DE102014222790B4 - Rolling bearing lubrication of a wind turbine - Google Patents

Abstract

Roller bearing (40) of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a shaft (13) which is mounted via the roller bearing (40), the roller bearing (40) having a rotor (30) which is connected to the shaft (13) of the wind turbine or can be connected, wherein the roller bearing (40) has a stator (31), a lubricating grease introduction device (37) being accommodated in the stator (31), the roller bearing (40) also having a plurality of rolling elements (50, 51), which are arranged between the stator (31) and the rotor (30), wherein the lubricating grease feed device (37) has an outlet opening (38) for lubricating grease (39) which runs against a raceway (41) of a bearing inner ring (32) of the rotor (30 ) of the roller bearing (40) is aligned in such a way that the lubricating grease (39) is applied by the lubricating grease introduction device (37) directly to the raceway (41) of the bearing inner ring (32) of the rotor (30) of the roller bearing (40).

Description

The invention relates to a roller bearing of a wind energy installation, the wind energy installation comprising a shaft which is supported by the rolling bearing, the rolling bearing having a rotor which is or can be connected to the shaft of the wind energy installation, the rolling bearing having a stator.

The invention also relates to a method for operating a wind energy installation, the wind energy installation comprising a roller bearing, the roller bearing being lubricated with lubricating grease.

Rolling bearings and a method for operating a wind energy installation, the wind energy installation including a rolling bearing, are shown, for example EP 1 801 415 B1 known. For example, roller bearings are used to mount a generator shaft of a generator which is arranged in the machine house of a wind energy installation. Corresponding bearings can be lubricated with grease or with oil. It is known to allow time-dependent relubrication to take place, with a predetermined amount of lubricating grease, for example a few cubic centimeters, being injected into a bearing of a generator at predetermined time intervals, for example every five hours.

In DE 10 2009 014 922 A1 describes a two-row roller bearing for the rotatable mounting of a machine part relative to an axis of rotation.

Furthermore, in U.S. 2,160,418 discloses a lubrication system for a roller bearing, with oil being sprayed laterally onto the end faces of rolling elements via spray nozzles.

EP 1 801 415 B1 deals with controlling the grease supply depending on the speed, the number of revolutions and / or the temperature.

Due to the viscosity of the lubricant, grease-lubricated bearings are much more difficult to lubricate in a targeted manner. For this reason, reserve lubrication is usually used, i.e. the bearing is filled with a large amount of grease. This is done, for example, radially via an outer ring of the bearing, centrally into the interior of the bearing.

In the case of high loads on the rolling bearings, it can be the case that, in particular when vibrations occur, the corresponding bearing areas are undersupplied with regard to the lubricants. This effect increases when the bearing becomes larger and the speed of the bearing is low, as the lubricant sinks downward due to gravity.

It is the object of the present invention to specify a roller bearing of a wind energy installation and a method for operating a wind energy installation in which the lubrication is improved.

This object is achieved by a roller bearing of a wind energy installation, the wind energy installation comprising a shaft which is supported by the rolling bearing, the rolling bearing having a rotor which is or can be connected to the shaft of the wind energy installation, the rolling bearing having a stator , wherein a lubricating grease feeding device is received in the stator, wherein the roller bearing also has a plurality of rolling elements which are arranged between the stator and the rotor, the lubricating grease feeding device having an outlet opening for lubricating grease which is aligned against a raceway of an inner bearing ring of the rotor of the rolling bearing, in such a way that the grease is applied by the grease introduction device directly to the raceway of the bearing inner ring of the rotor of the roller bearing.

By aligning the outlet opening against a raceway of the stator or the rotor, a very targeted lubrication of the rolling bearing with a lubricating grease is possible.

Preferably, the grease introduction device is a grease injection device.

The lubricating grease is preferably applied or sprayed onto the raceway of the bearing inner ring of the rotor of the roller bearing.

Preferably, especially in a roller bearing or rotor roller bearing that absorbs the rotor thrust or wind rotor thrust, the side of the raceway of the bearing inner ring of the roller bearing is provided with lubricating grease, which is arranged at the rear in the thrust direction of the rotor. As a result, the area of the bearing that is more heavily loaded is directly provided with lubricating grease. In the case of a windward rotor, it is in particular the part of the raceway of the rotor bearing that is remote from or facing away from the rotor blades of a wind energy installation. In the case of an idle rotor, it is in particular the part of the rotor bearing or roller bearing that faces the rotor blades.

