Wind Turbine Yaw Bearing Geared Crown Relocation Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for replacing or repairing damaged yaw bearings in wind turbines require lowering the nacelle to the ground, incurring high costs due to crane usage and labor, especially when teeth of the geared crown are subjected to uneven loads from severe wind conditions or directional wind patterns.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that allow the relocation of the geared crown's teeth by rotating the yaw bearing ring relative to the yaw axis, redistributing load-bearing teeth away from dominant wind directions, extending the yaw bearing's life cycle without necessitating nacelle lowering, using lifting means and gear motors to reposition the geared crown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the nacelle is lowered to the ground using a large crane to replace or repair the yaw bearing, then the damaged teeth can be replaced, but the cost becomes very large due to crane usage, labor, and ground preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the damaged geared crown from the system by detaching it from the yaw bearing assembly, allowing it to be replaced independently without removing the entire nacelle. The geared crown is detached from the first ring of the yaw bearing, enabling maintenance workers to access and replace only the damaged component while leaving the rest of the yaw bearing in place on the tower
Solution Approach 2:
The yaw bearing system is segmented into separable components: the first ring with the geared crown, the second ring, and the gear motor. This segmentation allows the geared crown to be independently removed and replaced without affecting the other components, enabling cost-effective maintenance by replacing only the damaged toothed portion rather than the entire yaw bearing assembly
2Reliability
If the geared crown teeth are subjected to uneven loads from severe wind conditions or directional wind patterns, then the teeth become damaged, but the rest of the yaw bearing remains in perfect condition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by allowing selective replacement of only the damaged teeth on the geared crown while preserving the intact portions. The geared crown can be detached, and specific damaged teeth can be replaced with new ones, while the remaining healthy teeth continue to function. This localized repair approach maintains overall yaw bearing reliability without requiring complete replacement
3Ease of repair
If conventional methods are used to replace the yaw bearing, then the damaged components can be replaced, but the process requires lowering the nacelle to the ground which is costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The geared crown is extracted from the yaw bearing assembly by detaching it from the first ring, allowing maintenance to be performed on the detached component rather than requiring nacelle removal. This extraction enables the geared crown to be replaced while the nacelle remains mounted on the tower, significantly reducing maintenance time and avoiding the need for expensive crane operations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables preliminary detachment of the geared crown from the yaw bearing assembly before actual replacement is needed. The geared crown can be pre-positioned or pre-prepared for replacement, and when damage occurs, it can be quickly swapped out without the time-consuming process of lowering the entire nacelle to the ground
Data Source
AI summary
A nacelle includes in turn a nacelle frame, and a yaw bearing having likewise/in turn at least a geared ring for providing a rotatable connection between the nacelle and the tower around a yaw axis. A method includes the steps of: a) disengaging the rotatable connection between the nacelle and the tower; b) lifting the nacelle from the tower by using lifting means, allowing the rotation of the geared ring; and c) rotating the geared ring around the yaw axis until the geared ring reaches a predetermined position with respect to the component to which the geared ring is connectable, either to the nacelle or the tower.