Wind turbine lubrication system
View Patent ↗A wind turbine lubrication system comprising a pump for pumping lubricant through a lubrication circuit, said pump being driven by a power-take-off from the drive train of the wind turbine, characterized in that said pump for pumping lubricant drives at least a first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to a first wind turbine auxiliary component.
1. A method for lubricating a part in a wind turbine having a drive train, the method comprising:
driving a pump by a power-take-off from the drive train,
pumping a lubricant through a lubrication circuit using the pump,
driving a first hydraulic motor using the pump, and
the first hydraulic motor driving a lubricant cooling system.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first hydraulic motor drives the lubricant cooling system with a variable speed.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine comprises a gearbox and the power-take-off is a power-take-off from the gearbox.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the part to be lubricated is the gearbox.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine is a direct-drive wind turbine and the power-take-off is a power-take-off from the rotor shaft.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant cooling system is a liquid-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-air heat exchanger.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the lubricant cooling system is a liquid-air heat exchanger and the hydraulic motor drives a fan for cooling the lubricant.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the lubrication circuit furthermore comprises a bypass for bypassing lubricant around the liquid-air heat exchanger.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the bypass comprises a variable flow valve.
10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first hydraulic motor drives the liquid-liquid heat exchanger or the liquid-air heat exchanger with a variable speed.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to the lubricant cooling system is arranged in the lubrication circuit.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to the lubricant cooling system is arranged in a separate circuit.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the pump for pumping lubricant is a single head gear pump.
14. The method according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising the pump driving a second hydraulic motor, and
the second hydraulic motor providing mechanical power to a wind turbine auxiliary component.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first hydraulic motor is provided in the lubrication circuit, and the second hydraulic motor is provided in a separate circuit.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the pump for pumping lubricant is a double head gear pump.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first hydraulic motor is a positive displacement or a rotodynamic hydraulic motor.
18. A method for lubricating a part in a wind turbine having a drive train, the method comprising:
driving a pump by a power-take-off from the drive train,
pumping a lubricant through a lubrication circuit using the pump, the lubrication circuit comprising a liquid-air heat exchanger,
driving a first hydraulic motor using the pump, and
the first hydraulic motor driving a fan for cooling the lubricant.