Wind Turbine Gearbox Housing Layout for Compact Nacelle Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine gearboxes with torque support arms require significant space in the nacelle due to the lateral extension of the torque support arms, which limits the efficient use of installation space.
Innovation Solution
The housing for the wind turbine gearbox features at least two mirror-symmetrical bolt eyes arranged on the same side of a longitudinal plane, reducing the lateral space requirement and optimizing the use of nacelle space by positioning the bolt eyes in corner regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If torque support arms extend laterally outwards from the housing, then the housing can be supported in the nacelle via connecting bolts, but the space requirement in the nacelle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning both bolt eyes on the same side of the longitudinal plane, deviating from the conventional symmetric lateral extension. This asymmetric arrangement allows the torque support arms to be positioned more compactly within the nacelle, reducing the lateral space requirement while maintaining structural stability through the mirrored symmetry of the bolt eyes with respect to the transverse plane
2Area of stationary object
If bolt eyes are arranged mirror-symmetrical on the same side of a longitudinal plane, then lateral space requirement is reduced, but the structural complexity of the housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric positioning of bolt eyes on the same side of the longitudinal plane creates a compact configuration that reduces lateral space requirements while the mirror symmetry with respect to the transverse plane maintains structural balance and simplifies the overall design
3Area of stationary object
If torque support arms are repositioned to reduce lateral extension, then nacelle space utilization is improved, but the ease of manufacture of the housing decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric bolt eye arrangement on the same side of the longitudinal plane optimizes space utilization in the nacelle. The mirror symmetry with respect to the transverse plane maintains manufacturing simplicity by allowing standardized production processes and symmetric tooling approaches, thus balancing space optimization with manufacturing ease
Data Source
AI summary
A housing for a wind turbine gearbox, including at least two bolt eyes for receiving a respective bolt for fixing a housing in a nacelle-fixing means. In each case two bolt eyes are mirror-symmetrical to each other with respect to a first longitudinal plane. The bolt eyes are arranged entirely on a same side of a second longitudinal plane which runs orthogonally to the first longitudinal plane.