Belt

Abstract

A belt, preferably for use in a device for rotor blade adjustment on a wind turbine, includes a base body made of polymeric material and at least one strength member made of metallic material, which is embedded in the base body and running in the longitudinal direction. The belt has a first surface and a second surface situated opposite the first surface, in which at least the first surface has a reinforcing fabric. The belt has at least one sacrificial anode made of a metallic material, in which the metallic material is less noble than the metallic material of the strength member.

Claims

1. A belt comprising: a base body made of polymeric material and at least one strength member made of metallic material, the at least one strength member being embedded in the base body and running in a longitudinal direction of the belt, a first surface and a second surface situated opposite the first surface, wherein at least the first surface has a reinforcing fabric, and a sacrificial anode made of a metallic material, wherein the metallic material of the sacrificial anode is less noble than the metallic material of the at least one strength member.

2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the belt has a plurality of strength members, wherein the strength members are spaced apart from each other and form at least one arranged spooling gap between each other, wherein the sacrificial anode runs in a rope-like manner, parallel to the strength members, in the spooling gap.

3. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the sacrificial anode is designed as a sheet-like structure and arranged between the reinforcing fabric and the base body.

4. The belt according to claim 3, wherein: the sacrificial anode has a perforation, wherein the perforation is at least partially filled by the polymeric material of the base body.

5. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the sacrificial anode is designed as a mixture additive in the polymeric material of the base body.

6. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the sacrificial anode is designed as a coating of the reinforcing fabric.

7. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the belt is of open design, wherein the strength member and the sacrificial anode can each be contacted separately from each other at the ends.

8. The belt according to claim 7, wherein: an external voltage is applied to the contacted sacrificial anode and the strength member.

9. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the metallic material of the strength member is steel.

10. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the sacrificial anode contains carbon.

11. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the polymeric material of the base body is formed from polyurethane.

12. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the belt is of endlessly closed design.

13. The belt according to claim 1, wherein: the belt is designed as a toothed belt.

14. A device for rotor blade adjustment of a wind turbine, having at least one belt according to claim 1.

15. A wind turbine having at least one device for rotor blade adjustment as claimed in claim 14.

Description

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration of the arrangement of the individual components of a toothed belt according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a belt with a passive sacrificial anode.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a belt with an active sacrificial anode.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a toothed belt 1 according to the invention. The toothed belt 1 has, as viewed from the first surface 5, a layer-by-layer structure made up of a reinforcing fabric 7 composed of polyamide, a base body 2 composed of polyurethane, a sacrificial anode 8 and a strength member 3 in the form of rope-like tension strands composed of steel, which form spooling gaps 4 between each other in the transverse direction, the strength member being oriented in the circumferential direction of the belt 1 and running parallel to said sacrificial anode in the transverse direction of the belt 1. The second surface 6, which in this case forms the belt back, is covered with a fabric to protect the base body 2. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the sacrificial anode 8 is embodied as a sheet-like structure which has a perforation 9 in the form of circular through-holes. The perforation 9 serves to ensure that the polyurethane of the base body 2 penetrates said sacrificial anode during production of the belt 1 and in this way embeds the sacrificial anode 8 in the base body 2, so that a cohesive connection of high load-bearing capacity between the polyurethane of the base body 2 and the sacrificial anode 8 is achieved.

(6) The material of the sacrificial anode 8 consists of graphite, which is classified in the electrochemical voltage series as more negative than the steel material of the strength member 3. The steel material of the strength member 3 represents the more noble material, which is classified in the electrochemical voltage series as more positive and represents the cathode in a galvanic element.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the above-described belt with a passive sacrificial anode 8. A passive sacrificial anode 8 is understood to mean that the electrical circuit is not supplied with any external voltage 10, cf. FIG. 3. The belt 1 is shown in a wet environment 11. The wet environment 11 is understood to mean an environment with high saline humidity, this being a customary condition when using a belt 1 on wind turbines at sea. Therefore, the humidity is already very high owing to the surrounding saline seawater and is intensified by the direct contact between the belt 1 and sea spray and splash water. The saline seawater is electrically conductive and closes the electrical circuit between the cathode or the strength member 3 and the sacrificial anode 8. In this case, the graphite of the sacrificial anode 8 is oxidized with the release of electrons, while the steel of the strength member 3 is reduced with the absorption of electrons, whereby the strength member 3 is protected against corrosion with the formation of hydrogen at the sacrificial anode 8.

(8) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the belt 1 described at the outset with an active sacrificial anode 8. In this context, active means that the electrical circuit between the strength member 3 and the sacrificial anode 8 via the electrolyte is additionally closed with an external power supply 10. The process of oxidation of the sacrificial anode 8 and reduction in the strength member 3 proceeds as explained in the description of FIG. 2. The additional power supply 10 further enhances the effectiveness of the corrosion protection. Active cathodic corrosion protection is suitable for use in belts 1 which are used as piece goods, that is to say as a belt section having a predetermined length. Belts 1 of this kind have an open cross section on both sides, both the strength member 3 and the sacrificial anode 8 being able to be contacted at the open cross sections, this allowing an external voltage 10 to be applied.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS (PART OF THE DESCRIPTION)

(9) 1 Belt 2 Base body 3 Strength member 4 Spooling gap 5 First surface 6 Second surface 7 Reinforcing fabric 8 Sacrificial anode 9 Perforation 10 External power supply 11 Humid ambient air