Modular coupling of a wind turbine gearbox to a generator

Abstract

An assembly for use in a drive-train of a wind turbine having a transmission, a generator and a module. The module includes a shaft or hub, at least one bearing and a support structure. The shaft of the module or the hub is mounted by the bearing so as to rotate in the support structure. The shaft or the hub can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a shaft of the transmission. A rotor of the generator can be fixed to the shaft of the module or to the hub. The support structure can be fixed to a housing of the transmission or the generator. At least one assembly safety device is provided in order to be able to fix the rotor of the generator. When the rotor of the generator is fixed by way of the assembly safety device, the module can be fitted and removed.

Claims

1. An assembly for use in a drive-train of a wind turbine, the assembly comprising: a transmission; a generator; a module having at least one bearing, a support structure and either a shaft or a hub; the at least one bearing having an inner race and an outer race; the shaft or the hub of the module being rotatably mounted on the support structure by the at least one bearing so as to rotate relative to the support structure, the inner race of the at least one bearing being fixed on one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module, and the outer race of the at least one bearing being fixed on the other one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module; the shaft or the hub of the module being connectable, in a rotationally fixed manner, to a shaft of the transmission; a rotor of the generator being fixable to the shaft or the hub of the module; the support structure being releasably fixable to a housing of either the transmission or the generator such that, when the support structure is fixed thereto, relative rotation of the support structure is prevented and the shaft or the hub of the module is rotatable relative to the support structure; the rotor of the generator being fixable relative to the housing of the transmission by at least one assembly safety device; and the module, comprising the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub, being attachable and removable from the housing of the transmission when the rotor of the generator is fixed relative to the housing of the transmission by the at least one assembly safety device.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least a first part of the housing of the generator is fixable at least to the support structure such that the support structure is rotationally fixed relative to the housing of the generator and the shaft or the hub of the module is rotatable relative to the support structure.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the module, comprising the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub, is attachable to and removable from the housing of the transmission while at least the first part of the housing of the generator is fixed to the support structure.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the module, comprising the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub, is attachable to and removable from the housing of the transmission while at least a first part of the housing of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one first cut-out is provided in the rotor of the generator, in a first intermediate component or in the hub, such that at least one fixing element is completely conveyable through the first cut-out, the at least one fixing element releasably connects at least one of: the support structure to the housing of at least one of the transmission or the generator, the rotor to the first intermediate component, and the first intermediate component to either the shaft of the module or the hub.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the rotor of the generator comprises a second cut-out through which the module is at least partially extendable.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the first intermediate component and a second intermediate component are removable, and the second intermediate component is connectable to the hub and forms a rotationally fixed connection between the shaft of the transmission and the rotor of the generator.

8. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the hub or the first intermediate component comprises a first part and a second part such that the rotor is connectable to the first part, and at least one insulator is designed to insulate the first part electrically relative to the second part.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one insulator is designed to support the first part in at least one radial direction relative to the second part.

10. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the second part is designed to clamp the first part between the at least one insulator and a further insulator.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shaft of the module is mounted, via the at least one bearing, radially within the support structure.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission, and the support structure of the module is disconnectable from the housing of the transmission for removal of the module while the rotor of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission.

13. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shaft of the module extending completely through the support structure into the housing of the transmission and being connected to the shaft of the transmission within an interior of the housing of the transmission.

14. A transmission of an assembly for use in a drive-train of a wind turbine, the assembly comprising: a generator; a module having at least one bearing, a support structure and either a shaft or a hub; the at least one bearing having an inner race and an outer race; the shaft or the hub of the module being mounted on the support structure by the at least one bearing so as to rotate in the support structure, the inner race of the at least one bearing being fixed on one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module, and the outer race of the at least one bearing being fixed on the other one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module; the shaft or the hub of the module being connectable, in a rotationally fixed manner, to a shaft of the transmission; a rotor of the generator being fixable to the shaft or the hub of the module; the support structure being fixable to a housing of either the transmission or the generator such that the support structure is rotationally fixed relative thereto, and the housing of the generator being connectable to the housing of the transmission such that the rotor of the generator, and the support structure, the at least one bearing and at least a portion of the shaft or the hub of the module are arranged within the housing of the generator; the rotor of the generator being fixable to the housing of the transmission by at least one assembly safety device; the module, comprising the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub, being attachable in the drive train within the housing of the generator and when the rotor of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission by the assembly safety device, the module is detachable from the housing of the generator for removal of the module from the drive train; and the module is attachable to and removable from the housing of the transmission while at least a first part of the housing of the generator is fixed to the support structure.

