Reliable pitch tube for a blade pitch control system of a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553418-B2
Application number	US-202319116240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A pitch tube for a blade pitch control system of a wind turbine includes a tube body extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, for passing supply lines through a transmission. The tube body is designed in multiple parts and made of a non-conductive material only in an axial partial region in order to electrically insulate the first axial end in relation to the second axial end and/or in order to electrically insulate the tube body in relation to the transmission.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pitch tube for a blade pitch control system of a wind turbine, the pitch tube comprising a tube body extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, for passing supply lines through a transmission, said tube body designed of multiple parts and made of a non-conductive material only in an axial partial region in order to electrically insulate the first axial end in relation to the second axial end and/or in order to electrically insulate the tube body in relation to the transmission.

2 . The pitch tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube body comprises an insulating tube made of the non-conductive material, and a sleeve arranged radially outside the insulating tube and made of a material which is different than the non-conductive material, for providing a bearing surface and/or a contacting or non-contacting sealing surface in relation to the transmission.

3 . The pitch tube of claim 2 , wherein the material of the sleeve is steel.

4 . The pitch tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube body comprises an inner tube made of a material which is different than the non-conductive material, and an insulating sleeve arranged radially outside the inner tube and made of the non-conductive material, for providing a bearing surface and/or a contacting or non-contacting sealing surface in relation to the transmission.

5 . The pitch tube of claim 4 , wherein the inner tube made is made of steel.

6 . The pitch tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube body comprises an insulating tube made of the non-conductive material, and an inner tube made of a material which is different than the non-conductive material, wherein the insulating tube and the inner tube are connected to each other consecutively in an axial direction.

7 . The pitch tube of claim 6 , wherein the tube body comprises two of said inner tube, with the insulating tube arranged in the axial direction between the two inner tubes.

8 . The pitch tube of claim 6 , further comprising a flange connection designed to connect the insulating tube and the inner tube to each other so as to be fixed against movement.

9 . The pitch tube of claim 6 , wherein the insulating tube and the inner tube are connected to each other so as to be axially secured.

10 . The pitch tube of claim 6 , wherein the insulating tube is made of steel.

11 . The pitch tube of claim 6 , wherein the insulating tube and the inner tube are inserted into each other in an axial connection region.

12 . The pitch tube of claim 11 , further comprising an axial securing element designed to secure the insulating tube and the inner tube in the axial direction, said axial securing element being a radially extending connector and/or a securing ring and/or a groove nut outside the connection region.

13 . The pitch tube of claim 12 , wherein the radially extending connector is in the connection region.

14 . The pitch tube of claim 11 , further comprising a sleeve arranged in the connection region and made of a material which is different from the non-conductive material for providing a bearing surface and/or a contacting or non-contacting sealing surface in relation to the transmission, and/or the pitch tube further comprising an insulating sleeve arranged in the connection region and made of the non-conductive material for providing a bearing surface and/or a contacting or non-contacting sealing surface in relation to the transmission.

15 . The pitch tube of claim 14 , wherein the sleeve is made of steel.

16 . The pitch tube of claim 11 , further comprising a clamping ring arranged in the connection region and designed to press together the insulating tube with the inner tube so as to be fixed against movement.

17 . The pitch tube of claim 1 , wherein the axial partial region produced from the non-conductive material is designed as a load-dissipating tube piece for the multi-part tube body.

18 . A transmission for a wind turbine, the transmission comprising a pitch tube which comprises a tube body extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, for passage of supply lines through the transmission, said tube body designed of multiple parts and made of a non-conductive material only in an axial partial region in order to electrically insulate the first axial end in relation to the second axial end and/or in order to electrically insulate the tube body, the transmission further comprising a transmission housing, wherein the first axial end of the tube body on a generator-side axial side of the transmission housing protrudes from the transmission housing and/or the second axial end of the tube body on a rotor-side axial side of the transmission housing facing away from the generator-side axial side protrudes from the transmission housing.

19 . The transmission of claim 18 , wherein the pitch tube is mounted and/or guided in the transmission so as to be relatively rotatable and relatively axially displaceable.

Assignees

• Flender Gmbh

Inventors

• König Christian
• Van Acken Lars

Classifications

• F05B2280/50

  Intrinsic material properties or characteristics · CPC title

• F05B2260/84

  Modelling or simulation · CPC title

• F05B2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F03D15/101

  of the epicyclic or planetary type · CPC title

• F03D80/85 Primary

  Cabling · CPC title