Installation of a Bosch Rexroth GPV

Anatomy of a Modern Wind Turbine

• The blades and hub of a wind turbine make up the rotor, which turns the low-speed shaft. An anemometer measures wind speeds, and the controller starts the turbine as wind speeds reach 8 to 16 mph. The gearbox is coupled between the low-speed shaft and the high-speed input shaft, which leads to the generator. The gearbox is designed to increase rotation speeds from around 30 to 60 rotations per minute at the low-speed shaft, to about 1,000 to 1,800 rotations per minute at the high-speed input shaft. The faster rotation speeds allow the generator to produce energy.

The Redulus GPV 302 Gearbox

• The gearbox is the core component of the wind turbine drive train. Bosch Rexroth Redulus GPV gearboxes are designed for generators with a rating capacity of up to 2,000 kilowatts. The Redulus GPV 302 is the smallest version of the GPV gearboxes. It is designed for generator power of 660 kilowatts. It allows for an overall rotor diameter of 47 meters, has an input torque of 243 kilonewtons, and weighs about 3,900 kilograms.

The Redulus GPV and GPV-D Gearboxes

• The Redulus GPV 444 is the largest gearbox of the GPV types. The GPV 444 gearbox is designed for generator power up to 2,000 kilowatts. It allows for a total rotor diameter of 82 meters, holds input torque at 1,135 kilonewtons, and weighs approximately 17,000 kilograms. The Redulus GPV-D gearbox versions are designed to accommodate generator ratings of up to 2,500 kilowatts.

Installation and Maintenance

• The nacelle housing unit is stationed on the top of a wind turbine tower. The nacelle unit houses the controller, drive train, low-speed shaft, gearbox, high-speed shaft, generator and braking system. The components are typically assembled on the ground, and then lifted by crane into position inside of the nacelle. Placement and final fittings, as well as routine maintenance and checks, are performed manually. The Bosch Rexroth Group offers monitoring systems and service plans tailored to minimize wind turbine down-time.