Yaw Bearing Sliding Pad Layout for Uneven Wind Turbine Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wind turbines with direct drive technology experience uneven load distribution on yaw bearing arrangements due to heavy generators and rotors, leading to excessive wear on sliding pads, making maintenance complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
The sliding pads are fixed to the yaw ring, allowing radial openings for access and enabling the nacelle to shift positions to unload worn pads, reducing wear by distributing load across more pads and simplifying maintenance through internal access points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sliding pads are fixed to the nacelle sliding structure, then the sliding pads remain in constant contact with the yaw ring under uneven load, but this causes excessive wear on specific sliding pads and requires complex maintenance operations including heavy lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by fixing the sliding pads to the yaw ring instead of the nacelle sliding structure. This inversion allows the sliding pads to rotate with the yaw ring, distributing wear across all pads over time, and enables maintenance without heavy lifting by allowing the nacelle to be repositioned to unload specific pads for replacement
2Strength
If sliding pads are fixed to the nacelle sliding structure, then they maintain constant contact under load, but this leads to uneven wear distribution and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sliding pad arrangement dynamic by fixing them to the rotating yaw ring rather than the stationary nacelle structure. As the yaw ring rotates, different sliding pads come into contact with the load at different times, distributing wear evenly across all pads and extending their service life while maintaining full load bearing capacity
3Ease of repair
If sliding pads are fixed to the yaw ring with radial openings for access, then maintenance is simplified without heavy lifting, but the structural integrity of the yaw ring must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the yaw ring structure by incorporating radial openings that allow access to sliding pads while maintaining the overall structural integrity. These openings are strategically positioned and sized to enable maintenance operations without compromising the load-bearing capacity of the yaw ring
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 solution reduces wear on sliding pads, decreases maintenance frequency, and simplifies the replacement process by allowing pads to be changed without heavy lifting, enhancing bearing performance and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
upper sliding pads arranged between an upper side of the yaw ring and a sliding structure of the nacelle and several lower sliding pads arranged between a lower side of the yaw ring and the sliding structure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Wind turbine, comprising a tower (2) and a nacelle (3) rotatable relative to the tower (2) by means of a yaw bearing arrangement (4) comprising a yaw ring (10) fixed relative to the tower (2), several upper sliding pads (19) arranged between the upper side of the yaw ring (10) and a sliding structure (12) of the nacelle (3) and several lower sliding pads (23) arranged between the lower side of the yaw ring (10) and the sliding structure (12), wherein the sliding pads (19, 23) are fixed to the yaw ring (10) and that at least one radial opening (27, 28) is provided in the sliding structure (12) allowing access to the upper or lower sliding pads (19, 23) .