15. A method for removing a module of an assembly for use in a drive-train of a wind turbine, the assembly having a transmission and a generator, and the module having at least one bearing, a support structure and either a shaft or a hub, the at least one bearing having an inner race and an outer race, the shaft or the hub of the module is mounted to rotate on and relative to the support structure by the at least one bearing, the inner race of the at least one bearing being fixed on one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module, and the outer race of the at least one bearing being fixed on the other one of the support structure and the shaft or the hub of the module, the shaft or the hub of the module is connectable in a rotationally fixed manner to a shaft of the transmission, a rotor of the generator is fixable to the shaft or the hub of the module, the support structure is fixable to a housing of either the transmission or the generator such that, when the support structure is fixed thereto, relative rotation of the support structure is prevented and the shaft or the hub of the module is rotatable relative to the support structure, the rotor of the generator is fixable by at least one assembly safety device, and the module having the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub is attachable and removable when the rotor of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission by the at least one assembly safety device, the method comprising: fixing the rotor of the generator to the housing of the transmission via the assembly safety device; releasing the fixing of the rotor of the generator to the shaft of the module or to the hub; releasing the fixing of the support structure to the housing of the transmission or the generator; and removing the module having the at least one bearing, the support structure and either the shaft or the hub of the module while the rotor of the generator is fixed to the housing of the transmission via the assembly safety device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Below, example embodiments of the invention are described, these being illustrated in the figures, in which the same indexes denote the same or functionally equivalent features. In detail, the figures show:

(2) FIG. 1: A module for coupling a transmission to a generator, having an internal shaft;

(3) FIG. 2: A first possibility for fitting and removing such a module;

(4) FIG. 3: A second possibility for fitting and removing such a module;

(5) FIG. 4: A module for coupling a transmission to a generator with an external hub;

(6) FIG. 5: A possibility for fitting and removing such a module;

(7) FIG. 6: An assembly safety device;

(8) FIG. 7: A device for holding a transmission output shaft;

(9) FIG. 8: A module with a transmission housing fixed on it;

(10) FIG. 9: The fitting of such a module; and

(11) FIG. 10: A module with a structure corresponding to the structure of the module according to FIG. 8 and having a slipping clutch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) A first shaft 102 according to FIG. 1 is inside a transmission housing 104. By means of spline teeth 106 the first shaft 102 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a second shaft 108. Like the first shaft 102, the spline teeth 106 are inside the transmission housing 104. In contrast, the second shaft 108 is only partly within the transmission housing 104. Another part of the second shaft 108 projects out of the transmission housing 104.

(13) The second shaft 108 is mounted to rotate in a support structure 112 by means of two bearings 110. The inner races of the bearings 110 are fixed on the second shaft 108. The outer races of the bearings 110 are fixed in the support structure 112. The latter is joined to the transmission housing 104 by means of screw-bolts 114.

(14) A first intermediate component 116 serves to connect the second shaft 108 to a rotor 118. The rotor is connected to the first intermediate component 116 by screw-bolts 120. Furthermore, the first intermediate component 116 is connected by screw-bolts 122 to a flange of the second shaft 108.

(15) A generator housing 124 encapsulates the rotor 118, the first intermediate component 116, the support structure 112, the bearings 110 and part of the second shaft 108. The transmission housing 104 and the generator housing 124 are bolted to one another.

(16) To make the inside of the generator housing 124 accessible for maintenance work, the generator housing 124 has a removable cover 126. The cover is bolted to another part of the generator housing 124.

(17) The second shaft 108, the bearings 110 and the support structure 116 constitute a module 128 that can be removed. This is made clear by FIG. 2.

