Sliding Bearing Pad Assembly for Shaft Bending Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding bearings for wind turbines face challenges in easy installation and replacement of sliding bearing pads, and they struggle to compensate for rotor shaft bending without increasing load on the bearing surface.
Innovation Solution
A sliding bearing design featuring spherical cap-shaped bearing surfaces and a fastening device with dovetail connections allows for simple installation and replacement of sliding bearing pads, enabling compensation of rotor shaft bending without increased load through a positive locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional sliding bearing pads are used with simple attachment methods, then installation is straightforward, but the pads cannot be easily replaced and do not provide secure fastening
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding bearing is divided into modular components: the inner ring element with receiving profiles, removable sliding bearing pads with fastening profiles, and a fastening device with clamping wedges. This segmentation allows individual pads to be replaced independently without replacing the entire bearing assembly, facilitating easy maintenance while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening device acts as an intermediary component between the sliding bearing pad and the inner ring element. It includes a clamping wedge that can be inserted into a receiving profile on the inner ring element and engages with the fastening profile on the pad, providing secure fastening while allowing for tool-free installation and removal of the pads.
2Reliability
If the bearing surface is designed to compensate for rotor shaft bending, then operational reliability improves, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing surface of the sliding bearing pad is designed with a spherical cap geometry rather than a flat surface. This curved geometry allows the bearing pad to accommodate and compensate for bending of the rotor shaft during operation, maintaining reliable contact and load distribution. The spherical shape provides the necessary degrees of freedom to absorb misalignment while keeping the structural design relatively simple.
3Reliability
If a positive locking connection is implemented for secure fastening, then the reliability of pad attachment improves, but the ease of installation and removal decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening device employs a dynamic clamping mechanism using a clamping wedge that can be inserted or removed from the assembly. When the wedge is inserted, it creates a positive locking connection through the dovetail-shaped fastening profile and receiving profile, ensuring secure attachment. When removed, it allows easy extraction of the sliding bearing pad. This dynamic approach enables the system to switch between secure fastening and easy removal states.
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding bearing includes: an inner ring element; an outer ring element; and at least one sliding bearing element, which is arranged between the inner ring element and the outer ring element. The sliding bearing element has multiple sliding bearing pads, wherein the individual sliding bearing pads each have a bearing surface, which is designed in the shape of a spherical cap.