Abstract:
A generator for a wind turbine is proposed. The generator has a stator, a rotor having a rotor housing surrounding the stator, and a main bearing to support the rotor housing such that the rotor housing is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The stator has a plurality of cylindrical elements extending in parallel with the axis of rotation, and the rotor has a front element having a plurality of holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements, such that the rotor is fixable to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to European Patent Office application No. 12177444.2 EP filed Jul. 23, 2012, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of wind turbines and to maintenance of wind turbines. In particular, the present invention relates to direct drive outer rotor single bearing wind turbines and to maintenance of the bearing of such wind turbines. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Maintenance, repair and exchange of the main bearing in a direct drive outer rotor single bearing wind turbine is a complicated task as the direct drive permanent magnet generator forms the drive train of a direct drive generator and the main bearing is installed upwind of the drive train. Until now this task has involved disassembling the generator from the bed frame of the wind turbine and performing the actual maintenance work at ground level. Besides the lowering and raising of the large and heavy generator parts, the disassembly and assembly of the generator is a cumbersome task due to the small tolerances on the relative positioning of the rotor and stator parts of the generator with respect to each other. Accordingly, a significant amount of time, equipment and energy is necessary to carry out such maintenance. 
     EP 2 148 090 B1 describes a wind power turbine in which the blade assembly can be locked with respect to the stator of the electric generator regardless of the angular position of the blade assembly with respect to the stator. More specifically, EP 2 148 090 B1 proposes to achieve the desired locking by tightening screws extending through inclined holes in the blade assembly such that they pressure engage annular grooves which are formed in the stator assembly. 
     There may be a need for a simple way of performing maintenance on the main bearing of a direct drive single bearing wind turbine. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This need may be met by the subject matter according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described by the dependent claims. 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a generator for a wind turbine. The described generator comprises (a) a stator, (b) a rotor having a rotor housing surrounding the stator, and (c) a main bearing adapted to support the rotor such that the rotor housing is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The stator comprises a plurality of cylindrical elements extending in parallel with the axis of rotation, and the rotor comprises a front element having a plurality of holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements, such that the rotor is fixable to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element. 
     This aspect of the invention is based on the idea that by allowing the rotor housing to be fixed to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element of the stator and a hole of the rotor front element, which hole is aligned with the cylindrical element, the rotor can be suspended and axially locked such that maintenance work on the main bearing can take place. 
     The rotor housing is preferably substantially cylindrically shaped and comprises a plurality of permanent magnets arranged on the inner surface of the rotor housing. 
     The main bearing preferably comprises an inner race and an outer race. The inner race may be fastened to a main shaft extending through the central part of the generator in the direction of the axis of rotation. The outer race may be fastened to the rotor, such that the rotor, and thereby the rotor housing, is rotatable around the stator. 
     Thereby, when the rotor housing is rotated around the stator, the permanent magnets will induce electrical current in corresponding stator coils. This generator construction is also referred to as an “outer rotor generator”. The rotor housing and stator are preferably designed such that only a relatively small air gap, such as in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, is present between the permanent magnets and the stator lamination stacks. 
     The cylindrical elements of the stator may be constituted by pipes or tubular elements having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, although in some embodiments the cylindrical elements may have a quadratic or rectangular cross-sectional shape. The cylindrical elements are preferably made from a strong material, such as metal, and may be arranged at the stator assembly by welding or they may be formed as integral parts of the stator. The cylindrical elements preferably have a length in the range of 100 mm to 200 mm and an outer diameter in the range of 50 mm to 150 mm. The inner diameter of the cylindrical elements is preferably in the range of 25 mm to 50 mm. 
     The front element of the rotor may be one or more rotor front plates extending from the rotor housing towards the axis of rotation. The front plate(s) is/are preferably arranged at the end of the rotor which is supposed to be closest to a rotor blade hub when the generator is mounted in a wind turbine. The holes may for example have a circular, quadratic or rectangular cross-section and a diameter in the range of 25 mm to 50 mm. The cross-sectional shape and diameter of the holes may in some embodiments be the same as the cross-sectional shape and diameter of the cylindrical elements. However, in other embodiments the cross-sectional shape and/or diameter of the holes may be different from the cross-sectional shape and/or diameter of the cylindrical elements. 
