SYSTEM AND ASSEMBLY FOR POWER TRANSMISSION AND GENERATION IN A WIND TURBINE

• US 20120074700A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zf Wind Power Antwerpen N.V. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ciszak, Robert, Kuzma, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,388,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/00 Transmission of mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/10 using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/40311 of the epicyclic, planetary or differential type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/28 with gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

Various power transmission and generation systems and assemblies are provided for a wind turbine. In one embodiment, a power generation system is provided including a transmission having an input axially aligned with an output, the input configured to receive rotary motion generated by a wind driven rotor head, the input located downwind of the output, an electromagnetic apparatus having an input configured to be coupled to the transmission output, and a bearing configured to radially support both the transmission output and the electromagnetic apparatus input. In this way, a common bearing may support both the transmission and electromagnetic apparatus, allowing for a more compact and efficient design while retaining service and repair capabilities.

Claims

1. A power generation system for a wind turbine included in a nacelle, comprising:

a transmission having an input axially aligned with an output, the input configured to receive rotary motion generated by a wind driven rotor head, the output located downwind of the input;

an electromagnetic apparatus having an input configured to be coupled to the transmission output, wherein the electromagnetic apparatus is a generator and the input of the generator is a rotor, and wherein the output shaft of the transmission is a sun gear in a planetary gear-train included in the transmission; and

a bearing configured to radially support both the transmission output and the electromagnetic apparatus input.

2. The system of claim 1 where the bearing is included in the transmission and coupled to an exterior portion of the transmission.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the bearing is a locating-type bearing configured to axially support the transmission output.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the output shaft is located on a centerline of the turbine.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the bearing is a double row tapered roller bearing having a first and a second row of rollers, each roller in each of the first and second rows having an axis of rotation and each cylinder having a line perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein at least one line from a cylinder included in the first row of rollers and at least one line from a the second row of rollers intersect at a point on a central axis of rotation of the sun gear.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the bearing is a spherical roller bearing having a first and a second row of rollers, each roller in each of the first and second rows having an axis of rotation and each cylinder having a line perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein at least one line from a cylinder included in the first row of rollers and at least one line from a the second row of rollers intersect at a point on a central axis of rotation of the sun gear.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transformer, at least partially enclosed by a housing of the nacelle and electronically coupled to the generator, the transformer configured to increase a voltage of an electrical power output from the generator.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic apparatus further includes an input support member configured to support the electromagnetic apparatus input when disassembled from the transmission and allow for free rotation of the rotor during operation of the power generation system.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic apparatus further includes an input support member configured to support the electromagnetic apparatus input when disassembled from the transmission and allow for rotation of the rotor during assembly to and disassembly from the gearbox in an operational turbine.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the support member is integrally formed with a housing of the electromagnetic apparatus, the housing enclosing at least a portion of the input of the electromagnetic apparatus.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the output of the transmission and the input of the electromagnetic apparatus are connected by a coupling positioned in radial alignment with a radial line of symmetry of the bearing.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the coupling is flexible.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the bearing is positioned such that a moment generated by a sum of loads from the rotor on the bearing, during operation of the wind turbine, is less than a moment generated by a sum of static loads and dynamic loading of the gear-train on the bearing.

4. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

16. An integrated power generation assembly in a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a nacelle and a rotor head, the power generation assembly comprising:

a transmission having a co-axial input and output, the transmission further having a planetary gear-train coupling the input and output;

a generator having an input coupled to the transmission output, the generator input co-axial with the transmission input and output;

a bearing axially and radially supporting the transmission output, and further radially supporting the generator input;

a support coupled to a housing of the transmission and fixed to a base-plate of the nacelle to generate a reaction torque; and

a pitch control tube along an axis of the transmission input/output and generator input, the pitch control tube traversing from the transmission input through the generator, the pitch control tube configured to house wires or hydraulic lines from the nacelle to the rotor head.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the bearing is a locating-type bearing, the assembly further comprising a non-locating bearing radially supporting the generator input, the non-locating bearing positioned at an opposite end of the electric generator from the locating bearing.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the bearing support for the generator includes only the locating bearing and the non-locating bearing.

19. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the transmission output is a sun gear included in the planetary transmission and bearing support for the sun gear includes only the bearing.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the locating bearing and/or a rotor coupling are positioned so that static and dynamic radial loads from transmission on the bearing is greater than static load and dynamic radial loads from the generator.

22. The assembly of claim 16 further including a rotor support configured to receive an axial load from the generator when disassembled from the transmission.

23. The assembly of claim 16 further comprising a braking system coupled to an exterior portion of the transmission.

21. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A power generation system for a wind turbine included in a nacelle, comprising:

a transmission having an input axially aligned with an output, the input configured to receive rotary motion generated by a wind driven rotor head, the output located downwind of the input;

an electromagnetic apparatus having an input configured to be coupled to the transmission output; and

a bearing configured to radially support both the transmission output and the electromagnetic apparatus input, wherein the output of the transmission and the input of the electromagnetic apparatus are connected by a coupling positioned in radial alignment with a radial line of symmetry of the bearing.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the bearing is included in the transmission and coupled to an exterior portion of the transmission.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the bearing is a locating-type bearing configured to axially support the transmission output.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the output shaft of the transmission is a sun gear in a planetary gear-train included in the transmission.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the output shaft is located on a centerline of the turbine.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the bearing is a double row tapered roller bearing having a first and a second row of rollers, each roller in each of the first and second rows having an axis of rotation and each cylinder having a line perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein at least one line from a cylinder included in the first row of rollers and at least one line from a the second row of rollers intersect at a point on a central axis of rotation of the sun gear.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the bearing is a spherical roller bearing having a first and a second row of rollers, each roller in each of the first and second rows having an axis of rotation and each cylinder having a line perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein at least one line from a cylinder included in the first row of rollers and at least one line from a the second row of rollers intersect at a point on a central axis of rotation of the sun gear.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein electromagnetic apparatus is a generator and the input of the generator is a rotor, and wherein the output shaft of the transmission is a sun gear in a planetary gear-train included in the transmission.

33. The system of claim 25 further comprising a transformer, at least partially enclosed by a housing of the nacelle and electronically coupled to the generator, the transformer configured to increase a voltage of an electrical power output from the generator.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein the electromagnetic apparatus further includes an input support member configured to support the electromagnetic apparatus input when disassembled from the transmission and allow for free rotation of the rotor during operation of the power generation system.

35. The system of claim 25 wherein the electromagnetic apparatus further includes an input support member configured to support the electromagnetic apparatus input when disassembled from the transmission and allow for rotation of the rotor during assembly to and disassembly from the gearbox in an operational turbine.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the support member is integrally formed with a housing of the electromagnetic apparatus, the housing enclosing at least a portion of the input of the electromagnetic apparatus.