Gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine and wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12372062-B2
Application number	US-202217698762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2022
Priority date	Mar 18, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine includes: a gearbox housing, a torque support arrangement, a rotor bearing support structure, wherein the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure are arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis, the torque support arrangement couples the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure. The torque support arrangement includes a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure and to reduce the transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine, the gearbox support arrangement comprising:
a gearbox housing including two protrusions;
a torque support arrangement;
a rotor bearing support structure including two further protrusions;
said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure being arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions interlock, such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions are arranged so that one of said two protrusions is arranged between said two further protrusions and one of said two further protrusions is arranged between said two protrusions;
wherein said torque support arrangement couples said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and,
said torque support arrangement including a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure and to reduce a transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

2. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein:
said two protrusions protrude along an axial direction;
and,
said one of said two protrusions protrudes between said two further protrusions along the axial direction.

3. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said torque support arrangement defines an opening at the other one of said rotor bearing support structure and said gearbox housing; said decoupling device includes two decoupling elements which are tangentially arranged on opposite sides of said two protrusions; each of said two decoupling elements is arranged between said two protrusions and a wall; and, said wall is part of one of said two further protrusions and limits said opening.

4. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 3 , wherein each of said two decoupling elements includes a spring damping element; and, said spring damping element has a hydraulic, elastomeric, elastomeric-hydraulic or plastic structure.

5. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said torque support arrangement includes a ring element; said ring element is formed separately from said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and, said ring element is connected to said gearbox housing and includes said two protrusions or is connected to the rotor bearing support structure and includes said two further protrusions.

6. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 5 , wherein said ring element includes a plurality of ring segments; and, said ring segments each are radially removable from a corresponding one of said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

7. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said two further protrusions are formed separately from said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and, said two further protrusions are connected to said rotor bearing support structure.

8. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox support arrangement comprises a plurality of said torque support arrangements arranged around a circumference of said rotor bearing support structure and said gearbox housing.

9. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of torque support arrangements are symmetrically arranged.

10. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said two protrusions and said two further protrusions each protrude along an axial direction and form U-shaped openings.

11. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein decoupling elements are arranged between all of said two protrusions and said two further protrusions.

12. A wind turbine comprising:
a nacelle;
a gearbox support arrangement arranged within the nacelle;
said gearbox support arrangement including a gearbox housing having two protrusions, a torque support arrangement, and a rotor bearing support structure including two further protrusions;
said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure being arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions interlock, such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions are arranged alternately so that one of said two protrusions is arranged between said two further protrusions and one of said two further protrusions is arranged between said two protrusions;
wherein said torque support arrangement couples said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and,
said torque support arrangement including a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure and to reduce a transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

Assignees

• Nordex Energy Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Muhamad Ibrahim
• Festner Gerald
• Nickel Viktor

Classifications

• F05B2260/4031

  as in toothed gearing · CPC title

• F05B2240/50

  Bearings · CPC title

• F03D80/70

  Bearing or lubricating arrangements · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2260/964

  by damping means · CPC title