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<p>Hydrodynamic journal bearings are a&#xa0;driver of increasing power density and reliability of wind turbine gearboxes. Despite their high fatigue reliability operating in hydrodynamic conditions, journal bearings can be damaged quickly in the event of a&#xa0;critical operating condition with solid body contact (e.g. severe overload and mixed friction or failure of the lubricant supply). In the worst-case scenario, bearing damage occurs suddenly with no clear warning period. To reduce the risk of damage condition monitoring systems (CMS) can be installed for the continuous monitoring of the bearing’s operating condition. In the event of a&#xa0;critical condition countermeasures can be taken immediately (e.g. derating the wind turbine) to reduce the damage risk. This approach has the potential to further increase wind turbine reliability and reduce costs resulting from downtime and maintenance. However, commercial CMS for journal bearings in wind turbines with the required level of readiness for field operation have not yet been fully developed and thoroughly tested. One monitoring technique potentially capable of detecting the change from normal to critical operating conditions immediately is based on surface acoustic waves (SAW). This work presents the results of an experimental study of planetary journal bearings equipped with a&#xa0;CMS based on the SAW method. The aim of this work is the proof of concept of the condition monitoring method based on SAW in a&#xa0;planetary journal bearing and the demonstration of the transferability of the SAW method from small radial journal bearings to planetary journal bearings. The results show that different friction states can be detected using the SAW method. The paper gives insights to the application of the measuring equipment, the operation conditions analyzed and into the analysis of the data. The CMS for the planetary journal bearing based on SAW presented here is the first of its kind and represents a&#xa0;major step towards the continuous monitoring of journal bearings in wind turbine drive trains. Through a&#xa0;future introduction of a&#xa0;fully developed SAW-based CMS in the field application in wind turbines an early detection of critical operating conditions for journal bearings can be achieved. Thus, the prevention of gearbox damage and the reduction of costs for operation and maintenance due to journal bearing failures can potentially be made possible.</p>

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Experimental study on the condition monitoring of planetary journal bearings in wind turbine gearboxes using the surface acoustic wave method

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月26日

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  • Thomas Decker,
  • Georg Jacobs,
  • Julian Röder,
  • Tim Scholz,
  • Christoph Paridon,
  • Tim Schröder

摘要

Hydrodynamic journal bearings are a driver of increasing power density and reliability of wind turbine gearboxes. Despite their high fatigue reliability operating in hydrodynamic conditions, journal bearings can be damaged quickly in the event of a critical operating condition with solid body contact (e.g. severe overload and mixed friction or failure of the lubricant supply). In the worst-case scenario, bearing damage occurs suddenly with no clear warning period. To reduce the risk of damage condition monitoring systems (CMS) can be installed for the continuous monitoring of the bearing’s operating condition. In the event of a critical condition countermeasures can be taken immediately (e.g. derating the wind turbine) to reduce the damage risk. This approach has the potential to further increase wind turbine reliability and reduce costs resulting from downtime and maintenance. However, commercial CMS for journal bearings in wind turbines with the required level of readiness for field operation have not yet been fully developed and thoroughly tested. One monitoring technique potentially capable of detecting the change from normal to critical operating conditions immediately is based on surface acoustic waves (SAW). This work presents the results of an experimental study of planetary journal bearings equipped with a CMS based on the SAW method. The aim of this work is the proof of concept of the condition monitoring method based on SAW in a planetary journal bearing and the demonstration of the transferability of the SAW method from small radial journal bearings to planetary journal bearings. The results show that different friction states can be detected using the SAW method. The paper gives insights to the application of the measuring equipment, the operation conditions analyzed and into the analysis of the data. The CMS for the planetary journal bearing based on SAW presented here is the first of its kind and represents a major step towards the continuous monitoring of journal bearings in wind turbine drive trains. Through a future introduction of a fully developed SAW-based CMS in the field application in wind turbines an early detection of critical operating conditions for journal bearings can be achieved. Thus, the prevention of gearbox damage and the reduction of costs for operation and maintenance due to journal bearing failures can potentially be made possible.