Split Tapered Roller Bearing Assembly for Mainshaft-Free Replacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintenance and replacement of spherical roller bearings in wind turbine drive trains are challenging due to inaccessible shaft ends, requiring innovative solutions for efficient bearing replacement without disconnecting the mainshaft.
Innovation Solution
A split bearing assembly with a two-row configuration, including a split inner and outer race ring, clamping band, and seal wear ring, designed for easy installation and securement on the shaft, allowing for preload optimization and improved sealing, enabling maintenance without dismounting the mainshaft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spherical roller bearings are used in wind turbine drive trains, then load capacity and reliability are improved, but maintenance and replacement become difficult due to inaccessible shaft ends
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is divided into separable components: a first bearing component with an inner race ring that remains on the shaft, and a second bearing component with an outer race ring that can be removed independently. This segmentation allows maintenance without removing the entire bearing assembly or disconnecting the mainshaft, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and enabling easy repair.
2Ease of operation
If conventional non-split bearings are replaced with split bearings, then ease of installation and maintenance is improved, but bearing precision and load distribution may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A preload mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the two bearing components, applying controlled preloading forces to ensure precise alignment and optimal load distribution. This mediator component maintains bearing precision while allowing the split design to provide ease of installation and maintenance.
3Productivity
If split bearing components are used to enable maintenance without dismounting mainshaft, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements are merged into integrated components: the inner race ring includes integrated sealing elements and positioning features, while the outer race ring assembly combines the race ring, preload mechanism, and mounting structure. This merging reduces the number of separate parts to manage while maintaining the productivity benefits of the split design.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A bearing assembly (100) includes a split inner race ring (115) configured to be installed on a shaft (25) and defines two raceways (135, 140) for supporting rolling elements (150,155). A split clamping band (170) is configured to be installed over the split inner race ring (115) to secure the split inner race ring (115) on the shaft (25). A split seal wear ring (290, 295) is configured to be installed on an outer diameter surface of the split clamping band (170). An engagement interface between the split clamping band (170) and the split seal wear ring (290, 295) includes a boss (340) on one of the split clamping band (170) and the split seal wear ring (290, 295), and an aperture (355) on the other one of the split clamping band (170) and the split seal wear ring (290, 295). The aperture (355) is sized and configured to receive the boss (340) for positioning the split seal wear ring (290, 295) on the split clamping band (170).