# US 8,784,252 B2 · Drive system for a wind turbine

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- Number: US 8,784,252 B2
- Document ID: US8784252B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/537,635
- Filed: 2012-06-29
- Published: 2013-07-04
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-30
- Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Ralf Martin Dinter; Arno Klein-Hitpass; Jan-Dirk Reimers
- Inventors: Ralf Martin Dinter; Arno Klein-Hitpass; Jan-Dirk Reimers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784252B2

## CPC

- F16H 15/50: Gearings providing a continuous range of gear ratios
- F03D 15/00: Transmission of mechanical power
- F03D 15/10: using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
- F03D 80/70: Bearing or lubricating arrangements
- F16H 1/46: Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, {i.e. systems having three or more central gears}
- F16H 57/025: Support of gearboxes, e.g. torque arms, or attachment to other devices
- F16H 57/028: characterised by means for reducing vibration or noise
- F16H 57/08: of gearings with members having orbital motion
- F05B 2230/60: Assembly methods
- F05B 2250/30: Arrangement of components
- F05B 2260/40311: of the epicyclic, planetary or differential type
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- F16H: GEARING
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A drive system for a wind turbine includes a transmission unit with a planet wheel stage. A coupling flange on a first shaft of the transmission unit can be connected to a driven machine shaft or rotor shaft which is mounted above a planet carrier. The transmission unit and a motor/generator unit connected with a second shaft of the transmission unit are enclosed by a gear case. A rotor of the motor/generator unit is connected to a hollow rotor shaft which surrounds an end section of the second shaft and is connected to the end section via an interior coupling or clamping connection. A connecting-piece is arranged between the transmission unit and the motor/generator unit, and concentrically surrounds a transmission-side end section of the rotor shaft, forming a bearing seat for the rotor shaft, which also supports the second shaft of the transmission unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A drive system for a wind turbine comprising:
a transmission unit with at least one planet wheel stage comprising a hollow wheel, several planet wheels, a planet carrier and a sun wheel,
first shaft associated with the transmission unit and comprising a coupling flange which is mounted above the planet carrier and configured for connection to a driven machine shaft or rotor shaft,
a gear case surrounding the transmission unit and a motor unit or generator unit connected to a second shaft of the transmission unit having a motor-side or generator-side end section,
a rotor of the motor unit or the generator unit, connected with a rotation lock to a hollow rotor shaft which concentrically surrounds the motor-side or generator-side end section and is connected to the motor-side or generator-side end section via a coupling or clamping connection arranged inside the hollow rotor shaft, and
a gear-case-connecting-piece which is arranged between the transmission unit and the motor unit or generator unit and concentrically surrounds a transmission-side end section of the hollow rotor shaft and forms a bearing seat for a bearing arrangement associated with the hollow rotor shaft, with the bearing seat also supporting the second shaft of the transmission unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, further comprising a gear coupling with involute or bevel gears connecting the hollow rotor shaft to the second shaft of the transmission unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the coupling or clamping connection connects the hollow rotor shaft to the second shaft of the transmission unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The drive system of claim 3, wherein the coupling or clamping connection comprises at least one outer ring and at least one inner ring having corresponding conical contact surfaces which are constructed to be tensioned against one another with several axially extending clamping bolts.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The drive system of claim 4, wherein the second shaft of the transmission unit and the hollow rotor shaft as well as the hollow rotor shaft and the rotor of the motor unit or the generator unit are connected with each other when the conical contact surfaces are tensioned against one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The drive system of claim 5, wherein the rotor of the motor unit or the rotor of the generator unit is connected to the hollow rotor shaft by a keyway connection which is oriented axially on the internal clamping set.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The drive system of claim 5, wherein the second shaft of the transmission unit and the hollow rotor shaft as well as the hollow rotor shaft and the rotor of the motor unit or of the generator unit are connected to one another with a friction-lock.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, further comprising an external clamping set, wherein the second shaft of the transmission unit comprises a flange disposed on the motor-side or generator-side end section, and wherein the hollow rotor shaft is connected to the second shaft of the transmission unit by the external clamping set.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The drive system of claim 8, wherein the rotor of the motor unit or of the generator unit is bolted to a flange of the external clamping set and is connected to the hollow rotor shaft via the flange of the external clamping set.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The drive system of claim 4, wherein the coupling or clamping connection and the rotor of the motor unit or of the generator unit are axially aligned relative to one another and have only a radial gap therebetween.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The drive system of claim 10, wherein substantially half the second shaft of the transmission unit is axially surrounded by the hollow rotor shaft.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The drive system of claim 10, wherein the bearing arrangement of the hollow rotor shaft is arranged axially centrally between the coupling or clamping connection and a sun wheel which is connected to the second shaft of the transmission unit with a rotation-lock.

