Multi segment wind turbine blade joint bushing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12018641-B2
Application number	US-202217730986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2022
Priority date	Jan 16, 2019
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A joint bushing that accommodates the dithering and sliding in multi segment wind turbines. The joint bushing includes a self-lubricating liner that is a composite system incorporating woven Polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with structural reinforcement fibers in a composite matrix. The composite system provides sufficient life without requiring re-lubrication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bushing for a segmented wind turbine blade, the bushing comprising:
a tubular segment having an inside surface extending from a first axial end to a second axial end thereof;
a thrust component extending radially outward from and circumferentially around the first axial end; and
a self-lubricating liner having a mounting surface and a bearing surface, the mounting surface being adhered to the inside surface and extending over the thrust component,
wherein the self-lubricating liner comprises a composite system incorporating a plurality of woven polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with reinforcement fibers encapsulated within a composite matrix, and
wherein the polytetrafluoroethylene fibers overlay the reinforcement fibers on the bearing surface at a majority of intersections of the polytetrafluoroethylene and reinforcement fibers.

2. The bushing of claim 1 , further comprising
an inner groove formed in the tubular segment; and
a collapsible ring disposed in the inner groove.

3. The bushing of claim 1 , wherein the thrust component comprises a flange formed integrally with the tubular segment.

4. The bushing of claim 2 , wherein the inner groove is a circumferential groove.

5. The bushing of claim 2 , wherein the inner groove is formed in the self-lubricating liner and the tubular segment.

6. A bushing for a segmented wind turbine blade, the bushing comprising:
a tubular segment having an inside surface extending from a first axial end to a second axial end thereof,
a thrust component extending radially outward from and circumferentially around the first axial end; and
a self-lubricating liner having a mounting surface and a bearing surface, the mounting surface being adhered to the inside surface and extending over the thrust component,
wherein the self-lubricating liner comprises a composite system incorporating a plurality of woven polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with reinforcement fibers encapsulated within a composite matrix, and
wherein the reinforcement fibers overlay the polytetrafluoroethylene fibers on the mounting surface at a majority of intersections of the polytetrafluoroethylene and reinforcement fibers.

7. A segmented wind turbine blade, comprising:
a first segment;
a second segment;
a bushing comprising:
a tubular segment having an inside surface extending from a first axial end to a second axial end thereof; and
a self-lubricating liner having a mounting surface and a bearing surface, the mounting surface being adhered to the inside surface,
wherein an inner groove is formed in the tubular segment and the self-lubricating liner, and
wherein a collapsible ring is disposed in the inner groove; and

a shaft comprising an outer groove and rotatably coupling the first segment to the second segment,
wherein the collapsible ring engages the inner groove and the outer groove through the self-lubricating liner to axially secure the shaft.

8. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 7 , further comprising a thrust component extending radially outward from and circumferentially around the first axial end.

9. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 8 , wherein the thrust component comprises a flange formed integrally with the tubular segment.

10. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 7 , wherein the self-lubricating liner comprises a composite system incorporating a plurality of woven polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with reinforcement fibers encapsulated within a composite matrix.

11. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 10 , wherein the polytetrafluoroethylene fibers overlay the reinforcement fibers on the bearing surface at a majority of intersections of the polytetrafluoroethylene and reinforcement fibers.

12. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement fibers overlay the polytetrafluoroethylene fibers on the mounting surface at a majority of intersections of the polytetrafluoroethylene and reinforcement fibers.

13. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 7 , wherein the inner groove is a circumferential groove.

14. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 8 , wherein the self-lubricating liner extends over the thrust component.

15. A segmented wind turbine blade, comprising:
a first segment;
a second segment;
a bushing in the first segment, the bushing comprising: a tubular segment with an inside surface, a flange extending radially outward from and circumferentially around an end of the tubular segment, and a self-lubricating liner having a mounting surface and a bearing surface, the self-lubricating liner being connected to the tubular segment with the mounting surface contacting the inside surface and the self-lubricating liner extending over the flange; and
a shaft in the bushing on the bearing surface to rotatably couple the first segment to the second segment such that the self-lubricating liner is between the flange and the second segment.

16. The segmented wind turbine blade of claim 15 , further comprising a second bushing in the second segment, the second bushing comprising: a second tubular segment with an inside surface, a second flange extending radially outward from and circumferentially around an end of the second tubular segment, and a second self-lubricating liner having a mounting surface and a bearing surface, the second self-lubricating liner being connected to the second tubular segment with the mounting surface contacting the inside surface, wherein the self-lubricating liner of the bushing is in contact with the flange of the bushing and the second flange of the second bushing.

Assignees

• Roller Bearing Co America Inc

Inventors

• Meeks Ryan
• McGuire Jarrod
• Westbrook Elizabeth

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F16C2208/32

  Polytetrafluorethylene [PTFE] (F16C2208/58 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16C33/201

  Composition of the plastic · CPC title

• F16C23/045

  for radial load mainly, e.g. radial spherical plain bearings · CPC title

• F05B2280/6003

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title