Wind Turbine Gearbox Sliding Layer for Easier Bearing Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance of sliding bearings in wind turbine gearboxes is complex and cost-intensive due to the difficulty in replacing worn-out sliding bearing bushes, which can lead to position losses and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A thermal spraying method is used to apply a sliding layer directly onto the axle or an intermediate layer, utilizing wear-resistant alloys like aluminum, bismuth, or copper base alloys, potentially with a polymer running-in layer and embedded particles, to facilitate easy maintenance and improve lubrication, reducing thermal loading and creep effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If sliding bearing bushes are used in wind turbine gearboxes, then the bearing function is achieved, but maintenance becomes complex and cost-intensive due to difficulty in replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sliding layer from the traditional bush structure and applies it directly onto the axle surface. This allows the sliding bearing function to be maintained while eliminating the need for complex bush replacement procedures, as the sliding layer can be easily reapplied or maintained on the accessible axle surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical bush structure with a thermal spraying application process. Instead of installing and replacing physical bushes, a sliding layer material is thermally sprayed onto the axle, creating a maintenance-friendly coating that can be applied or renewed without complex mechanical assembly or disassembly.
2Reliability
If sliding bearing bushes are used, then bearing support is provided, but position losses occur due to creep and relaxation effects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters by using wear-resistant and creep-resistant alloys for the sliding layer. These materials have superior mechanical properties that resist creep and relaxation effects, thereby maintaining stable bearing positions under operational loads without the position losses experienced by traditional bush materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite material structures where the sliding layer is made from specialized alloys designed to resist creep and relaxation. These composite or alloyed materials combine multiple elements to achieve enhanced dimensional stability and resistance to deformation under thermal and mechanical stress, preventing position losses.
3Ease of repair
If traditional sliding bearing bushes are used, then bearing function is achieved, but replacement requires complex procedures and high costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sliding layer from the bush structure and applies it directly to the axle, making the bearing surface accessible and maintainable without removing complex bush components. This enables quick maintenance operations where the sliding layer can be reapplied or refreshed in situ.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adopts a coating approach where the sliding layer can be reapplied or refreshed relatively easily and at lower cost compared to replacing entire bush assemblies. The thermal spraying process allows for economical renewal of the sliding surface without requiring expensive and time-consuming bush replacement procedures.
4Ease of manufacture
If sliding layers are applied by thermal spraying, then maintenance is simplified, but thermal loading of the axle may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the thermal spraying parameters to minimize thermal input to the axle. By controlling spray distance, material composition, and energy input parameters, the process achieves effective coating application while limiting thermal loading of the underlying axle structure to acceptable levels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies maintenance, prevents position losses, and enhances lubrication, leading to longer operation and reduced costs by allowing on-site maintenance and improved tribological performance without mechanical processing, while minimizing thermal loading and creep effects.
Implementation Method 1
the sliding layer is sprayed directly onto the axle or, with intermediate arrangement of at least one further layer, onto the intermediate layer by means of a thermal spaying method
Implementation Method 2
the particles flatten when they hit the axle such that they can be oriented in the direction of the rotational movement of the gear
Implementation Method 3
the sliding layer consists of or comprises a material selected from a group comprising aluminum base alloys, bismuth base alloys, silver base alloys, copper base alloys
Implementation Method 4
these wear-resistant and tribologically particularly effective materials proved to be particularly advantageous
Implementation Method 5
the sprayed on sliding layer—as compared to sliding bearing bushes—has the advantage that losses of position of the sliding bearings due to creep effects or relaxation effects can be precluded
Implementation Method 6
losses of position of the sliding bearings due to creep effects or relaxation effects can be precluded
Data Source
AI summary
A wind turbine gearbox, in particular a planetary gearbox, has at least one gear mounted on an axle, for which purpose a sliding layer is arranged between the gear and the axle, the sliding layer being sprayed directly onto the axle or, with intermediate arrangement of at least one further layer, onto the further layer using a thermal spaying method.