.

[0028] A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 2 to 7. Figure 1 illustrates the prior art. Corresponding reference numerals indicate identical or functionally equivalent features. Specifically, the following shows:

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a gear housing known from the prior art;

[0030] Fig. 2 a gearbox housing with space-saving arrangement of the torque arms;

[0031] Fig. 3 a side view of the gearbox housing

[0032] Fig. 4 bolt receptacles integrated in one piece into the bolts;

[0033] Fig. 5 one-sided fixation of the bolts;

[0034] Fig. 6 bolts integrated in one piece into a machine support; and

[0035] Fig. 7 two-piece bolt receptacles.

[0036] The gear housing 101 shown in Figure 1 is known from the prior art. It forms torque supports 103 that are mirror-symmetrical to a sagittal plane 105. The torque supports 103 extend horizontally to the side from a wall of the housing 101. A transverse plane 107 intersects the torque supports 103. The torque supports 103 are each fixed in a machine support 111 via a bolt 109.

[0037] A space-saving alternative is shown in Figure 2. A corresponding gearbox housing 201 is supported in a machine support 111 via torque supports 103 and bolts 109. The bolts 109 have been relocated downwards from the solution shown in Figure 1, thus moving them closer together. This results in a gain in space on the sides.

[0038] To accommodate the bolts 109, bolt eyes with corresponding recesses are provided in the machine frame. These recesses prevent the bolts 109 from being inserted from above together with the gearbox housing 101.

[0039] To ensure that the gearbox housing 101 can still be installed in the machine frame 111, the torque supports 103 are designed in multiple parts. This can be seen in Figure 3.

[0040] For each bolt 109, two half shells 301 are screwed to the machine support 111, which each form a bolt eye together with the formation in the machine support 111.

[0041] The torque supports each consist of rib-shaped supports connected in one piece to the gearbox housing 101 and a bolt receptacle 303. This is screwed to the respective supports and forms another bolt eye.

[0042] A bolt 109 is inserted into each of two bolt eyes formed by a half-shell 111 of the machine support 111 and a bolt eye formed by a bolt receptacle 303. In this way, the bolt connects the three bolt eyes to one another.

[0043] According to Figure 3, the bolts 109 and the bolt receptacles 303 are each constructed in two pieces. The bolt receptacles 303 form a bolt eye. Alternatively, a one-piece connection between the bolts 109 and the respective bolt receptacle 303 is possible. A corresponding gear housing 401 is shown in Figure 4.

[0044] The gear housing 501 shown in Figure 5 corresponds in its structure to the gear housings 201, 401 shown in Figures 2 to 4. The mounting of the bolts 109 in the machine support 111 is implemented differently here. While the bolts 109 in Figures 2 to 4 are mounted on both sides of the respective bolt receptacle 303 or are fixed in the machine support 111, Figure 5 shows a one-sided mounting. In Figures 2 to 4, the machine bed 111 has two bolt eyes for each bolt 109, in which the bolt 109 is fixed. The machine bed 111 according to Figure 5, on the other hand, forms only one bolt eye for each bolt 109.

[0045] The bolts 109 and the machine bed 111 are shown in Figure 5 as physically separate pieces. Figure 6 shows an embodiment in which the bolts 109 are integrally integrated into the machine support 111. Otherwise, the design of the gear housing 601 shown in Figure 6 and the bearings in the machine support 111 correspond to the arrangement shown in Figure 5.

[0046] Figure 6 shows a bolt receptacle 701 that can be used instead of the bolt receptacles 303 shown in Figures 2 to 6. The bolt receptacle 701 consists of a lower piece 703 and an upper piece 705. The two pieces 703, 705 are screwed together. The two-piece design of the bolt receptacle 701 makes it possible to connect the upper piece 705 in one piece to a torque support 103.

[0047] Reference symbol

[0048] Gearbox housing

[0049] Torque support Sagittal plane Transverse plane

[0050] bolt

[0051] Machine carrier

[0052] Gearbox housing half shell bolt holder

[0053] Gearbox housing

[0054] Gearbox housing

[0055] Gearbox housing

[0056] Bolt holder lower piece upper piece

Claims

Patent claims 1. Housing (201, 501, 601) for a wind turbine gearbox with at least two bolt eyes for receiving a bolt (109) each for fixing the housing (201, 401, 501, 601) in a nacelle-fixed means (111); wherein each pair of bolt eyes (301, 303, 701) are mirror-symmetrical to each other with respect to a first longitudinal plane (105); characterized in that the bolt eyes are arranged completely on the same side of a second longitudinal plane (107) which is orthogonal to the first longitudinal plane (105).

2. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to the preceding claim; characterized in that the central axes of the bolt eyes each run parallel to the first longitudinal plane (105) and / or the second longitudinal plane (107).

3. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to the preceding claim; characterized in that the central axes of the bolt eyes each run parallel to the first longitudinal plane (105) and the second longitudinal plane (107); wherein a distance of the central axes to the first longitudinal plane (105) is not greater than twice the distance to the second longitudinal plane (107).

4. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that the distance of the central axes of the bolt eyes to the second longitudinal plane (107) is not greater than twice the distance of the central axes of the bolt eyes to the first longitudinal plane (105).

5. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that a housing wall has at least two support arms (103) each having one of the at least two bolt eyes (301 , 303, 701 ).

6. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized by at least two means (303) each having one of the at least two bolt eyes, and which are designed as pieces physically separate from the housing wall.

7. Housing (201, 501, 601) according to the preceding claim with reference to claim 5; characterized in that the at least two support arms (103) each have one of the at least two means (303); wherein The means (303) are each designed as pieces physically separate from the respective support arm (103).

8. Housing (201 , 501 , 601 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5; characterized by at least two means (701 ) each having one of the at least two bolt eyes; wherein the at least two means (701 ) are each made in two parts; and wherein one part of the at least two means is integrally connected to a housing wall.

9. Housing (401) for a wind turbine gearbox with at least two bolts (109) for fixing the housing (401) in a nacelle-mounted means (111); wherein the bolts (109) are mirror-symmetrical about a first longitudinal plane (105); characterized by at least two means (303) which are each integrally connected to one of the bolts (109), are designed as pieces physically separate from a housing wall and joined to the housing wall; wherein the bolts (109) are arranged entirely on the same side of a second longitudinal plane (107) which is orthogonal to the first longitudinal plane (105); wherein 10. Method for assembling a housing () according to one of claims 6, 7 or 9; characterized in that the at least two means (303) are first fixed in the gondola-fixed means (111) by means of the respective bolt (109) and then joined to the housing wall.

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