Tribological analyses and solutions for high-performance sliding bearings: wind turbine applications

• Grant number: 22/03110-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Initial Project
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Francisco José Profito
• Grantee: Francisco José Profito
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Demetrio Cornilios Zachariadis ; Flávio Celso Trigo ; Roberto Martins de Souza
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/18645-2 - Stochastic Modelling for Lubrication - Applications in Sliding Bearings for Wind Turbines, BP.DR; 24/07974-5 - Multiscale modeling of textured lubricated contacts and the use of different materials/surface coatings in sliding bearings: applications in wind turbines, BP.DR; 23/15225-0 - Computational Modelling of Mixed Thermo-Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication of Sliding Bearings - Wind Turbines Application, BP.DR

Abstract

The demand for clean and renewable energy is constantly growing with the worsening of climate change, environmental preservation and geopolitical conflicts related to fossil fuel monopolies. In this context, wind energy has proved to be a reliable, clean, and sustainable energy source with low environmental impact and optimistic projections to increase the installed capacity in the future. Brazil has a privileged position in the world ranking of wind generation due to its favourable wind conditions in some country areas. However, the development of more efficient wind turbines with greater durability and reliability faces important challenges, especially in the case of large turbines for offshore applications. Currently, wind turbines undergo premature component failures related to complex tribological phenomena at the contact interface between the moving parts, thus affecting the overall costs of operation, maintenance, replacements, and energy price. In typical turbines, the main bearing and the gearbox bearings are rolling bearings and quite susceptible to failure. Sliding bearings have proved to be a viable alternative to rolling element bearings for wind applications as they have greater load-bearing capacity, better impact resistance, vibration dampening, misalignment adjustment and easier assembly and maintenance. However, due to the severe lubrication conditions characteristic of wind applications, the use of these types of bearings is not yet consolidated and requires advanced research for a better understanding of the underlying tribological phenomena taking place in the system. In this scenario, the major objective of this proposal is to propose state-of-the-art advancements in mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of lubricated systems to investigate tribological solutions for high-performance sliding bearings for wind turbine applications, thus contributing to the science and technology development for clean and sustainable power generation with low environmental impact. (AU)