Efficient Gearbox Design Improvements for Wind Turbines

Wind turbine drive system that can balance loads across multiple pitch and yaw drive units to prolong their life. The system uses load sensors on each drive unit to detect the load on the ring gear. A controller then adjusts the braking force of each drive unit to equalize the loads. This reduces the variation in load applied to each drive unit and prevents overloading of any one unit.

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A wind turbine drive system that reduces load reversals on the gearbox bearings to extend their lifespan. It uses a coupling between the gearbox and generator that has asymmetric torsional behavior. The coupling has torsional springs that allow windup in the forward direction but dampen torque reversals. When reverse torque exceeds a threshold, friction plates engage to provide damping and prevent rapid reversals.

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Wind turbine transmissions that are lower cost and easier to service. The design moves the high-speed gear stage to a direct drive configuration. The high-speed spur gear is directly mounted in the transmission housing, and a sun gear shaft from the previous stage is coupled to it. This eliminates the need for a hollow shaft with expensive key/shrink connections and allows better bearing placement.

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A wind turbine drivetrain that can self-monitor and protect against damage by detecting abnormal conditions and stopping operation when they occur. The drivetrain includes a gear system that can transfer torque between sections of the turbine. An abnormality detection unit monitors forces at the gear mesh and conditions of the drivetrain components. If an abnormality is detected, such as excessive forces or component malfunctions, torque transfer between the gears is stopped to prevent damage. This protects against failures that can occur rapidly and unexpectedly, like gear overloading due to wind gusts. By monitoring gear forces and drivetrain conditions, the system can detect issues that may lead to failures and proactively prevent damage.

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A planetary gear set for wind turbines reduces wear and simplifies assembly compared to conventional planetary gear sets. The design features a slide bearing and floating disk arrangement to support the planet's gears.

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Device for applying lubricant to gears of pitch drive systems in wind turbines to reduce wear. The device attaches to the end of a gear and holds a lubricant applicator in position to apply lubricant to the gear's teeth. It includes a base that attaches to the gear end and a mount that slides on the base and holds the applicator. This lets the mount be positioned to align with the gear teeth.

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A drive adapter that allows wind turbine gearboxes with male output couplings to be connected to wind turbine generators with male input couplings. The adapter consists of a female-female adapter that connects to the gearbox's male output shaft and has a female input shaft that connects to the generator's male input shaft.

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A wind turbine coupling is designed to mitigate torque reversals on the gearbox that cause bearing failures and damage. The coupling has asymmetric torsional behavior. It allows normal torsional compliance in the forward direction but provides torsional damping and limited wind-up in the reverse direction. This protects the gearbox during torque reversals, reducing impact loads and preventing damage. The coupling uses frictional slipping in reverse to dissipate energy and limit torque. It automatically resets to normal operation in the forward direction.

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A turn drive mechanism that solves the problem of overloading the gearbox when rotating a wind turbine rotor during installation. The turn drive uses a hydraulic motor connected to the gearbox high-speed shaft to provide torque. The hydraulic system includes a pressure-limiting valve set below the gearbox torque limits to prevent overload. The turn drive also includes a brake to hold the rotor in position once turned. The combination of a hydraulic motor, pressure limiting valve, and brake enables controlled rotor rotation without exceeding gearbox limits.

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Easy access drive drain design for wind turbines that improves reliability and simplifies maintenance. The drive train uses an elastic coupling to connect the rotor shaft to the gearbox input shaft. This allows torque transfer while accommodating misalignment and reducing parasitic loads. The coupling is accessible through openings in the bearing and coupling housings.

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Uptower repair apparatus for fixing bore holes and replacing trunnion pins in wind turbine gearboxes to avoid gearbox replacement that is expensive and time-consuming. The apparatus clamps onto the gearbox torque arm and has a boring bar that can be inserted through the bore hole to machine it larger. This repairs worn or damaged bore holes. The apparatus also includes a pulling device to remove and replace trunnion pins after the bore hole is repaired.

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A power generation device like wind turbines that reduces wear and failures in the speed-up gear bearings. It uses a one-way clutch between the gear output shaft and the generator drive shaft. The clutch connects the shafts when the gear output speed exceeds the generator speed, allowing power transfer. But when the gear speed drops below the generator speed, the clutch disengages to prevent generator inertia from backdriving the gear. This avoids excessive loads and bearing failures in the gear when wind speeds change rapidly.

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Improved gearbox covers for ram air turbines that provide better sealing and reduce the risk of leaks. The cover has a test plug with a static seal and a dynamic seal. The turbine shaft also has a dynamic seal. The test plug allows ground testing of the turbine using a motor inserted into the shaft. This design reduces the risk of leaks at the cover and shaft by using seals at both locations.

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Wind turbine rotation transmission system that allows the loads exerted on the speed increaser and one-way clutch to be measured. This allows monitoring and early detection of issues with the transmission components. The one-way clutch engages when output shaft speed is higher than input shaft speed, and disengages when output speed is lower. A mechanism detects the torsion angle between inner and outer clutch rings due to load changes.

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One-piece strut design for ram air turbines that allows for more compact and efficient integration of generators. The strut has an integral gearbox section and drive section machined from a single piece of metal. The gearbox contains a bevel gear that transfers turbine rotation to a pinion gear on the driveshaft. This eliminates the need for a separate gearbox and allows the generator to be mounted closer to the turbine.

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