Plain bearing assembly for plain bearing support of a rotor shaft of a wind turbine

Abstract

The invention relates to a plain bearing assembly (1) for plain bearing support of a rotor shaft (2) of a wind turbine (3), the assembly having at least the following components: - a bearing housing (4); - a rotor shaft (2) having a rotor axis (5), wherein the rotor shaft (2) is arranged at least in part in the bearing housing (4); - a radial bearing assembly (6), by means of which the rotor shaft (2) is radially mounted; and - an axial plain bearing (7) having a first axial counter bearing surface (8) and a second axial counter bearing surface (9). The plain bearing assembly (1) is characterized in particular in that it also comprises a radial collar (10) which is fixed on the rotor shaft (2) and which has a first axial sliding surface (11) and an axially opposite second axial sliding surface (12), wherein the radial collar (10) is arranged axially between the counter bearing surfaces (8, 9) with axial bearing play (13) for axial plain bearing support of the rotor shaft (2). With the proposed plain bearing assembly, the installation of large rotor shafts in wind turbines can be significantly simplified, and the weight and costs of the wind turbine can be significantly reduced.

Description

[0001] Sliding bearing arrangement for the sliding bearing of a rotor shaft of a winch power plant

[0002] The invention relates to a sliding bearing arrangement for sliding bearing a rotor shaft of a wind turbine, a rotor with such a sliding bearing arrangement for a wind turbine, a wind turbine with such a rotor, an assembly method for such a rotor, and a pre-assembly method for such a sliding bearing arrangement.

[0003] In the field of wind turbines, a steady increase in the size of such installations can be observed. The diameter of corresponding rotor shafts often ranges from 500 mm (five hundred millimeters) up to several meters. The rotor shafts require radial and axial support. Due to the size and mass of the rotor shafts, the use of rolling bearings is associated with high costs and significant technical complexity. It would therefore be preferable to use plain bearings instead of rolling bearings, as these are lighter and more cost-effective.

[0004] For such plain bearings to function correctly, a suitable bearing clearance must be set very precisely. Given the mass and size of such rotor shafts, this requires a high level of experience on the part of the technician. Therefore, and due to the still considerable effort involved in adjusting plain bearings, more maintenance-intensive and / or less efficient rolling bearings are still very common for supporting large rotor shafts in wind turbines. However, rolling bearings are becoming increasingly unsuitable for the growing size of future wind turbines.

[0005] Based on this, the present invention aims to overcome, at least partially, the disadvantages known from the prior art. The features of the invention are defined in the independent claims, for which advantageous embodiments are shown in the dependent claims. The features of the claims can be combined in any technically meaningful way, whereby the explanations in the following description and features from the figures, which comprise supplementary embodiments of the invention, can also be used.

[0006] The invention relates to a sliding bearing arrangement for the sliding bearing of a rotor shaft of a wind turbine, comprising at least the following components:

[0007] - a bearing housing;

[0008] - a rotor shaft with a rotor axis, wherein the rotor shaft is arranged at least partially in the bearing housing;

[0009] - a radial bearing arrangement by means of which the rotor shaft is radially supported; and

[0010] - an axial sliding bearing with a first axial counter-bearing surface and a second axial counter-bearing surface.

[0011] The sliding bearing arrangement is characterized in particular by the fact that it further includes a radial collar which is fixed on the rotor shaft and has a first axial sliding surface as well as an axially opposite second axial sliding surface, wherein the radial collar is arranged axially between the counter bearing surfaces with an axial bearing clearance for axial sliding bearing of the rotor shaft.

[0012] The following text refers to the aforementioned rotor axis whenever the axial direction, radial direction, or direction of rotation and corresponding terms are used, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Ordinal numbers used in the preceding and subsequent descriptions serve solely for unambiguous identification and do not indicate any order or ranking of the components referred to. An ordinal number greater than one does not necessarily imply the presence of another such component.

[0013] The proposed plain bearing arrangement offers the advantage of being easy and safe to install. This makes it particularly suitable for mounting large rotor shafts in wind turbines. The proposed plain bearing arrangement and its components are easy to handle and allow for very precise and efficient adjustment of axial bearing clearance using the radial collar and the counter-bearing surfaces. All of this also facilitates component replacement, for example, for maintenance purposes on a wind turbine at a considerable height. Compared to other bearing arrangements, the proposed plain bearing arrangement also reduces weight.Furthermore, the maximum radial distance of the axial sliding surfaces from the rotor axis via the collar can be designed to be very short, making the proposed sliding bearing arrangement insensitive to tilting (for example, due to external loads) of the rotor shaft.

[0014] The first axial bearing surface and / or the second axial bearing surface are preferably formed by the bearing housing itself or by elements mounted in the bearing housing. The bearing housing is preferably made in multiple parts. In one embodiment, the bearing housing also includes the radial bearing assembly completely or partially. In another embodiment, the radial bearing assembly is mounted in a separate housing.

