Graco helps provide the right lubrication to the right bearing

A wide range of automatic lubrication products protect wind turbines while they operate. Accurate, reliable, and adjustable lubrication for each lube point keeps critical machinery in the nacelle running at peak performance for increased productivity, lower maintenance costs, and more efficient lubrication where and when it’s needed. Recent products from Graco Inc., Minneapolis, include several mono-block series progressive metering devices ideally suited for lubricating the wind turbine’s critical bearing points.
“Graco’s centralized lubrication equipment covers the broadest range of applications in the industry,” says the company’s Jon Knutson, in charge of industrial lubrication equipment. “Our line of pumps, metering devices, and controllers let customers select equipment that best fit their applications. The devices include simple, straight forward designs for smaller turbine installations, or more advanced lubrication equipment to protect the critical components on today’s large megawatt turbines.”

Automated lube lengthens life of bearings and seals

Maintenance crews acknowledge that frequent lubrications with small quantities extend the working life of bearings and seals. But long hours of hub crawling is physically and mentally demanding work. A better idea is a centralized and automatic lubrication system for wind turbines. One instance, the WindLub from SKF USA, Kulpsville, Pa., provides a cost-saving design for lubrication tasks in the wind turbine, including the main shaft bearings. As a plus, the equipment reduces lubricant consumption and refilling the grease pump is simple and quick. SKF says the centralized lubrication system reduces turbine operating costs, increases operational reliability, and extends service intervals.

Lubricants for equipment in the nacelle

Hydrotex formulates lubricants for wind turbines to extend drain intervals, provide maximum equipment protection, and maintain system cleanliness. Product recommendations from the Farmers Branch, Texas-based company can consolidate the number of different greases used, thereby reducing inventory and a risk of up-tower cross contamination. A few products for the wind industry include Gearox, an additive package that combines polyalphaolefin base fluid for possibly the best micro pitting protection, foaming resistance, system cleanliness, water resistance, and extended drain intervals. Also, Syn-nth hydraulic fluid, an antiwear, ashless, and synthetic version, provides unsurpassed performance at low and high temperatures as well as extended drain internals. The company has many others application-specific lubricants.