SKF has developed a new generation of highly effective and easily maintained shaft seals for wind turbines that can prolong service life. Wind power has entered the mainstream. By the end of 2014 global wind generation capacity had reached 369.6 GW according to Global Wind Energy Council. The share of wind energy in electricity production…
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…
PTFE seal wins 2011 innovation award
Turcon M12, a PTFE-based material launched in 2011 by Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, has received a 2011 Innovation Award from Flow Control Magazine. According to the company, the PTFE-based sealing material has unrivaled performance in key hydraulic sealing characteristics such as friction, wear, and high-pressure operation. Testing shows Turcon M12 resistant to most media, including a…
Three ideas for more reliable turbines
Reliable equipment is needed to decrease turbine costs and downtime. Large amounts of time and resources are often spent on finding methods to reduce the risks of large components failing. Turbine gearboxes are one such example. However, more often than not, it is the small components such as seals and bolts that are central…
Special polyurethane improves abrasion resistance
The Timken UltraWind P1 Seal is a significant wind-turbine bearing seal with a polyurethane design that provides increased resistance to abrasion for longer wind-turbine service life and more reliable performance than most other commonly used sealing materials. “Seals have an integral role in maximizing wind-turbine uptime and productivity because they prevent lubrication leakage and bearing…
Why are seals important in wind turbines?
Component design often overlooks the importance of well engineered seals. A properly engineered sealing system increases the mean time between component failures, reduces manufacturing costs associated with the use of exotic coatings, and reduces power consumption due to unnecessarily high friction. Application data required to select a seal includes: •Size – shaft, housing bore, available…
A super seal for temperature extremes
Isolast J9876, a recent perfluoroelastomer, provides the most comprehensive media resistance at elevated temperatures of any perfluoroelastomer on the market, according to its developer. Seals in this material, from Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, extend their life in aggressive, high-temperature environments at an optimized cost-to-performance ratio. Equipment suppliers and process managers benefit from the advantages of a…
Many seals for turbine tasks
There is a lot of sealing work in a nacelle. Hydraulic equipment, of course, needs them along with areas such as where blades meet hubs. These must all be weather tight yet allow rotation. Simrit Americas, Plymouth, Mich., manufacturers several designs in a range of materials for these applications. For instance: Simmerring seals meet and…
Adhesives, sealants, and more for wind-turbine manufacturing
To support growth in the wind energy market, Henkel Corp., Rocky Hill, Conn., has developed a range of products for manufacturing and maintaining wind turbines. These include structural adhesives, mold-release agents, machinery adhesives, sealants, grouts, cleaners, surface treatments, tapes, and metalworking materials. Company wind-turbine products, such as Loctite, Teroson, Bonderite, Frekote, Multan, and P3, are…