SLIDING BEARING ARRANGEMENT FOR A WIND TURBINE

Abstract

A sliding bearing arrangement for a wind turbine and a method to service the bearing is provided. A sliding bearing arrangement of a wind turbine includes a first shaft and a second shaft, whereby a first radial sliding bearing is arranged between the shafts. The first radial sliding bearing includes bearing pads. The first shaft includes a collar, whereby the collar is arranged mainly perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and radially overlaps at least a part of a radial surface of the second shaft. The collar includes an opening to exchange the bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing of the bearing arrangement.

Claims

1. A sliding bearing arrangement of a wind turbine, whereby the arrangement comprises a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft and the second shaft being arranged coaxially to each other, and one of the first shaft and the second shaft shafts is rotatable with respect to the other shaft around a common axis of rotation, whereby a first radial sliding bearing is arranged between the first shaft and the second shaft to support the rotatable shaft by the stationary shaft, whereby the first radial sliding bearing comprises bearing pads, whereby the first shaft comprises a collar, the collar being arranged mainly perpendicular to the common axis of rotation, and radially overlaps at least a part of a radial surface of the second shaft, whereby the collar comprises a first axial sliding bearing to support axial loads between the first shaft and the second shaft, whereby the collar is connected to the first shaft at a first radial position of the collar, and the first axial sliding bearing is connected to the collar at a second radial position of the collar, wherein the collar comprises an opening in an area between the first radial position and the second radial position, to exchange the bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing of the sliding bearing arrangement.

2. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second shaft comprises a collar that is arranged mainly parallel to the collar of the first shaft, and that the first axial sliding bearing is located between the two collars.

3. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first shaft is the stationary shaft.

4. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first shaft is an outer one of the coaxially arranged shafts.

5. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bearing pads of the first sliding bearing are attached to the first shaft, and the first shaft comprises a recess to retain a bearing pad of the first radial sliding bearing, whereby the recess is in communication with the opening in the collar of the first shaft, so that the bearing pad can be removed and exchanged by moving the bearing pad along the recess and through the opening.

6. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the collar of the first shaft comprises a structure that enframes the collar of the second shaft to support a second axial sliding bearing that acts on the collar of the second shaft in an opposite direction than the first axial sliding bearing.

7. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the collar of the first shaft is connected to an axial end of the first shaft.

8. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a second radial bearing between the first shaft and the second shaft in a certain predetermined distance to the first radial sliding bearing, to support radial loads or tilting moments.

9. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the first shaft is more rigid in an area of the first radial sliding bearing than in an area of the second radial bearing.

10. The sliding bearing arrangement according claim 9, wherein the second shaft is more rigid in the area of the second radial bearing than in the area of the first radial sliding bearing.

11. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the second radial bearing is a sliding bearing that comprises bearing pads, and the bearing pads are arranged in openings in the first shaft.

12. The sliding bearing arrangement according claim 1, wherein at least one axial sliding bearing comprises bearing pads and the bearing pads are arranged in openings in the collar structure of the first shaft.

13. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second shaft is at least partially arranged radially inward of the first shaft, and the collar connected to the first shaft is reaching from the first shaft radially inward in the direction to the center axis of the first shaft.

14. The sliding bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one opening in the collar of the first shaft comprises a liquid tight cover.

15. A method for exchanging a bearing pad of a sliding bearing arrangement of a wind turbine, whereby the sliding bearing arrangement comprises a first shaft and a second shaft, whereby the first shaft and the second shaft are arranged coaxially to each other, and one of the first shaft and the second shaft is rotatable with respect to the other shaft around a common axis of rotation, whereby a first radial sliding bearing is arranged between the first shaft and the second shaft to support the rotatable shaft by the stationary shaft, whereby the first radial sliding bearing comprises bearing pads, whereby the first shaft comprises a collar, whereby the collar is arranged mainly perpendicular to the common axis of rotation, and radially overlaps at least a part of a radial surface of the second shaft, whereby the collar comprises a first axial sliding bearing to support axial loads between the first shaft and the second shaft, whereby the collar is connected to the first shaft at a first radial position of the collar, and the first axial sliding bearing is connected to the collar at a second radial position of the collar, whereby the collar comprises an opening in an area between the first radial position and the second radial position, the method comprising the step of: exchanging a bearing pad of the first radial sliding bearing through the opening in the collar of the first shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0079] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0080] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a sliding bearing arrangement;

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a stationary shaft of an embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement;

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a stationary shaft of an embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement with the bearing pads arranged at the stationary shaft;

[0083] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement in a perspective view;

[0084] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement in a second perspective; and

[0085] FIG. 6 shows the use of an embodiment of the sliding bearing arrangement in a wind turbine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a sliding bearing arrangement; the sliding arrangement can be used for a wind turbine.

[0087] The sliding bearing arrangement comprises a stationary shaft 1 and a rotatable shaft 2, that are arranged coaxially within each other and rotatable in respect to each other around an axis of rotation 10.

[0088] The arrangement comprises two radial bearings 4, 5 that support the rotatable shaft 2 in respect to the stationary shaft 1 in radial direction. The radial bearings 4, 5 are sliding bearings.

[0089] The stationary shaft 1 comprises a collar that is arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation 10. The first radial sliding bearing 5 is arranged between the rotatable shaft 2 and the stationary shaft 1.

[0090] The collar that is attached to the stationary shaft 1 comprises an opening 8 that allows an exchange of the bearing pad of the first radial sliding bearing 5.

[0091] The collar that is connected to the stationary shaft 1 comprises a sliding bearing 7 that supports the rotatable shaft 2 in axial direction. The collar comprises an opening 13 that allows the exchange of the sliding pads of the axial bearing 7. The sliding pads of the axial bearing 7 are arranged in the opening 13 of the collar.

