Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100329867 | DRIVETRAIN SYSTEM FOR A WIND TURBINE GENERATOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME - A drivetrain for a wind turbine includes a gearbox and a generator. The gear box includes a housing and an output shaft that is rotatably coupled within the housing, wherein the gearbox further includes at least one bearing positioned between the housing and the output shaft. The generator includes a stator coupled to the housing such that the stator is positioned radially outward from the housing, and a rotor coupled to the output shaft such that the rotor is positioned radially inward from the stator. | 12-30-2010 |
20110143880 | DRIVETRAIN FOR GENERATOR IN WIND TURBINE - A drivetrain for a generator in a wind turbine is disclosed. In one embodiment, the drivetrain includes an input shaft configured to provide an input rotational speed, and a planetary gearbox in communication with the input shaft. The planetary gearbox includes a stationary carrier and a plurality of rotatable gears. The planetary gearbox is configured to convert the input rotational speed to an output rotational speed. The drivetrain additionally includes an output shaft in communication with the planetary gearbox. The output shaft is configured to rotate at the output rotational speed. The drivetrain further includes a load isolation device disposed between the input shaft and the planetary gearbox. The load isolation device is configured to reduce transmission to the planetary gearbox of bending loads on the input shaft. | 06-16-2011 |
20110211962 | DRIVETRAIN FOR GENERATOR IN WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine and a drivetrain for a generator is provided. The drivetrain includes a hub configured to provide an input rotational speed, and a planetary gearbox in communication with the hub. The planetary gearbox includes a stationary or rotatable carrier and a plurality of planet gears. The planetary gearbox is configured to convert the input rotational speed to an output rotational speed, and includes at least one sun gear. The hub can be rigidly connected to the rotatable ring gear. | 09-01-2011 |
20120133154 | WIND TURBINE WITH SINGLE-STAGE COMPACT DRIVE TRAIN - A drive train for a wind turbine includes individual rotor blades connected to a rotor hub. The drive train includes a gearbox, with the rotor hub mounted directly to the gearbox. The gearbox further includes a stationary gear carrier mounted to a mainframe of the wind turbine such that the gearbox substantially supports the weight of the rotor hub. A generator includes a rotor and stationary stator, with the gearbox comprising an output shaft coupled to the rotor such that the gearbox substantially supports the weight of the rotor. | 05-31-2012 |
20120134841 | YAW BEARING ASSEMBLY AND TOWER FOR WIND TURBINE - A tower for a wind turbine is disclosed. The tower includes an outer shell defining a yaw axis and a main frame for a nacelle. The tower further includes a first yaw bearing and a second yaw bearing each connecting the outer shell and the main frame. The first yaw bearing and the second yaw bearing are spaced apart from each other along the yaw axis and each rotatable about the yaw axis. | 05-31-2012 |
20120141270 | DRIVETRAIN AND METHOD FOR LUBRICATING BEARING IN WIND TURBINE - A drivetrain for a wind turbine and a method for lubricating a bearing in a drivetrain of a wind turbine are disclosed. The drivetrain includes a rotatable component and a bearing surrounding the rotatable component. The drivetrain further includes a lubrication passage in fluid communication with the bearing for providing lubrication fluid thereto, and a drainage passage in fluid communication with the bearing for removing lubrication fluid therefrom. Further, the drivetrain includes a dry sump in fluid communication with the drainage passage. The dry sump includes a pump operable to flow lubrication fluid from the drainage passage. | 06-07-2012 |
20130195666 | SNAP RING RETENTION ASSEMBLY FOR A MAIN SHAFT IN A WIND TURBINE - A retention assembly for securing a main rotor shaft in a wind turbine relative to a pillow block is provided. A main rotor shaft extends through a pillow block, and a ring groove is defined in an outer circumferential surface of the main rotor shaft axially offset from the pillow block. A snap ring is engaged within the ring groove, wherein the snap ring and ring groove are designed to achieve a design axial load capacity. | 08-01-2013 |
20140044544 | WIND TURBINE YAW OR PITCH BEARING UTILIZING A THREADED BEARING SURFACE - A yaw or pitch bearing for a wind turbine includes a slewing ring bearing assembly having an outer race and an inner race, both having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the outer race and the outer surface of the inner race have a plurality of threads that engage and define a threaded bearing surface. | 02-13-2014 |
20140203561 | VARIABLE INPUT SYNCHRONOUS OUTPUT DRIVETRAIN FOR WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine drivetrain is disclosed. The wind turbine drivetrain includes a planetary gearbox. The planetary gearbox includes a carrier rotatably driven at a first input rotational speed, and a planet gear rotatably mounted to the carrier. The planetary gearbox further includes a sun gear rotatably coupled to the planet gear, and a ring gear rotatably coupled to the planet gear. One of the carrier, the sun gear, or the ring gear is selectively rotatably driven at a second input rotational speed. The wind turbine drivetrain further includes an output gear rotatably driven by the planetary gearbox at an output rotational speed, and a motor selectively operable to rotatably drive the one of the carrier, the sun gear, or the ring gear. | 07-24-2014 |
20140377069 | PITCH BEARING ASSEMBLY WITH STIFFENER - A pitch bearing assembly for a wind turbine having a stiffener is disclosed. The pitch bearing assembly may include an outer race and an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race. The inner race may define a mounting surface and an inner circumference. The mounting surface may extend generally perpendicular to the inner circumference. In addition, the stiffener may include a body and a mounting flange. The body may extend axially within a volume defined by the inner circumference of the inner race. Further, the mounting flange of the stiffener may be coupled to the mounting surface of the inner race. | 12-25-2014 |
20150063736 | WIND TURBINE BEARINGS - In one aspect, a pitch bearing for coupling a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine may include an outer race defining a first outer raceway wall. The first outer raceway wall may define a center of curvature. The pitch bearing may also include an inner race defining a first inner raceway wall. The first inner raceway wall may define a center of curvature. In addition, the pitch bearing may include a plurality of roller elements disposed between the first inner and outer raceway walls. Each roller element may define a geometric center. Moreover, the center of curvature for each of the raceway walls may be offset from the geometric center of each roller element. | 03-05-2015 |
20150086359 | ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY WITH SHIM PLATE FOR MITIGATING PITCH BEARING LOADS - The invention is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine designed to mitigate pitch bearing loads. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade, a pitch bearing, and at least one shim plate. The rotor blade includes a body extending between a blade root and a blade tip. The pitch bearing includes an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of roller elements between the outer race and the inner race. As such, the inner race is rotatable relative to the outer race. The at least one shim plate may be configured between the inner race and the blade root or between the outer race and a hub of the wind turbine so as to mitigate loads experienced by the pitch bearing. | 03-26-2015 |