General Electric Company

Adam Daniel Minadeo

Priyangu Chunilal Patel

James Henry Madge

Fulton Jose Lopez

William Max Gobeli

Daniel Jason Erno

Patrick Lee Jansen

Gary Randall Barnes

Raed Zuhair Hasan

Aaron Wertz

Souvik Porel

Ganesh Raut

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Bugra Han Ertas

Christopher Daniel Caruso

Jacob Johannes Nies

Ronghai Qu

Stephen Bertram Johnson

Murtuza Lokhandwalla

Eric Steven Buskirk

Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran

Biju Nanukuttan

John Paul Davis

Blake Weldon Wilson

Thomas Joseph Fischetti

Eric Morgan Jacobsen

Dhanesh Chandrashekar Pathuvoth

Michael Colan Moscinski

William Francis Gevers

Alexander William Vossler

Edwin Hidding

Joseph Edward Birkenstock

Andreas Schubert

Michael Joseph Kacmarcik

Bhavesh Kachhia

Scott Denton Thomason

Stephen Peter Luchetta

Jeremy Charles Ridge

Robert Davis Pine

Fabian P Nunez

The present disclosure is directed to a bearing for a wind turbine. The bearing includes an outer race, an inner race, and a radially-split center race configured between the inner race and the outer race. Further, the center race includes a first race portion and a separate second race portion. In addition, the first and second race portions are arranged together in an axial direction. The bearing also includes a first set of rolling elements positioned between the inner race and the center race and a second set of rolling elements positioned between the center race and the outer race.

Pitch bearing for a wind turbine

A method for manufacturing a planet gear or a sun gear of a gearbox of a wind turbine includes forming a base of the planet gear via at least one of casting or forging. The base of the planet gear includes an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. Therefore, at least one of the inner circumferential surface or the outer circumferential surface of the planet gear includes a plurality of net or near-net gear teeth. The method also includes applying a coating material to at least a portion of the base of the gear and at least a portion of the plurality of gear teeth of the gear via an additive manufacturing process so as to increase a hardness of the portions of the base and the plurality of gear teeth that includes the coating material.

Hybrid-additive gear for a wind turbine gearbox

A method for manufacturing a pitch bearing or a yaw bearing for a wind turbine includes forming an outer race of the bearing of a base material. The method also includes forming an inner race of the bearing of the base material. Further, one of the inner race or the outer race defines a circumferential surface comprising a plurality of gear teeth. The method further includes arranging the inner race within the outer race. In addition, the method includes providing a plurality of roller elements between the outer and inner races. Moreover, the method includes applying a coating material to at least a portion of the plurality of gear teeth via an additive manufacturing process. The coating material is different than the base material. As such, the coating material provides at least one of increased hardness, strength, or durability to the base material.

Method for manufacturing a pitch bearing or a yaw bearing of a wind turbine via additive manufacturing

A pitch bearing for coupling a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine includes an outer race configured to be coupled to the hub, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race and configured to be coupled to the rotor blade, and a first plurality of line contact rolling elements. The outer race defines a first outer raceway wall and the inner race defines a first inner raceway wall. The first plurality of line contact rolling elements is disposed between the first inner and outer raceway walls. Each of the plurality of line contact rolling elements defines a predetermined contact angle. The predetermined contact angle is defined as an angle between a reference line extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of one of the plurality of line contact rolling elements and a reference line extending parallel to a horizontal plane of the pitch bearing. Further, the predetermined contact angle includes angles between 0 degrees (&#xb0;) and 90&#xb0;.

Wind turbine pitch bearing with line contact rolling elements

In one aspect, a dual pitch bearing configuration for coupling a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine. The dual pitch bearing configuration including a first pitch bearing and at least one additional pitch bearing disposed axially a distance Lfrom the first pitch bearing. The dual pitch bearing configuration further including one or more spacers disposed between the first pitch bearing and the at least one additional pitch bearing and extending the distance L. The dual pitch bearing disposed radially within one of a blade root of the rotor blade, a hub extension or a bearing housing and coupled thereto. The dual pitch bearing configuration minimizing moment loading on the first pitch bearing and the at least one additional pitch bearing. A wind turbine including the dual pitch bearing configuration is further disclosed.

Wind turbine bearings

A bearing assembly for a wind turbine includes a bearing comprising an outer race, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, and a plurality of roller elements positioned within at least one raceway defined between the outer and inner races. Further, at least one of the outer race or the inner race defines a radial opening. The bearing assembly also includes at least one ball plug positioned within the radial opening of at least one of the outer race or the inner race. The ball plug(s) is removable such that the plurality of roller elements can be inserted between the outer and inner races. Moreover, at least a portion of the ball plug(s) has a tapered cross-section.