The wind energy installation is preferably of the horizontally mounted rotor shaft type, that is to say the rotor shaft is oriented essentially horizontally.

The outlet opening is preferably designed as a nozzle, which enables lubricating grease to be injected very efficiently.

Furthermore, a lubricating grease line is preferably provided which has the outlet opening at one end, the lubricating grease line having a section which is introduced into the stator, in particular part of the section being designed as the end region of the lubricating grease line, in particular the end region leading to another Part of the section is angled at an angle of 10 ° to 50 °, in particular 20 ° to 40 °. This enables the roller bearing to be lubricated very efficiently. The angle is preferably 30 ° or 30 °.

A lubricating grease delivery device is preferably provided which in particular has a device for building up an overpressure, the device for building up an overpressure in particular comprising a pressure accumulator. The grease delivery device preferably comprises the grease introduction device. In addition, the device for building up an overpressure is preferably a pump or comprises a pump. The device for building up an overpressure can also be designed as a pressure accumulator, in particular as a diaphragm accumulator, or comprise it.

If a valve, in particular a check valve, is preferably provided in the lubricating grease delivery device or in the lubricating grease line, lubricating grease can suddenly be sprayed out of the lubricating grease delivery device, in particular from the outlet opening of the lubricating grease feeding device. This allows any plugs that may be formed to be efficiently removed. The check valve preferably opens suddenly when a predeterminable preload is exceeded.

A plurality of rolling elements are preferably provided between the rotor and the stator, the distance between the outlet opening and a rolling element being less than 25%, in particular less than 15%, of a diameter of a rolling element. This allows lubricating grease to be introduced into the rolling bearing in a very targeted manner. The percentage can preferably be relative to a mean diameter of a rolling element, for example when a rolling element is used which has a curved running surface.

The roller bearing is preferably designed in multiple rows, the roller bearing being in particular a spherical roller bearing.

The lubricating grease introducing device preferably introduces grease into an area above the axis of rotation of the roller bearing and below the top tenth of the roller bearing. With a clockwise rotation, this is preferably between 9 o'clock and just before 12 o'clock and especially at around 10 o'clock. When turning to the left, the preferred insertion positions are between 3 o'clock and shortly after 12 o'clock, preferably at 2 o'clock. As a result, when the rolling elements move upwards, lubricating grease is introduced, specifically in an area where there is usually little lubricating grease. The upper area of the roller bearing is then first provided with fresh grease, which enables targeted and efficient lubrication.

It is particularly preferred if the lubricating grease feeding device is arranged in an end face of the roller bearing in such a way that the lubricating grease is introduced from the end face into the roller bearing from the outside and from there reaches the interior of the roller bearing. The entry of the lubricating grease here preferably has an axial movement component. The interior of the rolling bearing here preferably designates the area between the rows of rolling bodies of a multi-row rolling bearing, in particular a two-row rolling bearing. The lubricating grease is preferably introduced from the rear face of the bearing in the direction of rotor thrust, i.e. the face facing away from the wind rotor.

The object is also achieved by a method for operating a wind power plant, the wind power plant comprising a roller bearing, the roller bearing being lubricated with grease which is further developed in that the grease is applied directly to a raceway of an inner ring of the roller bearing by a grease application device.

This makes it possible according to the invention to enable good lubrication of the roller bearing with relatively small amounts of lubricating grease.

The lubricating grease is preferably applied to the raceway from one end face of the roller bearing.

The application is preferably a spraying on.

The raceway is preferably a raceway of an inner ring of the roller bearing. This is preferably an inner ring of the rotor of the roller bearing.

Preferably, the grease is injected continuously for a period of time which corresponds to at least one complete revolution of the rotor. As a result, all areas of the rolling bearing are provided with fresh grease accordingly. In this case, lubricating grease is preferably used in part applied directly to a corresponding track and in part also applied in particular to the end faces of rolling elements.

The grease is preferably injected discontinuously for a period of time which corresponds to at least one complete revolution of the rotor, the grease being injected in particular when no rolling element of the roller bearing is arranged between an outlet opening of the grease introduction device and the raceway. This still enables sufficient lubrication with a very small amount of lubricating grease. For this purpose, sensors are preferably provided that detect the position of the rolling elements or detect when no rolling element is arranged between the outlet opening of the lubricating grease introduction device and the raceway of the rolling bearing.

The grease is preferably injected for exactly one complete revolution of the rotor. A break is then taken. Later, lubricating grease is introduced again for one complete revolution of a rotor. This can then be done continuously or discontinuously.

