Integral ring gear and torque arm for a wind turbine gearbox
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRaed Zuhair Hasan, Kevin M. Vandevoorde, Lawrence Keith Taliaferro, JR., George Albert Goller, James Edward Cencula
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integral ring gear and torque arm for a wind turbine gearbox and method of manufacturing same includes forming the ring gear and the associated gear housing as a single part using the same material, e.g., using a casting process. Further, the ring gear defines an inner circumferential surface having a plurality of gear teeth. Thus, the method also includes applying a coating material to the gear teeth of the ring gear via an additive manufacturing process, such as cold spraying, so as to increase a hardness of gear teeth.
Claims20
A method for manufacturing a ring gear and associated housing of a gearbox of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- forming the ring gear and the associated gear housing as a single part using the same material, the ring gear defining an inner circumferential surface comprising a plurality of gear teeth;
- and,
- applying a coating material to the plurality of gear teeth of the ring gear via an additive manufacturing process so as to increase a hardness of the plurality of gear teeth.
A gearbox assembly, comprising:
- a planetary gear system comprising a plurality of planet gears, at least one sun gear, at least one ring gear, at least one planetary carrier operatively coupled with the plurality of planet gears, and a plurality of pin shafts, the ring gear defining an inner circumferential surface comprising a plurality of gear teeth;
- a torque support formed integrally with the ring gear;
- and,
- a coating material on the plurality of gear teeth of the ring gear so as to have a specified hardness of the plurality of gear teeth.
A method for manufacturing a ring gear and a torque arm of a gearbox of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- pouring a liquid steel material into a mold of the ring gear and the gear housing;
- and,
- allowing the liquid steel material to solidify in the mold so as to form an integral ring gear and gear housing constructed of a common material, the ring gear defining an inner circumferential surface comprising a plurality of gear teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.