Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Lars Langvardt Krogh

Peter Mongeau

Henrik Zaar Mannik

Mustafa Gündüz

Rolf Nyborg Broge

Steen Bjerg Lauridsen

Joris Kofman

Leif Christoffersen

Ulrich Meinekat

Thomas Paw Buus

Nicole Farell

Lars Skifter

Xiaolu Ding

Jens Bergmann

Nicole Herrmann

A wind turbine powertrain assembly including a gearbox coupled to an electrical power generator for a wind turbine. The power generator comprises a stator at a radially outward position and a rotor in a radially inward position, wherein the rotor comprises a cylindrical field structure that is configured to rotate about a generator rotor axis, and wherein the rotor is configured to define a central hollow portion. The rotor further comprises a rotor support frame connected to and structurally supporting the cylindrical field structure, wherein the rotor support frame comprises: a rotor connection flange attaching the rotor support frame to the cylindrical field structure, a gearbox connecting flange connecting the rotor support frame to an output drive shaft of the gearbox, and a transition section extending between the rotor connection flange and the gearbox connection flange, the transition section defined at least in part by one or more stepping regions, the or each stepping region shaped to define a surface that is inclined at an angle of less than 30 degrees to the rotor axis. Advantageously, the stepping regions provide an integrated platform inside the hollow portion on which service personnel can stand to work inside the generator.

Powertrain assembly for a wind turbine

A wind turbine nacelle including an outer cover defining an interior volume within which is housed a powertrain assembly comprising: a gearbox including an input shaft and an output shaft which are aligned on a common rotational axis, an electrical power generator connected to the output shaft of the gearbox. The power generator includes a generator cabinet that encloses, in an internal chamber, a stator at a radially outward position and a rotor in a radially inward position, the rotor being rotatable about the common rotational axis. The rotor comprises: a cylindrical field structure coupled to a rotor support frame; a gearbox connection flange that couples to the gearbox output shaft by a first fixing array; wherein the generator cabinet is provided with an opening that permits maintenance personal to gain access fully inside the internal chamber, and wherein the internal chamber is configured to allow maintenance personnel to access at least the first fixing array that couples the gearbox output shaft to the gearbox connection flange from a position fully inside the internal chamber.

A stator mount and a tool for adjusting the position of a stator mount of a stator of a generator of a wind turbine. The stator mount comprises a support member having a plurality of elongate both holes which provide adjustability between the stator mount and the frame of a generator housing, or between separate components of the stator mount itself. The stator mount may comprise one or more adjustment devices for adjusting the position of the stator mount in use. A tool is provided which may be used to adjust the position of the stator mounts. The tool attaches to the frame of the generator and comprises one or more adjustment devices for adjusting the position of the stator in use.

Mounting of stators in generators for wind turbines

A generator rotor assembly () comprises a cylindrical ring structure () defining a central hollow portion and arranged to rotate around a rotational axis. The cylindrical ring structure () comprises a plurality of permanent magnet packages () arranged coaxially around the rotational axis, the permanent magnet packages () comprising a plurality of coaxially stacked ring-shaped segmented layers (), a plurality of tie rod holes () and a plurality of tie rods (). The coaxially stacked ring-shaped segmented layers () comprise a plurality of contiguous segment sheets () arranged around the rotational axis to form the ring-shaped layer, the stacked layers () being staggered such that segment breaks between two contiguous segment sheets () in one of the layers are angularly offset with respect to segment breaks between two contiguous segment sheets () in an adjacent layer. The tie rod holes () extend axially through the layers of the permanent magnet packages (), wherein the plurality of tie rod holes () of adjacent permanent magnet packages () are complementary in size and position, such that a plurality of tie rod bores is defined. The tie rods () extend through respective ones of the plurality of tie rod bores.

Generator rotor assembly

A wind turbine drive train component () comprising a rotating shaft () with a radial seal () is provided. The radial seal () comprises a stationary part and a rotating part. The stationary part comprises a ring () with an inner edge and an outer edge, the inner edge being configured for contactlessly surrounding the shaft (). The rotary part comprising a disc (), coaxially connected to the shaft () for rotation therewith and comprising a flange () that wraps around the outer edge of the ring (). The radial seal () further comprises an annular air lock gap () for containing an amount of lubrication fluid () and thereby closing off the air lock gap () when the rotary part rotates at a rotational speed above a predetermined threshold speed, the annular air lock gap () being formed by an inner surface of the flange (), an outer part of the opposing parallel surface of the disc () and the outer edge of the ring ().

