Study on Bearing Life Calculation for Wind Turbine Gearbox

Abstract

Currently, wind power has become a major research field in the area of sustainable development. As one important component of a wind turbine transmission system, most instances of downtime due to a gearbox failure are caused by bearing failures. Gearboxes for wind turbines must have the highest levels of reliability over a period of approximately 20 years, withstanding high dynamic loads. At the same time, a lightweight design and cost minimization efforts are required. These demands can only be met with a well-thought-out design, high-quality materials, a high production quality and proper maintenance. In order to design a reliable and lightweight gearbox, it is necessary to analyze methods pertaining to the bearing rating lifetimes of the standard and of different companies, also including calculation methods for modification factors. This can determine the influence of the bearing lifetime.