Optimised bearing solutions for wind turbines in high demand

Planet stage Cylindrical Roller Bearings from NSK will be among the displayed products at WindEnergy 2016.

Most wind turbines are designed for a long service life of around 20 years, and are not readily accessible so therefore are in extremely high demands especially for all of the turbine components. This is especially true for the bearings, which must be able to withstand continuous dynamic loading over long periods, even at high wind speeds.

On booth B5.417 in hall B5, NSK will showcase a Spherical Roller Bearing for the main rotor shaft of a wind turbine. Rotors induce high axial and radial loads in the main bearings, which occur both statically and dynamically. With this in mind, high bearing stiffness is indispensable. Spherical, Cylindrical and Taper Roller Bearings mounted in either the conventional fixed end/loose end bearing arrangement, or in a floating bearing arrangement, are particularly well suited for this application.

Another product in the spotlight will be a set of matched integrated planet stage bearings for even balanced loadings. NSK offers matched bearing sets featuring close tolerance bores and inscribed circle diameters of every integrated Cylindrical Roller Bearing row within a planetary stage. This contributes significantly to equal loading, thus promoting maximum service life.

The matched set on show at WindEnergy 2016 will be composed of four planet gears, each with four bearing rows. Across a total length of 1,568mm, variation across the inscribed diameter of the NSK planet set will be less than 18µm.

NSK bearings have gained a global reputation for quality based on long life, reliability and an optimised, proven design. Since 2008 the company has had an in-house standard for bearings used in wind turbines: Wind Standard U303. This specifies 100% traceability of components in each individual bearing, right back to the material batch and all major process variables. It also defines non-destructive testing methods to prevent grinding burns, surface cracks and structural faults in the material.

At WindEnergy 2016, visitors to the NSK stand will be able to see the quality imparted into every bearing produced for wind turbine applications. Company experts will be on hand to discuss any specific application requirements and reveal how NSK bearings are able to lower total cost of ownership and minimise maintenance, repair and overhaul costs.