     In the present context, the notion “holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements” is to be understood such that a hole can be aligned with a cylindrical element along a line parallel with the rotational axis by rotating the rotor to at least one specific angular position. 
     Accordingly, when a fastening member having a shape and dimension fitting the holes and cylindrical elements is inserted through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element, the positional relationship (in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation) of the rotor and the stator is maintained even if the main bearing is removed or disassembled. In other words, by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned therewith, the rotor can be suspended. Thereby, it is possible to perform maintenance work on the main bearing without having to remove the rotor and/or the stator and without risking misalignment of the rotor and the stator in the radial direction which could lead to sticking of the rotor permanent magnets to the stator assembly. 
     It should be noted that the suspension of the rotor may be further improved by inserting one or more further fastening members through one or more pairs of aligned cylindrical elements. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical elements and/or the holes and/or the fastening members are threaded. 
     In this case, the fastening members may be screwed into the cylindrical elements and/or the holes. Thereby, also the axial positional relationship (i.e. in the direction of the axis of rotation) between the rotor and the stator may be maintained during maintenance of the main bearing. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical elements and the holes are provided at positions that are symmetrical around the axis of rotation. 
     This may for example be achieved by arranging the holes and cylindrical elements at positions which have the same distance to the axis of rotation and which are angularly displaced with a constant angle, such as 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° or 120°, or another integer fraction of 360°. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements are storable within a main shaft or nacelle of a wind turbine. 
     By storing the fastening elements within the main shaft or nacelle, for example in an appropriate box or bag, the fastening elements will be readily available to a maintenance worker who has been raised up-tower (i.e., to the top of the wind turbine tower) in order to perform maintenance work on the main bearing. After the maintenance work is completed, the fastening elements may be stored again such that they are ready for future maintenance work. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the generator further comprises a rotor brake and lock. 
     The rotor brake may for example be a disc brake arranged at the end of the rotor opposite to the rotor front. By operating the brake, the rotational speed of rotor can be reduced and even set to zero, i.e. where the rotor does not rotate. The rotor lock may be operated to lock the rotor at a desired angular position. 
     The rotor brake and lock may thus facilitate the adjustment of the rotor to a position where the holes and cylindrical elements are aligned such that the fastening member(s) can be inserted, in particular under windy conditions. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the rotor brake comprises a brake disc, the rotor lock comprises a lock bracket and a brake and lock bracket fixed relative to the stator, the lock bracket having a recess for receiving the brake disc and being adapted to engage with the brake disc to thereby lock the rotor at a predetermined angular position. A further plurality of cylindrical elements extending in parallel with the axis of rotation is arranged at the lock bracket, and the brake disc comprises a plurality of holes alignable with the cylindrical elements of the lock bracket, such that the rotor is further fixable to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element of the lock bracket and a hole of the brake disc aligned with the cylindrical element of the lock bracket. 
     The above discussed features of the holes, cylindrical elements and fastening members at the front of the generator apply equally to the further cylindrical elements, holes of the brake disc and bracket and fastening members of the present embodiment. 
     By also allowing the use of fastening members towards the rear side of the generator, the suspension of the rotor can be further stabilized. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the stator comprises a front stator plate, a rear stator plate and a plurality of stator segments distributed around the axis of rotation, the stator segments being supported by the front stator plate and the rear stator plate. 
     The front stator plate and the rear stator plate are preferably made of metal or another strong material and are both arranged around the main shaft such that they may support the stator segments. The front stator place is arranged at a position in the axial direction (axis of rotation) which is close to the front (or drive end) of the generator, i.e. the end of the generator which is supposed to face the blade hub assembly, whereas the rear stator plate is arranged at a position close to the rear (or non-drive end) of the generator, i.e. the end of the generator opposite to the drive end in the direction of the axis of rotation. Each stator segment comprises one or more coils in which electric current may be induced when the rotor is rotating. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical elements are arranged at the front stator plate. 
