Parallel gear unit for a gearbox for a wind turbine
View Patent ↗A parallel gear unit ( 20 ) for a gearbox ( 30 ) for a wind turbine includes at least a low speed shaft ( 21 ) and a high speed shaft ( 22 ), each shaft ( 21, 22 ) having a gear ( 23, 25 ) with helical teeth, the gears ( 23, 25 ) of each shaft ( 21, 22 ) being adapted for meshing with each other. The low speed shaft ( 21 ) is rotatably supported by roller bearings ( 24 a ) and the high speed shaft ( 22 ) is rotatably supported by sliding bearings ( 24 b ). A gearbox ( 30 ) including the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) and a wind turbine including such a gearbox ( 30 ) are described.
1. A parallel gear unit ( 20 ) for a gearbox ( 30 ) for a wind turbine, the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) comprising:
a low speed shaft ( 21 ); and
a high speed shaft ( 22 ),
each of the low speed shaft and the high speed shaft comprising a gear ( 23 , 25 ) with helical teeth, the gears ( 23 , 25 ) being adapted for meshing with each other,
wherein the low speed shaft ( 21 ) is rotatably supported by roller bearings ( 24 a ) and the high speed shaft ( 22 ) is rotatably supported by sliding bearings ( 24 b ),
wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) is configured as a gearbox ( 30 ) for a wind turbine with the low speed shaft ( 21 ) configured for connection to a wind turbine rotor and the high speed shaft ( 22 ) configured as an output shaft for connection to a generator of the wind turbine,
wherein the gearbox ( 30 ) provides only a single gear ratio, and
wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) furthermore comprises a thrust collar ( 26 ) on at least one of the shafts ( 21 , 22 , 36 ) and in direct contact with the gear ( 23 or 25 ) on the neighbouring shaft.
2. The parallel gear unit according to claim 1 , wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) furthermore comprises an intermediate shaft ( 36 ) in between the low speed shaft ( 21 ) and the high speed shaft ( 22 ), the intermediate shaft ( 36 ) being rotatably supported by roller bearings ( 24 a ).
3. The parallel gear unit ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the thrust collar ( 26 ) is provided on at least the high speed shaft ( 22 ) which is supported by the sliding bearings ( 24 b ).
4. The parallel gear unit ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the roller bearings ( 24 a ) are selected from taper roller bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings or CARB toroidal roller bearings.
5. A gearbox ( 30 ) for a wind turbine, the gearbox comprising:
a planetary gear unit ( 31 ); and
a parallel gear unit ( 20 ),
wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) comprises two parallel shafts ( 21 , 22 ), each of the parallel shafts ( 21 , 22 ) comprising a gear ( 23 , 25 ) with helical teeth, the gears ( 23 , 25 ) being adapted for meshing with each other,
wherein a first shaft ( 21 ) is supported by roller bearings ( 24 a ) and a second shaft ( 22 ) is supported by sliding bearings ( 24 b ),
wherein the gearbox ( 30 ) is configured for a wind turbine with the low speed shaft ( 21 ) configured for connection to a wind turbine rotor and the high speed shaft ( 22 ) configured as an output shaft for connection to a generator of the wind turbine,
wherein the gearbox ( 30 ) provides only a single gear ratio, and
wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) furthermore comprises a thrust collar ( 26 ) on at least one of the shafts ( 21 , 22 ) and in direct contact with the gear ( 23 or 25 ) on the neighbouring shaft.
6. The gearbox ( 30 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the parallel gear unit ( 20 ) furthermore comprises an intermediate shaft ( 36 ) in between the low speed shaft ( 21 ) and the high speed shaft ( 22 ), the intermediate shaft ( 36 ) being supported by roller bearings ( 24 a ).
7. A wind turbine comprising a gearbox ( 30 ) according to claim 5 .