Wind turbine, rotor system, and method for using a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11480149-B2
Application number	US-201816770127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A wind turbine may include a rotor hub, a blade bearing, a rotor blade, and a conical rotor-hub extension disposed between the rotor hub and the blade bearing. The conical rotor-hub extension may have a first diameter on a first side that is directed toward the blade bearing and a second diameter on a second side that is directed toward the rotor hub. The first diameter may be greater than the second diameter, and the rotor blade may be connected to the blade bearing directly or indirectly. The blade bearing may comprise a first blade-bearing ring and a second blade-bearing ring, with the first blade-bearing ring being connected to the conical rotor-hub extension in a form-fitting manner, in a form- and force-fitting manner, or in a form configured as part of the conical rotor-hub extension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wind turbine comprising:
a rotor hub;
a blade bearing;
a rotor blade that is connected directly or indirectly to the blade bearing; and
a conical rotor-hub extension disposed between the rotor hub and the blade bearing, wherein the conical rotor-hub extension has a first diameter on a first side directed toward the blade bearing and a second diameter on a second side directed toward the rotor hub, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter,
wherein a surface of the conical rotor-hub extension that is oblique to a main axis of rotation of the blade bearing includes a through-passage opening for through-passage of at least one of a tool or a fastening element for fastening the rotor blade on the blade bearing, wherein the through-passage opening extends parallel to the main axis of rotation of the blade bearing, wherein the through-passage opening extends parallel to a fastening opening in the blade bearing for fastening the rotor blade to the blade bearing, with center lines of the through-passage opening and the fastening opening being aligned.

2. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the blade bearing comprises a first blade-bearing ring and a second blade-bearing ring, wherein the first blade-bearing ring is connected to the conical rotor-hub extension in a form-fitting manner, in a form- and force-fitting manner, or in a form configured as part of the conical rotor-hub extension.

3. The wind turbine of claim 2 wherein the first blade-bearing ring is configured as an inner blade-bearing ring and the second blade-bearing ring is configured as an outer blade-bearing ring.

4. The wind turbine of claim 2 wherein the first blade-bearing ring is configured as an outer blade-bearing ring and the second blade-bearing ring is configured as an inner blade-bearing ring.

5. The wind turbine of claim 2 wherein the second blade-bearing ring is connected to the rotor blade directly.

6. The wind turbine of claim 2 wherein the second blade-bearing ring is connected to the rotor blade indirectly.

7. The wind turbine of claim 1 comprising an intermediate piece disposed between the blade bearing and the rotor blade.

8. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the conical rotor-hub extension is a separate component from the rotor hub.

9. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the conical rotor-hub extension is disposed immovably on the rotor hub, in either a form-fitting manner or a form- and force-fitting manner.

10. The wind turbine of claim 1 comprising a pitch drive configured as part of the conical rotor-hub extension or disposed within the conical rotor-hub extension.

11. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the conical rotor-hub extension comprises a first hub-extension component and a second hub-extension component, wherein the first and second hub-extension components are configured parallel to a main axis of rotation of the blade bearing as half-shells of the conical rotor-hub extension.

12. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein the first and second hub-extension components of the conical rotor-hub extension comprise ribs.

13. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the blade bearing comprises a first blade-bearing ring and a second blade-bearing ring, wherein the first blade-bearing ring is connected to the conical rotor-hub extension in a form-fitting manner, in a form- and force-fitting manner, or in a form configured as part of the conical rotor-hub extension, the wind turbine comprising a nose disposed on the first or second blade-bearing ring.

14. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the conical rotor-hub extension is a cast component.

15. A method of operating the wind turbine of claim 1 , the method comprising:
moving the rotor blade relative to the rotor hub and the conical rotor-hub extension; and
maintaining the rotor hub and the conical rotor-hub extension in a fixed state relative to one another.

16. A rotor system for a wind turbine comprising:
a rotor hub;
a blade bearing;
a rotor blade connected to the blade bearing directly or indirectly; and
a conical rotor-hub extension disposed between the rotor hub and the blade bearing, wherein the conical rotor-hub extension has a first diameter on a first side directed toward the blade bearing and a second diameter on a second side directed toward the rotor hub, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter,
wherein a surface of the conical rotor-hub extension that is oblique to a main axis of rotation of the blade bearing includes a through-passage opening for through-passage of at least one of a tool or a fastening element for fastening the rotor blade on the blade bearing, wherein the through-passage opening extends parallel to the main axis of rotation of the blade bearing, wherein the through-passage opening extends parallel to a fastening opening in the blade bearing for fastening the rotor blade to the blade bearing, with center lines of the through-passage opening and the fastening opening being aligned.

Assignees

• thyssenkrupp rothe erde Germany GmbH
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Becker Daniel
• Handreck Thomas
• Lüneburg Bernd

Classifications

• F03D1/0658 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub · CPC title

• F03D80/70

  Bearing or lubricating arrangements · CPC title

• F05B2260/79

  Bearing, support or actuation arrangements therefor · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2250/232

  conical · CPC title