Wind Turbine Bearing Pretension Adjustment Through External Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines face challenges in achieving high bending stiffness, clearance-free bearing arrangements with low wear and cost-efficient assembly, particularly in maintaining optimal pretension levels in roller bearings used for rotating components.
Innovation Solution
A bearing arrangement featuring a pretension circuit with a first and second roller bearing, where the first bearing's outer ring is axially movable or radially deformable via an adjustment device accessible from outside the bearing housing, allowing for easy adjustment of pretension levels during operation and maintenance without accessing the gearbox side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bearing arrangement uses a fixed pretension design during assembly, then the initial pretension level can be set, but the pretension cannot be adjusted during operation without stopping the turbine and accessing the gearbox side
Solution Approach 1:
A force transfer element is introduced as an intermediary component between the adjustment device and the bearing outer ring. This force transfer element transmits the adjusting force from the adjustment device to the bearing outer ring, enabling pretension adjustment without direct access to the bearing assembly from the gearbox side. The intermediary element makes the adjustment mechanism accessible from the outside of the bearing housing while maintaining the mechanical connection needed for force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment device is positioned and configured to access the bearing arrangement from a different spatial dimension - specifically from outside the bearing housing rather than from the gearbox side. This dimensional change in access path allows maintenance personnel to adjust pretension during operation without needing to stop the turbine or disassemble the gearbox bearing connection.
2Ease of operation
If the adjustment device is accessible from outside the bearing housing, then pretension can be adjusted during operation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force transfer element serves multiple functions: it transmits the adjusting force from the adjustment device to the bearing outer ring, maintains the mechanical connection between adjustment components, and enables accessibility from outside the bearing housing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite the improved accessibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outer ring is made axially movable or radially deformable, then pretension adjustment is enabled, but the bearing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing outer ring is designed with dynamic characteristics - either axial movability or radial deformability - that allow it to adapt to pretension adjustments. This dynamic design enables the bearing structure to change its configuration in response to adjusting forces while maintaining structural integrity during operation, providing adaptability without requiring completely separate adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a bearing arrangement (114), for a rotating component of a wind turbine (100), with two roller bearings. The rotating component is supported by the second roller bearings and a bearing housing (126). The roller bearings, the rotating component and the bearing housing (126) are arranged to form a pretension circuit (138). The first roller bearing (128) comprises a first bearing inner ring (140), a first bearing outer ring (142) and rolling elements (143). The first bearing outer ring (142) is axially moveable along the rotational axis (R) with respect to the bearing housing (126) and/or radially deformable with respect to the rotational axis (R). An adjustment device (144) is provided, which extends through a through-hole (158) of the bearing housing (126) and is accessible from outside (159) the bearing housing (126), wherein upon actuation the adjustment device (144) causes an axial movement and/or a radial deformation of the first bearing outer ring (142) to adjust the pretension of the bearing arrangement (114).