[0015] The rotor shaft has a diameter of more than 1 m [one meter], for example 4 m or more. In one embodiment, the rotor shaft is made in one piece; in another embodiment, it is made in multiple parts.

[0016] The radial bearing arrangement preferably comprises at least two axially spaced radial plain bearings to radially support the rotor shaft. In one embodiment, it comprises exactly one radial plain bearing, with a second radial plain bearing being formed, for example, by means of a gearbox and / or a generator of a wind turbine. The radial plain bearings are preferably segmented and distributed around the circumference, thus comprising several (preferably at least three) radial sliding surfaces to radially support the rotor shaft for rotation about its rotor axis (with low friction). The radial plain bearings of the radial bearing arrangement are preferably arranged, as described above, in the bearing housing or in a separate housing.

[0017] The axial plain bearing serves to support the rotor shaft (with low friction) in a rotationally stable manner around its rotor axis, thus resisting axial forces. In addition to simply securing the position, the axial plain bearing must also absorb, for example, the wind load on the rotor, which is a significant axial load.

[0018] The radial collar is made in one piece or in multiple pieces. The radial collar is connected to the rotor shaft in a torque-resistant manner. Preferably, the collar is fixed to the rotor shaft by a positive fit and / or a friction fit. In one embodiment, the collar is bonded to the rotor shaft by a material bond. In one embodiment, the radial collar comprises at least one additional fastening element, for example, at least one screw and / or at least one shaft nut and / or at least one retaining ring. In one embodiment, the rotor shaft comprises at least one additional fastening element for torque-resistant fixation of the radial collar, for example, a key. In one embodiment, the collar is axially supported on one side by a shoulder of the rotor shaft, preferably to position it axially.In another embodiment, the collar can be axially displaced on both sides of the rotor shaft when its fixing is released, for example, before its final assembly. This provides an additional axial adjustment option for the collar on the rotor shaft between the counter bearing surfaces.

[0019] The maximum radial distance of the axial sliding surfaces (relative to the radial surface center) from the rotor axis is preferably very small. It is particularly preferably 50% to 100% of the maximum diameter of the rotor shaft. This ensures both high axial stability and reliable sliding properties in the axial sliding bearing, as well as minimizing any tilting of the axial sliding surfaces relative to the mating bearing surfaces due to deflection of the rotor shaft under the applied external loads.

[0020] Preferably the collar, and especially preferably the entire axial sliding bearing, is sealed against an outside of the bearing housing.

[0021] In one embodiment, the axial bearing clearance is intrinsically set based on the manufacturing dimensions of the bearing housing and the radial collar within the sliding bearing assembly. This can be achieved, for example, by defining tolerance chains during development and manufacturing and assembling the sliding bearing assembly with corresponding precision. In further embodiments, which will be discussed in more detail later, the axial bearing clearance can be adjusted in an extremely simple and reliable manner. The axial bearing clearance is preferably precisely set for hydrodynamic support of the rotor shaft.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement, it is further proposed that a source of lubricating oil be provided, which is designed to supply the sliding surfaces and the counter-bearing surface with the lubricating oil, so that a disruption of the supply of lubricating oil for the (preferably hydrodynamic) sliding bearing of the collar by means of the counter-bearing surfaces while the shaft rotates is reliably prevented.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement, it is further proposed that the first axial counter-bearing surface and / or the second axial counter-bearing surface is provided via at least one separate housing component of the bearing housing, wherein the axial bearing clearance is preferably adjusted by means of at least one fitting provided on the housing component.

[0024] In one embodiment, the first axial counter-bearing surface or the second axial counter-bearing surface is an integral part of the bearing housing, with the other axial counter-bearing surface being arranged in a separate housing component. In one embodiment, the separate housing component comprises a bearing housing cover. In another embodiment, it comprises a bearing housing insert on which an axial counter-bearing surface of the axial sliding bearing is formed.

[0025] The separate housing component itself is either a single piece or multi-piece. In one embodiment, at least one separate bearing component with its respective axial counter-bearing surface is attached to the separate housing component. In one embodiment, the separate bearing component is designed as a ring insert. In another embodiment, the separate bearing component is designed as a solid part, for example, as a cylindrical insert. In the case of the solid part, several, for example, three, such separate bearing components are preferably provided. Such separate bearing components are also referred to as sliding pads. The separate housing component is fixed to the bearing housing by a positive fit, a force fit, and / or a material bond. The same applies to the attachment of the separate bearing component with its respective axial counter-bearing surface to the separate housing component in a corresponding embodiment.

[0026] In one embodiment, the separate housing component is attached to the bearing housing and / or the separate bearing component is attached to the separate housing component by means of at least one additional fastening element. The at least one fastening element comprises, for example, at least one screw and / or at least one nut and / or at least one retaining ring. With such a multi-part design, the sliding bearing assembly can be mounted and maintained with particularly low effort.

