JP4638298B2 - Wind power generator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wind turbine generator having a nacelle installed so as to be able to turn around an axis of a tower.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, propeller-type wind power generators that have a rotating shaft that is horizontal to wind power and that have three wind turbine blades attached to the rotating shaft have become mainstream as devices that generate electricity using clean energy. In such a wind turbine generator, the nacelle can be swung following the wind direction so that the rotation axis is horizontal to the wind direction during normal power generation. For this reason, the nacelle is installed on the tower via a ball bearing. However, along with the recent increase in the size of wind power generators, the balls used for this ball bearing must be enlarged. If the ball becomes large, a nonstandard ball must be used, and the cost increases.
Therefore, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a wind turbine generator having a plain bearing that does not require a ball is known.

  In addition, a brake device for stopping the turning with the nacelle facing upwind is always provided in the nacelle except during the nacelle turning.

Special table 2003-518594 gazette

Thus, since the conventional wind power generator is provided with a brake device separately, the device configuration is complicated and further cost reduction is prevented.
In addition, a device that exhibits a sufficient braking force even in a strong wind such as a typhoon is desired.

  An object of this invention is to provide the wind power generator which exhibits sufficient braking force with respect to the turning nacelle in view of the said subject at low cost.

  In order to solve the above problems, a wind turbine generator according to the present invention includes a nacelle that is installed on a tower so as to be pivotable about an axis of the tower, and a rotor that is attached to the tip of the nacelle. In the wind turbine generator including a head and a plurality of wind turbine blades attached to the rotor head, the bearing device has a sliding surface that slides when the nacelle turns with respect to the tower. And a pressing means for applying a braking force to the nacelle by pressurizing the sliding surface of the sliding body.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to turn by supporting the nacelle on the sliding surface of the sliding body during turning, and to apply a braking force to the nacelle by applying pressure to the sliding body by the pressurizing means during braking. it can. Thereby, since a sliding body can be used as a bearing device and can be used together with a brake device, the structure is simplified, the number of parts is reduced, and the cost can be kept low. Further, by applying a braking force to the sliding surface of the sliding body by the pressurizing means, it is possible to reliably stop the turning of the nacelle even in a strong wind state.

  In the wind power generator according to the present invention, a braking member having a friction coefficient larger than that of the polymer material is provided, and the pressurizing unit pressurizes the sliding body and the braking member.

  According to the present invention, the braking member having a friction coefficient larger than that of the polymer material used for the sliding body is provided. Therefore, when braking, in addition to the frictional force due to the sliding body, the frictional force due to the braking member is further increased. Since it can be expected, further braking force can be obtained.

  In the wind power generator according to the present invention, a pressure equalizing plate provided so as to cover the back surface of the sliding body and the braking member is arranged.

  According to the present invention, the pressure equalizing plate is disposed so as to cover the back surface of the sliding body and the braking member, so that the pressure applied by the pressurizing means can be distributed to both the sliding body and the braking member. Thereby, a braking force can be applied uniformly over the entire circumference of the nacelle.

  In the wind turbine generator according to the present invention, the braking member is retracted from the sliding surface when not braked and advances when braking.

  According to the present invention, since the sliding surface of the sliding body is retracted during non-braking, no resistance is given to the turning of the nacelle. Moreover, a braking force can be applied to the nacelle by advancing the sliding surface by pressurizing the sliding body only during braking.

According to the wind power generator of the present invention, the sliding body provided in the bearing device can serve as a bearing, and braking against the turning of the nacelle can be performed by the pressurizing means that pressurizes the sliding body.
Further, by integrating the braking function for stopping the turning nacelle around the bearing device, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be kept low.

[First Embodiment]
Below, 1st Embodiment concerning this invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1-3.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a wind turbine generator, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a connecting portion between a nacelle and a tower in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bearing device portion of FIG.

In FIG. 1, the nacelle 2 is attached to the upper part of the tower 1 installed on the ground via a bearing device so as to be able to turn around the axis of the tower 1. A rotor head 3 is attached to one end of the nacelle 2 so as to be rotatable around the horizontal axis of the nacelle 2. Three wind turbine blades 4 are attached to the rotor head 3, and the wind turbine blade 4 can control the pitch angle with respect to the wind direction.
In the nacelle 2, a generator, a speed increaser, a hydraulic unit, a control unit, etc. (not shown) are installed, and the rotational force from the rotor head 3 is transmitted to the generator via the rotating shaft, thereby generating power. Is done.
The electric power generated by the generator is sent to a ground power supply unit via a system cable (not shown) arranged inside the tower 1.

