Wind Turbine Rotor Bearing Layout for Load and Misalignment Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing arrangements for wind turbine rotor shafts, particularly those with fixed and floating bearings, face challenges in uniformly distributing loads, leading to elastic deformations and limited resistance to shaft movements, which can result in high wear and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
A bearing arrangement featuring a hub-side radial roller bearing and a generator-side three-row roller slewing ring, with specific contact angles and configurations to optimize load distribution and movement tolerance, combined with inductive hardening of raceways and integrated seals, to maintain low contact pressures and extend service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed and floating bearing arrangement is used to support the rotor shaft, then the bearing can accommodate shaft deflection and misalignment, but the arrangement offers little resistance to load-induced shaft deformations and allows excessive axial shaft movements
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing arrangement is divided into two functionally distinct segments: a fixed bearing (first rolling bearing) that provides stable support and resists load-induced deformations, and a floating bearing (second rolling bearing) that accommodates shaft deflection and misalignment. This segmentation allows each bearing to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
2Force
If the hub-side bearing withstands significantly greater loads, then it can support the weight of rotor blades, but the uneven load distribution leads to high contact pressures and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
Each bearing is designed with local quality optimized for its position: the hub-side fixed bearing has enhanced load-bearing capacity with appropriate rolling element configuration to handle high radial and axial loads from rotor blades, while the generator-side floating bearing is designed to accommodate movements with lower contact pressures. This localized optimization ensures both bearings operate within reliable contact pressure limits throughout their service life.
3Adaptability or versatility
If toroidal roller bearings are used as floating bearing, then high degree of shaft deflection and misalignment can be tolerated, but axial shaft movements due to thermal expansion can only be accommodated to a limited extent
Solution Approach 1:
The floating bearing is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to accommodate both radial deflections and axial movements. The rolling elements and raceway geometry are configured to provide movement freedom in multiple directions, enabling the bearing to adapt to thermal expansion-induced axial movements while still tolerating shaft deflection and misalignment.
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 configuration allows for effective absorption of radial and axial forces, reducing wear and ensuring a service life of at least 20 years by matching the capacity of both bearings to absorb shaft movements, while preventing misalignments and maintaining operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
inductive hardening of raceways
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a bearing arrangement for a rotor shaft of a wind power plant, wherein the rotor shaft transmits a rotation of a hub provided with rotor blades to a generator, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a hub-side rolling bearing element (3) and a generator-side rolling bearing (4), wherein the hub-side rolling bearing is designed as a radial roller bearing and the generator-side rolling bearing is designed as a three-row roller rotary connection.