### Claim 13 (depends on 4)

The drive system of claim 4, wherein the coupling or clamping connection is arranged axially between the rotor of the motor unit or of the generator unit and the bearing arrangement of the hollow rotor shaft.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the bearing arrangement of the hollow rotor shaft on the gear-case-connecting-piece comprises a double-row bearing in an X-configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the hollow rotor shaft and the second shaft of the transmission unit are mounted on the gear-case-connecting-piece substantially exclusively by the bearing arrangement.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the hollow rotor shaft has an external diameter which increases gradually towards the transmission unit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the gear-case-connecting-piece is integrally formed onto a housing adapter flange arranged between the transmission unit and the motor unit or generator unit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The drive system of claim 17, wherein the housing adapter flange comprises a bearing seat for a motor-side or a generator-side planet carrier bearing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The drive system of claim 17, wherein a stator casing of the motor unit or generator unit is mounted on the housing adapter flange.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The drive system of claim 17, wherein a hollow wheel of the at least one motor-side or generator-side planet wheel stage is mounted on the housing adapter flange.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The drive system of claim 17, wherein the housing adapter flange has a flange extension on which a stator housing of the motor unit or generator unit, or a hollow wheel of the at least one motor-side or generator-side planet wheel stage are mounted.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The drive system of claim 21, wherein the flange extension associated with the stator housing and the flange extension associated with the hollow wheel are axially spaced apart from one another.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein an external diameter of a sun wheel connected to the second shaft of the transmission unit is smaller than an internal diameter of the hollow rotor shaft.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The drive system of claim 23, wherein the second shaft of the transmission unit and the hollow rotor shaft can be inserted through an opening on a housing cover arranged facing away from the transmission unit and through an opening on the rotor concentric to the rotor axis.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the first shaft of the transmission unit comprises a coupling flange which can be flexibly connected to the driven machine shaft or rotor shaft, and wherein the gear case comprises a cardanic circumferentially symmetrical or partially symmetrical suspension for connection to a structural support element of the wind turbine.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The drive system of claim 25, wherein the cardanic suspension is formed by a support ring which completely circumferentially radially surrounds the gear case and which has several through-holes arranged substantially equidistantly in the circumferential direction, into which elastic bolts are inserted which can be connected to a corresponding torque bracket on the structural support element of the wind turbine.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The drive system of claim 26, wherein the corresponding torque bracket comprises a ring element with through-holes arranged substantially equidistantly in the circumferential direction, into which the elastic bolts can be inserted.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The drive system of claim 27, wherein the corresponding torque bracket comprises two symmetrically or asymmetrically formed on support arms, wherein an end section of each support arm can be inserted into and connected with a receptacle on the structural support element.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The drive system of claim 25, wherein the cardanic suspension is formed by two ring segment supports which radially surround the gear case partially in the circumferential direction, with each of the ring segment supports having several through-holes substantially equidistantly arranged in the circumferential direction, into which elastic bolts can be inserted which can be connected to corresponding torque brackets on the structural support element of the wind turbine.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The drive system of claim 29, wherein each of the torque brackets comprises a ring segment with through-holes arranged substantially equidistantly in the circumferential direction, into which through-holes the elastic bolts can be inserted.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The drive system of claim 30, wherein each of the corresponding torque brackets comprises a support arm having an end section which can be inserted into and connected to a receptacle on the structural support element.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The drive system of claim 26, wherein the elastic bolts of the cardanic suspension are axially removable elastomer bolts, and wherein the coupling flange has several through-holes arranged substantially equidistantly in the circumferential direction, into which through-holes axially removable elastomer bolts are inserted for connection to a corresponding driven machine shaft or rotor shaft coupling flange.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The drive system of claim 32, wherein when the elastomer bolts of the cardanic suspension and the coupling flange are removed, the drive system has an unobstructed radial removal and/or installation direction with respect of a shaft arrangement of the transmission unit.

### Claim 34 (depends on 25)

The drive system of claim 25, wherein add-on units of the transmission unit are mounted directly on the structural support element of the wind turbine and are decoupled from the gear case by the cardanic suspension as well as by a flexible coupling between driven machine shaft or rotor shaft and the first shaft of the transmission unit.

### Claim 35 (depends on 25)

The drive system of one of claim 25, wherein the transmission unit comprises a first main bearing and a second main bearing arranged between planet carrier flanges and the gear case and constructed to support the first shaft of the transmission unit.

### Claim 36 (depends on 25)

The drive system of claim 25, wherein the transmission unit comprises coaxially arranged first and second planet wheel stages.

### Claim 37 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, further comprising a brake disk connected to the hollow rotor shaft with a rotation lock.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The drive system of claim 37, wherein the brake disk is arranged on an end face of the motor unit or generator unit facing away from the transmission unit.

### Claim 39 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein motor-side or generator-side bearings of the transmission unit are constructed to be electrically insulating.

### Claim 40 (depends on 1)

The drive system of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is connected to a generator unit, and wherein the first shaft of the transmission unit is a transmission-side drive shaft, and wherein the second shaft of the generator unit is a transmission-side output shaft, and wherein the coupling flange of the transmission-side drive shaft is configured for connection to a rotor shaft.