Planetary Gear Plain Bearing Layout for Adjustable Bearing Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing planetary gears in wind turbines face challenges with high wear and maintenance costs due to changing operating conditions, requiring precise manufacturing and regular maintenance of radial plain bearings to manage bearing play and axial forces, which can lead to downtime and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A planetary gear design featuring a single-sided planet carrier with axially split double cone plain bearings that can dissipate both axial and radial forces, allowing for easy adjustment of bearing play and assembly through plug-in assembly, reducing the need for additional axial bearings and simplifying maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radial plain bearings are used to support planet gears, then radial forces can be dissipated, but bearing clearance changes due to wear leading to malfunction or failure requiring regular maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing clearance is made adjustable through the inclined plane mechanism, allowing the bearing components to be dynamically repositioned to compensate for wear and maintain optimal clearance throughout the operational life of the bearing
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing design enables operators to perform maintenance and adjustment themselves using the simple inclined plane mechanism, eliminating the need for specialized service interventions and extending the bearing's operational life
2Reliability
If additional axial plain bearings are added to guide planet gears axially, then axial forces can be dissipated, but the cost of planet gear bearings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radial and axial bearing functions are merged into a single integrated bearing component with inclined planes, eliminating the need for separate axial guidance elements and simplifying the overall bearing system
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing design performs multiple functions simultaneously - supporting radial loads through the bearing surfaces and providing axial guidance through the inclined plane mechanism, making the bearing system more versatile and cost-effective
3Manufacturing precision
If radial plain bearing components and running surfaces are manufactured with high precision and tight tolerances, then bearing clearance can account for expansions and deformations, but manufacturing costs increase and post-processing during assembly is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on tight manufacturing tolerances, the design changes the clearance parameter dynamically through the inclined plane mechanism, allowing standard tolerance manufacturing while maintaining precise bearing clearance through adjustment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces wear, lowers maintenance costs, and enhances operational reliability by allowing for easy adjustment of bearing play and lubrication, minimizing downtime and production costs while maintaining efficient load distribution and torque transmission.
Implementation Method 1
conical sliding surfaces (16) are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the bearing bodies (12a, 12b) such that the tapered ends of the bearing bodies (12a, 12b) point towards each other, and wherein running surfaces (20) corresponding to the sliding surfaces (16) of the planet gear bearing (12) are formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the planet gear (13)
Implementation Method 2
During normal operation of the planet gear bearing (12), the sliding surfaces (16) are supplied with lubricant by pressure lubrication via the lubricant supply channel (18), the lubricant channel (17) and the lubrication pocket (19)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a planetary transmission (1), in particular for a wind turbine, comprising a transmission housing (2), a central sun gear (5) which is retained in the transmission housing (2) such that it can rotate about a central transmission rotational axis (37) and which has an outer toothing (6), a ring gear (7) which is arranged concentrically in relation to the central transmission rotational axis (37) in the transmission housing (2) and which has an inner toothing (8), a one-sided planetary carrier (9) which is mounted in the transmission housing (2) such that it can rotate about the central transmission rotational axis (37), and multiple planetary gears (13) which are mounted on the planet carrier (9) by means of a planetary gear bearing (12) configured as a sliding bearing such that they can rotate about planetary gear rotational axes (36) and which have outer toothings that engage with the inner toothing of the ring gear and the outer toothing (14) of the sun gear, wherein every planetary gear bearing (12) has two annular bearing bodies (12a, 12b) which are penetrated by a planetary gear shaft (11) and are rotationally fixed on same, and which have conical sliding surfaces (16a, 16b) formed on the outer circumferential surfaces thereof in such a way that the tapered ends of the bearing bodies (12a, 12b) point towards one another, wherein running surfaces (20a, 20b) corresponding to the sliding surfaces (16a, 16b) of the planetary gear bearing (12) are formed on inner circumferential surfaces of the planetary gear (13).