Abstract
The present invention relates to a lubrication system for a wind turbine (105). The lubrication system comprises at least one or more pumps (310), a tubing system (206, 207, 209), one or more lubricant reservoirs, and a filtering system (200). The filtering system (200) comprises at least one cylindrical filter container (100). Each cylindrical filter container (100, 100a) comprises at least one filter element (301-304). Each cylindrical filter container (100, 100a) defines a central axis (101) along its axial direction and the central axis (101) of each cylindrical filter container (100, 100a) is oriented in a direction forming an angle of at least 10 with respect to a vertical direction (102).
Claims
1. A lubrication system for a wind turbine, the lubrication system comprising at least one or more pumps, a tubing system, one or more lubricant reservoirs, and a filtering system, the filtering system comprising at least one cylindrical filter container, each cylindrical filter container comprising at least one filter element, each cylindrical filter container defining a central axis along its axial direction, wherein the central axis of each cylindrical filter container is oriented in a direction forming an angle of at least 10 with respect to a vertical direction.
2. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical filter container of the filtering system is mounted to the lubrication system by means of at least one releasable clamp.
3. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system forms a first and a second end, the first end being in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir, the second end being in fluid communication with a lubrication point on the wind turbine, and wherein the lubricant enters at the first end of the filtering system and exits at the second end of the filtering system.
4. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein at least two filter elements of the filtering system are arranged fluidly in parallel to each other.
5. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cylindrical filter container(s) comprises at least two filter elements, the filter elements being arranged adjacent to each other along the central axis of the cylindrical filter container.
6. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system is mounted directly on a drive train component of the wind turbine.
7. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system is configured to deliver lubricant directly to the drive train component of the wind turbine through a single tube connecting the filtering system and the component.
8. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein at least one filter element forms part of a pipeline of the lubrication system.
9. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filter elements comprised in the filtering system have a diameter between 150 mm and 250 mm, and wherein the filter elements comprised in the filtering system have a length between 200 mm and 600 mm.
10. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system is configured for inside-out filtration.
11. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system is configured for outside-in filtration.
12. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the central axis of each cylindrical filter container is oriented in a direction forming an angle in the range between 70 and 110 with respect to the vertical direction.
13. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the lubrication system further comprises a heat-exchanging element arranged in or immediately adjacent to the filtering system.
14. The lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the filtering system is mounted on the drive train component of the wind turbine, the filtering system being accommodated within a transport unit.
15. A wind turbine comprising a lubrication system according to claim 1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
[0032] FIG. 1a illustrates possible orientation of a cylindrical filter container according to an embodiment of the invention,
[0033] FIG. 1b illustrates a wind turbine, indicating its vertical direction,
[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a filtering system according to an embodiment of the invention being mounted on a drive train component,
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a filtering system according to a first embodiment of the invention, the filtering system comprising a cylindrical filter container with filter elements being fluidly connected in series,
[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates a filtering system according to a second embodiment of the invention, the filtering system comprising two cylindrical filter containers arranged in parallel, and
[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates a filtering system accommodated in a transport unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] FIG. 1a illustrates possible orientation of a cylindrical filter container 100. Each cylindrical filter container 100 defines a central axis 101 along the container's axial direction. According to the invention, the central axis 101 of each cylindrical filter container 100 is oriented in a direction forming an angle of at least 10 with respect to a vertical direction 102. According to one embodiment of the invention, the central axis 101 of each cylindrical filter container 100 may be oriented in a direction forming an angle in the range between 70 and 110 with respect to the vertical direction 102, as indicated by regions 103 and 104. By having such a configuration, the cylindrical filter container 100 may be nearly parallel to the rotor axis of a wind turbine (not shown). Fig. lb illustrates a wind turbine 105 and a coordinate system 106. The vertical direction 102 is a direction extending from up to down (or down to up), such as the y-axis of the coordinate system 106. The vertical direction 102 is parallel with the local gravity vector 107.
