CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 19174876.3, having a filing date of May 16, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The following relates to a bearing arrangement for a wind turbine and a wind turbine.

BACKGROUND

In general, bearing arrangements of wind turbines comprise a bearing housing and a drive shaft, whereby the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing. Bearings of the bearing arrangement are arranged about the drive shaft, so that the drive shaft can be rotated within the bearing housing by means of a rotor of the wind turbine. Such a bearing arrangement is known from EP 3 276 192 A1, for example.

Such bearings must be attached to the bearing housing. Such a bearing may be a radial fluid bearing comprising multiple radial bearing bodies, multiple radial tiltable support structures secured to the multiple radial bearing bodies, whereby each one of a multiple of radial bearing pads is attached to one of the multiple radial tiltable support structures. In the prior art, the radial bearing bodies are provided within pockets of the bearing housing. Such pockets may be machined into the bearing housing, for example. However, the pockets are a source of tolerances, which makes it difficult to achieve a desired fitting of the radial fluid bearing with its multiple radial bearing pads about the drive shaft. Therefore, the pockets require three-dimensional measurement after their machining into the bearing housing and may require rework to ensure the desired fitting.

SUMMARY

An aspect relates to eliminating or at least reducing disadvantages in the prior art techniques related to the fitting of the radial fluid bearing about the drive shaft, in particular to provide a bearing arrangement for a wind turbine with a fitting concept having little tolerances and low manufacturing costs.

An aspect relates to a bearing arrangement of a wind turbine. Thereby, the features and details described in connection with the bearing arrangement of the embodiment of the present invention apply in connection with the wind turbine of the embodiment of the present invention, so that regarding the disclosure of the individual aspects of the present invention it is or can be referred to one another.

An aspect relates to a bearing arrangement for a wind turbine comprising a bearing housing and a drive shaft, whereby the drive shaft is arranged within the bearing housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the bearing housing, the bearing arrangement further comprising a downwind bearing and an upwind bearing, whereby the downwind bearing and the upwind bearing are arranged between the bearing housing and the drive shaft, wherein the downwind bearing and/or the upwind bearing is a radial fluid bearing comprising multiple radial bearing bodies, multiple radial tiltable support structures secured to the multiple radial bearing bodies, whereby each one of a multiple of radial bearing pads is attached to one of the multiple radial tiltable support structures and the multiple radial bearing pads are arranged about the drive shaft, whereby at least one curved interface plate is attached to at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies opposite of the radial bearing pad, whereby the interface plate is arranged in contact with a cylindrical seat of the radial fluid bearing.

By means of the embodiment of the present invention, the radial bearing pads are arranged with respect to the drive shaft with very little tolerances and at low cost with respect to manufacture and assembly.

The multiple radial tiltable support structures allow for the multiple radial bearing pads to be tiltable with respect to the drive shaft. Thereby, tolerances between the drive shaft and the radial bearing pads can be compensated for.

In particular, a curved interface plate may be attached to each one of the multiple radial bearing bodies opposite of the radial bearing pad, whereby the interface plates are arranged in contact with a cylindrical seat of the radial fluid bearing.

A first interface plate side of the at least one interface plate, which is contact with the cylindrical seat, has a curvature corresponding to a curvature of the cylindrical seat. Thereby, the interface plate is provided with a large contact surface contacting the cylindrical seat, whereby the stability of the radial fluid bearing is improved.

In particular, a second interface plate side of the at least one interface plate, which is located opposite of the first interface plate, is predominantly plain or plain. Predominantly in this sense means that more than half of the surface of the second interface plate side is plain. Thereby, attachment of the radial bearing body to the interface plate may be facilitated.

Moreover, at least one of the at least one interface plate comprises at least one interface plate attachment means for attaching the at least one interface plate to the at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies. The at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies may comprise a corresponding radial bearing body attachment means. The interface plate attachment means and the corresponding radial bearing body attachment means may be attached to each other by a further attachment means element. Thereby, the interface plate may be securely attached to the radial bearing body.

Further, at least one of the at least one interface plate attachment means is an interface plate through hole. The interface plate through hole may comprise threads, for example. A radial bearing body attachment means may further be a radial bearing body through hole, which also may comprise threads. An attachment means element may be a bolt, in particular a threaded bolt, for example.

In particular, the cylindrical seat is formed in the bearing housing. Moreover, the cylindrical seat may be integrally formed, in particular monolithically designed, with the bearing housing. Thereby, the cylindrical seat of the radial fluid bearing is stably provided at the bearing housing.

At least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies to which the at least one interface plate is attached is fixed by means of limit stops attached to the cylindrical seat, whereby the limit stops are adjacent to the at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies in a tangential direction along the circumference of the cylindrical seat. In particular, the limit stops may be arranged in grooves arranged in the cylindrical seat. Further, the limit stops may be attached to the cylindrical seat by means of bolts. In particular, each one of the multiple radial bearing bodies is separated by another one of the multiple radial bearing bodies by means of one of the limit stops along the cylindrical seat. The limit stops prevent a movement of the interface plate in a tangential direction along the circumference of the cylindrical seat.

The at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies to which the at least one interface plate is attached is fixed to the cylindrical seat by means of at least one fastening element, whereby the at least one fastening element at least partially extends through the at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies. In particular, at least two fastening elements are extending at least partially through the at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies. In particular, the at least one fastening element protrudes into the cylindrical seat. The fastening element may be a bolt, for example. The at least one fastening element prevents a movement of the interface plate in a radial direction from the bearing housing to the drive shaft.

In particular, at least one of the multiple radial tiltable support structures may comprise a ball head. The ball head can provide a tilting functionality for compensation of tolerances in the radial fluid bearing.

Moreover, the at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies securing the at least one of the multiple radial tiltable support structures comprising the ball head may comprise a ball socket for the ball head.

Further, at least one of the multiple tiltable support structures may be secured to at least one of the multiple radial bearing bodies by means of a spring connection. The spring connection is a low-cost part for implementing a tilting functionality.

An aspect relates to a wind turbine comprising a bearing arrangement according to the embodiment of the present invention, whereby the wind turbine further comprises a rotor connected to drive the drive shaft and a generator connected to be driven by the drive shaft.

The generator may be a direct drive generator or a geared generator having a gearbox, for example. The rotor is also commonly referred to as a hub of the wind turbine. Two, three or more wind turbine blades may be attached to the rotor or hub. The wind turbine may further comprise a nacelle, which may be supported on a tower of the wind turbine. The nacelle may comprise the bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement, in particular the bearing housing, and the generator may be attached to the nacelle and/or the tower.

