Wind turbine generator operating environment The wind energy moving wind turbine blades is changed into rotational energy at the rotor. That energy is then transferred through the main shaft and gearbox, and finally transformed into electricity by the generator. This is the main flow of the power train in a wind turbine generator. The load on the wind turbine generator (Fig. 1) varies widely from light to heavy according to the wind speed and direction, which changes every O.lsec, and this affects rotational speed as well (Fig. 2). Additionally, the operating temperatures can range from -30 to...

Hybrid ceramic bearings for generators Bearings used in generators are subject to electric pitting—a phenomenon where the surface melts locally because sparks are generated as the electricity passes through the ultra-thin oil layer and into the bearing while it is rotating—and this is one of the factors that can lead to damage and reduce bearing service life. As a measure to prevent this, a ceramic ball with excellent insulation performance is used for as rolling elements, creating a hybrid ceramic bearing with good efficiency. Furthermore, compared to common bearings, the hybrid ceramic bearing...

Gearbox bearings The gearbox is the component that increases the rotational speed transmitted via the main shaft up to the point where power can be generated. It consists of planet gears, a ring gear, a low-speed shaft, an intermediate shaft, and a high-speed shaft. Figure 7 shows a typical configuration for a one-stage-planetary gear and two-stage-parallel shafts (intermediate and high-speed shafts). In many cases, double-row cylindrical roller bearings are used for the planet gear section, but recently the utilisation of an integral-type bearing (Fig. 8) It is also important to investigate...

Fig. 7 Example of a gearbox configuration Example of a double-row-cylindrical roller bearing (integral type) adoption Fig. 8 Example of a bearing arrangement for a planet gear section on a low-speed shaft Fig. 9 Planet gear rigidity study results JTEKT Products Utilised in Wind Turbine Generator Production and Control Machine tools This large-scale horizontal machining centre is suited for the machining of large components, and offers maximum performance in class (palette sizes over 1,000mm square), size, speed and power. Maximum size: Work piece area diameter 2400mm x 1800mm Maximum speed: Rapid...

Offering Japanese quality with prestigious development In recent years, the output capacity of wind turbine generators has continued to increase. However, growth in terms of the size of wind turbines has reached its limits. The current demand is for smaller and lighter wind turbines with equivalent or better power-generating capability, higher reliability, and maintenance-free systems. With this background, the performance requirements demanded from bearings have become increasingly diverse. Other important issues include consideration for characteristics such as energy efficiency, safety, high...

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