Drive assembly for a wind turbine
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2024700774
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-14
- Filing Date
- 2024-01-16
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-24
AI Technical Summary
The existing drive train of wind turbines faces challenges in efficiently transmitting torque while managing axial and radial displacements, leading to potential misalignment and stress on components.
A drive arrangement that includes a rotor shaft arrangement supported by fixed and floating bearing arrangements, with torque supports that allow axial displacement, and a spring element for radial flexibility, ensuring stable and efficient torque transmission.
This configuration enhances the stability and efficiency of torque transmission by preventing axial misalignment and distributing radial loads effectively, thereby improving the overall performance and durability of the wind turbine drive train.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024050832_22082024_PF_FP
Abstract
Description
[0001] Drive arrangement for a wind turbine
[0002] The invention relates to a drive arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0003] EP 2 067 990 A2 discloses a drive train for a wind turbine. This drive train comprises a rotor shaft, a planet carrier connected to the rotor shaft for rotational stability, a rotor shaft bearing, a planet carrier bearing, a gearbox housing, and torque arms connected to the gearbox housing for rotational stability. The rotor shaft is rotatably mounted in an engine nacelle by means of the rotor bearing. The torque arms are also fixed in the engine nacelle. The planet carrier bearing is attached to the rotor side, starting from the planet carrier. The planet carrier is rotatably mounted in the gearbox housing via this bearing.
[0004] The invention is based on the object of improving the drive train of a wind turbine. This object is achieved by a drive arrangement according to claim 1. Preferred developments emerge from the subclaims and the following description.
[0005] The drive assembly is designed for use in a wind turbine. In a wind turbine, the drive assembly forms part of the drive train. The drive train includes all components involved in transmitting torque from a wind-driven rotor to a wind turbine generator.
[0006] The drive assembly includes a rotor shaft assembly, a first bearing assembly, a second bearing assembly, a housing assembly, and a nacelle-fixed means.
[0007] The rotor shaft assembly consists of a rotor shaft and a planet carrier. A rotor shaft refers to a shaft that is or can be connected to the rotor in a rotationally fixed manner. In particular, the rotor shaft can be designed to be joined to the rotor or can be joined to the rotor, for example, by means of a screw flange. The planet carrier is rotationally fixedly connected to the rotor shaft. This connection can be designed as a single or multi-piece assembly. The rotor shaft and the planet carrier are preferably screwed together.
[0008] A bearing arrangement is an arrangement with one or more bearings. The bearings in a bearing arrangement are characterized by the fact that at least one bearing of each of two adjacent bearings in the bearing arrangement is in contact with each other, either directly or via a spacer, such as an intermediate ring. The at least two bearing rings of the adjacent bearings can be integrally connected to each other, touch each other, or each touch the spacer. A bearing that does not have a bearing ring that is in contact with a bearing ring of a bearing in the bearing arrangement, either directly or via a spacer, is not part of the bearing arrangement.
[0009] The housing assembly consists of a gear housing and one or more torque arms that are fixed in the gear housing in a rotationally fixed manner. In particular, the torque arms can be fixed rigidly, i.e., without the possibility of relative movement between the gear housing and the torque arms. Preferably, the torque arms are integrally connected to the gear housing or to a part of the gear housing, preferably to a wall of the gear housing.
[0010] A nacelle-mounted device is a device that is rigidly fixed or fixable in the nacelle, i.e., without the possibility of relative movement between the device and a nacelle of the wind turbine. In particular, the nacelle-mounted device can be a machine support.
[0011] The rotor shaft assembly is mounted in the nacelle-mounted means by means of the first bearing assembly. Preferably, the outer bearing rings of the first bearing assembly are joined to the nacelle-mounted means or are integrally integrated into the nacelle-mounted means. Accordingly, the inner bearing rings of the first bearing assembly are preferably joined to the rotor shaft assembly or are integrally integrated into the rotor shaft assembly.
[0012] Preferably, the rotor shaft is mounted in the nacelle-fixed means by means of the first bearing arrangement. In this case, the inner bearing rings of the first bearing arrangement are joined to the rotor shaft or integrated into the rotor shaft as one piece.
[0013] The rotor shaft assembly is mounted in the gearbox housing by means of the second bearing assembly. This means that the rotor shaft assembly and the gearbox housing support each other via the second bearing assembly.
[0014] The outer bearing rings of the second bearing assembly are preferably joined to the transmission housing or integrated integrally into the transmission housing. The inner bearing rings of the second bearing assembly are preferably joined to the rotor shaft assembly, i.e., to the rotor shaft and / or the planet carrier, or integrated integrally into the rotor shaft assembly, i.e., to the rotor shaft and / or the planet carrier.
