Service brake for a wind turbine yaw motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497946-B2
Application number	US-202218579880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 23, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A service brake for a wind turbine yaw motor brake is provided, the service brake including a brake housing comprising a brake housing cavity extending axially, in direction of a central axis, through the length of the brake housing. A brake disc is included within the brake housing, being rotatable about the central axis in an airgap between friction plates. A lever is connected to the brake housing, and, when engaged, is configured to close at least part of the airgap and bring the friction plates in frictional contact with the brake disc. A removable centerpiece is insertable within the brake housing cavity, the centerpiece includes a brake disc interface configured to engage with the brake disc and a shaft interface configured to engage with a shaft to be braked. The centerpiece is configurable to transfer braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A service brake for a wind turbine yaw motor brake, the service brake comprising:
a brake housing mounted vertically on the wind turbine yaw motor brake, the brake housing comprising a brake housing cavity extending axially, in a direction of a central vertical axis, through a length of the brake housing; a brake disc within the brake housing, the brake disc being rotatable about the central vertical axis in an airgap; at least one friction plate arranged within the brake housing for providing a frictional contact with the brake disc; a manipulation device connected to the brake housing, the manipulation device, when engaged, is configured to bring the at least one friction plate in frictional contact with the brake disc; and a centerpiece comprising a brake disc interface configured to engage with the brake disc, and a shaft interface configured to engage with a shaft to be braked, configurable to transfer braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked, wherein the centerpiece is removable and is configured to be insertable within the brake housing cavity and rotatable about the central vertical axis.

2 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one friction plate of the service brake comprises at least two friction plates for providing a frictional contact with the brake disc, wherein the brake disc is arranged between the at least two friction plates.

3 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the manipulation device is a lever being connected to the brake housing, wherein the lever, when engaged, is configured to close at least part of the airgap and bring the at least one friction plate in frictional contact with the brake disc.

4 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the brake housing is cylindrical in shape.

5 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the brake housing comprises fastening means, for securing the brake housing to the wind turbine yaw motor brake.

6 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the brake disc comprises a central opening with a grooved surface.

7 . The service brake according to claim 6 , wherein the brake disc interface is an externally grooved spline shaft.

8 . The service brake according to claim 7 , wherein a first groove pattern of the externally grooved spline shaft corresponds to a second groove pattern of the surface of the central opening, such that the spline shaft is receivable by the brake disc by engaging the first groove pattern of the spline shaft with the second groove pattern of the surface of the central opening.

9 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the brake disc interface has a polygonal cross-sectional profile.

10 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft interface has a polygonal cross-sectional profile.

11 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the centerpiece comprises a handle for manual insertion of the centerpiece into the brake housing cavity and/or removal of the centerpiece from the brake housing cavity.

12 . The service brake according to the previous claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises a hole for securing the centerpiece on an external support member.

13 . A method for applying the service brake of claim 1 on the wind turbine yaw motor brake, the method comprising:
mounting the service brake atop the wind turbine yaw motor brake;
inserting the centerpiece within the brake housing cavity, the centerpiece engaging with the brake disc by the brake disc interface and engaging with the shaft to be braked with the shaft interface; and
engaging the manipulating device to close at least part of the airgap and bring the at least one friction plate in frictional contact with the brake disc, thereby transferring braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked.

14 . A wind turbine comprising:
a yaw drive system having a yaw motor and the wind turbine yaw motor brake; and the service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the service brake is mounted atop the yaw motor brake.

15 . The service brake according to claim 1 , wherein the centerpiece is insertable before and after the brake housing is mounted atop the wind turbine yaw motor brake.

16 . A method for locking a wind turbine yaw drive system comprising a plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes, the method comprising:
mounting a plurality of service brakes, atop the plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes, wherein the plurality of service brakes each include:
a brake housing mountable vertically atop the wind turbine yaw motor brake, the brake housing comprising a brake housing cavity extending axially, in a direction of a central axis, through a length of the brake housing;
a brake disc within the brake housing, the brake disc being rotatable about the central axis in an airgap;
at least one friction plate arranged within the brake housing for providing a frictional contact with the brake disc;
a manipulation device connected to the brake housing, the manipulation device, when engaged, is configured to bring the at least one friction plate in frictional contact with the brake disc; and
a centerpiece comprising a brake disc interface configured to engage with the brake disc, and a shaft interface configured to engage with a shaft to be braked, configurable to transfer braking torque from the brake disc to the shaft to be braked;
inserting the centerpiece of each service brake of the plurality of service brakes in the brake housing cavity of the plurality of service brakes; and engaging the manipulation device of each service brake of the plurality of service brakes.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the mounting comprises mounting a number of the plurality of service brakes equal to the number of the plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein a number of the plurality of service brakes is less than the number of the plurality of wind turbine yaw motor brakes.

19 . A method for servicing a wind turbine component, comprising:
locking the wind turbine yaw drive system according to claim 18 using the plurality of service brakes; and performing a service operation on the wind turbine component, the wind turbine component being a further wind turbine yaw motor brake.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Damgaard Steen
• Fogh Helge
• Nielsen Rune

Classifications

• F05B2260/90

  Braking · CPC title

• F16D2125/64

  Levers · CPC title

• F03D7/0244

  for braking · CPC title

• F05B2260/902

  using frictional mechanical forces · CPC title

• F05B2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title