AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR A BEARING, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION SYSTEM

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. An automatic lubrication system for automatic and demand-driven charging of a bearing with a lubricant comprising: 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, wherein the automatic lubrication device is configured to charge the bearing with the lubricant based on the operating parameters detected by the detecting device.

2. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the data-transmission device, the detecting device, and the lubrication device are electrically isolated from one another.

3. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 2, wherein the data-transmission device comprises an optical transmitter or a relay for transmitting electrical signals or a radio frequency transmitter.

4. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 2, wherein the detecting device is an acceleration detector and/or a speed detector.

5. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 2, wherein the lubrication system is configured for lubricating a bearing of a wind turbine.

6. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the data-transmission device, the detecting device, and the lubrication device are electrically isolated from one another, wherein the data-transmission device comprises an optical transmitter or a radio frequency transmitter, and wherein the detecting device comprises an acceleration detector and a speed detector.

7. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 1, wherein the automatic lubrication system includes a pump configured to pump the lubricant to the bearing and a pump controller configured to control the pump, wherein the detecting device comprise a detector controller, an acceleration detector configured to detect operational vibrations of the bearing and to transmit a first signal indicative of the detected operational vibrations to the detector controller, a rotational speed detector configured to detect a rotational speed of the bearing and to transmit a second signal indicative of the detected rotational speed to the detector controller, wherein the detector controller is electrically isolated from the pump controller, and wherein the detector controller is configured to compare a level of the detected operational vibrations indicated by the first signal with a maximum level of operational vibrations for the rotational speed indicated by the second signal and to send a signal to the pump to cause the pump controller to dispense the lubricant if the level of the detected operational vibrations indicated by the first signal exceeds the maximum level of operational vibrations.

8. An automatic lubrication system for automatic and demand-driven charging of a bearing with a lubricant comprising: a pump configured to automatically charge the bearing with the lubricant; a pump controller operably connected to the pump; a detector controller; an acceleration detector configured to detect operational vibrations of the bearing and to transmit a first signal indicative of the detected operational vibrations to the detector controller; and a rotational speed detector configured to detect a rotational speed of the bearing and to transmit a second signal indicative of the detected rotational speed to the detector controller; wherein the detector controller is electrically isolated from the pump controller; and wherein the pump controller is configured to cause the pump to charge the bearing with the lubricant based on a signal from the detector controller.

9. The automatic lubrication system according to claim 7, wherein the detector controller is configured to compare a level of the detected operational vibrations indicated by the first signal with a maximum level of operational vibrations for the rotational speed indicated by the second signal and to cause the pump controller to cause the pump to charge the bearing with the lubricant if the level of the detected operational vibrations indicated by the first signal exceeds the maximum level of operational vibrations.

10. A method for operating an automatic lubrication system for lubricating a bearing, comprising: detecting operational vibrations of the bearing using an acceleration detector, evaluating the detected operational vibrations to determine whether the bearing has sufficient lubricant; and automatically lubricating the bearing if the bearing does not have sufficient lubricant.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the automatically lubricating the bearing occurs only after a predefined minimum time period since a prior lubrication process.

12. The method according to claim 10, including detecting a rotational speed of the bearing, determining a maximum level of operational vibrations based on the detected rotational speed, and automatically lubricating the bearing if the detected operational vibrations exceed the maximum level of operational vibrations based on the detected rotational speed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein evaluating the detected operational vibration comprises performing a fast Fourier transformation on a signal indicative of the detected operational vibrations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the following the disclosure shall be explained in more detail with reference to drawings.

