Compact geared drive train
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPatrick L. Jansen, Gary R. Barnes, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Richard N. Dawson, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Ian A. Hughes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drive train for a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor connected to a low speed shaft, and a low speed shaft connected to a gearbox. The gearbox has a high speed shaft connected to a generator. The drive train includes a bearing interposed between the gearbox and the generator. A gearbox lubrication medium is at least partially contained within the gearbox, and the bearing shares the gearbox lubrication medium with the gearbox.
Claims21
A drive train for a wind turbine, said wind turbine comprising a rotor connected to a low speed shaft, the low speed shaft connected to a gearbox, said gearbox having a high speed shaft connected to a generator, the generator comprising a generator rotor and a stator, said drive train comprising:
- a bearing interposed between said gearbox and said generator;
- a hub mount connected to the generator and the bearing;
- a gearbox lubrication medium at least partially contained within said gearbox;
- wherein, said bearing shares said gearbox lubrication medium with said gearbox;
- and
- wherein the generator is connected to the hub mount with insulating fasteners, the insulating fasteners providing substantial electrical isolation between the generator rotor and the gearbox.
A drive train for a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor connected to a low speed shaft, the low speed shaft connected to a gearbox, the gearbox having a high speed shaft connected to a generator, the high speed shaft connected to a rotating hub, the drive train comprising:
- a bearing interposed between the gearbox and the generator;
- a gearbox lubrication medium at least partially contained within the gearbox, the gearbox lubrication medium shared by the bearing and the gearbox;
- one or more bearings connected to at least a portion of a gearbox housing, the one or more bearings interposed between the rotating hub and the gearbox housing;
- an insulating spacer disposed between a generator rotor and the rotating hub;
- wherein, the insulating spacer isolates capacitively-coupled generator rotor voltages from the one or more bearings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.