[0027] The adapter, by being appropriately positioned within the sliding bearing arrangement, separates the first axial bearing surface and the second axial bearing surface from each other in a defined manner. For this purpose, the adapter is preferably positioned at least in the force flow path between one of the axial bearing surfaces and the bearing housing. The adapter precisely defines an axial bearing space for accommodating the radial collar between the first and second axial bearing surfaces. This, in combination with the geometry of the collar, results in the axial bearing clearance (axial play of the axial sliding surfaces of the collar between the axial bearing surfaces). This principle allows for very simple and precise adjustment of the axial bearing clearance. At the same time, the adapter can be designed to be very robust and is therefore capable of absorbing even the very high bearing loads typical of wind turbines.The adapter can be designed so that the surface pressure occurring on it under identical external loads is lower than on a conventional rolling bearing.

[0028] In one embodiment, the adapter is arranged between the separate housing component and the bearing housing, preferably in direct contact with each, i.e., directly between them. Thus, the separate housing component, including its respective axial counter-bearing surface, is spaced apart from the bearing housing by means of the adapter. In another embodiment, the adapter is arranged (preferably directly) between the separate housing component and a separate bearing component, with its respective axial counter-bearing surface, which is attached to the separate housing component. Thus, the separate bearing component, including its respective axial counter-bearing surface, is spaced apart from the separate housing component, and consequently also from the bearing housing, by means of the adapter.

[0029] In a further advantageous embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement, it is proposed that the collar is fixed to the rotor shaft by means of a shrink disc.

[0030] The shrink disc is fixed to the rotor shaft by at least a force-fit connection, namely by thermal reduction of its inner diameter (shrink-fitting). The shrink disc is manufactured in one piece or in multiple parts. Preferably, the shrink disc comprises the first axial sliding surface and / or the second axial sliding surface and is thus part of the collar, or the collar is formed by the shrink disc. In one embodiment, the shrink disc comprises at least one further element of the collar, which in turn has the first axial sliding surface and / or the second axial sliding surface.

[0031] In another embodiment, the collar can be fixed to a multi-part disc by means of at least one clamping element, wherein the clamping element clamps the disc in such a way that its inner diameter is reduced for a press fit. The shrink disc offers the advantage that the collar can be mounted particularly easily, securely, and flexibly.

[0032] According to another aspect, a rotor for a wind turbine is proposed, comprising at least one rotor shaft in a sliding bearing arrangement according to an embodiment as described above, a hub and a plurality of rotor blades, wherein the rotor blades are connected to the rotor shaft via the hub.

[0033] The rotor shaft can rotate around its rotor axis within the sliding bearing arrangement, for example, when the rotor blades are driven by an airflow (wind). The axial sliding bearing ensures the secure absorption of external loads when such loads are induced by the wind. Preferably, the collar is supported by sliding bearings between the counter-bearing surfaces for rotational speeds typical of wind turbines.

[0034] The proposed rotor, with its proposed sliding bearing arrangement, is particularly easy, safe and flexible to assemble and disassemble, which is especially advantageous in typical wind turbine heights.

[0035] According to another aspect, a wind energy plant is proposed, comprising at least the following components:

[0036] - a tower with a vertical axis;

[0037] - a gondola with a generator, wherein the gondola is arranged on the tower and is rotatable about the vertical axis by means of a wind direction tracking device; and

[0038] - a rotor according to an embodiment as described above, which is rotatable about the rotor axis, wherein the rotor shaft is connected to the generator in a torque-resistant manner for converting its rotation about the rotor axis into electrical current.

[0039] It should be noted that the bearing housing or the plain bearing is particularly advantageous for the explicitly mentioned bearing points of the wind turbine. However, the use of the plain bearing is not limited to this, nor to wind turbines. The wind turbine is designed to convert wind energy into electricity by means of a rotor that is set in motion by an airflow and a generator connected to transmit torque.

[0040] The proposed wind turbine, with its rotor design, is particularly easy, safe, and flexible to assemble and disassemble. This is especially advantageous for the typical heights of high-performance wind turbines. By using plain bearings, either partially or entirely instead of roller bearings, the wind turbine, and especially its rotating components, has a particularly low mass. Furthermore, the proposed wind turbine is very easy to maintain. Therefore, the proposed wind turbine is also particularly economical.

[0041] The nacelle is designed to support and preferably enclose, particularly preferably with a streamlined outer surface, the functional components for energy conversion. The nacelle is rotatable about its vertical axis relative to the tower, so that the rotor can be aligned according to the operating conditions (for example, according to the prevailing wind direction), namely by means of the so-called wind direction tracking device.

[0042] The rotor with its rotor blades is connected to the rotor shaft, which is connected in the nacelle either indirectly (via, for example, a gearbox and / or an overload clutch) or directly to the generator for power generation.

