Drive Train and Wind Turbine

• US 20120256426A1
• Filed: 07/31/2010
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vath, Andreas, Noller, Klaus, Berger, Günter, Klein, Andreas, Stadler, Burkhard
• Application Number:
  US13/500,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.C
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/60 Cooling or heating of wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/98 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A drive train for harnessing the energy of a fluid flow includes a rotor configured to be driven by the fluid flow, a transmission that is connected to the rotor at the input end, either directly or indirectly via the rotor shaft or other components, and a generator that is connected to the transmission at the output end. A lubricant system supplies lubricant to one of the drive train components as well as to another drive train component.

Claims

1. A drive train configured to harness the energy of a fluid flow, comprising:

a rotor configured to be driven by the fluid flow;

a transmission that is connected on an input side to the rotor;

a generator connected to the transmission on an output side; and

a lubrication system configured to supply the transmission with a lubricant,

wherein the transmission is a drive train component, and

wherein at least one further drive train component can be supplied with the lubricant by the lubrication system.

2. The drive train as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission and the at least one further drive train component are connected in parallel with respect to a lubrication circuit.

3. The drive train as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lubrication circuit comprises a single lubricant delivery device.

4. The drive train as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lubrication circuit comprises a plurality of lubricant delivery devices, in particular in a parallel or a serial arrangement, in particular in a redundant arrangement, in particular pumps, for the lubricant.

5. The drive train as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

bearings for the rotor and/or bearings for an output shaft of the rotor and/or bearings for a connecting shaft between the transmission and the generator and/or the generator are provided as further drive train components, and

that bearings of this type or rather drive train components are supplied with lubricant by the lubrication system.

6. The drive train as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a housing of the transmission a sump is embodied as a reservoir, for the lubrication system.

7. The drive train as claimed in claim 6, wherein a lubrication oil pump of the lubrication system is arranged in the housing or on the housing of the transmission.

8. The drive train as claimed in claim 6, wherein a heating element is thermally connected to the sump and is arranged in the housing of the transmission.

9. The drive train as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lubricant can be delivered to a bearing of a shaft in the generator by virtue of the lubrication system.

10. The drive train as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a housing of the transmission and a housing of the generator are flange mounted one to the other, and

lubrication channels issue into the respective flange area of the housing, which lubrication channels are arranged in such a manner that they allow lubricant to be conveyed from one housing to the other housing.

11. A wind turbine, comprising:

a drive train configured to harness energy of a fluid flow including (i) a rotor configured to be driven by the fluid flow, (ii) a transmission that is connected on an input side to the rotor, (iii) a generator connected to the transmission on an output side, and (iv) a lubrication system configured to supply the transmission with a lubricant,

wherein the transmission is a drive train component, and

wherein at least one further drive train component can be supplied with the lubricant by the lubrication system.