# US 2021/0332802 A1 · Fluid film bearing and wind turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0332802 A1 - Document ID: US20210332802A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/240,187 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-28 - Assignees: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S - Applicants: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S - Inventors: Alejandro Cerda Varela; Niels Karl Frydendal; Kim Thomsen; Morten Thorhauge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210332802A1 ## CPC - F03D 80/70: Bearing or lubricating arrangements - F16C 17/028: {with fixed wedges to generate hydrodynamic pressure, e.g. multi-lobe bearings} - F03D 1/0691: {of the hub} - F03D 80/50: Maintenance or repair - F16C 17/03: with tiltably-supported segments, e.g. Michell bearings {(hydrostatic bearings with tiltably supported bearing pads F16C32/0666; made from a plurality of rods F16C33/26; with flexible leaves F16C17/024; hydrodynamic bearings with chambers F16C33/1075)} - F16C 17/10: for both radial and axial load - F16C 17/105: {with at least one bearing surface providing angular contact, e.g. conical or spherical bearing surfaces} - F16C 17/107: {with at least one surface for radial load and at least one surface for axial load} - F16C 17/26: Systems consisting of a plurality of sliding-contact bearings - F16C 32/0666: {of bearing pads} - F16C 32/0696: {for both radial and axial load} - F16C 33/108: {with a plurality of elements forming the bearing surfaces, e.g. bearing pads} - F05B 2230/21: by casting - F05B 2240/54: Radial bearings - F16C 17/02: for radial load only - F16C 32/0685: {for radial load only} - F16C 33/1075: {Wedges, e.g. ramps or lobes, for generating pressure} - F16C 35/02: in the case of sliding-contact bearings - F16C 2237/00: Repair or replacement - F16C 2360/31: Wind motors - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - 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 ## Abstract Provided is a fluid film bearing, especially for a rotor hub in a wind turbine, including an inner part that supports a rotating outer part, wherein the inner part includes multiple radial pads distributed along the outer circumference of the inner part, each of the radial pads having at least one radial pad sliding surface, wherein the radial pad sliding surfaces support at least one outer part sliding surface of the outer part in the radial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid film bearing, especially for a rotor hub in a wind turbine, comprising an inner part that supports a rotating outer part, wherein the inner part comprises multiple radial pads distributed along the outer circumference of the inner part, each of the radial pads having at least one radial pad sliding surface, wherein the outer part has multiple outer part sliding surfaces, wherein the radial pad sliding surfaces support at least one of the outer part sliding surfaces of the outer part in the radial direction, wherein the inner part additionally comprises a first and a second group of axial pads distributed along the circumference of the inner part, each of the axial pads having an axial pad sliding sur-face, wherein the axial pad sliding surfaces of the axial pads of the first group axially support a first one of the outer part sliding surfaces not supported by the radial pad sliding surfaces and wherein the axial pad sliding surfaces of the axial pads of the second group axially support a second one of the outer part sliding surfaces not supported by the radial pad sliding surfaces, wherein the outer part forms an annular outer section and two annular protrusions extending in the radial direction toward the inner part from the outer section, wherein the outer part sliding surfaces are formed on the annular outer section and the inner faces of the annular protrusions facing each other, wherein the first and second group of the axial pads are arranged between the annular protrusions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein the radial pad sliding surface has a convex shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein the radial pads are arranged at different circumferential positions than the axial pads. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein all axial pads are arranged at different circumferential positions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein each radial pad has exactly one radial pad sliding surface, wherein the normal of the radial pad sliding surface is tilted with respect to the radial direction, wherein the radial pad sliding surfaces of a first group of the radial pads are facing towards a first axial end of the bearing, and wherein the radial pad sliding surfaces of a second group of the radial pads are facing towards a second axial end of the bearing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fluid film bearing according to claim 5, wherein the outer part forms an annular protrusion extending in the radial direction toward the inner part and forming two outer part sliding surfaces, wherein the normal of the outer part sliding surfaces is tilted with respect to the radial direction toward different ends of the bearing, wherein each of the outer part sliding surfaces is supported in the axial and radial direction by one of the groups of the radial pads, wherein the outer part sliding surfaces are facing each other or facing away from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The fluid film bearing according to claim 5, wherein the radial pads of the first group are arranged at different circumferential positions than the radial pads of the second group. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein the outer part is formed, wherein the out part is cast, as one piece and comprises a hub for a wind turbine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein the radial pads and/or the axial pads are mounted to a main body of the inner part either by inserting the respective radial or axial pad between a support structure formed by the main body and the respective outer part sliding surface or by inserting the respective radial or axial pad into a respective opening of the main body that opens onto the respective outer part sliding surface and fixing a base plate or some other support structure supporting the respective pad to a backside of the main body facing away from the respective sliding surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A wind turbine, comprising a rotor with a rotor hub that is connected to a further component of the wind turbine using a fluid film bearing according to claim 1, wherein the hub is part of the outer part or mounted to the outer part of the fluid film bearing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wind turbine according to claim 10, wherein the hub is connected to the further component by exactly one bearing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The wind turbine according to claim 10, wherein the hub and/or the inner part and/or the further component form an interior space that allows personal to access the inner part, wherein the radial and/or the axial pads are mounted to a further component or further components of the inner part in such a way that they are exchanged by personal from within the inner space.