Wind power plants having elastic self-aligning ball bearings

A wind turbine comprising:

• at least one elastic bearing,
• wherein the elastic bearing is a ball/pendulum bearing which comprises a bearing ball joint (5) having an inner joint head (5.4) and a joint socket (5.5),
• the joint head has an at least hemispherical shape and is mounted in a corresponding dimensioned and shaped joint socket,
• at least one elastomer layer (5.1) is arranged, between joint head and joint socket, in such a way that at least 80% of an area of the elastomer layer is firmly connected to spherical areas of the joint head and joint socket,
• the elastomer layer has a thickness of 5 mm-20 mm, and
• the joint head (5.4), covered by the elastomer layer and the corresponding joint socket (5.5), have a part-spherical shape with a wrap angle of 180° to 325°,
• wherein the ball/pendulum bearing is part of a pendulum vibration absorber, which comprises a pendulum rod (2) or a pendulum cable (14) and an absorber mass (1), and the pendulum absorber is able to move freely in all directions around the elastic ball/pendulum bearing.

A pendulum vibration absorber for damping vibration in a tall slim structure, the pendulum vibration absorber comprising:

• a pendulum rod (2) or a pendulum cable (14),
• at least one absorber mass (1), and
• an elastic ball joint (5) at an upper end of the pendulum rod or the pendulum cable,
• wherein
• (i) the elastic ball joint (5) is fitted with an inner joint head (5.4) and a joint socket (5.5), the joint head has an at least hemispherical shape and is mounted in a corresponding dimensioned and shaped joint socket, at least one elastomer layer (5.1), which has a thickness of 5 mm-20 mm, is arranged between joint head and joint socket in such a way that the pendulum is able to move freely in all directions around the elastic ball/pendulum bearing, and the joint head (5.4) connected to the elastomer layer and the corresponding joint socket (5.5) have a part-spherical shape with a wrap angle of 180° to 325°, and
• (ii) a device which reduces or prevents axial torsional vibrations of the pendulum is installed in the region of the elastic ball joint (5), and this device:
• (a) comprises a torsion lever (2.1) which is installed substantially perpendicular to the pendulum rod (2) or the pendulum cable (14) and has a pitch elastic torsion bearing for pitch movements (6) and a rotational elastic torsion bearing (7) for axial rotational movement of the pendulum, or
• (b) has at least three spring elements (8) which are distributed substantially uniformly around the pendulum rod (2) or the pendulum cable (14) in a region of a pendulum joint and are arranged in such a way that torsional movement of the pendulum are damped or prevented, or
• (c) has at least three connecting rods (9) with elastic spherical bearings (9.1, 9.2) which are distributed substantially uniformly around the pendulum rod (2) or pendulum cable (14) in the region of the pendulum joint and are arranged in such a way that torsional movements of the pendulum are damped or prevented, or
• (d) has a pendulum yoke (2.2) with elastic stop elements (10) in the region of the pendulum joint and arranged in such a way that torsional pendulum movement is damped or prevented, or
• (e) has a combination of (b) and (d), or of (c) and (d).