[0015] In order to avoid axial stresses, i.e. stresses directed in the direction of a rotational axis of the rotor shaft arrangement, the invention provides a fixed-loose bearing arrangement for the rotor shaft arrangement and the housing arrangement in the nacelle-fixed means. According to one aspect of the invention, the first bearing arrangement is designed as a fixed bearing. This means that the rotor shaft arrangement is mounted axially fixedly in the nacelle-fixed means by means of the first bearing arrangement. The first bearing arrangement thus forms an abutment against any axial displacements of the rotor shaft arrangement relative to the nacelle-fixed means. Furthermore, the axial position of the rotor shaft arrangement relative to the nacelle-fixed means is preferably also clearly defined by the first bearing arrangement. In this case, the first bearing arrangement also acts as an abutment against radial displacements of the rotor shaft arrangement relative to the nacelle-fixed means.
[0016] The one or more torque arms are fixed in a rotationally fixed manner in the nacelle-mounted means. This makes it possible to support a drive torque applied to the housing assembly via the rotor shaft assembly and, if applicable, other transmission elements via the torque arms in the nacelle-mounted means.
[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the torque supports are fixed in the nacelle-mounted means so that they can be axially displaced. As a result, the torque supports are axially displaceable relative to the nacelle-mounted means by at least a limited distance.
[0018] A further aspect of the invention provides for a reversed configuration of the first bearing arrangement and the fixation of the torque supports in the nacelle-fixed means as a fixed and floating bearing. Accordingly, the first bearing arrangement is designed as a floating bearing, and the fixation of the torque supports in the nacelle-fixed means is designed as a fixed bearing.
[0019] The design of the first bearing arrangement as a floating bearing enables axial displacement of the rotor shaft arrangement relative to the nacelle-fixed means by at least a limited distance. According to a further aspect of the invention, the torque arms, however, are fixed axially immovably in the nacelle-fixed means.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the second bearing arrangement is also designed as a fixed bearing. This means that the second bearing arrangement forms a counterbearing against any axial displacement of the rotor shaft arrangement and the housing arrangement relative to each other. Because the second bearing arrangement is designed as a fixed bearing, the rotor shaft arrangement and the housing arrangement are axially immovable relative to each other.
[0021] Preferably, a double-row tapered roller bearing forms the second bearing arrangement. Such a bearing can withstand high loads even with small diameters.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the first bearing arrangement and / or the second bearing arrangement are arranged on the rotor side with respect to the planet carrier. This means that the first bearing arrangement and / or the second bearing arrangement are located on the same side of the planet carrier, or on the same side of a radial plane intersecting the planet carrier, as the rotor and the rotor shaft.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the rotor shaft assembly is supported exclusively by the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly. This means that there is no bearing supporting the rotor shaft assembly that is not part of the first bearing assembly or the second bearing assembly.
[0024] In an alternatively preferred development, a third bearing arrangement is provided for supporting the rotor shaft arrangement. According to the development, the transmission housing has at least one spring element with a radial direction of action. The spring element is thus elastically deformable in at least one radial direction, i.e., orthogonal to the axis of rotation. Preferably, the spring element is elastically deformable in any radial direction. The spring element can be configured, for example, as a membrane that is rotationally symmetrical to the axis of rotation and has an S-shaped cross-section.
[0025] The planet carrier is mounted in the spring element by means of the third bearing arrangement. The planet carrier is thus supported in the gearbox housing via the third bearing arrangement and the spring element. While the first bearing arrangement and the second bearing arrangement serve to position the rotor shaft assembly, the third bearing arrangement supports the weight of the areas of the gearbox housing extending from the torque arms on the generator side in the rotor shaft assembly.
[0026] The rotor shaft assembly is preferably supported exclusively by the first bearing assembly, the second bearing assembly, and the third bearing assembly. This means that there is no bearing supporting the rotor shaft assembly that is not part of the first bearing assembly, part of the second bearing assembly, or part of the third bearing assembly.
[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the third bearing arrangement is arranged on the generator side with respect to the planet carrier. According to the embodiment, the third bearing arrangement is located on the same side of the planet carrier as the generator, or on a radial plane that intersects the planet carrier.
[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures. Corresponding reference numerals indicate identical or functionally equivalent features. In detail:
[0029] Fig. 1 shows the schematic structure of a drive train;
[0030] Fig. 2 the design of the drive train; and
[0031] Fig. 3 shows a section.
[0032] According to Fig. 1, a rotor 101 of a wind turbine is mounted on a rotor shaft 103. The rotor shaft 103 is rotationally fixedly connected to a planet carrier 105.
[0033] A first bearing assembly 107 and a second bearing assembly 109 support the rotor shaft 103. The rotor shaft 103 is mounted in a machine frame (not shown in Fig. 1) by means of the first bearing assembly 107. The rotor shaft 103 is mounted inside a two-armed torque support 111 by means of the second bearing assembly 109.
[0034] The torque arm 111 is connected to a transmission housing 115 via one or more spring elements 113. Together with the torque arm 111, the transmission housing 115 encapsulates the planet carrier 105. The planet carrier 105 is thus located in a cavity formed by the torque arm 111 and the transmission housing 115.
[0035] The first bearing arrangement 107 forms a fixed bearing. The first bearing arrangement 107 thus fixes the rotor shaft 103 axially immovably in the machine frame. The two arms of the torque arm 111 are supported in the machine frame via floating bearings 117. The floating bearings 117 allow axial displacement of the torque arm 111 relative to the machine frame.
