Wind turbine power transmission system and method of installing a wind farm including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309868-B2
Application number	US-201113879972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2011
Priority date	Oct 18, 2010
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A power transmission system for a wind turbine comprises a gearbox and generator. The gearbox includes a gear-box housing and gearbox output member. The generator includes: a generator housing having a drive-end side and non-drive-end side, the drive-end side being coupled to the gearbox housing; a stator supported by the generator housing; a rotor coupled to the gearbox output member so as to be driven thereby; a non-drive-end shield coupled to the non-drive-end side of the generator housing; and at least one auxiliary drive mounted to the non-drive-end shield. The at least one auxiliary drive is configured to rotate the turning gear. A corresponding method of installing a wind farm including such a power transmission system is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A power transmission system for a wind turbine, comprising:
a gearbox having a gearbox housing and a gearbox output member extending from the gearbox housing; and
a generator integrated with the gearbox, the generator including:
a generator housing coupled to the gearbox housing;
a stator positioned within the generator housing;
a rotor coupled to the gearbox output member so as to be driven thereby, the rotor being positioned within the generator housing and effectively dividing the generator housing into a drive-end side and non-drive-end side, the drive-end side being coupled to the gearbox housing, the stator being supported between the drive-end side and non-drive-end side;
a non-drive-end shield coupled to the non-drive-end side of the generator housing and having a recess radially disposed about the rotor;
an end adaptor coupled to the rotor and extending out of the generator housing so as to nest within the recess;
at least one auxiliary drive mounted to the non-drive-end shield; and
a turning gear positioned outside the generator housing next to the at least one auxiliary drive, the turning gear being coupled to the end adaptor so that at least a portion of the turning gear is received in the recess, the at least one auxiliary drive being configured to rotate a respective pinion that meshes with the turning gear.

2. The power transmission system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a brake disc coupled to the end adaptor; and
at least one brake caliper fixed relative to the brake disc and configured to apply friction thereto.

3. The power transmission system according to claim 1 , where in the brake caliper is mounted to the non-drive-end shield.

4. The power transmission system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary drive comprises a plurality of auxiliary drives configured to rotate the turning gear.

5. The power transmission system according to claim 4 , wherein at least two of the auxiliary drives have different power outputs.

6. The power transmission system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary drive comprises a hydraulic motor that drives the respective pinion.

7. A wind turbine, comprising:
a power transmission system according to claim 1 ;
a hub mounted to the power transmission system, the turning gear being operatively coupled to the hub; and
a set of blades mounted to the hub.

8. A method of installing a wind farm, comprising:
installing a tower of a first wind turbine;
installing a power transmission system on the tower, the power transmission system including a gearbox and generator integrated together, the gearbox having a gearbox housing and a gearbox output member extending from the gearbox housing, the generator having a generator housing coupled to the gearbox housing, a stator positioned within the generator housing, a rotor coupled to the gearbox output member so as to be driven thereby, wherein the rotor is positioned within the generator housing and effectively divides the generator housing into a drive-end side and non-drive-end side, the drive-end side being coupled to the gearbox housing, and the stator being supported between the drive-end side and non-drive-end side, the generator further including a non-drive-end shield coupled to the non-drive-end side of the generator housing and having a recess radially disposed about the rotor, an end adaptor coupled to the rotor and extending out of the generator housing so as to nest within the recess, and a turning gear positioned outside the generator housing and coupled to the end adaptor so that at least a portion of the turning gear is received in the recess;
mounting at least one auxiliary drive to the non-drive-end shield, the turning gear being positioned next to the at least one auxiliary drive after the at least one auxiliary drive has been mounted;
mounting a hub to the power transmission system, the gearbox being configured to increase a rotational speed of the hub;
mounting one or more blades to the hub; and
rotating the turning gear with the at least one auxiliary drive, wherein the at least one auxiliary drive rotates a respective pinion that meshes with the turning gear, and further wherein the hub is rotated by the turning gear.

9. The method according claim 8 , wherein mounting the one or more blades comprises mounting less than a complete set of blades so as to create an unbalanced load on the hub, wherein mounting the at least one auxiliary drive comprises mounting a plurality of the auxiliary drives, and wherein rotating the turning gear comprises operating the plurality of auxiliary drives.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
mounting a complete set of blades to the hub;
removing at least some of the auxiliary drives from the non-drive-end shield; and
thereafter, rotating the turning gear with one or more auxiliary drives remaining on the non-drive-end shield.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein removing at least some of the auxiliary drives comprises removing all but one of the auxiliary drives.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
using one or more of the auxiliary drives removed from the non-drive-end shield of the first wind turbine to complete the installation of a second wind turbine.

Assignees

• RÜSCHOFF Ralf
• Mongeau Peter
• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• RÜSCHOFF Ralf
• Mongeau Peter

Classifications

• H02K7/1838

  Generators mounted in a nacelle or similar structure of a horizontal axis wind turbine · CPC title

• Y02E10/725

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F03D11/02

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• Y10T29/49009

  Dynamoelectric machine · CPC title

• F16H1/46

  Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, {i.e. systems having three or more central gears} · CPC title