Wind turbine generator

• US 8,672,093 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okano, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dondero, William E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reese, Robert T
• Application Number:
  US12/520,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20100329869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 184/1.5, 184/4, 184/6.12, 184/26, 184/27.1, 123/196.R, 417/170.R, 417/174, 475/159, 416/170.R, 416/174
• US Class Current: 184/4
• 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 wind turbine generator that is capable of completely eliminating heater heating of lubricating-oil piping or that is capable of reducing the number of heater heating locations to the minimum requirement is provided. A wind turbine generator is provided with a lubricating system that circulates lubricating oil (L) in a lubricating-oil storage tank through lubricating-oil piping connected to a lubricating-oil pump, to lubricate a main bearing connected to the lubricating-oil piping by supplying the lubricating oil (L) thereto. This lubricating system is provided with a lubricating-oil recovery line that is formed when the lubricating-oil pump is stopped and in which the lubricating oil (L) falls naturally and is recovered in the lubricating-oil storage tank.

Claims

1. A wind turbine generator, comprising:

a lubricating system including

a lubricating-oil storage space;

a lubricating-oil pump; and

a lubricating-oil flow path connected to the lubricating-oil pump;

wherein

the lubricating system is configured to circulate lubricating oil in the lubricating-oil storage space through the lubricating-oil flow path;

the lubricating system further comprises

a lubricating-oil recovery line which is configured to be formed when the lubricating-oil pump is stopped for lubricating-oil recovery and in which the lubricating oil drains by way of gravity and is recovered in the lubricating-oil storage space, and

a plurality of air vents that communicates with an atmosphere at a time of lubricating-oil recovery and that is disposed at a highest position in the lubricating-oil flow path; and

the lubricating-oil recovery line comprises;

a check valve disposed at a low position at a discharge side of the lubricating-oil flow path;

a lubricating-oil return flow path branched off from a downstream side of the check valve and connected to the lubricating-oil storage space; and

a plurality of automatic opening/closing valves that is disposed in the lubricating-oil return flow path and in the plurality of air vents, and each of the automatic opening/closing valves is configured to be closed during operation of the lubricating-oil pump and opened at the time of lubricating-oil recovery when the lubricating-oil pump is stopped.

2. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1, further comprising a part to be lubricated, said part connected to the lubricating-oil flow path.

3. The wind turbine generator according to claim 2, wherein said part is a gearbox of the wind turbine generator.

4. The wind turbine generator according to claim 2, wherein said part is a bearing of a main shaft.