[0043] The rotor of the wind turbine includes at least one axial plain bearing, which exhibits good properties with regard to force transmission as well as ease of assembly and adjustment. Furthermore, the plain bearing assembly has few separate parts and is designed for easy disassembly, for example, for maintenance or replacement of a plain bearing component.

[0044] According to a further aspect, an assembly method for a rotor according to an embodiment as described above is proposed, comprising at least the following steps in the stated order: a. Providing the components of the sliding bearing arrangement; b. Inserting the rotor shaft into the radial bearing arrangement so that the rotor axis is arranged at least partially in the bearing housing; c. Applying the first axial sliding surface of the radial collar to the first counter-bearing surface of the axial sliding bearing; and d. Fastening the second counter-bearing surface of the axial sliding bearing axially spaced from the second axial sliding surface of the radial collar, preferably the radial collar being fixed to the rotor shaft no later than step c.

[0045] In one embodiment, the components of the sliding bearing assembly are provided as separate elements or pre-assembled. Preferably, all components are provided as pre-assembled units. In one embodiment, such units are at least partially pre-assembled solely for pre-adjustment and / or transport and are at least partially disassembled for final assembly. Preferably, the collar is already mounted on the rotor shaft, and particularly preferably, it is already fixed in place.

[0046] If the radial bearing assembly is provided in the form of its individual components, for example, in step b. the radial bearing assembly is first pre-assembled and then the rotor shaft is inserted. In one embodiment, the radial bearing assembly is mounted and the rotor shaft is positioned simultaneously. Preferably, the radial bearing assembly is adjusted after the rotor shaft has been inserted. In one embodiment, the radial collar is also adjusted on the rotor shaft in this step b. and then fixed in place.

[0047] The radial collar is pre-assembled no later than step c. in order to align and adjust the first axial sliding surface relative to the first axial counter-bearing surface and thus (no later than step d.) to provide defined axial support for the rotor shaft. As a result of the first axial sliding surface being applied, the rotor shaft, with the collar fixed, already experiences a preliminary axial restraint or a limitation of its axial play in the direction of the first counter-bearing surface.Axially opposite, in the direction of the second counter-bearing surface yet to be mounted, the total required axial bearing clearance (i.e., the distance between the second axial sliding surface of the collar and the corresponding second axial counter-bearing surface) is determined by the tolerance chain consisting of the position of the first axial counter-bearing surface, the contact between this first axial counter-bearing surface and the (corresponding) first axial sliding surface of the collar, and the axial dimension of the collar. During operation, a bearing gap is established on both sides with the help of the lubricating oil, for example (without an external load) half of the set bearing clearance on each side. It should be noted that an axial preload can also be set, both as a hydrostatic bearing and as a (in the preferred embodiment) hydrodynamic bearing.

[0048] In step d., the second counter bearing surface is adjusted and finally fixed, thus forming the axial sliding bearing and setting the axial bearing clearance or bearing gaps. As already mentioned, in one embodiment the axial bearing clearance is set at the factory, accepting deviations during the final assembly of the rotor or wind turbine. A further embodiment is presented below in which the axial bearing clearance is set very precisely in an extremely simple and reliable manner.

[0049] In an advantageous embodiment, the collar is fixed to the rotor shaft in, and particularly preferably before, step c. Provided sufficient tolerance is maintained in the bearing housing, the bearing clearance and simultaneously the axial position of the rotor shaft can be adjusted via at least one of the axial sliding surfaces. In one embodiment, the first axial sliding surface is already fixed, and the rotor shaft is brought into contact with the first axial sliding surface using the (fixed) collar. Alternatively (or additionally by loosening it again), the first axial sliding surface is then adjusted or spaced apart from the first axial counter-bearing surface of the collar to achieve a desired bearing clearance. After the rotor shaft is axially positioned via the (fixed) collar, the distance between the mating of the second axial counter-bearing surface of the collar and the (housing-side) second axial sliding surface is adjusted, for example, as described above.

[0050] In an advantageous embodiment of the assembly method, it is further proposed that after step c. and before step d., the following step is further performed: c1. Measuring an axial distance from the second axial sliding surface of the radial collar to a mounting surface of the bearing housing, which is designed to receive a separate housing component; and wherein, after step c1., the following step is further performed: d1. Mounting at least one fitting complementary to the measured distance between the separate housing component having the second axial counter-bearing surface and the mounting surface.

[0051] In a simple embodiment, in step c1 (in the axial direction), the distance between the second axial sliding surface and a mounting surface of the bearing housing is measured, because the axial distance between the selected mounting surface and the first axial counter-bearing surface is known (for example, by measurement at the factory). Preferably, the selected mounting surface is easily accessible during on-site assembly, for example, the bearing surface for a housing cover or on the outside of the housing cover.

[0052] Based on the axial distance measured in step c1, a complementary fitting, i.e., one suitable for the measured distance, is selected, manufactured, or machined in step d1. Using this fitting, an axial bearing clearance for a (preferably hydrodynamic) plain bearing of the rotor shaft can be set simply and with high precision. Such a fitting is preferably a so-called shim (or shim disc).