[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates the filtering system 200 mounted on a drive train component 201. The cylindrical filter container 100 of the filtering system 200 is directly mounted on a drive train component 201 of the wind turbine. It can be seen from the drawing that the component 201 is in an abutting contact with the cylindrical filter container 100. The drive train component 201 may be a component such as a gearbox, generator, rotor shaft, bearings, brakes, or the like. The cylindrical filter container 100 is mounted to the component 201 by means of three hose clamps 202, 203, 204. FIG. 2 also illustrates a heat-exchanging element 205, being connected to the filtering system 200 via a tube 206. The heat-exchanging element 205 may then be connected to the tube 207 which delivers the lubricant to the component 201. The figure illustrates that the central axis 101 of the cylindrical filter container 100 is arranged substantially parallel to the central axis 208 of the component 201. The filtering system 200 further comprises a tube 209 connected to the inlet of the cylindrical filter container 100, the tube 209 delivering lubricant to filter elements arranged in the cylindrical filter container 100.
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates a filter system 200 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The filter system 200 comprises a cylindrical filter container 100 comprising four filter elements, 301, 302, 303, 304 arranged adjacent to each other along the central axis 101 of the cylindrical filter container 100, i.e., one element is in continuation of another. The filter elements 301, 302, 303, 304 are connected fluidly in parallel, in the sense that lubricant enters a common flow path defined in the cylindrical filter container 100, circumferentially with respect to the filter elements 301, 302, 303, 304. From the common flow path, lubricant enters each of the filter elements 301, 302, 303, 304, thereby causing filtering of the lubricant. FIG. 3 further illustrates a heat-exchanging element 205 connected to the cylindrical filter container 100 via the pipe 305. The arrow 306 indicates the inflow of a lubricant through the pipe 307. The arrows 308 and 309 illustrate outflow of the lubricant towards different components (not shown). The outflow is regulated via the pump 310.
[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a filtering system 200 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The filtering system 200 comprises two cylindrical filter containers 100 and 100a, arranged in parallel to each other. Therefore, their corresponding central axes 101 and 101a are also arranged in parallel to each other. Each cylindrical filter container 100 and 100a comprises two filter elements 301, 302 and 303, 304 arranged adjacent to each other, but fluidly in parallel, as described above. The two filter elements 301 and 302 of the filtering system 200 are arranged adjacent to each other and enclosed by the container 100. The other two filter elements 303 and 304 are enclosed by the other container 100a. In this way, the lubricant from different filter elements, e.g., 301 and 303 is completely split from each other. The two containers 100 and 100a are then fluidly arranged in parallel to each other. In such a configuration the lubricant flow in two containers 100 and 100a is parallel to each other, i.e., the lubricant flow is divided between a part passing through the first cylindrical filter container 100 and a part passing through the second cylindrical filter container 100a, in an inlet manifold 401. After having passed through the filter elements 301, 302, 303 and 304, the lubricant flows from the two cylindrical filter containers 100, 100a are reunited in an outlet manifold 402. FIG. 4 further illustrates a heat-exchanging element 205 connected to the containers 100 and 100a via the outlet manifold 402. The arrow 306 indicates the inflow of a lubricant through the pipe 307. The arrows 308 and 309 illustrate outflow of the lubricant towards different components (not shown). The outflow is regulated via the pump 310.
[0042] FIG. 5 illustrates how a filtering system 200 according to an embodiment of the invention can be accommodated in a transport unit 500 which is used for transporting a wind turbine component 201, e.g. in the form of a drive train component, such as a gear box. The filtering system 200 is mounted on the drive train component 201 of the wind turbine, and the drive train component 201 is accommodated in the transport unit 500. The filtering system 200 is also accommodated within a transport unit 500. The transport unit 500 is cubic and the component 201 to be transported is substantially cylindrical. It can be seen that there are some corners (hashed areas) of the transport unit 500 where there is room for the filtering system 200 mounted on the component 201. The filtering system 200 is mounted at a position of the drive train component 201 which corresponds to one of these corners. Accordingly, the filtering system 200 can be accommodated in this vacant space inside a transport unit 500 during transport of the drive train component 201, and thereby the available transporting space is utilized to the greatest possible extent.
[0043] It should be noted that in addition to the exemplary embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.
