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Why the Electric Generator of a Wind Turbine MUST BE on the Rotating Nacelle?

Started by synison, January 02, 2022, 08:46:09 PM

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synison

The relocation of the gearbox and the electric generator from the rotating nacelle to the stationary tower, even at its top, drastically lowers the cost of construction, installation and maintenance, allowing the approach for inspection and maintenance to the majority of the components of the whole configuration, even without stopping the operation of the wind turbine.
Besides these, the nacelle, having only the propeller-shaft and its brakes, can be aerodynamically shaped in the best way, lowering the horizontal wind force onto the top of the stationary tower to the minimum possible.

The objection to such a proposal is usually summarized in the following three points:
a) the simplest way to transmit power from the rotating nacelle to the ground is to use an electric cable,
b) there is no a mechanical mechanism for this transmission, which is simple, efficient and of low construction cost, and
c) even if the above reasons were not met, the weight of the gearbox and the generator is required to balance the weight of the propeller-shaft and the wind forces.

The first point is refuted by a careful study of what is required for the transmission of electrical power from a rotating frame to a stationary one; the slip-rings, for instance, and other components, their lifespan and the ease or not of their replacement.
The third point appears to be the strongest to date, but with the advent of the wind turbine type with direct drive technology (Siemens Gamesa for example) it is obvious that it does not exist in substance.
There is also another way to compensate for the weight of the propeller-shaft, such as the one proposed mainly by Air Genesis.

The second point was probably reinforced by persistently repeated proposals such as TWI572779 or even JP3157729.
However, a brand new mechanism, named "ELEUTHERO-STROPHE" (WO/2021/260400), is now coming to the fore, to overturn this point, while the introduction of this mechanism is a major breakthrough in the core of the operation of a wind turbine, turning the evolution path of its design to a totally new direction, resulting the next generation of wind turbines.

There are already fully operational Prototypes, in scale, while, in close collaboration with National Technical University of Athens, a Project is running, being at the last stage of the design of a fully operational Prototype, where power is transmitted from the propeller-shaft, on the rotating nacelle, to the shaft of an electric generator, on the stationary tower, independently of the endless rotation of the nacelle, with an overall transmission ratio 1:120, using only [b]FOUR[/b] additional moving parts and -what is very important, as well- using [b]STANDARD GEARS[/b] only.
Panos

Randol98