Rotor Shaft Coupling Support for Wind Turbine Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine designs face challenges in creating compact, economical, and efficient connections between the gearbox and generator that can transmit high drive power while compensating for angular misalignment and axial forces.
Innovation Solution
A rotor shaft arrangement using a curved tooth clutch with support elements that allow for axial positioning and angular adjustment, preventing axial migration and ensuring smooth torque transmission, featuring a design that includes a ball joint bearing for precise positioning and stress management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a curved-tooth coupling is used to connect the output shaft and rotor shaft, then angular misalignment can be compensated, but axial forces cause axial migration that requires additional positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
A support element is introduced as an intermediary component between the curved-tooth coupling and the shafts. This support element has a counter surface that supports axial forces and slides against a support surface on the shaft, preventing axial migration while allowing the curved-tooth coupling to compensate for angular misalignment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the curved-tooth coupling is designed to accommodate axial forces, then axial migration is prevented, but the coupling size increases along the axial direction
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is segmented into distinct functional components: the curved-tooth coupling handles angular misalignment compensation, while a separate support element handles axial force support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, keeping the overall axial length compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is designed with a counter surface that slides against a support surface on the shaft, transferring axial forces in a different dimensional approach. This sliding mechanism prevents axial migration without requiring the curved-tooth coupling itself to be enlarged axially.
3Ease of manufacture
If the gearbox unit and generator unit are detachably connected, then assembly and disassembly are simplified, but precise axial positioning must be maintained during connection
Solution Approach 1:
The support element acts as a mediator that maintains precise axial positioning during detachable connection. Its counter surface slides against the support surface on the shaft, ensuring accurate positioning while allowing for easy assembly and disassembly of the gearbox and generator units.
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
The solution enables efficient, compact, and cost-effective torque transmission while allowing for angular adjustability and axial force management, reducing wear and enhancing the reliability of the wind turbine's gearbox and generator connection.
Implementation Method 1
the curved-tooth coupling is connected to the output shaft and the rotor shaft... In the assembled state, the gearbox unit and the generator unit are connected to one another in a torque-transmitting manner by means of a curved-tooth coupling
Implementation Method 2
The at least one support element has a counter surface that supports axial forces of the curved-tooth coupling, wherein the counter surface is designed to slide against a corresponding support surface of the output shaft or the rotor shaft
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rotor shaft assembly (30) for torque-transmittingly connecting a gearbox unit (51) to a generator unit (53), comprising an output shaft (10) for the gearbox unit (51) and a rotor shaft (20) for the generator unit (53). The output shaft (10) and the rotor shaft (20) are connected to one another via a curved tooth coupling (40). The curved tooth coupling (40) has at least one detachably secured support element (42, 44, 46) for axially positioning the curved tooth coupling (40). The at least one support element (42, 44, 46) has a counter surface supporting axial forces of the curved tooth coupling (40), wherein the counter surface is designed such that it can slide on a corresponding support surface (16) of the output shaft (10) or the rotor shaft (20) with a tilting of the output shaft (10) relative to the rotor shaft. In this way, an angular offset can be economically and easily compensated in the event of high drive powers.