Compact Multi-Disk Rotor Brake System for a Wind Turbine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorFrank Hinken
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drivetrain system, braking method and braking system for a wind turbine is disclosed having a generator; a gearbox; a generator shaft and gearbox output shaft coupled between the generator and the gearbox, each shaft extending along a common longitudinal axis; a brake system having at least two brake disks with a first brake disk and a second brake disk, the first and second brake disks mounted concentric with the longitudinal axis; and a plurality of disk brake calipers having a first brake caliper and a second brake caliper, the first and second brake calipers mounted concentric with the longitudinal axis and engaged with the first and second brake disks, respectively.
Claims20
A drivetrain system for a wind turbine, the drivetrain system comprising:
- a generator;
- a gearbox;
- a generator shaft and gearbox output shaft coupled between the generator and the gearbox, each shaft extending along a common longitudinal axis;
- a brake system comprising:
- at least two brake disks comprising a first brake disk and a second brake disk, the first and second brake disks mounted concentric with the longitudinal axis;
- and,
- a plurality of disk brake calipers comprising a first brake caliper and a second brake caliper, the first and second brake calipers mounted concentric with the longitudinal axis and configured to engage with the first and second brake disks, respectively.
A method for braking a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- mounting a first brake disk concentric with a generator shaft adjacent to a generator of the wind turbine;
- mounting a second brake disk concentric with the gearbox output shaft adjacent to a gearbox of the wind turbine;
- mounting a first and second brake calipers that are configured to engage the first and second brake disks, respectively;
- measuring at least one dynamic operating parameter during operation of the wind turbine;
- and,
- adjusting individual brake torques applied by the first and second brake disks based on the measured dynamic operating parameter so as to obtain an equivalent brake torque to the generator shaft and gearbox output shaft from the first and second brake disks.
A brake system for a wind turbine, the brake system comprising:
- a first brake disk mounted concentric with a longitudinal axis of a generator shaft of a generator of the wind turbine;
- a second brake disk mounted concentric with the longitudinal axis of the gearbox output shaft;
- and
- a first brake caliper concentric with the generator shaft and engaged with the first brake disk;
- and,
- a second brake caliper concentric with the gearbox output shaft and engaged with the second brake disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.