Components of a wind power plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9316204-B2
Application number	US-201113883453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2011
Priority date	Nov 4, 2010
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

The present invention concerns a module carrier for fixing electric modules provided for controlling one or more pitch drives of a wind power installation to a rotor hub of the wind power installation comprising a main body for carrying the electric modules, wherein the rotor hub is adapted to rotate about a substantially horizontal rotor axis, and the main body is adapted to be fixed in front of the rotor hub in the axial direction of the rotor axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A module carrier comprising:
electric modules configured to control one or more pitch drives of a wind power installation;
a main body that is a flat disk shape and includes a receiving surface that receives and holds the electric modules; and
fixing struts coupled to the main body and configured to couple the main body to a rotor hub of the wind power installation, wherein when the main body is coupled to the rotor hub, the rotor hub is adapted to rotate about a substantially horizontal rotor axis and the receiving surface is perpendicular to the rotor axis of the rotor hub, and wherein the main body is adapted to be fixed in front of the rotor hub in an axial direction of the rotor axis.

2. The module carrier according to claim 1 wherein the main body has a periphery adapted to a spinner casing and has fixing means for elastic connection to the spinner casing.

3. The module carrier according to claim 1 wherein the wind power installation has one or more rotor blades and the electric modules include at least one of the following elements:
a transformer module for supplying the pitch drives with electrical energy;
a distribution module for direct or indirect distribution of digital information to each pitch drive;
a blade regulating module for each rotor blade for controlling the respective pitch drive;
a blade relay module for each rotor blade for carrying out electrical switching-over operations for the respective pitch drive; and
a storage module for each rotor blade for storing and providing electric energy for the respective pitch drive.

4. A rotor hub of a wind power installation comprising:
a module carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the module carrier is arranged rigidly by means of holding devices at the rotor hub at its side towards the wind, and wherein the module carrier is arranged with its main body substantially perpendicularly to the rotor axis, and wherein the module carrier is elastically connected to a spinner casing of the rotor hub.

5. A machine carrier of a gearless wind power installation comprising:
means for carrying an electric generator connected to an aerodynamic rotor of the wind power installation on a pylon, wherein the aerodynamic rotor has a substantially horizontal rotor axis and the pylon has a substantially vertical pylon axis; and
first and second substantially tubular portions, each arranged substantially perpendicularly to each other, wherein the first tubular portion has a first opening that receives at least a portion of the second substantially tubular portion, and wherein the first substantially tubular portion includes an inner support portion provided in the second substantially tubular portion to reinforce a fillet region of the machine carrier.

6. The machine carrier according to claim 5 wherein at least one of:
the first tubular portion has a central axis coincident with the vertical pylon axis;
the second tubular portion has a central axis coincident with the rotor axis;
the first tubular portion is of a larger mean diameter than the second tubular portion; and
the first and second tubular portions are conical.

7. The machine carrier according to claim 5 wherein a lateral passage opening is so provided such that a person has access to a pod of the wind power installation from the pylon at the inside through the first substantially tubular portion and at the outside past the second tubular portion.

8. The machine carrier according to claim 5 wherein the machine carrier is in the form of a casting and has receiving means for azimuth drives.

9. A generator support structure for carrying an electric generator of a gearless wind power installation, the electric generator including a stator and an electric rotor, the generator comprising:
a machine carrier according to claim 5 ;
a mounting attachment for fixing to the machine carrier;
a stator carrier for fixing to the mounting attachment and for carrying the stator; and
a journal for fixing to the mounting attachment and for carrying at least one of the electric rotor and a rotor hub with an aerodynamic rotor.

10. The generator support structure according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the mounting attachment and the journal is hollow for guiding cooling air to the rotor hub, and wherein at least one of the mounting attachment and the journal has a fan for producing an air flow therethrough.

11. A pod a wind power installation comprising:
a base platform portion located inside of the pod and fixed to a machine carrier in flexurally stiff relationship;
a suspended platform portion located inside of the pod and fixed in suspended relationship to at least one of the machine carrier and the base platform portion;
an upper platform located inside of the pod and above the base platform portion; and
an intermediate platform located between the base platform portion and the upper platform.

12. The pod structure according to claim 11 wherein:
a support structure is arranged on and fixed to the base platform portion, and the support structure has a projecting carrier portion having a crane device for lifting loads;
a tensile carrier connected to the suspended platform portion for partially suspending the suspended platform portion on the projecting carrier portion; and
wherein the intermediate platform has at least one movable floor panel to provide access to azimuth drives through the intermediate platform.

13. A pod of a gearless wind power installation for receiving technical devices required for operation of the wind power installation, the pod comprising:
a pod casing for protecting the technical devices from weather; and
ventilation openings in the pod casing that allow outside air to enter the pod for ventilating the pod and for cooling at least parts of the wind power installation, wherein the ventilation openings have droplet separators to separate moisture from inflowing air.

14. The pod according to claim 13 comprising:
a pod structure including a base platform portion fixed to a machine carrier in flexurally stiff relationship, and a suspended platform portion fixed in suspended relationship to at least one of the machine carrier and the base platform portion;
a module carrier including a main body for carrying the electric modules, a rotor hub being adapted to rotate about a substantially horizontal rotor axis, and the main body being adapted to be fixed in front of the rotor hub in an axial direction of the rotor axis; and
a machine carrier that includes first and second substantially tubular portions each arranged substantially perpendicularly to each other, wherein the first tubular portion at least partially passes through the second tubular portion, and wherein the second substantially tubular portion at least partially passes through the first substantially tubular portion.

15. A gearless wind power installation, comprising
a pylon; and
a pod according to claim 13 , further comprising a sealing means to prevent the passage of outside air to a transitional region between the pod casing and the pylon.

16. A method of operating a wind power installation, the method comprising:
receiving air through at least one droplet separator in a pod casing such that the air is received in a first part of a pod;
blowing the air from the first part of the pod through at least one of a mounting attachment and a journal into a second part of the pod, the second part of the pod including a region of a rotor hub and rotor head; and
issuing the air from the pod in the second part of the pod to a transitional region between a

Assignees

• Fricke Werner
• Sartorius Florian
• Baumgaertel Christian
• Hildebrand Arno
• Gudewer Wilko
• Geiken Peter
• Roer Jochen
• Wobben Properties Gmbh

Inventors

• Fricke Werner
• Sartorius Florian
• Baumgaertel Christian
• Hildebrand Arno
• Gudewer Wilko
• Geiken Peter
• Roer Jochen

Classifications

• Y02E10/728

  Onshore wind turbines · CPC title

• F03D1/0691 Primary

  of the hub · CPC title

• F03D15/20

  Gearless transmission, i.e. direct-drive · CPC title

• F03D7/0204 Primary

  for orientation in relation to wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2240/14

  Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within · CPC title