Provided is a grease collection arrangement for collecting waste grease from a bearing, including a plurality of grease extraction valves, wherein each grease extraction valve is connected to a grease outlet of the bearing, an extraction line extending from each grease extraction valve to a common extraction line, a vacuum apparatus configured to create an under-pressure in the extraction lines, and a control module configured to selectively open and close a grease extraction valve. Also provided is a method of collecting waste grease from a bearing lubrication circuit using the grease collection arrangement.

A main bearing housing for supporting a main rotor shaft of a wind turbine, wherein the main bearing housing defines a first end, a second end and a floor region intermediate the first and second ends. The main bearing housing comprises a first bearing arrangement positioned at the first end of the main bearing housing, a second bearing arrangement positioned at the second end of the main bearing housing, wherein the floor region includes a first oil sump positioned at the first bearing arrangement, and a second sump positioned at the second bearing arrangement. Advantageously, the embodiments of the invention provide that the bearings of the main bearing housing are lubricated by a lubrication system that includes sumps positioned at each of the fore and aft bearings of the main rotor shaft. The fore and aft bearings are therefore supplied with oil at suitable lubrication points and are part of the lubrication system that supplies oil to other components in the wind turbine that require oil lubrication, for example the gearbox and/or the generator bearings. The fore and aft bearings of the main bearing housing therefore do not require a separate lubrication system, such as a grease-based system and so the overall lubrication requirements for the nacelle are simplified.

An automatic lubrication system for automatic and demand-driven charging of a bearing with a lubricant includes an automatic lubrication device configured to automatically charge the bearing with the lubricant, a detecting device configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the bearing, and a data-transmission device that is configured to transmit data from the detecting device to the lubrication device. The automatic lubrication device is configured to charge the bearing with the lubricant based on the operating parameters detected by the detecting device.

A lubricant collecting device including a lubricant guide and a lubricant container, where the lubricant guide has an outer surface for guiding a first medium and an inner surface for guiding a second medium, and also includes a gap that forms an inlet for the first medium.

A main bearing housing for a wind turbine comprising a bearing arrangement having a sump located in a floor region of the main bearing housing. The sump comprises a floor pan surrounded by a side wall and includes an overflow arrangement configured to permit fluid to spill from the sump. The overflow arrangement comprises a spill passage configured with a spill inlet at or near the floor pan of the sump and a spill outlet located in a position between the spill inlet and an upper edge of the sump side wall. An advantage of the invention is that since the spill passage is fed with oil from a position that is close to the bottom of the sump, debris and sediment at the bottom of the sump tends to be entrained with the flow of oil and so tends not to collect at the bottom of the sump. The lubrication system therefore is able to clean the oil more effectively because the debris and sediment is encouraged to circulate around the lubrication system.

A lubricant application device includes a base body configured to be mounted to an end surface of a gear. The base body includes a port configured to be connected to a source of lubricant and a holder for holding a lubricant applicator supported by the base body. A lubricant passage connects the port to the holder, and a lubricant applicator is mounted in the holder. The lubricant applicator is a coiled wire defining an internal passage for carrying the lubricant and may include a first length of coils with no axial spacing and a second length of coils that are axial spaced.

Lubrication method and wind turbine comprising a rotor with a hub supported by a main bearing with two opposite bearing races coaxially spaced by rotatably fitted bearing rollers in a lubrication area which is sealed by oil sealing rings between the bearing races. The lubrication area comprises one or more oil inlets operatively connected to an oil supply, and one or more oil outlets. The vertical distance between the outlet(s) and the lowest point of the lubrication area is 0-0.2 times the inner diameter of the outer bearing race. The inlet (s) and the oil supply are configured to supply an oil flow not exceeding the drain capacity of the one or more outlets.

A lubrication system for a pitch bearing of a wind turbine includes a lubricant for lubricating contact surfaces between an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of rolling elements of the pitch bearing. Further, the lubrication system includes a lubricant inlet formed into a first side of the inner race and an inlet seal for sealing the lubricant inlet so as to prevent the lubricant from leaking from the lubricant inlet. Moreover, the lubrication system includes a lubricant outlet formed into an opposing, second side of the inner race and a lubricant collection container arranged adjacent to and in fluid communication with the lubricant outlet and mounted to the inner race. Thus, during operation of the wind turbine, at least one of a slope of the pitch bearing, gravity, and a centrifugal effect cause the lubricant to flow throughout the pitch bearing to lubricate the contact surfaces without exiting a closed volume defined by the inlet seal(s) and the lubricant collection container(s).

An automatic lubrication system for automatic and demand-driven charging of a bearing with a lubricant includes an automatic lubrication device configured to automatically charge the bearing with the lubricant, a detecting device configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the bearing, and a data-transmission device that is configured to transmit data from the detecting device to the lubrication device. The automatic lubrication device is configured to charge the bearing with the lubricant based on the operating parameters detected by the detecting device.

A method of lubricating a main bearing of a wind turbine, the method comprising providing the main bearing. The main bearing comprises a main bearing housing having one or more pre-existing lubrication ports, an outer race, an inner race radially disposed inwardly from the outer race, and a first row of roller bearings and a second row of roller bearings. The first and second rows of roller bearings are radially disposed between the inner race and the outer race. The first row of roller bearings is axially disposed on the upwind side of the second row of roller bearings. The method includes forming one or more alternate lubrication ports in the main bearing housing. The alternate lubrication ports are configured to deliver a lubricant between the first row of roller bearings and the second row of roller bearings. The method includes supplying the lubricant to the alternate lubrication ports.