# US 11,441,541 B2 · Main shaft assembly of a wind turbine

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- Number: US 11,441,541 B2
- Document ID: US11441541B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/000,520
- Filed: 2020-08-24
- Published: 2022-02-24
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-24
- Assignees: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
- Applicants: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
- Inventors: Robert Peter Slack; Roberto Leal Rodriguez; Michael A. Garry; Matteo Bellucci
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441541B2

## CPC

- F03D 15/00: Transmission of mechanical power
- F03D 17/00: Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics (testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30)
- F16C 3/023: {made of several parts, e.g. by welding}
- F05B 2230/00: Manufacture
- F05B 2240/61: hollow
- F05B 2260/80: Diagnostics
- F05B 2270/804: Optical devices
- F05B 2270/821: Displacement measuring means, e.g. inductive
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A shaft assembly of a wind turbine, the shaft assembly comprising:
a shaft body defining a cavity therein and a load path for transmitting a load generated by the wind turbine in response to wind;
an inner body disposed within the cavity and coupled to the shaft body, the inner body being non loadbearing with respect to the load, wherein the shaft body and the inner body are concentric and have a synchronized rate of rotation about an axis; and
at least one sensor coupled to the inner body at a first axial location along the axis and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load,
wherein the inner body is coupled to the shaft body at a second axial location within the cavity, the inner body forming a cantilever extending at least axially between the second axial location and the at least one sensor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The shaft assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling of the at least one sensor to the inner body defines a physical separation between the at least one sensor and an adjacent wall of the cavity in a radial direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The shaft assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor being configured to indicate a radial deflection of the shaft body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The shaft assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an array of sensors disposed at the first axial location of the axis, the array of sensors circumscribing the inner body, each sensor of the array of sensors defining a circumferential separation with at least one adjacent sensor of the array of sensors.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The shaft assembly of claim 1, wherein the shaft body and the inner body are a unitary body having an absence of a joint therebetween.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The shaft assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner body is coupled within the cavity after formation, the shaft body comprising a first material, and the inner body comprising a second material which is different than the first material.

### Claim 7

A component assembly of a wind turbine, the assembly comprising:
a wind turbine component comprising:
an outer body defining a cavity therein, the outer body defining a load path for transmitting a load of the wind turbine therethrough, and
an inner body disposed within the cavity of the outer body, the inner body being non loadbearing with respect to the load; and
at least one sensor coupled to the inner body at a first axial location along the axis and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the outer body in response to the load,
wherein the inner body is coupled to the shaft body at a second axial location within the cavity, the inner body forming a cantilever extending at least axially between the second axial location and the at least one sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The component assembly of claim 7, wherein the outer body and the inner body are rotatable during operation of the wind turbine, and wherein the outer body and the inner body are concentric and have a synchronized rate of rotation about an axis.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The component assembly of claim 7, wherein the coupling of the at least one sensor to the inner body defines a physical separation between the at least one sensor and an adjacent wall of the cavity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The component assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an array of sensors disposed at the first axial location along an axis of the outer body, each sensor of the array of sensors defining an angular separation with at least one adjacent sensor of the array of sensors relative to the axis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The component assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one first sensor, the assembly further comprising:
at least one second sensor coupled to the inner body at a third axial location, the second axial location being disposed between the first axial location and the third axial location.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The component assembly of claim 7, wherein the wind turbine component is one of a rotor blade, a high speed shaft, a low speed shaft, a rotatable hub, a rotor support spindle, or a tower of the wind turbine.

### Claim 13

A method for manufacturing a shaft assembly of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
forming a shaft body defining a cavity extending in a radial direction and a load path for transmitting a load generated by the wind turbine in response to a wind;
disposing an inner body within the cavity in axial and rotational alignment with an axis of the shaft body, the inner body being non loadbearing with respect to the load; and
coupling at least one sensor to the inner body at a first axial location along the axis within the cavity, the at least one sensor being configured to detect a radial deflection of the shaft body in response to the load,
coupling the inner body to the shaft body at a second axial location within the cavity so as to form a cantilever extending at least axially between the second axial location and the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor has a first sensitivity at a first cantilever axial length and a second sensitivity corresponding to a second cantilever axial length, the second cantilever axial length being greater than the first cantilever axial length and the second sensitivity may be greater than the first sensitivity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein disposing the inner body within the cavity comprises at least one of casting or additively manufacturing the inner body as a unitary body with the shaft body, the inner body and the shaft body having an absence of a joint therebetween.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the shaft body comprises a first material, and wherein disposing the inner body within the cavity further comprises:
forming the inner body from a second material different than the first material;
inserting the inner body into the cavity; and
coupling the inner body to an inside face of the shaft body.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein coupling at least one sensor to the inner body comprises:
circumscribing the inner body at the first axial location with an array of sensors, wherein the array of sensors is distributed equidistantly about a circumference of the inner body.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
coupling a sealing member across an opening in the shaft body defined by the cavity.