Common gearbox bearing life

Statistics show that about 50% of faults in wind turbine gearbox failures are related to bearing selection, manufacturing, lubrication or use. At present, due to the backward technical conditions, etc., many of the core components of domestic megawatt-class units, such as motors, gearboxes, blades, electronic control equipment and yaw systems, rely on imports and are used in these large wind turbines. Box bearings, yaw bearings, pitch bearings and spindle bearings are completely dependent on imports. Therefore, the more accurate calculation method of bearing life is particularly important for the design of wind turbine gearboxes.

Due to the high reliability required for bearings, the service life of bearings is usually not less than 130,000 hours. However, due to too many factors affecting the bearing fatigue life, the bearing fatigue life theory still needs to be improved continuously. There is no uniform bearing life theory at home and abroad, which is a calculation method accepted by all industries.

The operating temperature of the bearing, the viscosity of the lubricating oil, the cleanliness and the rotational speed have a great influence on the bearing life. When the operating state is deteriorated (temperature rise, speed decrease, pollutant increase), the bearing life may be greatly reduced. In-depth analysis of various factors affecting the life of wind turbine gearbox bearings, researching a more accurate calculation of bearing life is the top priority of the domestic bearing industry and even the wind power industry.