Intermediate Shaft Bearing Layout for Compact Wind Gearboxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wind turbines and other applications with limited installation space, existing gear transmissions require significant space for bearing components, leading to inefficiencies in space usage and increased component complexity.
Innovation Solution
A compact bearing design for an intermediate shaft with radial and axial bearings integrated directly into the shaft ends, allowing for minimal installation space and reduced component count, featuring floating and fixed plain bearings with oil sump lubrication and reversible axial bearings as displacement pressure bearings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed bearing unit with intermediate bodies is used to accommodate radial and axial bearings, then the bearing components can be properly supported and lubricated, but the installation space requirement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the intermediate bodies from the fixed bearing unit, eliminating them entirely. The axial bearings are repositioned to bear directly on the shaft ends, and the radial bearings are integrated directly into the housing structure, removing the need for intermediate accommodation structures and significantly reducing installation space.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of integrating axial bearings into a fixed bearing unit with radial bearings, the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning axial bearings independently at the shaft ends and integrating radial bearings directly into the housing structure, eliminating the need for intermediate bodies.
2Reliability
If intermediate bodies are used to accommodate bearing components in the housing, then the bearings can be properly positioned and supported, but the housing structure complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes intermediate bodies from the housing structure entirely. The radial bearings are integrated directly into the housing structure, and the axial bearings bear directly on the shaft ends, eliminating the need for intermediate accommodation structures and simplifying the housing design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the radial bearing integration directly into the housing structure, eliminating the need for separate intermediate bodies. The axial bearings are positioned directly on the shaft ends, combining the support function into the existing shaft and housing structure.
3Reliability
If axial bearings are integrated into a fixed bearing unit with radial bearings, then both bearing types can be accommodated, but the radial dimensions of the bearing assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning axial bearings independently at the shaft ends rather than integrating them into a fixed bearing unit with radial bearings. This allows the radial bearings to be integrated directly into the housing structure with smaller radial dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the bearing arrangement into independent components: axial bearings positioned separately at the shaft ends and radial bearings integrated into the housing structure. This segmentation allows each bearing type to be optimized independently, reducing the overall radial dimensions.
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 achieves a compact and cost-effective gear transmission with reduced material usage, improved maintenance accessibility, and efficient lubrication, suitable for tight spaces in wind turbines.
Implementation Method 1
The oil in the oil sump serves to lubricate the bearing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The mounting (4) of an intermediate shaft (5) relates to a gearbox (2), in particular a wind gearbox, wherein: the intermediate shaft (5) has a first shaft end (6) and a second shaft end (7); there is a gear element (19, 20, 21) between the first shaft end (6) and the second shaft end (7); a first radial bearing (15) is at the first shaft end (6); a second radial bearing (16) is at the second shaft end (7); and a first axial bearing (22) is at the first shaft end (6) and a second axial bearing (23) is at the second shaft end (7). According to a method for operating the wind gearbox, a compression time of the reversing bearing is selected that corresponds to the frequency of a change in load.