     The cylindrical elements may preferably be welded onto the front stator plate at a number of positions around or in the vicinity of the circumference of the stator plate. The positions may preferably have the same radial distance to the axis of rotation and be angularly displaced with the same angular amount. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a wind turbine. The described wind turbine comprises a generator according to the first aspect and/or any of the above embodiments any of the embodiments described above. 
     This aspect of the invention is based on the idea that by allowing the rotor to be fixed to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element of the stator and a hole of the rotor front element, which hole is aligned with the cylindrical element, the rotor can be suspended such that maintenance work on the main bearing of the wind turbine can take place. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a generator for a wind turbine. The described method comprises (a) providing a stator, (b) providing a rotor having a rotor housing surrounding the stator, (c) providing a main bearing for supporting the rotor such that the rotor housing is rotatable about an axis of rotation, (d) providing the stator with a plurality of cylindrical elements extending in parallel with the axis of rotation, and (e) providing a front element of the rotor housing with a plurality of holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements, such that the rotor is fixable to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element. 
     This aspect of the invention is based on the idea that by providing the stator with a plurality of cylindrical elements and by providing the front element with a plurality of holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements, the rotor can be fixed to the stator by insertion of a fastening member through a cylindrical element of the stator and a hole of the rotor front element, which hole is aligned with the cylindrical element. Thereby, the rotor can be suspended such that maintenance work on the main bearing can take place. 
     The provided rotor housing is preferably substantially cylindrically shaped and comprises a plurality of permanent magnets arranged on the inner surface of the rotor housing. 
     The provided main bearing preferably comprises an inner race and an outer race. The inner race may be fastened to a main shaft extending through the central part of the generator in the direction of the axis of rotation. The outer race may be fastened to the rotor, such that the rotor, and thereby the rotor housing, is rotatable around the stator. 
     Thereby, when the rotor housing is rotated around the stator, the permanent magnets will induce electrical current in corresponding stator coils. This generator construction is also referred to as an “outer rotor generator”. 
     The provided cylindrical elements of the stator may be constituted by pipes or tubular elements having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, although in some embodiments the cylindrical elements may have a quadratic or rectangular cross-sectional shape. The cylindrical elements are preferably made from a strong material, such as metal, and may be arranged at the stator assembly by welding or they may be formed as integral parts of the stator. 
     The provided front element of the rotor may be one or more rotor front plates extending from the rotor housing towards the axis of rotation. The front plate(s) is/are preferably arranged at the end of the rotor which is supposed to be closest to a rotor blade hub when the generator is mounted in a wind turbine. The cross-sectional shape and diameter of the holes may in some embodiments be the same as the cross-sectional shape and diameter of the cylindrical elements. However, in other embodiments the cross-sectional shape and/or diameter of the holes may be different from the cross-sectional shape and/or diameter of the cylindrical elements. 
     In the present context, the notion “holes at positions alignable with the cylindrical elements” is to be understood such that a hole can be aligned with a cylindrical element along a line parallel with the rotational axis by rotating the rotor to at least one specific angular position. 
     Accordingly, when a fastening member having a shape and dimension fitting the holes and cylindrical elements is inserted through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element, the positional relationship (in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation) of the rotor and the stator is maintained even if the main bearing is removed or disassembled. In other words, by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned therewith, the rotor can be suspended. Thereby, it is possible to perform maintenance work on the main bearing without having to remove the rotor and/or the stator and without risking misalignment of the rotor and the stator in the radial direction. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for maintenance of a main bearing of a wind turbine generator according to the first aspect and/or any of the embodiments described above. The described method comprises (a) rotating the rotor to a position where the plurality of holes are aligned with the cylindrical elements in the axial direction, (b) stopping the rotor, (c) fixating the rotor housing to the stator by inserting a fastening member through a cylindrical element and a hole aligned with the cylindrical element, and (d) performing maintenance work on the main bearing. 
     Also this aspect of the invention is based on the idea that the rotor is suspended such that maintenance work on the main bearing can take place without disassembling the generator. 
     The rotation and stopping of the rotor at a position where the holes are aligned with the cylindrical elements may be carried out by operating a rotor lock and/or brake of the generator. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the maintenance work comprises repairing or exchanging parts of the main bearing or exchanging the entire main bearing. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises removing a rotor hub and blade assembly from the main bearing prior to performing the maintenance work. 
