A WIND TURBINE COMPRISING TWO OR MORE ROTORS

• US 20180023543A1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Kudsk, Henrik, Baun, Torben Ladegaard, Miranda, Erik Carl Lehnskov, Willie, Etekamba Okon
• Application Number:
  US15/552,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20180023543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/02 having a plurality of rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• 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 7/0204 for orientation in relation to wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/82 of electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/4021 through belt drives
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/02 with belts; with V-belts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

A multirotor wind turbine (1) comprising a tower structure with a main tower part (2) and at least two arms (3), each arm (3) extending away from the main tower part (2) along a direction having a horizontal component. Two or more rotors (4) are mounted on the tower structure in such a manner that each arm (3) of the tower structure carries at least one rotor (4). A gear arrangement (9) of at least one of the rotors (4) comprises a number of pulleys (10, 11, 13) and a number of belts (16, 17) interconnecting the pulleys (10, 11, 13) in order to transfer rotational movements between the pulleys (10, 11, 13), thereby transferring rotational movements from the hub (5) to a rotating shaft (14) connected to a generator (15).

Claims

1. A wind turbine comprising:

a tower structure comprising a main tower part being anchored, at a lower part, to a foundation structure, the main tower part extending along a substantially vertical direction, the tower structure further comprising at least two arms, each arm extending away from the main tower part along a direction having a horizontal component, and

two or more rotors mounted on the tower structure in such a manner that each arm of the tower structure carries at least one rotor, each rotor comprising a hub carrying a set of wind turbine blades, the hub being mounted rotatably on the tower structure;

a rotating shaft arranged to be connected to a generator in order to transfer rotational movements to the generator; and

a gear arrangement arranged to transfer rotational movements of the hub to rotational movements of the rotating shaft,

wherein the gear arrangement of at least one of the rotors comprises a number of pulleys and a number of belts interconnecting the pulleys in order to transfer rotational movements between the pulleys, thereby transferring rotational movements from the hub to the rotating shaft.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the gear arrangement of each of the rotors comprises a number of pulleys and a number of belts interconnecting the pulleys in order to transfer rotational movements between the pulleys, thereby transferring rotational movements from the hub to the rotating shaft.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the arms of the tower structure form part of a single transverse structure.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the arms of the tower structure are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the main tower part.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the arms of the tower structure extends away from the main tower part along a substantially horizontal direction.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the gear arrangement of at least one of the rotors comprises:

a primary pulley being rotationally decoupled from the hub,

two or more planetary pulleys, each planetary pulley being mounted on the hub, thereby rotating along with the hub, and each planetary pulley being provided with a planetary shaft, each planetary pulley being arranged to perform rotational movements about its planetary shaft, and

a centre pulley being connected to the rotating shaft, wherein at least one belt interconnects the primary pulley to each of the planetary shafts, and at least one belt interconnects each of the planetary pulleys to the centre pulley.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rotors comprises a hollow king pin.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the hub of at least one of the rotors is arranged between the gear arrangement and a mounting position of the rotor on the tower structure.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein each of the rotors is connected to a separate generator.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising a yawing mechanism, said yawing mechanism being operated by controlling aerodynamic thrust forces of the rotors.

11. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising one or more control components and/or one or more transformers being arranged inside the tower structure.

12. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising one or more control components and/or one or more transformers being arranged inside a container positioned adjacent to a lower part of the main tower part.