Abstract: A main bearing housing for a wind turbine comprising a bearing arrangement having a sump located in a floor region of the main bearing housing. The sump comprises a floor pan surrounded by a side wall and includes an overflow arrangement configured to permit fluid to spill from the sump. The overflow arrangement comprises a spill passage configured with a spill inlet at or near the floor pan of the sump and a spill outlet located in a position between the spill inlet and an upper edge of the sump side wall. An advantage of the invention is that since the spill passage is fed with oil from a position that is close to the bottom of the sump, debris and sediment at the bottom of the sump tends to be entrained with the flow of oil and so tends not to collect at the bottom of the sump. The lubrication system therefore is able to clean the oil more effectively because the debris and sediment is encouraged to circulate around the lubrication system.

Abstract: A main bearing housing for supporting a main rotor shaft of a wind turbine, wherein the main bearing housing defines a first end, a second end and a floor region intermediate the first and second ends. The main bearing housing comprises a first bearing arrangement positioned at the first end of the main bearing housing, a second bearing arrangement positioned at the second end of the main bearing housing, wherein the floor region includes a first oil sump positioned at the first bearing arrangement, and a second sump positioned at the second bearing arrangement. Advantageously, the embodiments of the invention provide that the bearings of the main bearing housing are lubricated by a lubrication system that includes sumps positioned at each of the fore and aft bearings of the main rotor shaft.

Abstract: A fluid system for a wind turbine, which is particularly beneficial when the wind turbine is operating at low power, such as during idling operational mode. Fluid accumulates in a fluid storage device before being released intermittently, for example by fluid bursts or pulses, to one or more consumer units, including but not limited to bearings. The fluid system advantageously enables fluid, such as lubricant, to be sufficiently distributed to the one or more consuming units even if the pump used to supply fluid to the consuming units is operating at low power.

Abstract: A pump system for supplying lubricant to components of a wind turbine comprises: a pump for pumping lubricant through a fluid circuit of the wind turbine; a drive means for driving the pump; and, a gearbox arrangement arranged to couple the drive means to the pump. The gearbox arrangement comprises a rotatable input shaft configured to be driven by the drive means and a rotatable output shaft configured to drive the pump. The input shaft is rotatable in a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation when driven by the drive means. The output shaft is rotatable in the first direction of rotation, and the speed of rotation of the output shaft is determined by an operational mode of the gearbox arrangement. In a first mode of operation, when the input shaft rotates in the first direction of rotation at a first speed of rotation, the gearbox arrangement is configured to drive the output shaft to rotate also in the first direction of rotation at the first speed of rotation.

Abstract: A method involves directing lubricant to different consumers which are to be monitored via their lubricant. The lubricant is drained through drain lines connected to the consumers and directed to a tank. At least some the lubricant in the drain lines or the consumers is extracted into extraction lines. Flow from the extraction lines is selectively directed to a measurement device, which then measures a characteristic of the lubricant. A system for carrying out such a method is also provided, wherein the system includes a multiplexer for selectively directing flow from the extraction lines.

Abstract: A main bearing housing for a wind turbine comprising a bearing arrangement having a sump located in a floor region of the main bearing housing. The sump comprises a floor pan surrounded by a side wall and includes an overflow arrangement configured to permit fluid to spill from the sump. The overflow arrangement comprises a spill passage configured with a spill inlet at or near the floor pan of the sump and a spill outlet located in a position between the spill inlet and an upper edge of the sump side wall. An advantage of the invention is that since the spill passage is fed with oil from a position that is close to the bottom of the sump, debris and sediment at the bottom of the sump tends to be entrained with the flow of oil and so tends not to collect at the bottom of the sump. The lubrication system therefore is able to clean the oil more effectively because the debris and sediment is encouraged to circulate around the lubrication system.