     The removal of the rotor hub and blade assembly may be assisted by a crane which can also hold the rotor hub and blade assembly at a position close to the generator but leaving enough room for the maintenance worker(s) to carry out the maintenance work on the main bearing. 
     It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments have been described with reference to method type claims whereas other embodiments have been described with reference to apparatus type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless otherwise indicated, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination of features relating to different subject matters, in particular combinations of features of the method type claims and features of the apparatus type claims, is part of the disclosure of this document. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The aspects defined above and further aspects of the present invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to the examples of embodiment. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment to which, however, the invention is not limited. 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic overview of a wind turbine generator according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic overview of a wind turbine generator during maintenance according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic overview of a wind turbine during maintenance in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  shows a further schematic overview of a wind turbine generator during maintenance in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  shows a detailed view of a rotor lock arrangement in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     The illustration in the drawing is schematically. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs or with reference signs, which are different from the corresponding reference signs only within the first digit. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic overview of a wind turbine generator  100  according to an embodiment. 
     The generator  100  comprises a stator and a rotor and is a so-called outer rotor configuration in which the rotor surrounds the stator. The stator comprises a plurality of stator segments  110  (only one segment  110  is shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 1 ) symmetrically distributed around a main shaft  102  which is coincident with the generator&#39;s axis of rotation. The stator segments  110  are supported by a front stator plate  112  and a rear stator plate  114  which are both fixed to the main shaft  102 . The front stator plate  112  is arranged closer to the end of the generator  100  which is supposed to engage with a rotor hub  105  of a wind turbine (not shown) than the rear stator plate  114 . 
     The rotor comprises a cylindrical rotor housing  122  symmetrically arranged around the main shaft  102 . At the end towards the rotor hub  105 , the rotor comprises front elements (or rotor front plates)  124  which extend inwards from the end of the cylindrical rotor housing  122  towards the main shaft. The rotor further comprises a bearing pocket  126  for engaging with a main bearing. More specifically, the bearing pocket  126  engages with outer race  132  of the main bearing. The inner race of the main bearing is connected to main shaft  102  such that the rotor may rotate around its rotational axis. The front stator plate comprises an opening  118  for bearing bolt tightening. 
     At the rear end of the generator  100 , i.e. the end of the generator  100  opposite to the rotor hub  105 , a rotor brake disc  127  and a rotor lock  128  are arranged such that the rotation of the rotor can be stopped and such that the rotor can be locked at a desired angular position. 
     The front stator plate  112  comprises a cylindrical element  116  or pipe which is arranged, e.g. by welding, such that it extends in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation. The front element  124  comprises a corresponding hole  125  which may e.g. be drilled through the front element  124 . The hole  125  is provided at a position having the same radial distance to the axis of rotation as the cylindrical element. Thereby, the hole  125  and the cylindrical element  116  will be aligned in the direction of the axis of rotation at a given angular position of the rotor. In this aligned state, a fastening member  140  can be inserted through the cylindrical element  116  and through the hole  125  such that the fastening element extends in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. Thus, when the fastening member  140  is inserted through the cylindrical element  116  and the hole  125 , the rotor is supported by the stator, in particular by the front stator plate  112 , and the rotor can be kept in position relative to the stator even if parts of the main bearing of or the entire main bearing are/is removed. In some embodiments, the cylindrical element  116  and/or the hole  125  is/are threaded. By providing the fastening member  140  with corresponding threads at least along the sections which are intended to engage with the cylindrical element and/or the hole, the fastening member  140  may further provide a fixation or stabilization of the rotor relative to the stator in the direction of the axis of rotation. 
     Accordingly, by inserting, possibly screwing, the fastening member  140  (which may be a threaded bolt) into the cylindrical element  112  and the hole  125 , the rotor may be fixated relative to the stator in the axial and/radial direction such that the main bearing may be disassembled without causing displacement or misalignment of the rotor and stator relative to each other. 
     Thereby, maintenance work can be performed on the main bearing without having to disassemble the generator and lowering the corresponding disassembled part to ground level. 