(18) To remove the module 128, first the inside of the generator housing 124 is made accessible by removing the cover 126. Now, the rotor 108 can be fixed to the transmission housing 104 by means of assembly safety devices 202, in order to remove the module 128. For this it is necessary to make the screw-bolts 114 accessible. According to the procedure illustrated in FIG. 2, this happens when, after unscrewing the bolts 120 and 122, the first intermediate component 116 is removed. During this the rotor 108 is held in position by the assembly safety devices 202.

(19) Once the first intermediate component 110 has been removed, the screw-bolts 114 and the module 128 are accessible. When the screw-bolts 114 have been removed, the module 128 can be extracted. During this the first shaft 102 remains in place.

(20) FIG. 3 shows a modified procedure. In this case the first intermediate component 116 has cut-outs 302. For each of the screw-bolts 114 there is a cut-out 302. The cut-outs 302 are arranged so that the screw-bolts 114 are accessible through the cut-outs 302. Thus, to remove the screw-bolts 114 the connection between the first intermediate component 116 and the flange of the second shaft 108 does not have to be released. Instead, the first intermediate component 110 remains on the flange of the second shaft 108.

(21) The module 128 shown in FIG. 4 has a hub 402 instead of the second shaft 108. The support structure 112 is arranged so that it is partially within the hub 402. By means of the bearings 110 the hub 402 is mounted and able to rotate in the support structure 112. The inner races of the bearings 110 are fixed on the support structure 112. The hub 402 is fixed to the outer races of the bearings 110.

(22) The first shaft 102 projects out of the transmission housing 104 and extends through the support structure 112. On the side of the support structure 112 opposite the transmission housing 104 are the spline teeth 106 by means of which the first shaft 102 is connected rotationally fixed to a second intermediate component 404.

(23) The screw-bolts 122 serve to join the second intermediate component 404 to the hub 402. In this way a rotationally fixed connection is formed between the first shaft 102 and the hub 402.

(24) The screw-bolts 120 serve to connect the rotor 118 to the hub 402.

(25) In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the hub 402 covers the screw-bolts 114 by which the support structure 112 is fixed to the transmission housing 104. In order to remove the module 128 as shown in FIG. 5, the hub is therefore provided with cut-outs 502. The cut-outs 502 are arranged so that the screw-bolts 114 are accessible through the cut-outs 502 and can be inserted and removed through the cut-outs 502.

(26) To remove the module 128, first the cover 126 is taken off. When the rotor 118 has been secured by means of the assembly safety devices 202, the module 128 can be taken out. After undoing the screw-bolts 120 and 122, the second intermediate component 404 is first removed. Through the cut-outs 502 the screw-bolts 114 can now be removed. This releases the connection of the support structure 112 to the transmission housing 104, so that the module 128 can be removed. During this the first shaft 102 remains in place.

(27) FIG. 6 shows as an example a design of the assembly safety device 202. The assembly safety device 202 consists of an outer shell 602, an inner shell 604 and a screw-bolt 606. The outer shell 602 is set into a cut-out of the rotor 118. Since the outer shell 602 is not accessible through the opening in the generator housing 124 left free by the cover 126, the outer shell 602 is preassembled.

(28) To fix the rotor, the inner shell 604 is inserted into the outer shell 602 and screwed into it. For this, the outer shell 602 and the inner shell 604 form a matching thread pair 608. When the inner shell 604 is screwed into the outer shell 602, it comes in contact with the transmission housing 104. An abutment 610 prevents the outer shell 602 from being pushed out of the rotor 118 during this.

(29) The screw-bolt 606 is inserted into the inner shell 604 screwed into the outer shell 602. The transmission housing 104 has a thread 612 into which the screw-bolt 606 can then be screwed. The rotor 118 is then fixed to the transmission housing 104 thereby, so that the module 128 can be removed.

(30) When the module 128 is removed, there is a risk that the first shaft 102 may tilt in the radial direction and/or be displaced in the axial direction. A device whose purpose is to prevent that is shown in FIG. 7. The first shaft 102 has a groove 702 running concentrically to the first shaft 102. In this groove 702 there engages a disk 704. The disk 704 is fixed to a transmission component 706 which cannot move in the axial and radial directions. The component 706 can for example be a planetary carrier. Example embodiments are also conceivable, in which the transmission housing 104 itself is the component 706.