[0053] The fitting piece is in one embodiment between the selected

[0054] The mounting surface of the bearing housing and a (stop) surface of the separate housing component (for example, the housing cover) are mounted, with this stop surface bearing against the mounting surface of the bearing housing in the final assembly state (directly or indirectly via the adapter). This contact is direct when the separate housing component is mounted without an adapter, and otherwise only indirectly via the adapter. For this embodiment, the separate housing component is deliberately manufactured such that, taking all tolerances into account, the axial bearing clearance is either exactly correct or too small in the worst case when the separate housing component is mounted without an adapter.

[0055] The fitting piece is preferably selected for this embodiment as follows: i. Determine (measure or extract from manufacturing documents) the axial distance that the second axial counter-bearing surface has from the stop surface of the separate housing component which rests against the mounting surface when the separate housing component is mounted without the fitting piece; ii. From the axial distance determined in i., subtract the axial distance measured in step c1. (absolute value); iii. To the result obtained in ii., add the desired axial bearing clearance (absolute value); and iv. Use the result obtained in iii. as the nominal thickness of the fitting piece.

[0056] In another embodiment, the adapter is mounted between the separate housing component and the second axial counter-bearing surface. For this embodiment, the separate housing component is deliberately manufactured such that, taking all tolerances into account, the axial bearing clearance is either exactly correct or too large in the worst case if the separate housing component is mounted without the adapter. For this embodiment, the adapter is preferably selected as follows: i'. Proceed as described above in i.; ii'. Proceed as described above in ii.; iii'. Subtract the desired axial bearing clearance (in absolute terms) from the result obtained in ii'.; and iv'. Use the result obtained in iii*. as the target thickness of the adapter.

[0057] According to a further aspect, a pre-assembly method for a plain bearing arrangement according to an embodiment as described above is proposed, wherein the following steps are carried out in the sequence mentioned: a'. Providing the plain bearing arrangement, at least the bearing housing with the axial plain bearing and the radial collar, or a manufacturing template with the sliding surfaces; c'. Positioning the first axial sliding surface against the first counter-bearing surface of the axial plain bearing; d'. Securing the second counter-bearing surface of the axial plain bearing axially spaced from the second axial sliding surface; e'. Checking whether a desired axial bearing clearance for a plain bearing of the rotor shaft has been set; and f. Disassembling the components of the plain bearing arrangement used above for transporting the plain bearing arrangement, preferably followed by an assembly method according to an embodiment as described above.

[0058] The pre-assembly procedure proposed here largely corresponds to the previously described assembly procedure (final assembly), although a rotor shaft is not necessarily (pre-)assembled. Reference is made to the steps with the same numbering, for example, step a' of the pre-assembly procedure corresponds to step a of the assembly procedure.

[0059] The radial collar used for measurement is not necessarily the only one employed. Alternatively, a different (and subsequently unused) radial collar or a manufacturing template can be used. Preferably, the manufacturing tolerances of the collar are sufficiently small and can be accepted, i.e., disregarded, during final assembly without further measurement. It should be noted that in one embodiment, disassembly means the complete removal of all components, preferably with sufficiently simple instructions for (final) assembly already documented. In one embodiment, these instructions are at least partially provided as reference markings on the corresponding components. Alternatively, these instructions are included solely in accompanying documentation for use during (final) assembly.

[0060] In an alternative embodiment, only those components necessary for subsequent transport are disassembled. It should be noted that in one embodiment, pre-assembly is carried out on the ground at the intended installation site, and then only the components need to be transported up the tower. In another embodiment, the pre-assembly process is carried out at the factory, preferably at the component manufacturer's premises.

[0061] In one embodiment, at least the aforementioned components of the sliding bearing arrangement are subsequently transported from the location where pre-assembly is carried out (for example, the factory) to the final place of use, and then the assembly procedure is carried out according to an embodiment as described above.

[0062] The invention described above is explained in detail below against the relevant technical background with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments. The invention is in no way limited by the purely schematic drawings, although it should be noted that the drawings are not dimensionally accurate and are not suitable for defining size relationships. It is illustrated in

[0063] Fig. 1: a wind turbine with nacelle and rotor;

[0064] Fig. 2: a sliding bearing arrangement in a cross-sectional view;

[0065] Fig. 3: a flowchart of an assembly process for a rotor; and Fig. 4: a flowchart of a pre-assembly process for a sliding bearing arrangement. Fig. 1 shows a wind turbine 3 with nacelle 23 and rotor 18. The vertical axis 22 (shown here horizontally) of the tower 21 is vertically aligned in the Earth's gravitational field 32, and the rotor axis 5 of the rotor shaft 2 (shown here vertically) is horizontally aligned in the Earth's gravitational field 32 (usually inclined slightly, for example, 5° to 7° [seven degrees of 360°]). The nacelle 23 at the top of the tower 21 is supported with low friction by means of the yaw tracking device 25 and is designed to be rotatable about the vertical axis 22 relative to the tower 21. The nacelle 23 carries and encloses a generator 24 and (at least a large part of) the rotor shaft 2, as well as a sliding bearing arrangement 1 for the rotor shaft 2. For example, further support for the rotor shaft 2 is provided, for example integrated into the transmission gearbox.A hub 19 is connected to the rotor shaft 2 (at the front in the direction of wind flow during generation operation), to which a plurality of (for example three, here two visible) rotor blades 20 are attached, and from which the rotor 18, which can be rotated about the rotor axis 5, is formed.