[0092] A carrier arrangement 15 is connected to the collar, whereby the carrier arrangement 15 comprises a second axial sliding bearing 6 to support the rotatable shaft 2 in respect to the stationary shaft 1 in axial direction.

[0093] The axial sliding bearings 6 and 7 support the rotatable shaft 2 in different axial directions. Thus, the rotatable shaft 2 is fixed in its axial position in respect to the stationary shaft 1.

[0094] To support the rotatable shaft 2, the rotatable shaft 2 comprises a collar 9 and the axial sliding bearing 6 and 7 act on the collar 9 of the rotatable shaft 2.

[0095] The openings 8 in the collar of the stationary shaft 1 can be closed by a lid so that lubricant present in the sliding bearings 5, 6 and 7 can be retained within the bearing arrangement.

[0096] The second radial sliding bearing 4 is arranged in an opening 11 that allows an exchange of the bearing pad of the second radial sliding bearing 4.

[0097] The sliding bearing arrangement can be used for a wind turbine, therefore the rotatable shaft 2 comprises a flange 3 that can be connected to the rotor of an electrical generator of a wind turbine.

[0098] FIG. 2 shows a stationary shaft 1 of a sliding bearing arrangement.

[0099] The stationary shaft 1 comprises openings 11, whereby pads of a radial sliding bearing 4 can be arranged in the openings 11.

[0100] The stationary shaft 1 comprises recesses 14, whereby the recesses 14 are prepared to hold sliding pads of a first radial sliding bearing 5.

[0101] FIG. 3 shows a stationary shaft of the sliding bearing arrangement with the bearing pads arranged at the stationary shaft.

[0102] FIG. 3 shows a stationary shaft 1 of the sliding bearing arrangement.

[0103] At the radial sliding bearing 4, bearing pads are arranged in the openings 11 of the stationary shaft 1. For the first radial sliding bearing 5, bearing pads are arranged in the recesses 14 of the stationary shaft 1.

[0104] The bearing pads of the second radial sliding bearing 4 can be exchanged through the openings 11. The bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing 5 can be exchanged by sliding them along the recesses 14 in parallel to the inner wall of the stationary shaft 1 out of the recesses 14 at the end of the stationary shaft 1.

[0105] FIG. 4 shows the sliding bearing arrangement in a perspective view.

[0106] The stationary shaft 1 and the rotatable shaft 2 are hollow shafts that are arranged coaxially within each other. The rotatable shaft 2 is supported in respect to a stationary shaft 1 by two radial sliding bearings 4, 5 and by two axial sliding bearings 6, 7.

[0107] The second radial sliding bearing 4 is arranged at one end of the stationary shaft 1. The first radial sliding bearing 5 is arranged close to the other end of the stationary shaft 1.

[0108] The bearing pads of the second radial sliding bearing 4 can be exchanged from the outside of the stationary shaft 1 in a radial direction. The bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing 5 are arranged in a radial gap between the stationary shaft 1 and the rotatable shaft 2. The bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing 5 can be exchanged by sliding them out of the gap between the stationary shaft 1 and the rotatable shaft 2 in axial direction.

[0109] At the end of the stationary shaft 1 close to the first radial sliding bearing 5, the stationary shaft 1 comprises a collar that bridges the radial gap and overlaps the rotatable shaft 2. The collar at a stationary shaft 1 is needed to support the first and the second axial sliding bearing 6, 7.

[0110] The collar comprises openings 8 that are through-going openings in the collar of the stationary shaft 1, and that are arranged in a way that the bearing pads of the first radial sliding bearing 5 can be exchanged by sliding them out of the gap between the stationary shaft 1 and the rotatable shaft 2 through the openings 8 in the collar.

[0111] The collar connected to the stationary shaft 1 comprises a first axial sliding bearing 7 and a support arrangement 15 to support a second axial sliding bearing 6. The pads of the axial sliding bearing 6, 7 can be arranged through openings in their respective support arrangement in axial direction.

[0112] FIG. 5 shows the sliding bearing arrangement in a second perspective.

[0113] FIG. 5 shows the sliding bearing arrangement from the side of the collar attached to the stationary shaft 1. The stationary shaft 1 supports the rotatable shaft 2 that is arranged within stationary shaft 1. The radial forces are supported by radial bearings 4, 5. The axial forces are supported by axial bearings 6, 7. The rotatable shaft 2 comprises a collar 9 and the pads of the axial bearings 6, 7 act on the collar 9 of the rotatable shaft 2. The axial bearing 7 is connected to the collar attached to the stationary shaft 1.

[0114] The axial bearing 6 is connected to a support structure that is attached to the collar of the stationary shaft 1. The collar of the stationary shaft 1 comprises openings 8 that are arranged in a way that the bearing pads of the second radial sliding bearing 5 can be exchanged through the openings 8.

[0115] The bearing pads of the second radial sliding bearing can be slid out of the radial gap between the stationary shaft 1 and the rotatable shaft 2 and through the opening 8.

[0116] FIG. 6 shows the use of a sliding bearing arrangement in a wind turbine.

[0117] The sliding bearing arrangement comprises a stationary shaft 1 and a rotatable shaft 2. The stationary shaft 1 is connected to the stator 17 of an electrical generator.

[0118] The rotatable shaft 2 is connected to the rotor 16 of the electrical generator. Therefore, the rotatable shaft 2 comprises a flange 3. The rotor of the electrical generator is connected to the flange 3 at one side, and over a support bearing 18 to the stationary shaft 1 at the other end.

[0119] The illustration in the drawings is in schematic form. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

[0120] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0121] It should be noted that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.