DIRECT DRIVE WIND TURBINE

• US 20130020807A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thomsen, Thyge Skovbjerg
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/7066 via a direct connection, i.e. a gearless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/326 Rotor angle
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/809 Encoders
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/21 Devices for sensing speed or position, or actuated thereby specially adapted for machines having non-mechanical commutating devices H02K29/06, H02K29/14
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/215 Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/22 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/06 Machines characterised by the presence of fail safe, back up, redundant or other similar emergency arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1838 Generators mounted in a nacelle or similar structure of a horizontal axis wind turbine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

Disclosed is a direct drive wind turbine including a plurality of blades connected to a hub, a generator including a stator and a rotor, the stator being fixed on a nacelle of the wind turbine and a rotation sensor having a static element and a moving element. The hub is directly connected to the rotor of the generator. The static element of the rotation sensor is mounted on a stationary element of the wind turbine, in particular the stator, at a distance from the rotation axis of the hub, and the moving element of the rotation sensor is mounted on the rotor of the generator at a distance from the rotation axis of the hub.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A direct drive wind turbine, comprising:

a nacelle;

a plurality of blades connected to a hub;

a generator comprising a stator and a rotor, the stator being fixed on the nacelle; and

a rotation sensor comprising a static sensor element and a moving sensor element,

wherein the hub is directly connected to the rotor,

wherein the static sensor element is mounted on the stator at a distance from the rotation axis of the hub, and

wherein the moving sensor element is mounted on the rotor at a distance from the rotation axis of the hub.

16. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15, comprising:

a main bearing configured to accommodate axial and radial forces,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged on a rotor portion that is proximal to the main bearing.

17. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 16,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged on a rotor portion that accommodates the main bearing.

18. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 16,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged on a rotor portion provided on the same side as the main bearing.

19. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 16,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged on a rotor portion that is distal to the main bearing.

20. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged in the inner surface of an outer rotor portion, and

wherein the static sensor element is arranged on an outer stator portion opposite to the moving element of the rotation sensor.

21. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged on a brake disk.

22. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the moving sensor element is arranged close to a brake disk.

23. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the rotor is arranged around the stator.

24. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the stator comprises an axially extending cavity essentially co-linear with the axis of rotation of the hub,

wherein the cavity is dimensioned to provide access to the hub for maintenance purposes, and

wherein a diameter of the cavity comprises at least 1 m.

25. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 24,

wherein a diameter of the cavity comprises at least 1.5 m.

26. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 24,

wherein a diameter of the cavity comprises at least 2.5 m.

27. The direct drive wind turbine according to claim 15,

wherein the moving sensor element comprises an essentially flat annular shape.

28. The direct drive wind turbine according any one of claims 15,

wherein the moving sensor element is formed integrally with the rotor.

29. The direct drive wind turbine according any one of claims 15,

wherein the static sensor element comprises a Hall-effect sensor and/or an optical sensor.

30. The direct drive wind turbine according any one of claims 15,

wherein the moving sensor element comprises a reference element indicating the absolute position of the moving element.

31. The direct drive wind turbine according any one of claims 15,

wherein the moving sensor element comprises two redundant scales.