(31) During normal operation there is an air gap between the disk 704 and the groove 702. Under these circumstances the disk 704 and the groove 702 have no function. In particular, the rotation of the first shaft 102 is not impeded by the disk 704. In contrast, when the module 128 is removed the disk 704 running in the groove 702 restricts the first shaft 102 and prevents it from tilting in the radial direction or moving in the axial direction.

(32) As shown in FIG. 8, further screw-bolts 802 can be provided for fixing the generator housing 124 to the support structure 112. For this the generator housing 124 is designed so that it can be bolted to the transmission housing 104 and the support structure 112. Besides the cut-outs 302, through which the screw-bolts 114 for fixing the support structure 112 to the transmission housing 104 are accessible, the first intermediate component 116 has further cut-outs 804. These cut-outs 804 serve to make accessible the screw-bolts 802 by which the generator housing 124 can be fixed to the support structure 112.

(33) To remove the module 128 the screw-bolts 114 and the screw-bolts 802 are undone. During this the generator housing 124 remains bolted to the transmission housing 104.

(34) FIG. 9 shows the assembly of the module 128 together with the rotor 118 and the generator housing 124. The support structure 112 is fixed to the generator housing 124 by means of the screw-bolts 802. By way of the first intermediate component 116 the rotor 118 is fitted onto the second shaft 108. Thus, the rotor 108 is held in position by the second shaft 108 of the module 128.

(35) The transmission housing 124, the rotor 118 and the module 128 can be fitted as a unit onto the transmission housing 104. For this the module 128 and the generator housing 124 are bolted to the transmission housing 104. In addition, the spline teeth 106 are pushed together so that a rotationally fixed connection is formed between the first shaft 102 and the second shaft 108.

(36) FIG. 10 shows a module 128 whose basic structure corresponds to that of the example embodiment shown in FIG. 8. However, in this case the first intermediate component 116 is designed as a slipping clutch.

(37) The first intermediate component 116 has a first part 1002 and a second part 1004. By means of the bolt 120 the rotor 118 is joined to the first part 102.

(38) A first insulator 1006 is positioned in the radial direction between the first part 1002 and the second part 1004. Together with the first part 1002 and the second part 1004 the first insulator 1006 extends concentrically around the rotational axis of the rotor 118, in such manner that a rotation of the first part 1002 about the rotational axis of the rotor 118 relative to the second part 1004 is possible.

(39) The second part 1004 comprises a clamping device 1008. This applies a force which clamps the first part 1002 between a second insulator 1010 and a third insulator 1012. The clamping device 1008 has a baseplate 1014 and a plate 1016 that can be moved relative to the baseplate 1014 in the axial direction.

(40) By means of bolts 1018 the movable plate 1016 can be tightened down toward the baseplate 1014. The baseplate 1014 is fixed on the second part 1004 by means of bolts 1019. Consequently a force acts upon the second insulator 1012, which force is transmitted via the first part 1002 to the first insulator 1010 and from there in turn to the second part 1004. A bolt 1020, preferably in the form of a cylindrical pin, is provided in order to prevent the movable plate 1016 from twisting relative to the baseplate 1014.

(41) Alternatively to the intermediate component 116, the hub 402 shown in FIG. 4 can also be made as a slipping clutch in accordance with the system illustrated in FIG. 10, by virtue of the first part 1002, the second part 1004, the first insulator 1006, the second insulator 1010, the third insulator 1012 and the clamping device 1008.

INDEXES

(42) 102 First shaft 104 Transmission housing 106 Spline teeth 108 Second shaft 110 Bearings 112 Support structure 114 Screw-bolts 116 First intermediate component 118 Rotor 120 Screw-bolt 122 Screw-bolt 124 Generator housing 126 Cover 128 Module 202 Assembly safety device 302 Cut-out 402 Hub 404 Second intermediate component 502 Cut-out 602 Outer shell 604 Inner shell 606 Screw-bolt 608 Matching threads 610 Abutment 612 Thread 702 Groove 704 Disk 706 Transmission component 802 Screw-bolt 804 Cut-out 1002 First part 1004 Second part 1006 First insulator 1008 Clamping device 1010 Second insulator 1012 Third insulator 1014 Baseplate 1016 Movable plate 1018 Screw-bolt 1019 Screw-bolt 1020 Bolt