WIND TURBINE

Abstract

A Wind turbine (100) with a rotor bearing (1) is proposed, wherein drainage chambers (7) on both sides of the rotor bearing (1) are connected to each other via a plurality of channels (5) traversing an outer ring (2) of the rotor bearing (1), which are distributed over the circumference of the outer ring (2) and that an axis (A) of the rotor bearing (1) is arranged at an angle in the range of 2° to 10° to the horizontal line (H) for promoting a flow of leakage oil through the channels (5).

Claims

1. A wind turbine with a tower, a nacelle fixed to the tower, and a rotor rotatably mounted on the nacelle via a rotor bearing, the rotor bearing comprising: a) an inner ring which is connected to the nacelle; b) an outer ring which is connected to the rotor, and wherein the inner ring and the outer ring together delimit an inner bearing space; and c) a plurality of sealing arrangements which seal the inner bearing space on a nacelle side of the rotor bearing and a rotor side of the rotor bearing; wherein the plurality of sealing arrangements each comprise at least two seals, between which a drainage chamber for collecting leakage oil is formed; and wherein the drainage chambers on both sides of the rotor bearing are connected to each other via a plurality of channels traversing the outer ring, which are distributed over a circumference of the outer ring, and in that an axis of the rotor bearing is arranged at an angle in a range of 2° to 10° to a horizontal line for promoting a flow of leakage oil through the channels to the nacelle side of the rotor bearing.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels extend substantially in an axial direction of the rotor bearing.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the nacelle side of the rotor bearing is at one axial end of the rotor bearing and the rotor side is at an opposite axial end of the rotor bearing.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the inner ring is equipped with an oil collecting ring having an outlet; and wherein the oil collecting ring at least partly wraps around the outer ring in order to collect oil emanating from ends of the plurality of channels in the outer ring when the outer ring is turning.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are in contact with each other via a plurality of sliding surfaces that are arranged within the inner bearing space.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein at least one raceway is formed on each of the inner ring and the outer ring; and wherein at least one row of rolling elements capable of rolling off on the at least one raceway of each of the inner ring and the outer ring is arranged within the inner bearing space.

7. The wind turbine according claim 1, wherein the inner bearing space contains oil for lubrication.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the rotor bearing is a taper roller bearing or a three-row roller bearing.

9. A wind turbine with a tower, a nacelle fixed to the tower, and a rotor rotatably mounted on the nacelle via a rotor bearing, the rotor bearing comprising: a) an inner ring which is connected to the nacelle, wherein the inner ring is equipped with an oil collecting ring having an outlet; b) an outer ring which is connected to the rotor, and wherein the inner ring and the outer ring together delimit an inner bearing space; and c) a plurality of sealing arrangements which seal the inner bearing space on a nacelle side of the rotor bearing and a rotor side of the rotor bearing; wherein the plurality of sealing arrangements each comprise at least two seals, between which a drainage chamber for collecting leakage oil is formed; wherein the drainage chambers on both sides of the rotor bearing are connected to each other via a plurality of channels traversing the outer ring, which are distributed over a circumference of the outer ring, and in that an axis of the rotor bearing is arranged at an angle in a range of 2° to 10° to a horizontal line for promoting a flow of leakage oil through the channels to the nacelle side of the rotor bearing; and wherein the oil collecting ring at least partly wraps around the outer bearing in order to collect oil emanating from ends of the plurality of channels in the outer ring when the outer ring is turning.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of channels extend substantially in an axial direction of the rotor bearing.

11. The wind turbine according to claim 10, wherein the nacelle side of the rotor bearing is at one axial end of the rotor bearing and the rotor side is at an opposite axial end of the rotor bearing.

12. The wind turbine according to claim 11, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are in contact with each other via a plurality of sliding surfaces that are arranged within the inner bearing space.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 9, wherein at least one raceway is formed on each of the inner ring and the outer ring; and wherein at least one row of rolling elements is arranged within the inner bearing space; and wherein the at least one row of rolling elements are configured to roll off the at least one raceway of each of the inner ring and the outer ring.

14. The wind turbine according claim 9, wherein the inner bearing space contains oil for lubrication.

15. The wind turbine according to claim 13, wherein the rotor bearing is a taper roller bearing or a three-row roller bearing.

16. A rotor bearing comprising: a) an inner ring equipped with an oil collecting ring having an outlet; b) an outer ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring together delimit an inner bearing space; and c) a plurality of sealing arrangements which seal the inner bearing space on one axial end of the rotor bearing and at an opposite axial end of the rotor bearing; wherein the plurality of sealing arrangements each comprise at least two seals, between which a drainage chamber for collecting leakage oil is formed; wherein the drainage chambers on both sides of the rotor bearing are connected to each other via a plurality of channels traversing the outer ring, which are distributed over a circumference of the outer ring, and in that an axis of the rotor bearing is arranged at an angle in a range of 2° to 10° to a horizontal line for promoting a flow of leakage oil through the channels to the axial end of the rotor bearing; and wherein the oil collecting ring at least partly wraps around the outer bearing in order to collect oil emanating from ends of the plurality of channels in the outer ring when the outer ring is turning.