Wind turbine drivetrain component with low friction radial shaft seal

A generator-gearbox assembly for a wind turbine includes a generator having a generator rotor, a gearbox including an output shaft, and a connection assembly. The connection assembly a hub abutment surface and a plurality of shaft bolt holes, a hub associated with the generator rotor with a first connecting portion () having a shaft abutment surface and at least one elongated slot extending through the first connecting portion. The number of elongated slots is less than or equal to the number of shaft bolt holes. A plurality of fasteners fixedly connect the hub to the hub abutment surface, each fastener extending through a respective elongated slot and a shaft bolt hole.

Generator-gearbox assembly for a wind turbine

An electrical power generator for a wind turbine comprising: a generator housing, a stator at a radially outward position and a rotor in a radially inward position, wherein the rotor comprises a cylindrical ring structure arranged about a rotational axis, R, and defining a central hollow portion. The electrical power generator further comprises a rotor shroud attached to the generator housing and which extends about the rotational axis, R, wherein the rotor shroud includes a dome portion that extends into the central hollow portion of the rotor so as to protect the cylindrical ring structure of the rotor. Advantageously, the rotor shroud provides a tunnel-like surface that extends into the central hollow portion of the generator so as to prevent objects such as tools from contacting components of the rotor. The invention also relates to a method for 15 assembling such an electrical power generator with a rotor shroud.

Relating to electrical power generators for wind turbines

Apparatus comprising a first shaft and a second shaft supported in a substantially concentric relationship so that they are able to rotate relative to one another about a rotational axis (R); wherein one of the first and second shafts passes through a bore defined in the other of the first and second shafts; a seal arrangement between the first and second shafts, said seal arrangement being locked from rotational movement relative to said first shaft; wherein the seal arrangement comprises a first portion that is rotatably mounted on the second shaft by a bearing and a second portion that is configured to seal against a miming surface defined by the second shaft. Advantageously, since the seal arrangement is rotatably mounted on the same shaft against which it forms a seal, the sealing arrangement accommodates for alignment errors between the first and second shafts.

Apparatus for sealing rotatable components of a wind turbine powertrain

There is provided a method () of installing a pitch tube () into an electrical power generator () for a wind turbine, the method comprising: installing () the pitch tube () so that it is coaxial with a rotational axis (R) of the generator (); supporting () a bearing arrangement () associated with the pitch tube () at an end of the generator () using one or more primary supports (), wherein each of the primary supports () comprises a first end () connected to the bearing arrangement () and a second end () connected to a component () associated with a rotating reference frame of the generator (); and supporting () the bearing arrangement () using one or more secondary supports (), wherein each of the secondary supports () comprises a first end () connected to the bearing arrangement () and a second end () connected to a component () associated with a stationary reference frame of the generator ().

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a generator for a wind turbine. The generator includes a stator which defines a central axis of the generator, the stator being mounted within a frame by a stator mounting system. The stator mounting system includes a plurality of stator mounting modules, each stator mounting module being removably attached to the stator and removably attached to the frame. The stator mounting system is arranged so that one or more of the stator mounting modules can be replaced or repositioned with the stator mounted in situ within the frame.

Relating to the mounting of stators in generators for wind turbines

The invention relates to a generator for a wind turbine including a housing of substantially cuboidal form within which is mounted a stator. The stator has one or more multi-phase windings and a bus ring is provided for conveying electrical power from the windings to power take-off modules. One end of the power take-off modules is connected to the bus ring, and the other end of the modules has a plurality of power take-off interfaces for connection to power take-off cables. The distal ends of the power take-off modules are located in the corners of the cuboidal generator housing.

Electrical generators in wind turbines

The present invention relates to a slip ring assembly for providing electricity to or from a rotor rotating in relation to a stator in a generator or an electrical motor. The slip ring unit rotates around a centre axis and has at least one first slip ring with an outer surface, a diameter, and a width. Also, the assembly has at least one conductive means, such as a brush, having conductive contact with the surface of the slip ring, and a housing in which the slip ring unit and the conductive means are situated. Furthermore, the assembly has a suction means in connection with the housing for suction of gas from within the housing out through a suction outlet in the housing. In addition, the housing has a suction inlet which is connected with a guiding means. The guiding means has an aperture facing the slip ring surface, and the aperture is positioned at a predetermined distance from the surface of the slip ring so that the gas is able to cool the surface of the slip ring. Also, the invention relates to a generator and a wind turbine having such a slip ring assembly.

Slip ring assembly with cooling

The present invention relates to a slip ring assembly for providing electricity to a rotor which is able to rotate in relation to a stator in a generator or an electrical motor, the slip ring assembly being in connection with an encoder. The slip ring assembly includes a slip ring unit having at least one first slip ring, and an encoder shaft holder connected to the slip ring unit and in which holder an encoder shaft is situated. The encoder shaft holder is made from an electrically insulating material for providing an electrical insulation between the slip ring unit and the encoder.

Growing community of inventors

Egå, Denmark

Lars Langvardt Krogh