[0066] Figure 2 schematically shows a sliding bearing arrangement 1 in a cross-sectional view. The sliding bearing arrangement 1 is designed for hydrostatic or (preferably) hydrodynamic bearing of a rotor shaft 2 of a wind turbine 3, for example a rotor shaft 2 as shown in Figure A.

[0067] The plain bearing arrangement 1 comprises, in addition to the rotor shaft 2, a bearing housing 4, wherein the rotor shaft 2 is arranged at least partially within the bearing housing 4. Furthermore, the plain bearing arrangement 1 comprises a radial bearing arrangement 6 by means of which the rotor shaft 2 is radially supported. The bearing housing 4 is shown here, purely as an example, in a multi-part design and also includes, purely as an example, the radial bearing arrangement 6.

[0068] The sliding bearing arrangement 1 further comprises an axial sliding bearing 7 with a first axial counter-bearing surface 8 and a second axial counter-bearing surface 9. The sliding bearing arrangement 1 also includes a radial collar 10, which is fixed to the rotor shaft 2, for example, as a shrink disc 17 and shrunk onto it. A retaining ring 35 is optionally provided, by means of which the collar 10 is axially secured. The radial collar 10 has a first axial sliding surface 11 and an axially opposite second axial sliding surface 12. The radial collar 10 is arranged axially between the two antagonistic counter-bearing surfaces 8, 9 with an axial bearing clearance 13 for axial sliding support of the rotor shaft 2 (here, the two bearing gaps which together give the axial bearing clearance 13 are designated).

[0069] In this example, the first axial counter-bearing surface 8 and the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 are each provided by separate housing components 14, 15 of the bearing housing 4. The first separate housing component 14 is designed as a single piece. By way of example, the first separate housing component 14 is designed as a separate bearing housing insert, which is received in and attached to the outer housing 36 of the bearing housing 4 and has the first axial counter-bearing surface 8. The first axial counter-bearing surface 8 is designed to counter-bearing the first axial sliding surface 11 of the radial collar 10. The second separate housing component 15 is designed as a multi-part component in this example and includes, by way of example, a bearing housing cover in which a separate bearing component 28 with the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 is received.For illustrative purposes only, the separate bearing component 28 is designed here as a cylindrical insert (as an example of a sliding pad). The second axial counter-bearing surface 9 is designed to counter-bearing the second axial sliding surface 12 of the radial collar 10.

[0070] The separate housing components 14, 15 are shown, by way of example, each fixed to the outer housing 36 of the bearing housing 4 by means of fastening elements 29, the center line of which is schematically indicated. The separate bearing component 28 is optionally fixed here to the second separate housing component 15 by means of an adjusting element 34.

[0071] The radial collar 10 is shown here as a single piece for illustrative purposes only, meaning that the axial sliding surfaces 11, 12 are manufactured directly on the collar 10. The radial distance 31 between the axial sliding surfaces 11, 12 (defined here, for clarity, as the radial outer edge of the collar 10) and the rotor axis 5 is very small.

[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, the axial bearing clearance 13 of this axial sliding bearing 7 is set, for example, such that the first axial sliding surface 11 of the radial collar 10 is first brought into contact with the corresponding first axial counter-bearing surface 8. The first separate housing component 14 and the radial collar 10 are already fixed in place. Subsequently, the separate bearing component 28 with its second axial counter-bearing surface 9 is guided to a stop against the corresponding second axial sliding surface 12 of the radial collar 10 using the adjusting element 34 (shown here as a screw) (to the left in the illustration). Finally, the separate bearing component 28 is moved back by the amount of the desired axial bearing clearance 13 using the adjusting element 34 (to the right in the illustration).

[0073] In the embodiment shown here, the axial bearing clearance 13 is adjusted either coarsely (for example, with the previously described adjusting element 34) or exclusively (i.e., as an alternative to an adjusting element 34) by means of at least one fitting 16, which in this example is provided on the additional housing component 15 (bearing housing cover). The fitting 16 spaced the first axial counter-bearing surface 8 and the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 apart in a defined manner, such that the axial distance between the first axial counter-bearing surface 8 and the second separate housing component 15 for receiving the radial collar 10 of the rotor shaft 2 was sufficiently precisely (and possibly pre-)defined by the fitting 16.

