Integrated medium-speed geared drive train

• Main Authors: JANSEN PATRICK L, GADRE ANIRUDDHA D, LOPEZ FULTON J, CISZAK ROBERT J, CARL, JR. RALPH JAMES
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.05.2011
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GEARING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WIND MOTORS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

A drive train for a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine comprises a low speed shaft connected to blades of the wind turbine and a higher speed shaft connected to a generator. The drive train also includes a bearing that substantially supports the weight of at least the low speed shaft. A compound planetary gear stage is connected to the low speed shaft and the higher speed shaft, and includes a rotating carrier, a non-rotating ring gear, a plurality of planetary gears, and a rotating sun gear. The sun gear is connected to the higher speed shaft.