Next, the bearing device at the connecting portion between the tower 1 and the nacelle 2 will be described.
In FIG. 2, the lower end portion of the nacelle 2 is attached to the upper end portion of the tower 1 via a bearing device 5. The nacelle 2 can be turned around the axis G.
A cylindrical fixing seat 1 a is fixed to the upper end portion of the tower 1 by fixing means 9 such as a bolt. On the inner peripheral side of the fixed seat 1a, a convex portion protruding toward the center side is formed.
A cylindrical rotary seat 2 a is fixed to the lower end portion of the nacelle 2 by fixing means 9 such as a bolt. On the outer peripheral surface of the rotary seat 2a, a guide recess is formed for receiving and guiding the protrusion of the fixed seat 1a.

The bearing device 5 is attached to the rotary seat 2a of the nacelle 2, and is composed of an upper pad (sliding body) 6a, a lower pad (sliding body) 6b and an inner circumferential side pad (sliding body) 6c made of a polymer material. And an upper hydraulic cylinder (pressurizing means) 7a that pressurizes the upper pad 6a and a lower hydraulic cylinder (pressurizing means) 7b that pressurizes the lower pad 6b. The upper pad 6a is disposed on the upper end surface side of the fixed seat 1a, the lower pad 6b is disposed on the lower end surface side of the fixed seat 1a, and the inner peripheral pad 6c is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the fixed seat 1a. The nacelle 2 is pivotally supported by the upper and lower end surfaces and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed seat 1a by the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c. Thereby, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c arranged on the rotary seat 2a slide along the fixed seat 1a, and the nacelle 2 can be turned.
As the polymer material used for the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner circumferential pad 6c, a polymer material having a low friction coefficient such as polyester, polyurethane, polyamide, acetal, or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used. .

  The upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the rotary seat 2a. The movable end of the upper hydraulic cylinder 7a abuts on the upper pad 6a, and the movable end of the lower hydraulic cylinder 7b is on the lower side. It contacts the pad 6b. Oil supply to the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7 a and 7 b is performed from a hydraulic unit (not shown) installed in the nacelle 2. A pressure equalizing plate 10 is disposed as a back support on the surface (rear surface) where the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b contact the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b. The rotary seat 2a is braked over the entire upper and lower pads 6a and 6b by being dispersed throughout the side pads 6a and 6b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner circumferential pad 6c are arranged in an annular shape along the fixed seat 1a and / or the rotating seat 2a. The upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c may be formed by dividing into a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b are formed in eight parts in the circumferential direction and are arranged at equal intervals. .
Further, the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b are arranged at the centers of the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b, respectively.

Next, the effect | action in this embodiment is demonstrated using FIGS.
In FIG. 1, the wind power generator turns the nacelle 2 following the wind direction so as to receive a large amount of wind power during normal power generation. Therefore, the friction coefficients of the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner circumferential pad 6c shown in FIG. 2 are set to such an extent that the nacelle 2 can turn.
Since the bearing device 5 has a large contact area between the fixed seat 1a, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b, and the inner circumferential pad 6c as compared with a conventional rolling bearing, it can withstand a large load. For this reason, it is particularly preferable as the bearing device 5 of a large-scale wind power generator (for example, a wind power generator with an output of 2 MW or more).

  Further, the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b are always operated to pressurize the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b except during nacelle turning. Thereby, the pads 6 and 6b are pressed against the fixed seat 1a, and an increase in the frictional resistance due to the applied pressure is realized. Therefore, the braking force of the nacelle is increased not only by increasing the contact area of the upper and lower pads 6 and 6b but also by increasing the frictional force due to the hydraulic pressure.

When the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b are worn, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b are removed from the movable ends of the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b and replaced together with the pressure equalizing plate 10. Since the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c are formed separately, the upper and lower pads other than the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b that require replacement are added by the upper and lower hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b. After the nacelle 2 is stopped by pressure, the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c that need to be replaced are replaced. By performing the replacement work in this manner, the replacement work for the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b and the inner peripheral pad 6c can be performed safely.
When the pressure equalizing plate 10 and the upper and lower pads 6a and 6b are attached by, for example, screwing, only the upper and lower pads can be removed from the pressure equalizing plate 10.

Thus, since the braking force can be applied by the upper and lower pads 6a, 6b of the bearing device 5, the turning of the nacelle 2 can be stopped reliably. Thereby, it is not necessary to use the brake device installed separately from the bearing device 5 as in the prior art, and the number of parts can be reduced.
Moreover, by using the sliding bodies 6a to 6c instead of the conventional rolling bearing, the structure of the bearing device 5 can be simplified and a large load can be supported. For this reason, it can be applied to an increase in the size of the wind turbine generator, and the device cost can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). 4A is a plan view of the bearing device portion of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is a side sectional view showing a detailed structure of the bearing device alone of FIG. 4A. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a braking member is provided.

