White etching cracking and white structure flaking has afflicted wind turbine gearbox bearings for a number of years and root causes have not been definitively determined despite efforts by many researchers.
We visited the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering to discuss their postgraduate research in WEC/WSF in wind turbine gearbox bearings. There are 3 projects underway supervised by Dr Hui Long that continue the PhD recently completed by Tom Bruce.
The work includes modelling dynamic bearing loading of gearbox bearings, with transients believed to influence the formation of WEC/WSF. Other work includes the investigation of MnS inclusions as crack initiators in planetary bearings and the experimental verification of WEC/WSF formation by transient loads.
We are encouraged by Dr Long’s enthusiasm to collaborate with RGL Associates in order that the research is focussed upon the needs of the wind turbine industry.