These devices allow transmitting power and signals from a stationary platform to one that is rotating. A slip-ring assembly is often a graphite or precious metal brush that contacts the outside diameter of a rotating metal ring. As the ring turns, an electrical current or signal conducts through the stationary brush to the metal ring…
Understanding the root causes of axial cracking in wind turbine gearbox bearings
Axial cracking in bearing races has become all too common in large megawatt turbines. This damage can shorten bearing life to as little as one to two years. Recent research suggests a root cause of axial cracking, making prevention and early detection possible. Doug Herr • General Manager • AeroTorque Corporation David Heidenreich • Chief…
Slip ring company acquires seal manufacturer
Deublin Co. has acquired Barco Seals of Cary, Ill. Both companies manufacture fluid power components used in a variety of equipment and process industries. Founded in 1908, Barco developed swivels and ball joints for the railroad industry. Over the years, Barco developed and manufactured hundreds of rotating unions, plane, and self-aligning swivel joints. Deublin Co., founded…
Extreme torsional loads damage more than wind turbine gearboxes
This article is the first of a two-part series in which a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is used to evaluate how torsional oscillations and reversals can damage many expensive turbine components. It also compares the effects of adding a Reverse Torsional Damping device to mitigate the damage. The FMEA calculates a projected range of cost reductions based on the credibility of evidence, contribution to overall failure mode, and the estimated life extension from the damping device.
Carbon brush holder promises reduced wind-turbine maintenance
An innovative carbon brush holder, set to reduce maintenance costs for doubly fed generators in wind turbines, will be introduced by Carbex at the AWEA WINDPOWER 2013 exhibition in Chicago, May 5 to 8 in booth 1011. Slip rings with carbon brushes are used for transferring power between the rotating and the stationary parts of…
Direct drive needs only half the parts of conventional wind turbines
You get the impression that wind-turbine OEMs are shying away from designs that use gearboxes. Take the Siemens SWT-3.0-101 DD for instance. The company eliminated its gearbox and in the process eliminated about half the parts needed for a similarly sized gear-driven turbine. The 3-MW unit works with a 101-m dia. rotor with blades made…
Less maintenance for new wind turbine
Siemans Energy announced today the new SWT-3.0.101 with a rated power of 3 megawatts (MW) offers innovation through a new direct drive concept introducing a permanent magnet generator. With half the parts of a conventional geared wind turbine, and much less than half the number of moving parts, the new wind turbine will require less…
Pitch control your way: Hydraulic or electric
Pitch control systems from Moog Industrial Group, East Aurora, NY, monitor and adjust the inclination angle of a wind turbine’s blades to control rotor speed. Moog has both electric and electro-hydraulic, blade-pitch control along with power and data-transmission equipment for the wind-energy market. “Wind-turbine OEMs want enhanced efficiency, increased reliability, and the highest safety,” says…