Gearbox system for a wind turbine, wind turbine with a gearbox system, and method for operating a gearbox system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11619210-B2
Application number	US-202017070045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

The present subject matter relates to a gearbox system for a wind turbine. The gearbox may have a gearbox housing defining an inner gearbox volume. The gearbox system further comprises at least one reservoir for storing lubricant and a lubricant provision arrangement. In addition, a lubricant return arrangement is provided. Thus, the gearbox system comprises a lubrication cycle, in particular a closed lubrication cycle, wherein lubricant is provided from the reservoir through the lubricant provision arrangement to lubrication locations of the gearbox, and is subsequently returned to the reservoir passing through the lubricant return arrangement. Furthermore, the gearbox system includes an aeration arrangement which is connected to the gearbox volume and which has specifically configured restriction means. In order to obtain a beneficial operational behavior of the gearbox system, the gearbox system, in particular the reservoir, the pump, the lubricant provision arrangement and/or the aeration arrangement, is/are configured such that a lubricant flow, having an appropriate pressure and flow rate, is provided from the reservoir to each lubrication location, when the pump is operative; further, the gearbox volume gets flooded with lubricant from the reservoir, when the pump is or becomes inoperative.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gearbox system for a wind turbine, comprising:
a gearbox with a gearbox housing that defines a gearbox volume;
a plurality of lubrication locations;
a lubricant reservoir;
a lubricant provision arrangement connecting the lubricant reservoir to the lubrication locations to provide a lubrication flow from the reservoir to the lubrication locations;
a lubricant return arrangement connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir to provide a return flow of lubricant from the gearbox volume to the reservoir, the lubricant return arrangement comprising a pump arranged downstream of the gearbox volume and a return duct connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir;
an aeration arrangement connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir, the aeration arrangement comprising a restriction device configured to restrict fluid flow through the aeration arrangement;
wherein a lubricant flow having a pressure and flow rate is provided from the reservoir to each lubrication location via the lubricant provision arrangement path when the pump is operative, and that the gearbox volume is flooded with lubricant from the reservoir via the lubricant provision arrangement when the pump is inoperative; and
wherein the gearbox volume, when flooded, is filled with lubricant to a flooding level such that all bearings of the gearbox are at least partially covered with lubricant.

2. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir, the pump, the lubricant provision arrangement, and the aeration arrangement are configured such that the flooding is achieved within 45 min. from the moment the pump becoming inoperative.

3. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir, the pump, the lubricant provision arrangement, and the aeration arrangement are configured such that after the pump becomes inoperative the flooding occurs without further activation of any other component of the gearbox system to cause lubrication flow from the reservoir into the gearbox volume.

4. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the aeration arrangement and restriction device are configured such a gaseous flow into and out of the gearbox volume occurs without flow of the lubricant out of the gearbox volume via the aeration arrangement.

5. The gearbox system according to claim 4 , wherein the aeration arrangement connects an upper portion of the reservoir to the gearbox volume.

6. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir and the gearbox volume are connected only via an airtight connection with the lubricant provision arrangement, the lubricant return arrangement, and the aeration arrangement.

7. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is arranged in a vertical direction above the gearbox volume such that the flooding is driven solely by potential energy of the lubricant.

8. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , comprising a strainer arranged within the reservoir between an inlet and an outlet of the reservoir, the strainer configured to at least partially separating a gaseous component from the lubricant.

9. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein an inner volume of the reservoir is at least 40% of an overall lubrication volume of the gearbox system, wherein the inner volume is between 300 liters and 1000 liters.

10. The gearbox system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is a pressurized reservoir to hold the lubricant in a pressurized state.

11. The gearbox system according to claim 10 , wherein the aeration arrangement and the restriction device are configured such that a gaseous fluid within the gearbox volume is released when the gearbox volume is flooded with lubricant, and the gaseous fluid enters the gearbox volume when a level of lubricant in the gearbox volume is reduced by operating the pump.

12. A wind turbine, comprising a turbine rotor including a hub and at least one rotor blade mounted to a rotatable turbine shaft, an induction generator having a stator and a rotor, and a gearbox system according to claim 1 that couples the generator to the turbine shaft.

13. A method for operating a gearbox system of a wind turbine, wherein the gearbox system comprises:
a gearbox having a gearbox volume;
a plurality of lubrication locations;
a lubricant reservoir;
a lubricant return arrangement connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir to provide a return flow of lubricant from the gearbox volume to the reservoir, the lubricant return arrangement comprising a pump arranged downstream of the gearbox volume and a return duct connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir; and
an aeration arrangement connecting the gearbox volume to the reservoir, the aeration arrangement comprising a restriction device configured to restrict fluid flow through the aeration arrangement;
the method comprising:
operating the pump such that lubricant is transported from the gearbox volume into the reservoir such that not more than 10% of the gearbox volume is filled with lubricant;
flooding the gearbox volume when the pump becomes inoperative without activating any other component of the gearbox system to cause lubrication flow from the reservoir into the gearbox volume; and
wherein the gearbox volume, when flooded, is filled with lubricant to a flooding level such that all bearings of the gearbox are at least partially covered with lubricant.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Nies Jacob Johannes

Classifications

• F03D15/00

  Transmission of mechanical power · CPC title

• F05B2260/64

  Aeration, ventilation, dehumidification or moisture removal of closed spaces · CPC title

• F03D80/70 Primary

  Bearing or lubricating arrangements · CPC title

• F05B2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title