[0074] In one embodiment, at least one of the counter-bearing surfaces 8, 9 is designed as a tilting element or tilting segment, whereby a relative inclination between the radial collar 10 (or the rotor shaft 2) and the counter-bearing surfaces 8, 9 can be compensated (preferably automatically). Alternatively or additionally, such a tilt can be compensated during adjustment, whereby a dynamically occurring tilt is preferably compensated by means of the tilting flexibility of the receptacle of at least one of the counter-bearing surfaces 8, 9.

[0075] It should be noted that the bearing component 28 with the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 preferably comprises a plurality of segments, which together form the second axial counter-bearing surfaces 9 distributed around the circumference. In one embodiment, the first separate housing component 14 with the first axial counter-bearing surface 8 is also formed by a plurality of such segments distributed around the circumference.

[0076] The possibility of adjusting the axial bearing clearance 13 using the fitting 16 will be discussed in more detail in connection with Fig. 3.

[0077] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of an assembly process for a rotor 18, purely by way of example for the rotor 18 shown in Figure 2. A first embodiment follows the arrows with solid lines and is described in the immediately following paragraph. A second embodiment follows the arrows with dashed lines via steps c1 and d1 and is described in the paragraph after that.

[0078] The assembly method in the first embodiment (solid line) comprises step a., in which the components of the sliding bearing arrangement 1 of the rotor 18 are provided. Subsequently, in step b., the rotor shaft 2 is inserted along its rotor axis 5 into the radial bearing arrangement 6, so that the rotor shaft 2 is at least partially arranged in the bearing housing 4. This is followed by step c., in which the first axial sliding surface 11 of the radial collar 10 is placed against the corresponding first counter-bearing surface 8 of the axial sliding bearing 7 on the housing side. It should be noted that in one embodiment, the second axial sliding surface 12 is placed against the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 first. In another embodiment, the radial collar 10 is either already fixed to the rotor shaft 2 beforehand or is fixed in step c. or even later. Finally, in step d.the second counter bearing surface 9 of the axial sliding bearing 7 is spaced apart from the second axial sliding surface 12 of the radial collar 10 according to the desired axial bearing clearance 13.

[0079] The assembly procedure in the second embodiment (dashed line) also comprises steps a. to d., except that step d. does not follow directly after step c., but rather after step d1. Up to step c., the assembly procedure in this embodiment proceeds as described above. An alternative approach to adjusting the axial bearing clearance 13 is presented below, which is set simply and reliably using the fitting 16 shown in Fig. 2.

[0080] In step c1, an axial distance 26 is measured from the second axial sliding surface 12 of the radial collar 10 to the mounting surface 27 of the bearing housing 4 (see Fig. 2). In the subsequent step d1, at least one suitable adapter 16 is mounted, here (purely optionally) positioned between the separate housing component 15 and the mounting surface 27. The adapter 16 is selected according to the first axial distance 26, or based on the axial distance 26 measured in step c1, as follows: i. Determine (measure or extract from manufacturing documents) an axial distance 30 that the second axial counter-bearing surface 9 has from the stop surface 33 of the separate housing component 14, 15 which rests against the mounting surface 27 when the separate housing component 14, 15 is mounted without an adapter 16; ii. From the distance in i. determined axial distance 30, (absolute value) subtraction of the value obtained in step c1.measured axial distance 26; iii. To the result obtained in ii., the desired axial bearing clearance 13 is added (in absolute terms); and iv. the result obtained in iii. is used as the target thickness of the shim 16. The shim 16 is then taken from a pre-made selection, manufactured as a so-called shim, or machined accordingly. It should be noted that in one embodiment, instead of using a shim 16, the mounting surface 27 and / or the corresponding (second separate) housing component 15 is machined as required.

[0081] It should be noted that step d1 can optionally be performed before step d, integrated into step d, or as step d.

[0082] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a pre-assembly process for a sliding bearing arrangement 1 (as shown, for example, in Figure 2). The following steps are performed in the order shown:

[0083] In step a', at least the bearing housing 4 with the axial sliding bearing 7 and the radial collar 10, or a manufacturing template with the sliding surfaces 11, 12, of the sliding bearing assembly 1 is provided. Then, in step c', the first axial sliding surface 11 is placed against the first counter-bearing surface 8 of the axial sliding bearing 7. Next, in step d', the second counter-bearing surface 9 of the axial sliding bearing 7 is attached axially spaced from the second axial sliding surface 12. In step e', it is checked whether a desired axial bearing clearance 13 for sliding bearing the rotor shaft 2 is set. Finally, in step f, the components of the sliding bearing assembly 1 used above are disassembled for transport of the sliding bearing assembly 1. Preferably, an assembly method, for example as shown in Fig. 3, is then carried out.

[0084] The proposed sliding bearing arrangement significantly simplifies the assembly of large rotor shafts in wind turbines and considerably reduces the weight and cost of the wind turbine.

