IP Library Granted Patent US 8,994,205
Granted Patent B2
US 8,994,205 · App. 13/387,209 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Wind turbine generator rotor mounted upon generator stator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,994,205
App. No.
13/387,209
Granted
Mar 31, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wind turbine that includes a rotor, a generator, and a tower is described. The rotor includes a rotor hub and one or more rotor blades. The generator includes a generator stator and a generator rotor. The rotor hub is rotatably mounted on a frame and the generator and tower are arranged on the same side of the rotor. The generator stator is attached to the frame substantially in a plane perpendicular to the rotor's rotational axis, and the generator rotor is rotatably mounted on a part of the generator stator.

Claims (20)

1. A wind turbine comprising:

a frame, having a longitudinal axis, that extends within a rotor and a generator, wherein the rotor includes a rotor hub and one or more rotor blades, the rotor hub being rotatably mounted on the frame at two points along the longitudinal axis of the frame; and

the generator includes a generator stator and a generator rotor, the generator being arranged on a first side of the rotor, the generator stator being attached to the frame substantially in a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotor, and the generator rotor being rotatably mounted on a part of the generator stator;

the wind turbine further comprising a tower being arranged on the first side of the rotor; and

a flexible coupling that transmits the torque from the rotor to the generator rotor while substantially limiting the transfer of bending loads.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the generator rotor is rotatably mounted on the generator stator through two bearings.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the generator rotor is rotatably mounted on the generator stator through a single bearing.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 3 , wherein the single bearing is a double tapered roller bearing.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises at least two separate frame sections.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 5 , wherein the frame comprises a front frame and a rear frame, and wherein the hub is rotatably mounted on the front frame, and the rear frame is rotatably mounted on the wind turbine tower.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 6 , wherein the generator stator is mounted on the rear frame.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 5 , wherein the frame comprises a front frame, middle frame and rear frame, and wherein the hub is rotatably mounted on the front frame, the generator is mounted on the middle frame, and the rear frame is rotatably mounted on the wind turbine tower.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 8 , wherein the middle frame has substantially the same length as the generator.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein one or more circumferentially arranged and substantially axial protrusions are attached to the rotor, the axial protrusions extend into a generator rotor carrying structure, and one or more flexible elements are arranged between one or more of the axial protrusions and the carrying structure.

11. The wind turbine according to claim 10 , wherein the axial protrusions are connected to or integrally formed with the rotor hub.

12. The wind turbine according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more blades are connected to the rotor hub with extenders, and the axial protrusions are connected to or integrally formed with the extenders.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 10 , wherein a coupling body is connected to the rotor hub, the coupling body comprising the axial protrusions.

14. The wind turbine according to claim 10 , wherein the flexible elements are made from elastic or visco-elastic material.

15. The wind turbine according to any claim 10 , wherein the generator rotor is arranged radially inside of the generator stator.

16. The wind turbine according to claim 15 , wherein the generator rotor carries a plurality of permanent magnets.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2017
From: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
To: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES WIND B.V.
Reel/Frame 044117/0056 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 2, 2017
From: ALSTOM RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
To: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Reel/Frame 043749/0761 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2017
From: ALSTOM RENOVABLES ESPAÑA, S.L.U.
To: ALSTOM RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Reel/Frame 042325/0649 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 9, 2017
From: ALSTOM HYDRO ESPAÑA, S.L.U.
To: ALSTOM RENOVABLES ESPAÑA, S.L.
Reel/Frame 042286/0195 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 28, 2017
From: ALSTOM WIND, S.L.U.
To: ALSTOM HYDRO ESPAÑA, S.L.U.
Reel/Frame 042103/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2012
From: CASTELL MARTINEZ, DANIEL
To: ALSTOM WIND, S.L.U.
Reel/Frame 027600/0319 →