Bearing module for adjusting a rotor blade angle of attack in an underwater power plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10634112-B2
Application number	US-201715656513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2017
Priority date	Jul 28, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A bearing module for adjusting a rotor blade angle of attack in an underwater power plant includes a rotor-blade shaft, at least two bearings for supporting the rotor-blade shaft, the at least two bearings being axially spaced from each other on the rotor-blade shaft, a first attachment structure for producing a mechanical connection to a rotor-blade hub, a second attachment structure for producing a mechanical connection to the rotor blade, and a third attachment structure for producing a mechanical connection to a blade adjustment mechanism, wherein the bearing module is an installation unit such that it can be assembled at one location and transported to a second location where rotor blades may be attached.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing module for adjusting an angle of attack of a rotor blade in an underwater power plant, comprising:
a rotor blade shaft;
at least two bearings for supporting the rotor-blade shaft, the at least two bearings being axially spaced from each other on the rotor-blade shaft;
first attachment means for producing a mechanical connection to a rotor-blade hub;
second attachment means for producing a mechanical connection to the rotor blade;
third attachment means for producing a mechanical connection to a blade adjustment mechanism,
wherein the bearing module is an installation unit,
wherein the rotor blade extends radially outside the rotor-blade hub and the blade adjustment mechanism extends radially inside the rotor-blade hub, an axis of rotation of the rotor-blade hub differs from an axis of rotation of the rotor blade shaft,
wherein the second attachment means includes a first portion of the rotor-blade shaft and the third attachment means includes a second portion of the rotor-blade shaft;
wherein the first attachment means includes a bearing housing which forms a bearing intermediate space with the rotor-blade shaft, and the at least two bearings are disposed between the rotor-blade shaft and the bearing housing;
an inner seal system and an outer seal system, the inner seal is disposed a first radial distance from the axis of rotation of the rotor-blade hub and the outer seal system is disposed at a second radial distance from the axis of rotation of the rotor-blade hub, the outer seal system comprises a seal carrier and seal lips movable in a radial direction with respect to the rotor-blade shaft,
wherein the seal lips are disposed at an angle to the radial direction with respect to the rotor-blade shaft, the seal lips extend in the radial direction on a bush, and
wherein a pressure exerted by a liquid medium on the seal lips is transmissible to the seal carrier in the axial and radial direction with respect to the rotor-blade shaft.

2. The bearing module according to one claim 1 ,
wherein the at least two bearings comprise at least one element selected from the group consisting of: sliding bearings and rolling-element bearings.

3. The bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two bearings is selected from the group consisting of: tapered rollers, barrel rollers, rollers for spherical bearings, cylindrical rollers, needle rollers, and balls.

4. The bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two bearings comprise at least one locating bearing and at least one non-locating bearing.

5. The bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two bearings correspond to an adjusted bearing assembly using two tapered roller bearings.

6. The bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the outer seal system includes a corrosion-protection coating, or wherein the bearing module further comprises a sacrificial anode for corrosion protection.

7. The bearing module according to claim 1 , further comprising a state-monitored system configured to provide information about a water ingress.

8. An underwater power plant comprising the bearing module according to claim 1 .

9. A method of manufacturing an underwater power plant comprising:
providing a bearing module according to claim 1 as an installation unit;
attaching at least one rotor blade to the bearing module; and
attaching a blade adjustment mechanism to the bearing module.

10. A method of manufacturing an underwater power plant comprising:
providing a bearing module according to claim 1 as an installation unit;
attaching at least one rotor blade to the bearing module; and
attaching a blade adjustment mechanism to the bearing module.

11. A method of manufacturing an underwater power plant comprising:
assembling a bearing module according to claim 1 in a weather-protected environment at a first location;
transporting the assembled bearing module to a power plant installation site at a second location; and
attaching at least one rotor blade and a blade adjustment mechanism to the bearing module at the second location.

12. A method of manufacturing an underwater power plant comprising:
providing a bearing module according to claim 1 as an installation unit;
attaching at least one rotor blade to the bearing module;
attaching a blade adjustment mechanism to the bearing module.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Hofmann Matthias
• Baumann Michael

Classifications

• F16C33/02

  Parts of sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F05B2240/57

  Seals · CPC title

• F16C33/72

  Sealings · CPC title

• F16C19/54

  Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction (spindle bearings F16C35/08) · CPC title

• F05B2260/79

  Bearing, support or actuation arrangements therefor · CPC title