Bearing innovations increase efficiency
With bearing problems representing the single biggest reason for wind turbine failures, Paul Fanning looks at some of the latest methods being employed to combat the problem.
The wear on bearings is the single biggest technological problem facing the windpower industry, regularly leading to failure and stoppages. For this reason, a number of suppliers have developed or are developing solutions to reduce these failure rates significantly.
One such solution comes from Schaeffler, whose rolling bearing for wind turbine gearboxes is not only resistant to the effects of slippage, but actually prevents slippage from occurring in the first place.
Slippage is a huge problem for rolling bearings. The life and performance of a rolling bearing will suffer if it is overloaded or under-loaded. Because rolling bearings are designed with a minimum load requirement in order to function optimally, if f this minimum load is not met, slippage will occur. This means that the rolling elements not only rotate, but also slide on the bearing raceways. Eventually, this can lead to surface damage such as increased wear or smearing, particularly in critical lubrication conditions
Link to Article: http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-features/technology/bearing-innovations-increase-efficiency/28522/