The lubrication system according to the invention or the lubricating grease introduction device according to the invention can be provided in addition to the usual lubrication of roller bearings. In particular, the lubrication intervals can be carried out as a function of a load, for example the total number of revolutions and / or at corresponding temperatures, or at corresponding speeds. For this purpose, in particular EP 1 801 415 B1 referenced.

In particular, it can be preferred to control the amount of lubricating grease introduced as a function of the square of a measured rotational speed and / or as a function of the temperature in a fourth power.

The lubricating grease preferably has a grease consistency of the NLGI class of 000 to 2, in particular 00 to 2, particularly preferably 00 or 1.5.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments according to the invention together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments according to the invention can fulfill individual features or a combination of several features.

• 1: einen schematischen Querschnitt durch die Gondel einer bekannten Windenergieanlage,
• 2: eine schematische Schnittdarstellung durch ein Wälzlager einer Windenergieanlage in einer erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform und
• 3: eine schematische Stirnseitenansicht eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Wälzlagers.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, with express reference being made to the drawings with regard to all inventive details not explained in more detail in the text. Show it:

• 1 : a schematic cross section through the nacelle of a known wind turbine,
• 2 : a schematic sectional illustration through a roller bearing of a wind energy installation in an embodiment according to the invention and
• 3 : a schematic end view of a further roller bearing according to the invention.

In the drawings, the same or similar elements and / or parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that they are not introduced again in each case.

In 1 a cross-sectional view through a nacelle of a known wind energy installation, for example the wind energy installation MD70 of the applicant, is shown. It gets particular on DE 10 2012 205 086 A1 referenced.

The gondola 3 sits on a tower 2, the section near the gondola is shown. Links in 1 a wind rotor 22 is shown with a rotor hub 4, rotor blades 5, which are only shown in the area of the rotor blade root. The rotor blades 5 each have a rotor blade bearing 6 in the area of the rotor blade root, on which a blade pitch drive 7 engages. The blade adjustment drive 7 is activated by a controller 8 and changes the blade pitch angle of the respective rotor blade 5 when the wind energy installation 1 is in operation.

The nacelle 3 houses a machine carrier 12 which is connected to the tower 2 via a tower head turntable 9. Wind tracking motors 10 of an azimuth adjustment act on the tower head turntable 9 and align the nacelle or the wind rotor 22 in the direction of the prevailing wind direction. For this purpose, four wind tracking motors 10 are available, two of which are arranged on the side shown and two hidden behind them on the other side of the machine carrier 12.

The wind rotor 22 drives a rotor shaft 13 which is rotatably mounted in a rotor bearing 14 designed as a roller bearing. In the applicant's MD70 wind energy installation, the rotor bearing 14 is designed as a fixed bearing that allows only a few millimeters of play in the axial direction of the rotor shaft 13. The rotor shaft 13 drives a gear 15, which converts the slow rotational movement of the rotor shaft into a fast rotational movement of a generator shaft 19, which with Couplings is shown, converts, which in turn drives a generator 20 for power generation, which is equipped with a heat exchanger 21. Alternatively, the invention can also be used advantageously when mounting rotor shafts with two rotor bearings. Both the front and the rear bearing can advantageously be designed as fixed bearings for receiving the rotor thrust.

The transmission 15 also has a rotor brake 17 and a slip ring carrier 18 as well as two elastic transmission suspensions or supports 16, one of which is shown in FIG 1 is shown, while the other is symmetrically located on the other side of the transmission 15 and is thus covered by the transmission 15.

The support 16 or the elastic transmission suspension is designed conventionally and consists of hollow-cylindrical elastomeric bodies made up of two semi-cylindrical part-bodies which are arranged around a cylindrical bolt. With its cylindrical bearings, the cylinder axis of which is aligned parallel to the rotor shaft 13, the bearing 16 is a floating bearing because, due to its softness in this direction, it absorbs only little rotor thrust in the direction of the rotor shaft axis.

2 shows schematically a roller bearing 40 according to the invention in a sectional illustration in a detail. The roller bearing 40 has a rotor 30 and a stator 31. The rotor 30 comprises a rotor shaft 13 to which an inner bearing ring 32 is attached. The rotor shaft 13 rotates about the axis of rotation 52. The axis of rotation 52 is not to scale in FIG 2 drawn.

