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Title: Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
; ; ; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Northern Power Systems, Inc., Barre, VT (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1176422
Patent Number(s):
7891941
Application Number:
12/246,713
Assignee:
Northern Power Systems, Inc. (Barre, VT)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C08 - ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS C08F - MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03D - WIND MOTORS
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2008 Oct 07
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
17 WIND ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Bevington, Christopher M., Bywaters, Garrett L., Coleman, Clint C., Costin, Daniel P., Danforth, William L., Lynch, Jonathan A., and Rolland, Robert H. Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain. United States: N. p., 2011. Web.
Bevington, Christopher M., Bywaters, Garrett L., Coleman, Clint C., Costin, Daniel P., Danforth, William L., Lynch, Jonathan A., & Rolland, Robert H. Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain. United States.
Bevington, Christopher M., Bywaters, Garrett L., Coleman, Clint C., Costin, Daniel P., Danforth, William L., Lynch, Jonathan A., and Rolland, Robert H. Tue . "Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1176422.
@article{osti_1176422,
title = {Wind turbine having a direct-drive drivetrain},
author = {Bevington, Christopher M. and Bywaters, Garrett L. and Coleman, Clint C. and Costin, Daniel P. and Danforth, William L. and Lynch, Jonathan A. and Rolland, Robert H.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Tue Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}

Works referenced in this record:

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