17. The rotor bearing according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of channels extend substantially in an axial direction of the rotor bearing.

18. The rotor bearing according to claim 16, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are in contact with each other via a plurality of sliding surfaces that are arranged within the inner bearing space.

19. The rotor bearing according to claim 16, wherein at least one raceway is formed on each of the inner ring and the outer ring; and wherein at least one row of rolling elements is arranged within the inner bearing space; and wherein the at least one row of rolling elements are configured to roll off the at least one raceway of each of the inner ring and the outer ring.

20. The rotor bearing according to claim 16, wherein the rotor bearing is configured to rotatably mount a rotor to a nacelle of a wind turbine; wherein the wind turbine includes a tower, the nacelle fixed to the tower, and the rotor rotatably mounted to the nacelle; and wherein the one axial end of the rotor bearing is a nacelle side of the rotor bearing and the opposite axial end of the rotor bearing is a rotor side.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a rotor bearing of a wind turbine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a rotor bearing of a wind turbine according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a wind turbine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0021] In the figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference marks and are therefore usually referred to only once.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a rotor bearing 1 of a wind turbine (see FIG. 3) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, the rotor bearing 1 is a rolling bearing with two rows of rolling elements 6.1 The rolling elements 6.1 allow a rotational movement between an inner ring 3 of rotor bearing 1 and an outer ring 2 of rotor bearing 1 around an axis of rotation A of rotor bearing 1, which is also an axial direction A.

[0023] To ensure long life and safe operation of the rotor bearing 1, an inner bearing space contains an oil. The oil is pumped under pressure into the inner bearing space and lubricates and cools the rolling elements 6.1, the outer ring 2 and the inner ring 3. For this purpose, the inner bearing space is sealed by a sealing arrangement 4 at a rotor side 1.2 and at a nacelle side 1.1 opposite the rotor side 1.2 in axial direction A.

[0024] Despite the sealing arrangement 4, oil may leak. At the rotor side 1.2 as well as at the nacelle side 1.1 of the rotor bearing 1, sealed drainage chambers 7 are arranged by the sealing arrangement 4. In the drainage chambers 7 oil is collected, which has leaked from the inner bearing space. To drain the oil from the drainage chambers 7, channels 5 are arranged around the circumference of the outer ring 2 in axial direction A, which connect the drainage chambers 7 on the rotor side 1.2 with the drainage chambers 7 on the nacelle side 1.1. The channels 5 have a diameter of preferably at least 10 mm. The channels 5 may or may not be equally distributed over the circumference of the outer ring 2.

[0025] The rotor bearing 1 is inclined by 2° to 10° to the horizontal line H in relation to its axis of rotation A. This leads to the effect that the oil flow through the channels 5 from the rotor side 1.2 drainage chambers 7 to the nacelle side 1.1 drainage chambers 7 is supported by gravity.

[0026] In order to collect the oil flowing through the channels 5 on the nacelle side 1.1 even when the outer ring 2 is rotating, the inner ring 3 has an oil collection ring 9. The oil collecting ring 9 partially embraces the outer ring 2 to collect the oil flowing from the channels 5. Another seal 4.1 together with the oil collecting ring 9 and the outer ring 2 forms an oil collecting chamber 10. In the figure shown here, the oil collecting chamber 10 is also the nacelle side 1.1 drainage chamber 7.

[0027] From the oil collection chamber 10 the oil can flow through an outlet 8 into a nacelle side 1.1 oil reservoir.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a rotor bearing 1 of a wind turbine (see FIG. 3) according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In contrast to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rotor bearing 1 here is a hybrid bearing. The rotor bearing 1 comprises a rolling element 6.1 and a sliding surface 6.2. It is also conceivable that the rotor bearing 1 is also designed as a pure sliding bearing without rolling elements 6.1 and only comprises sliding surfaces 6.2 instead.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a wind turbine 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0030] 1 rotor bearing [0031] 1.1 nacelle side [0032] 1.2 rotor side [0033] 2 outer ring [0034] 3 inner ring [0035] 4 sealing arrangement [0036] 4.1 further seal [0037] 5 channel [0038] 6.1 rolling element [0039] 6.2 sliding surface [0040] 7 drainage chamber [0041] 8 outlet [0042] 9 collecting ring [0043] 10 oil collecting chamber [0044] 100 wind turbine [0045] A axial direction/axis of rotation [0046] H horizontal line