[0036] The weight of the gear housing 115 generates a torque in the floating bearings 117, the direction vector of which runs horizontally orthogonal to a rotational axis of the rotor shaft 103 and the planet carrier 105. This torque is supported by one or more spring elements 119 in the planet carrier 105.
[0037] The spring elements 119 are designed to be resilient in the radial direction. They extend between the transmission housing 115 and a hub 121, which is formed by the planet carrier 105 on the generator side. The hub 121 is rotatably mounted in the spring elements 119 by means of a further bearing arrangement.
[0038] Fig. 2 illustrates the design of the drive train. The machine carrier is designated by reference number 201 in Fig. 2. The planet carrier 105 forms a shaft stub 203 on the rotor side. The second bearing assembly 109 is arranged on the shaft stub 203. Furthermore, the shaft stub 203 is screwed to the rotor shaft 103 for rotational connection.
[0039] Fig. 2 shows a third bearing assembly 205, which absorbs the weight of the transmission housing 115. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the third bearing assembly 205 is designed as a single-row tapered roller bearing. Accordingly, forces extending axially from the transmission housing 115 toward the rotor, as well as radial forces on the planet carrier 105, can be supported via the third bearing assembly 205.
[0040] The arms of the torque support are each supported by a bolt 207 in the machine support. For this purpose, the arms of the torque support 113 each form an eyelet 209, which encloses the respective bolt 207. The machine support 201 forms a second eyelet 211 and a third eyelet 213. The second eyelet 211 and the third eyelet 213 also enclose the bolt 207. The bolt 207 thus extends through the first eyelet 209, the second eyelet 211, and the third eyelet 213.
[0041] The first eye 209 is arranged between the second eye 211 and the third eye 213. Starting from the first eye 209, the second eye 211 is located on the rotor side. The third eye 213 is arranged on the generator side, starting from the first eye 209.
[0042] There is a gap in the form of a free gap between the first eye 209 and the second eye 211, as well as between the first eye 209 and the third eye 213. These two gaps allow axial displacement of the torque support 113.
[0043] Fig. 3 shows a spring element 119 integrally integrated into the gear housing 115. The spring element 119 is designed as a diaphragm that is rotationally symmetrical to the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft 103 and the planet carrier 105. In the cross-section shown in Fig. 3, the diaphragm follows a curved path. This results in flexibility in the radial direction.
[0044] Reference symbol
[0045] rotor
[0046] rotor shaft
[0047] Planet carrier bearing arrangement bearing arrangement torque arm spring element
[0048] Gearbox housing floating bearing spring element
[0049] hub
[0050] Machine carrier shaft end bearing arrangement bolt eye eye eye
Claims
Patent claims 1 . Drive arrangement for a wind turbine, with a rotor shaft arrangement (103, 105) consisting of a rotor shaft (103) and a planet carrier (105) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotor shaft (103), with a first bearing arrangement (107), with a second bearing arrangement (109), with a housing arrangement (111, 115) consisting of a gearbox housing (115) and one or more torque supports (111) which are fixed in a rotationally fixed manner in the gearbox housing (115), and having a nacelle-fixed means (201); wherein the rotor shaft arrangement (103, 105) is mounted in the nacelle-fixed means (201) by means of the first bearing arrangement (107) and in the gearbox housing (115) by means of the second bearing arrangement (109); characterized in that the first bearing arrangement (107) is designed as a fixed bearing and the one or more torque supports (111) are fixed in the nacelle-fixed means (201) in an axially displaceable manner.
2. Drive arrangement for a wind turbine, with a rotor shaft arrangement (103, 105) consisting of a rotor shaft (103) and a planet carrier (105) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotor shaft (103), with a first bearing arrangement (107), with a second bearing arrangement (109), with a housing arrangement (111, 115) consisting of a gearbox housing (115) and one or more torque supports (111) which are fixed in a rotationally fixed manner in the gearbox housing (115), and having a nacelle-fixed means (201); wherein the rotor shaft arrangement (103, 105) is mounted in the nacelle-fixed means (201) by means of the first bearing arrangement (107) and in the gearbox housing (115) by means of the second bearing arrangement (109); characterized in that the first bearing arrangement (107) is designed as a loose bearing and the one or more torque supports (111) are fixed in the nacelle-fixed means (201) in an axially immovable manner.
3. Drive arrangement according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that the second bearing arrangement (109) is designed as a fixed bearing.
4. Drive arrangement according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that the first bearing arrangement (107) and / or the second bearing arrangement (109) is arranged on the rotor side with respect to the planet carrier (105).
5. Drive arrangement according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that the rotor shaft arrangement (103, 105) is mounted exclusively by means of the first bearing arrangement (107) and the second bearing arrangement (109).
6. Drive arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4; characterized by a third bearing arrangement (205); wherein the gear housing (115) has at least one spring element (119) with a radial direction of action; wherein the planet carrier (105) is mounted in the spring element (119) by means of the third bearing arrangement (205).
7. Drive arrangement according to the preceding claim; characterized in that the third bearing arrangement (205) is arranged on the generator side with respect to the planet carrier (105).