Wind turbine lubrication system

Abstract

A wind turbine lubrication system (10) is described. The system (10) comprises a lubricant reservoir (12), a pump (16) for circulating lubricant from the lubricant reservoir (12) to a drivetrain component (14) of the wind turbine and back to the lubricant reservoir (12). A filter assembly (18) is connected between the lubricant reservoir (12) and the drivetrain component (14). A bypass channel (30) provides a fluid connection between the filter assembly (18) and the lubricant reservoir (12) that bypasses the drivetrain component (14). A fluid control device (20) is operable to select between a lubrication circuit and a cleaning circuit. The lubrication circuit comprises the lubricant reservoir (12), the filter assembly (18), and the drivetrain component (14). The cleaning circuit excludes the drivetrain component (14) and comprises the lubricant reservoir (12), the filter assembly (18) and the bypass channel (30). A method of servicing the lubrication system (10) comprises operating the fluid control device (20) to select the cleaning circuit. Lubricant is then circulated within the cleaning circuit during a cleaning cycle to remove contaminants from the lubricant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.