Ball plug retention for slewing ring bearing

A pitch bearing assembly for a wind turbine may include an outer race and an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race. The inner race may define an inner circumference and may include a plurality of gear teeth around the inner circumference. The inner race may also include a circumferential flange extending at least partially around the inner circumference. In addition, the pitch bearing assembly may include a stiffener coupled to the circumferential flange.

Pitch bearing assembly with stiffener

The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine that controls pitch bearing load distribution. The assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell extending between a blade root and tip, a pitch bearing at an interface between the blade root and a hub of the wind turbine, and plurality of blade bolts coupling the blade root to the hub through the pitch bearing. The pitch bearing includes an outer bearing race and an inner bearing race rotatable relative to the outer race. Thus, in one embodiment, the blade bolts couple the blade root to the hub through the inner race of the pitch bearing. Further, each of the blade bolts has a first end and a second end defining a length therebetween and at least two of the blade bolts have varying lengths so as to distribute loads experienced by the pitch bearing.

Rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine having variable-length blade bolts

A pitch bearing assembly for a wind turbine having a stiffener is disclosed. The pitch bearing assembly may include an outer race and an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race. The inner race may define a mounting surface and an inner circumference. The mounting surface may extend generally perpendicular to the inner circumference. In addition, the stiffener may include a body and a mounting flange. The body may extend axially within a volume defined by the inner circumference of the inner race. Further, the mounting flange of the stiffener may be coupled to the mounting surface of the inner race.

The invention is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine designed to mitigate pitch bearing loads. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade, a pitch bearing, and at least one shim plate. The rotor blade includes a body extending between a blade root and a blade tip. The pitch bearing includes an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of roller elements between the outer race and the inner race. As such, the inner race is rotatable relative to the outer race. The at least one shim plate may be configured between the inner race and the blade root or between the outer race and a hub of the wind turbine so as to mitigate loads experienced by the pitch bearing.

Rotor blade assembly with shim plate for mitigation pitch bearing loads

A spacer assembly for a bearing of a wind turbine and/or a bearing assembly for a wind turbine is provided. The bearing assembly includes an outer race, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, a plurality of roller elements positioned between the inner and outer race, and a plurality of load-bearing spacers configured between the roller elements. Each of the spacers includes a spacer portion and an extension portion. Thus, each of the spacers is arranged to contact adjacent spacers within the bearing assembly via the extension portion such that the extension portions of the spacers are configured to transfer loads experienced by the bearing assembly rather than the loads passing through the roller elements.

Spacer assembly for a bearing

A retention assembly for securing a main rotor shaft in a wind turbine relative to a pillow block is provided. A main rotor shaft extends through a pillow block, and a ring groove is defined in an outer circumferential surface of the main rotor shaft axially offset from the pillow block. A snap ring is engaged within the ring groove, wherein the snap ring and ring groove are designed to achieve a design axial load capacity.

Snap ring retention assembly for a main shaft in a wind turbine

A yaw or pitch bearing for a wind turbine includes a slewing ring bearing assembly having an outer race and an inner race, both having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the outer race and the outer surface of the inner race have a plurality of threads that engage and define a threaded bearing surface.

Wind turbine yaw or pitch bearing utilizing a threaded bearing surface

In one aspect, a pitch bearing for coupling a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine may include an outer race defining a first outer raceway wall. The first outer raceway wall may define a center of curvature. The pitch bearing may also include an inner race defining a first inner raceway wall. The first inner raceway wall may define a center of curvature. In addition, the pitch bearing may include a plurality of roller elements disposed between the first inner and outer raceway walls. Each roller element may define a geometric center. Moreover, the center of curvature for each of the raceway walls may be offset from the geometric center of each roller element.

The present subject matter is directed to a bearing assembly for a wind turbine. The bearing assembly includes an outer race, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer races, and a cage assembly configured to maintain separation between neighboring rolling elements. The cage assembly includes a plurality of cage elements and a plurality of spacers. Each of the cage elements are separated by at least one of the spacers. Further, each of the cage elements extends around at least a portion of the plurality of rolling elements. Moreover, at least one of the spacers contact one or more of the rolling elements.

Growing community of inventors

Greenville, SC, United States of America

Adam Daniel Minadeo