Abstract: A main bearing housing for supporting a main rotor shaft of a wind turbine, wherein the main bearing housing defines a first end, a second end and a floor region intermediate the first and second ends. The main bearing housing comprises a first bearing arrangement positioned at the first end of the main bearing housing, a second bearing arrangement positioned at the second end of the main bearing housing, wherein the floor region includes a first oil sump positioned at the first bearing arrangement, and a second sump positioned at the second bearing arrangement. Advantageously, the embodiments of the invention provide that the bearings of the main bearing housing are lubricated by a lubrication system that includes sumps positioned at each of the fore and aft bearings of the main rotor shaft.

Abstract: A fluid system for a wind turbine, which is particularly beneficial when the wind turbine is operating at low power, such as during idling operational mode. Fluid accumulates in a fluid storage device before being released intermittently, for example by fluid bursts or pulses, to one or more consumer units, including but not limited to bearings. The fluid system advantageously enables fluid, such as lubricant, to be sufficiently distributed to the one or more consuming units even if the pump used to supply fluid to the consuming units is operating at low power.

Abstract: A pump system for supplying lubricant to components of a wind turbine comprises: a pump for pumping lubricant through a fluid circuit of the wind turbine; a drive means for driving the pump; and, a gearbox arrangement arranged to couple the drive means to the pump. The gearbox arrangement comprises a rotatable input shaft configured to be driven by the drive means and a rotatable output shaft configured to drive the pump. The input shaft is rotatable in a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation when driven by the drive means. The output shaft is rotatable in the first direction of rotation, and the speed of rotation of the output shaft is determined by an operational mode of the gearbox arrangement. In a first mode of operation, when the input shaft rotates in the first direction of rotation at a first speed of rotation, the gearbox arrangement is configured to drive the output shaft to rotate also in the first direction of rotation at the first speed of rotation.

Abstract: A method involves directing lubricant to different consumers which are to be monitored via their lubricant. The lubricant is drained through drain lines connected to the consumers and directed to a tank. At least some the lubricant in the drain lines or the consumers is extracted into extraction lines. Flow from the extraction lines is selectively directed to a measurement device, which then measures a characteristic of the lubricant. A system for carrying out such a method is also provided, wherein the system includes a multiplexer for selectively directing flow from the extraction lines.

Abstract: A contaminant sensor (1) for detecting magnetizable contaminants (7) present in a lubricant flow is disclosed. A permanent magnet (3) is arranged movably inside a sensor housing (2). A sensor element (6, 11, 13), e.g. in the form of a distance sensor (6) or a pressure sensor (11), is arranged to detect a displacement of the permanent magnet (3) inside the sensor housing (2), and an indicator is arranged to generate an alert signal when a displacement and/or a rate of change of displacement of the permanent magnet (3) inside the sensor housing (2) exceeds a predefined threshold value. The permanent magnet (3) is arranged to move inside the sensor housing (2) in response to magnetizable contaminants (7) collected on an outer surface of the sensor housing (2).

Abstract: A contaminant sensor (1) for detecting magnetizable contaminants (7) present in a lubricant flow is disclosed. A permanent magnet (3) is arranged movably inside a sensor housing (2). A sensor element (6, 11, 13), e.g. in the form of a distance sensor (6) or a pressure sensor (11), is arranged to detect a displacement of the permanent magnet (3) inside the sensor housing (2), and an indicator is arranged to generate an alert signal when a displacement and/or a rate of change of displacement of the permanent magnet (3) inside the sensor housing (2) exceeds a pre-defined threshold value. The permanent magnet (3) is arranged to move inside the sensor housing (2) in response to magnetizable contaminants (7) collected on an outer surface of the sensor housing (2).

Abstract: A method involves directing lubricant to different consumers which are to be monitored via their lubricant. The lubricant is drained through drain lines connected to the consumers and directed to a tank. At least some the lubricant in the drain lines or the consumers is extracted into extraction lines. Flow from the extraction lines is selectively directed to a measurement device, which then measures a characteristic of the lubricant. A system for carrying out such a method is also provided, wherein the system includes a multiplexer for selectively directing flow from the extraction lines.