The rotor 30 or the inner bearing ring 32 of the rotor 30 has a raceway 41 on which rolling elements 50 and 51 with running surfaces 48 roll. It is therefore a detail of a multi-row rolling bearing. A raceway 41 ′ is correspondingly provided on an outer bearing ring 33 of the stator 31. The bearing outer ring 33 is connected to the housing 34.

An end face 35 designed as a cover is provided on the housing 34. The rolling elements 50, 51 are barrel-shaped in this exemplary embodiment. However, these can also be spherical or cylindrical.

A plurality of rolling elements 50 and 51 are provided, which are arranged in the bearing interior or in the interior 53 of the rolling bearing, preferably at a distance from one another.

In order to provide efficient lubrication with grease 39, a grease introduction device 37 is provided, which is introduced into a screw connection 36 in the end face 35. The grease introduction device 37 has an outlet opening 38 which points in the direction of the raceway 41 of the bearing inner ring 32. Lubricating grease 39 emerges from the outlet opening 38 in the direction of the arrow. In this case, if there is a continuous leakage of lubricating grease 39 over a certain period of time, lubricating grease can partly be sprayed directly onto the raceway 41 and partly also onto the rolling surfaces of the rolling element 50 and onto the end face of the rolling element 50.

An angle α of preferably 30 ° is provided between a part 43 of the grease line, namely the end part, which also has the outlet opening 38, and a further part 44, which is closer to the screw connection 36.

Connected to the grease introduction device 37 is a grease line 42, via which the grease introduction device 37 is connected to a device 46 for building up an overpressure, in this example in the form of a pump. A lubricating grease reservoir 47 is connected to the pump.

Overall, it is a lubricating grease conveying device 45 which can comprise the device 46 for building up an overpressure, the lubricating grease reservoir 47, the lubricating grease line 42, the lubricating grease introduction device 37 and the lubricating grease line 42.

The grease introduction device 37 is preferably introduced in an upper region of the roller bearing 40 on the end face 35 so that grease 39 can be introduced or injected into an upper half of the roller bearing 40. As a result, critical parts of the roller bearing 40 in particular are provided with sufficient lubricating grease 39.

The wind rotor 22 transmits the rotor thrust to the rotor 30 of the roller bearing 40. The grease application device 37 is preferably arranged on the end face of the roller bearing 40 facing away from the wind rotor 22, since this area of the roller bearing 40 is more heavily loaded by the rotor thrust.

3 shows a schematic view of the end face of the roller bearing 40, the end face itself having been removed. It is the end face which corresponds to the side facing away from the wind rotor 22 with the rotor blades. As a result, lubricating grease 39 is efficiently introduced on the side of the roller bearing 40 which is most heavily loaded by the thrust of the rotor 30, due to the wind input on the rotor blades.

It is in 3 very schematically shown that the grease line 42 from the end face Coming at an angle, lubricating grease 39 is sprayed onto the raceway 41 of the bearing inner ring 32. The grease line 42 should be raised relative to the plane of the drawing in order to avoid a collision with the rolling elements 50. In this exemplary embodiment, 9 rolling elements 50 are provided, which move between the bearing inner ring 32 and the bearing outer ring 33. The inner bearing ring 32 with the rotor shaft 13 rotates in the direction of the arrow. The grease line 42 is then preferably arranged in a 10 o'clock position in order to provide lubrication in the upper region of the roller bearing 40 in the upward movement of the bearing inner ring 32 through contact with the rolling elements 50.

In the direction of rotation indicated, the grease line 42 is preferably arranged between 9:00 and 11:00, particularly preferably between 9:00 and 10:00.

In a direction of rotation that would be the other way around, the preferred arrangement of the lubricating grease line 42 or the lubricating grease entry on the bearing inner ring 32 would be between 3 o'clock and 1 o'clock, in particular preferably between 3 o'clock and 2 o'clock.

In one embodiment of the invention, lubricating grease is preferably introduced into the bearing from the outside, i.e. from an end face. The grease then moves preferably through the movement of the rolling elements and the bearing inner ring relative to the bearing outer ring also into the interior of the bearing, i.e. in the case of multi-row rolling bearings, preferably into the area between the rolling element rows.

All of the features mentioned, including those that can be taken from the drawings alone and also individual features that are disclosed in combination with other features, are considered to be essential to the invention alone and in combination. Embodiments according to the invention can be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of several features. In the context of the invention, features that are identified with “in particular” or “preferably” or “preferred” are to be understood as optional features.

