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Title: Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1176422

A wind turbine comprising an electrical generator that includes a rotor assembly. A wind rotor that includes a wind rotor hub is directly coupled to the rotor assembly via a simplified connection. The wind rotor and generator rotor assembly are rotatably mounted on a central spindle via a bearing assembly. The wind rotor hub includes an opening having a diameter larger than the outside diameter of the central spindle adjacent the bearing assembly so as to allow access to the bearing assembly from a cavity inside the wind rotor hub. The spindle is attached to a turret supported by a tower. Each of the spindle, turret and tower has an interior cavity that permits personnel to traverse therethrough to the cavity of the wind rotor hub. The wind turbine further includes a frictional braking system for slowing, stopping or keeping stopped the rotation of the wind rotor and rotor assembly.

Research Organization:
Northern Power Systems, Inc., Barre, VT (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Assignee:
Northern Power Systems, Inc. (Barre, VT)
Patent Number(s):
7,891,941
Application Number:
12/246,713
OSTI ID:
1176422
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2008 Oct 07
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (1)

The Application of Flywheels in Short-term Energy Storage book January 1984