Wind turbine lubrication system

• US 8,939,259 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies Wind B.V. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: ALSTOM Wind, S.L.U.
• Inventors: Martinez, Daniel Castell, Mallada, Jos Luis Romn
• Primary Examiner(s): Dondero, William E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reese, Robert T
• Application Number:
  US13/127,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 184/4, 184/6.12, 416/170.R, 416/174, 417/53, 417/416
• US Class Current: 184/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0412 Cooling or heating; Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0441 Arrangements of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0486 with fixed gear ratio differentials F16H57/0483
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wind turbine lubrication system comprising a pump for pumping lubricant through a lubrication circuit, said pump being driven by a power-take-off from the drive train of the wind turbine, characterized in that said pump for pumping lubricant drives at least a first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to a first wind turbine auxiliary component.

Claims

1. A method for lubricating a part in a wind turbine having a drive train, the method comprising:

driving a pump by a power-take-off from the drive train,

pumping a lubricant through a lubrication circuit using the pump,

driving a first hydraulic motor using the pump, and

the first hydraulic motor driving a lubricant cooling system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first hydraulic motor drives the lubricant cooling system with a variable speed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine comprises a gearbox and the power-take-off is a power-take-off from the gearbox.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the part to be lubricated is the gearbox.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is a direct-drive wind turbine and the power-take-off is a power-take-off from the rotor shaft.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant cooling system is a liquid-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-air heat exchanger.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the lubricant cooling system is a liquid-air heat exchanger and the hydraulic motor drives a fan for cooling the lubricant.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the lubrication circuit furthermore comprises a bypass for bypassing lubricant around the liquid-air heat exchanger.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the bypass comprises a variable flow valve.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first hydraulic motor drives the liquid-liquid heat exchanger or the liquid-air heat exchanger with a variable speed.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to the lubricant cooling system is arranged in the lubrication circuit.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to the lubricant cooling system is arranged in a separate circuit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pump for pumping lubricant is a single head gear pump.

14. The method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising the pump driving a second hydraulic motor, and

the second hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to a wind turbine auxiliary component.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first hydraulic motor is provided in the lubrication circuit, and the second hydraulic motor is provided in a separate circuit.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pump for pumping lubricant is a double head gear pump.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first hydraulic motor is a positive displacement or a rotodynamic hydraulic motor.

18. A method for lubricating a part in a wind turbine having a drive train, the method comprising:

driving a pump by a power-take-off from the drive train,

pumping a lubricant through a lubrication circuit using the pump, the lubrication circuit comprising a liquid-air heat exchanger,

driving a first hydraulic motor using the pump, and

the first hydraulic motor driving a fan for cooling the lubricant.