[0036] FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of the automatic lubrication system,

[0037] FIG. 2 schematically shows a diagram of a vibration strength of an operational vibration depending on time,

[0038] FIG. 3 schematically shows a flow diagram of the method for operating an automatic lubrication system for lubricating a bearing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The first embodiment, schematically depicted in FIG. 1, of the automatic lubrication system 1 for charging a bearing 2 with lubricant in an automatic and demand-driven manner includes a lubrication device 3. This device optionally includes a lubricant tank 13 and a lubricant pump 12. The lubrication device 3 is configured for supplying the bearing 2, which may be, for example, a rotor bearing of a wind turbine, with a lubricant, for example, lubricating grease. The lubrication system 1 includes a detecting device 4 for detecting operating states of the bearing 2. The detecting device 4 can optionally include, for example, an acceleration sensor 7 for detecting or measuring operational vibrations B (see FIG. 2) of the bearing 2. Furthermore the detecting device 4 can optionally include a rotational speed sensor 8 for detecting or measuring a bearing rotational speed of the bearing 2. The rotational speed sensor 8 is or may comprise, for example, an optical rotational speed sensor. The detecting device 4 can optionally include a controller or a control unit 6, which may comprise a microprocessor and be configured to receive and evaluate the operating parameters of the bearing 2, which operating parameters are detected by the acceleration sensor 7 and/or by the rotational speed sensor 8. The control unit 6 is further configured to generate a control signal, based on the evaluated operating parameters, for controlling the lubricant pump 12, switching the pump 12 on and off, for example. Using the control signal the lubricant pump 12 for pumping lubricant into the bearing is switchable-on, and switchable-off for interrupting the pumping of lubricant.

[0040] The lubrication system 1 includes a data transmission device 5 for transmitting the control signal from the detection device 4 to the lubrication device 3. This can include, for example, an optical transmitter 9, an optical guide 10, and an optical receiver 11. The optical transmitter 9 is coupled to the detection device 4 and configured to send the control signal to the optical receiver 11 via the optical guide 10. The optical receiver 11 is coupled to the lubrication device 3 and configured to receive the control signal. The lubrication device 3 and the detection device 4 are thereby electrically separated from each other.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows, in a diagram, the vibration strength of an operational vibration B depending on the time in arbitrary units. This diagram is corrected for rotational speed so that a variation of the vibration strength of the operational vibration B, which variation is caused by a rotational speed of the bearing 2, is already compensated for in the depicted operational vibration B. Prior to a first point in time t.sub.1 the operational vibration B is in a normal range wherein the bearing 2 has sufficient lubricant. Starting from the point in time t.sub.1 the vibration strength of the operational vibration exceeds a critical vibration strength S.sub.crit. As can be seen from this diagram the vibration strength of the operational vibration B also exceeds the critical vibration strength S.sub.crit after the point in time t.sub.1. From this it can be concluded that there is a need for more lubricant, so the lubricant system 1 dispenses lubricant on the bearing 2. Starting from the point in time t.sub.2 the operational vibration B is again below the critical vibration strength S.sub.crit. This reflects the effects due to the dispensing of the lubricant on the bearing 2 by the lubricant system 1.

[0042] In FIG. 3 the method is depicted for operating an automatic lubrication system 1 for lubricating a bearing 2. In a first method step 100 at least one operational vibration B of the bearing 2 is determined using a vibration sensor 7 and a bearing rotational speed of the bearing 2 is determined using a rotational-speed sensor 8. In a second method step 200 the determined operational vibration B is evaluated using characteristics of the bearing 2 based on the determined bearing rotational speeds. It is thereby determined whether the bearing 2 has sufficient lubricant. In a third method step 300, if it is established that the bearing 2 does not have sufficient lubricant a control command is transmitted to a lubrication device 3 of the lubrication system 1 for controlling the lubrication device 3. The control command causes the lubrication device 3 to lubricate the bearing 2.

[0043] Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention were described above in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed above may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved automatic lubrication systems.

[0044] Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the above detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various features of the above-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

[0045] All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0046] 1 Lubrication system [0047] 2 Bearing [0048] 3 Lubrication device [0049] 4 Detecting device [0050] 5 Data transmission device [0051] 6 Control unit [0052] 7 Acceleration sensor [0053] 8 Rotational-speed sensor [0054] 9 Optical transmitter [0055] 10 Optical guide [0056] 11 Optical receiver [0057] 12 Lubricant pump [0058] 13 Lubricant tank [0059] 14 Lubricant line [0060] 100 First method step [0061] 200 Second method step [0062] 300 Third method step [0063] B Operational vibration [0064] S.sub.crit Critical vibration strength [0065] t.sub.1 First point in time [0066] t.sub.2 Second point in time