[0085] List of reference signs

[0086] Sliding bearing arrangement 34 Adjusting element rotor shaft 35 Retaining ring

[0087] Wind turbine 36 Outer housing Bearing housing 37 Seal Rotor shaft

[0088] Radial bearing arrangement, axial plain bearing, first axial counter bearing surface, second axial counter bearing surface, radial collar, first axial sliding surface, second axial sliding surface, axial bearing clearance, first separate housing component, second separate housing component, fitting piece

[0089] shrink disc

[0090] rotor

[0091] hub

[0092] Rotor blades

[0093] Tower

[0094] Vertical axis

[0095] gondola

[0096] generator

[0097] Wind direction tracking device first axial distance

[0098] Mounting surface, separate bearing component, fastening element, second axial distance, radial distance

[0099] Earth's gravitational field, impact surface

Claims

Patent claims 1. Plain bearing arrangement (1) for the plain bearing of a rotor shaft (2) of a Wind energy system (3), comprising at least the following components: - a bearing housing (4); - a rotor shaft (2) with a rotor axis (5), wherein the rotor shaft (2) is arranged at least partially in the bearing housing (4); - a radial bearing arrangement (6) by means of which the rotor shaft (2) is radially supported; and - an axial sliding bearing (7) with a first axial counter-bearing surface (8) and a second axial counter-bearing surface (9), characterized in that a radial collar (10) is further included, which is fixed on the rotor shaft (2) and has a first axial sliding surface (11) and an axially opposite second axial sliding surface (12), wherein the radial collar (10) is arranged axially between the counter-bearing surfaces (8,9) with an axial bearing clearance (13) for axial sliding bearing of the rotor shaft (2).

2. Sliding bearing arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first axial counter-bearing surface (8) and / or the second axial counter-bearing surface (9) are connected via at least one separate Housing component (14,15) of the bearing housing (4) is provided, wherein preferably the axial bearing clearance (13) is adjusted by means of at least one fitting piece (16) provided on the housing component (14,15).

3. Sliding bearing arrangement (1 ) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the collar (10) is fixed on the rotor shaft (2) by means of a shrink disc (17).

4. Rotor (18) for a wind turbine (3), comprising at least one rotor shaft (2) in a sliding bearing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, a hub (19) and a plurality of rotor blades (20), wherein the rotor blades (20) are connected to the rotor shaft (2) via the hub (19).

5. Wind turbine (3), comprising at least the following components: - a tower (21) with a vertical axis (22); - a gondola (23) with a generator (24), wherein the gondola (23) is arranged on the tower (21) and is rotatable about the vertical axis (22) by means of a wind direction tracking device (25); and - a rotor (18) according to claim 4, which is rotatable about the rotor axis (5), wherein the rotor shaft (2) is connected to the generator (24) in a torque-resistant manner for converting its rotation about the rotor axis (5) into electrical current.

6. Assembly method for a rotor (18) according to claim 4, comprising at least the following steps in the sequence stated: a. Providing the components of the sliding bearing arrangement (1); b. Inserting the rotor shaft (2) into the radial bearing arrangement (6) such that the rotor axis (5) is arranged at least partially in the bearing housing (4); c. Applying the first axial sliding surface (11) of the radial collar (10) to the first counter-bearing surface (8) of the axial sliding bearing (7); and d. Fastening the second counter-bearing surface (9) of the axial sliding bearing (7) axially spaced from the second axial sliding surface (12) of the radial collar (10), wherein preferably the radial collar (10) is fixed to the rotor shaft (2) at the latest in step c.

7. Assembly method according to claim 6, wherein after step c. and before step d. the following step is further carried out: c1. Measuring an axial distance (26) from the second axial sliding surface (12) of the radial collar (10) to a mounting surface (27) of the bearing housing (4), which is designed to receive a separate housing component (14, 15); and wherein after step c1. the following step is further carried out: d1. Mount at least one fitting piece (16) complementary to the measured distance (26) between the separate housing component (14,15) having the second axial counter bearing surface (9) and the mounting surface (27).

8. Pre-assembly method for a sliding bearing arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the following steps are performed in the sequence stated: a'. Providing the sliding bearing arrangement (1), at least the bearing housing (4) with the axial sliding bearing (7) and the radial collar (10), or a manufacturing template with the sliding surfaces (11, 12); c'. Positioning the first axial sliding surface (11) against the first counter-bearing surface (8) of the axial sliding bearing (7); d'. Securing the second counter-bearing surface (9) of the axial sliding bearing (7) axially spaced from the second axial sliding surface (12); e'. Checking whether a desired axial bearing clearance (13) for sliding bearing of the rotor shaft (2) is set; and f. Disassembling the components of the sliding bearing arrangement (1) used above for transporting the sliding bearing arrangement (1), preferably followed by an assembly method according to claim 6 or claim 7.

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