     The fastening member or members  140  may be stored within the main shaft  102  or nacelle (not shown) for convenient access by maintenance workers or they may be part of the tools that are carried by the maintenance workers. 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic overview of a wind turbine generator at an initial stage of a bearing maintenance procedure in accordance with an embodiment. 
     Most structural elements are similar to those of  FIG. 1  and a repeated description of similar structural parts will accordingly be omitted. 
     More specifically,  FIG. 2  shows a state where the rotor of the generator (which is arranged at a bed frame  204 ) has been locked in an appropriate angular position by means of the brake disc  227 , rotor lock  228  and a brake and lock bracket  229  which is fixed relative to the main shaft  202  and bed frame  204 . A fastening member  241  has been inserted through a cylindrical element (not shown) and a hole (not shown) aligned therewith 
     In the state shown in  FIG. 2 , the rotor is floating, i.e. it is suspended by the fastening member  241 , such that the positional relationship between the rotor and the stator will not change even if the main bearing or parts thereof is/are removed. 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic overview of a subsequent step of the maintenance procedure. More specifically,  FIG. 3  shows (in the right-hand part of the drawing) the wind turbine generator  300  arranged beside a direct drive wind turbine nacelle  306  at the top of wind turbine tower  308 . As shown in the left-hand part of the drawing, the rotor hub  305  and the rotor blades  309  are removed from the wind turbine by use of crane lifts  350  which engage with the rotor hub  305  at hoist point  352 . By removing the rotor hub  305  and blades  309 , there is free access to the main bearing (not shown). The crane lifts  350  may keep the rotor hub  305  and rotor blades  309  at a safe distance (indicated by arrows in the drawing) from the wind turbine during the maintenance work, such that even in case of strong wind, the rotor hub  305  and rotor blades  309  will not interfere with the maintenance work on the main bearing of the generator  300 . 
     Thereby, it will not be necessary to take the rotor hub  305  and rotor blades  309  down to ground level  354 . Thus, once the maintenance work is completed, the rotor hub  305  and rotor blades  309  can easily be remounted to the wind turbine by operating the crane lifts  350 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic overview of the wind turbine generator  400  during maintenance, i.e. in the state shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The main bearing  430  has been removed from the generator  400  which has the rotor suspended by fastening member  441 . Maintenance work, such as exchange of parts of the inner race  431  or the outer race  432  of the main bearing  430 . Depending on the specific maintenance work to be carried out, the bearing  430  may be lowered to ground level or kept in the vicinity of the generator  400 . In any event, the generator  400  does not need to be disassembled and the maintenance work can accordingly be carried out in an efficient and speedy manner. 
       FIG. 5  shows a detailed view of a rotor lock arrangement which may be implemented in the embodiments shown in any of  FIGS. 1 to 4 . As shown, the rotor housing  522  is equipped with rotor brake disc  527 . At the inner (to the left in the drawing) and outer (to the right) side of the rotor brake disc  527 , there are arranged an inner part  528   b  and an outer part  528   a  of a rotor lock bracket. The rotor lock is connected to brake and lock bracket  529  and is operable to lock the angular position of the rotor housing  522  by insertion of rotor lock apparatus into and through holes  528   d.    
     At the outer part  528   a  of the rotor lock bracket, there is further arranged an outer cylindrical element  551  comprising an inner surface  551   a . Similarly, an inner cylindrical element  552  comprising an inner surface  552   a  is arranged at the inner part  528   b  of the rotor lock bracket. The cylindrical elements  551  and  552  are aligned in the axial direction of the rotor. In the angular position of the rotor illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the cylindrical elements  551  and  552  are further aligned with a hole  527   a  in the rotor brake disc  527 . Thereby, the rotor can be fixed relative to the stator (not shown) by inserting a fastening member, such as a bolt, into the opening  553  such that it extends through the outer cylindrical element  551 , through the hole  527   a  in the rotor brake disc  527  and into or through the inner cylindrical element  552 . The respective inner surfaces  551   a  and  552   a  of the inner and outer cylindrical elements  551 ,  552  may be threaded such that the fastening element can be screw-fitted into the cylindrical elements  551 ,  552 . The hole  527   a  may have a smooth surface or may also have a threaded surface fitting the fastening element. 
     It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the use of articles “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.