Bearing arrangement for a wind turbine and wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293483-B2
Application number	US-202016870029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2020
Priority date	May 16, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a bearing arrangement for a wind turbine including a bearing housing and a drive shaft, whereby the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing, the bearing arrangement further including a downwind bearing and an upwind bearing, whereby the downwind bearing and the upwind bearing are arranged between the bearing housing and the drive shaft, wherein the downwind bearing and/or the upwind bearing is a radial fluid bearing including multiple radial bearing pads, whereby each one of the multiple radial bearing pads is attached to one of a multiple radial bearing bodies of the radial fluid bearing and the multiple radial bearing pads are arranged about the drive shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing arrangement for a wind turbine comprising:
a bearing housing;
a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing;
a downwind bearing; and
an upwind bearing, the downwind bearing and the upwind bearing being arranged between the bearing housing and the drive shaft, wherein the downwind bearing and/or the upwind bearing is a radial fluid bearing comprising multiple radial bearing pads;
wherein each one of the multiple radial bearing pads is attached to one of a multiple radial bearing bodies of the radial fluid bearing and the multiple radial bearing pads are arranged about the drive shaft;
wherein the multiple bearing bodies are arranged adjacent to one another along a circumference of a cylindrical seat of the bearing housing, the adjacent bearing bodies being locked in movement relative to one another and relative to the cylindrical seat by means of press-fitted locking pieces that provide dovetail connections with the cylindrical seat.

2. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the press-fitted locking pieces protrude above the adjacent bearing bodies.

3. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the press-fitted locking pieces intrude into the cylindrical seat.

4. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein bottom portions of the press-fitted locking pieces are extending in tangential directions along the circumference of the cylindrical seat.

5. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the press-fitted locking pieces is at least one of: a T-bar element and an I-bar element.

6. The bearing arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the T-bar element and the I-bar element is made from a metal.

7. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one spring element is arranged between the at least one of the press-fitted locking pieces and one of the adjacent radial bearing bodies.

8. The bearing arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one spring element is an elastomer.

9. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the press-fitted locking pieces comprise a stop plate arranged against a rim of the cylindrical seat in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis.

10. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the multiple radial bearing pads is attached to one of the multiple radial bearing bodies by means of a radial tiltable support structure.

11. The bearing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one curved interface plate is attached to at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies opposite of the radial bearing pad, further wherein the at least one curved interface plate is arranged in contact with the cylindrical seat of the radial fluid bearing.

12. A wind turbine comprising:
a bearing arrangement comprising a bearing housing; a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing; a downwind bearing; and an upwind bearing, the downwind bearing and the upwind bearing being arranged between the bearing housing and the drive shaft, wherein the downwind bearing and/or the upwind bearing is a radial fluid bearing comprising multiple radial bearing pads; wherein each one of the multiple radial bearing pads is attached to one of a multiple radial bearing bodies of the radial fluid bearing and the multiple radial bearing pads are arranged about the drive shaft; wherein the multiple bearing bodies are arranged adjacent to one another along a circumference of a cylindrical seat of the bearing housing, the adjacent bearing bodies being locked in movement relative to one another and relative to the cylindrical seat by means of press-fitted locking pieces that provide dovetail connections with the cylindrical seat; and
a rotor operatively connected to drive the drive shaft and a generator operatively connected to be driven by the drive shaft.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Demissie Edom
• Falkenberg Peter Loevenskjold
• Frydendal Niels Karl
• Michaelsen Claus
• Soerensen Morten
• Thomsen Kim
• Thorhauge Morten

Classifications

• F16C17/03 Primary

  with tiltably-supported segments, e.g. Michell bearings {(hydrostatic bearings with tiltably supported bearing pads F16C32/0666; made from a plurality of rods F16C33/26; with flexible leaves F16C17/024; hydrodynamic bearings with chambers F16C33/1075)} · CPC title

• F16C2226/14

  by shrink fit, i.e. heating and shrinking part to allow assembly · CPC title

• F05B2240/54

  Radial bearings · CPC title

• F16C27/02

  Sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/108

  with a plurality of elements forming the bearing surfaces, e.g. bearing pads · CPC title