List of reference symbols

1

Wind turbine

2

tower

3

gondola

4th

Rotor hub

5

Rotor blade

6th

Rotor blade bearings

7th

Pitch drive

8th

Blade adjustment control

9

Tower head turntable

10

Wind tracking motors

11th

Yaw brakes

12th

Machine carrier

13th

Rotor shaft

14th

Rotor bearing

15th

transmission

16

elastic transmission suspension

17th

Rotor brake

18th

Slip ring carrier

19th

Generator shaft with couplings

20th

generator

21

Heat exchanger

22nd

Wind rotor

30th

rotor

31

stator

32

Bearing inner ring

33

Bearing outer ring

34

casing

35

Front side

36

Screw connection

37

Grease applicator

38

Outlet opening

39

Grease

40

roller bearing

41, 41 '

career

42

Grease line

43

Part of the grease line

44

further part of the grease line

45

Grease delivery device

46

Device for building up a negative pressure

47

Grease reservoir

48

Tread

50

Rolling elements

51

Rolling elements

52

Axis of rotation

53

Inside of the rolling bearing

α

angle

Claims (15)

Rolling bearing (40) of a wind energy installation, the wind energy installation comprising a shaft (13) which is mounted via the rolling bearing (40), the rolling bearing (40) having a rotor (30) which is connected to the shaft (13) of the wind energy installation or can be connected, wherein the roller bearing (40) has a stator (31), a lubricating grease application device (37) being received in the stator (31), the roller bearing (40) also having a plurality of rolling elements (50, 51), which are arranged between the stator (31) and the rotor (30), wherein the grease introduction device (37) has an outlet opening (38) for grease (39) which rests against a raceway (41) of an inner bearing ring (32) of the rotor (30 ) of the roller bearing (40) is aligned in such a way that the lubricating grease (39) is applied by the lubricating grease application device (37) directly to the raceway (41) of the bearing inner ring (32) of the rotor (30) of the roller bearing (40). Rolling bearing (40) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the outlet opening (38) is designed as a nozzle. Rolling bearing (40) after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a grease line (42) is provided which has the outlet opening (38) at one end, the grease line (42) having a section which is introduced into the stator (31). Rolling bearing (40) after Claim 3 , characterized in that a part (43) of the section is designed as an end region of the grease line (42), the end region to a further part (44) of the section at an angle (a) of 10 ° to 50 °, in particular 20 ° up to 40 °, angled. Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4th , characterized in that a lubricating grease delivery device (45) is provided which in particular has a device (46) for building up an overpressure, the device (46) for building up an overpressure in particular comprising a pressure accumulator. Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 3 or 5 , characterized in that a valve, in particular a check valve, is provided in the lubricating grease delivery device (45) or in the lubricating grease line (42, 42 '). Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6th , characterized in that several rolling elements (50, 51) are provided between the rotor (30) and the stator (31), the distance between the outlet opening (38) and a rolling element (50) being less than 25%, in particular less than 15% %, of a diameter of a rolling element (50, 51). Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7th , characterized in that the roller bearing (40) is designed in multiple rows, the roller bearing (40) being in particular a spherical roller bearing. Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , characterized in that the grease introduction device (37) introduces grease (39) in an area above the axis of rotation (52) of the roller bearing (40) and below the top tenth of the roller bearing (40). Rolling bearing (40) according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , characterized in that the lubricating grease feeding device (37) is arranged in one end face (35) of the roller bearing (40) in such a way that the lubricating grease (39) is entered from the end face (35) from the outside into the roller bearing (40) and from there into the interior (53) of the roller bearing (40) arrives. A method for operating a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine comprises a roller bearing (40), the roller bearing (40) being lubricated with lubricating grease (39), characterized in that the lubricating grease (39) from a lubricating grease application device (37) directly onto a raceway ( 41) of a bearing inner ring (32) of the roller bearing (40) is applied. Procedure according to Claim 11 , characterized in that the lubricating grease (39) is applied to the raceway (41) from an end face (35) of the roller bearing (40). Procedure according to Claim 11 or 12th , characterized in that the application is a spraying on. Method according to one of the Claims 11 until 13th , characterized in that the lubricating grease (39) is continuously injected for a period of time which corresponds to at least one complete revolution of the rotor (30). Method according to one of the Claims 11 until 13th , characterized in that the lubricating grease (39) is injected discontinuously for a period of time which corresponds to at least one complete revolution of the rotor (30), the lubricating grease (39) being injected in particular when between an outlet opening (38) of the lubricating grease introduction device (37) and the raceway (41) no rolling elements (50, 51) of the rolling bearing (40) is arranged.

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