In FIG. 4A, the upper pad 11a is divided in the circumferential direction with respect to the upper end surface of the annular fixed seat 1a, and the pressure equalizing plate 13 is positioned so as to cover the back surface from the upper side of each upper pad 11a. .
The upper hydraulic cylinder 7a is arranged so as to press the central portion of each pressure equalizing plate 13 in the circumferential direction. That is, the pressure equalizing plate 13 is attached to the movable end of the upper hydraulic cylinder 7a (see FIG. 4B).
As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the pressure equalizing plate 13 is formed in a T shape in a side sectional view, the central portion projects from the upper end surface of the fixed seat 1a, and both end portions thereof are circumferential. It is extended. Both end portions of the pressure equalizing plate 13 abut against the back surface of the upper pad 11a when the upper hydraulic cylinder 7a is pressurized. In addition, the nacelle 2 is arrange | positioned upwards via the rotary seat 2a in the both ends of these upper side pads 11a, and the load of this nacelle 2 is added to the fixed seat 1a via the upper side pad 11a.
A braking member 12a having a large friction coefficient is attached to the central portion of the pressure equalizing plate 13 (the movable end of the upper hydraulic cylinder 7a). As the braking member 12a, a metal such as iron or copper, a material such as ceramic or carbon, or a mixed material of a metal and a polymer material is used. The sliding surface that comes into contact with the fixed portion 1a of the braking member 12a may be a rough surface that has been subjected to surface processing such as blasting.

Next, the effect | action of the bearing apparatus 5 in this embodiment is demonstrated using FIG. 4 (a), (b).
In FIG. 4B, when the nacelle is swung while following the wind direction, the braking member 12a is retracted from the sliding surface of the upper pad 11a, and does not give rotational resistance to the turning of the nacelle. ing.
When forcibly stopping the turning of the nacelle in the strong wind state, the upper hydraulic cylinder 7 a is operated and the braking member 12 a and the upper pad 11 a are pressed through the pressure equalizing plate 13. In this way, both end portions of the pressure equalizing plate 13 press the back surface of the upper pad 11a, and the central portion of the pressure equalizing plate 13 presses the braking member 12a, whereby the upper pad 11a and the braking member 12a are brought into contact with the fixed seat 1a. In contrast, a braking force is positively applied. Therefore, in addition to the contact area and the applied pressure of the upper pad 11a, a braking force can be applied by the contact area and the applied pressure of the braking member 12a having a large frictional resistance, and the turning of the nacelle can be reliably stopped.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5, it is good also as forming the inclined surface 15a in the both ends of the pressure equalizing plate 15, and forming the inclined surface corresponding also to the upper side pad 14a facing this inclined surface 15a. As a result, it is possible to prevent the pressure equalizing plate 15 and the upper pad 14a from coming into contact with each other and apply a uniform pressure to the upper pad 14a.

In each of the above embodiments, the bearing device 5 preferably has the following braking function.
That is, it is a braking function that automatically performs a braking operation even if the control is disabled due to a power failure or failure.
Specifically, the drive hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b is controlled by a servo valve. Under normal conditions, the servo valve is operated so that no pressurizing hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b by a control signal from the control unit. Keep it in position. When the power supply is cut off due to a power failure or failure, and the control by the control unit becomes impossible, the servo valve automatically returns from the operating position to the non-operating position, and pressurizes the hydraulic cylinders 7a and 7b. The hydraulic pressure is applied so that the braking operation is performed.
By providing such a braking function, the rotation of the nacelle 2 can be reliably stopped by operating the bearing device 5 on the safe side even when control becomes impossible due to a typhoon or failure.

It is a side view which shows the structure of the wind power generator in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection part of the nacelle and tower in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the bearing apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The bearing apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a top view which shows the surroundings of a sliding body, (b) is a sectional side view around a sliding body. It is the sectional side view which showed the modification of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Tower 2 Nacelle 5 Bearing device 6a Upper pad (sliding body)
6b Lower pad (sliding body)
6c Inner side pad (sliding body)
7a Upper hydraulic cylinder (pressurizing means)
7b Lower hydraulic cylinder (pressurizing means)
10, 13, 15 Steel plate 11a Upper pad (sliding body)
11b Lower pad (sliding body)
12a, 12b Brake member 14a Upper pad (sliding body)
14b Lower pad (sliding body)

Claims (4)

A nacelle installed on a tower with a bearing device interposed therebetween so as to be pivotable about the axis of the tower, a rotor head attached to the tip of the nacelle, and a plurality of wind turbine blades attached to the rotor head In the wind power generator
The bearing device includes a sliding body in which a sliding surface that slides when the nacelle swivels with respect to the tower is formed of a polymer material,
A wind power generator comprising pressurizing means that pressurizes the sliding surface of the sliding body to apply a braking force to the turning motion of the nacelle. A braking member having a larger coefficient of friction than the polymer material is provided,
The wind power generator according to claim 1, wherein the pressurizing means pressurizes the sliding body and the braking member. 3. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1, wherein a pressure equalizing plate is provided so as to cover a back surface of the sliding body and the braking member. 4. The wind turbine generator according to claim 2, wherein the braking member retracts from the sliding surface when not braking and advances when braking. 5.

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