Wind-Energy Challenges

Low speeds on rotor side, high speeds on generator side High loads due to wind velocities and component weights Reliability over 20-year service life Remote locations and harsh conditions Difficult maintainability

Solid Lubricants for Wind-Machine Applications

MAIN ROTOR BEARINGS PITCH BEARINGS MAIN GEARBOX BRAKE

SHRINK DISC YAW BEARING, YAW GEARS

THREADED CONNECTIONS

Main Rotor Bearing DN Values

Low rotor speed and large bearing diameter = low DN
Size 1 MW 2 MW 3 MW Rotor Speed, rpm 12-32 10-20 5-18 Mean Bearing Diameter, mm ~750 ~1,000 ~>1,500 DN Value, mm/min 9,000-24,000 10,000-20,000 7,500-27,000

Solid lubricants DN <20,000

- Bearing works in mixed regime/ friction area (sliding)

Main Rotor Bearing Base Oil Viscosity

Size 1 MW 2 MW 3 MW Required Viscosity Operating Temp (70C), cSt 250 210 350 Viscosity @ 40C, cSt 1,600 1,500 2,200

High viscosity required

- Entrainment velocity difficult at low temperatures - Mixed regime/friction (sliding) - High sliding friction in spherical bearings - Surface asperity contact leads to abrasive and adhesive wear failures - Bearing temperatures may not activate chemical additives

How Solid Lubricants Help Protect Main Rotor Bearing Surfaces

Solid lubricants fill and smooth surface asperities
- Improves finish for hydrodynamic lubrication - Base-oil viscosity may be reduced - Solid lubricants not activated by temperature

Pitch and Yaw Bearings: Fretting Corrosion and Riffeling

Fretting corrosion
- Frictional wear due to small-amplitude, high-frequency oscillations - Oxide layer depletion/re-creation - Results in riffeling (false brinelling)
Imprints and adjacent buildup resulting from fretting Liquid lubricant squeezed out

Solid lubricants fill asperities

- Remain under high pressure - Protect oxide layer

Threaded Connections
Many hundreds in assembly and installation Key functions of solid lubricants:
- Proper friction to ensure pre-tensioning force
60-90% of torque to overcome thread/surface friction Consistent friction ensures consistent clamping force

- Protect connectors from effects of environment as well as fretting corrosion

Prevent galling and seizure Simplify/aid service disassembly

SRV Testing
Simulate riffeling in pitch/yaw bearings

4 solid lubricant packages

- 2 existing formulations (Red and Yellow) - 2 newly developed packages (Green and Blue)

HFRR Testing
Wear and friction comparison of solid packages in grease and paste formulations
- Tribological conditions
Contact pressure = 0.9 GPa (max) Load = 325 N 10 RPM Speed = 0.05 m/s Temp = 80C Material: AISI 52100 Steel

Summary of HFRR Results

Grease Solid package 1. MoS2, fine 2. MoS2, medium 3. MoS2, coarse 4. White solid mixture 5. Boron nitride 6. Polarized graphite 7. MoS2, formulated Graphite/polar salts improved adhesion Mix of MoS2 + other solids Comments Particle size avg <0.5 up to 8 m Particle size avg <0.5 up to 20 m Particle size avg <1 up to 100 m Metal salts known for anti-fretting Paste % solids 60 60 60 46 38 55 50 Friction 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.18 0.15 0.16 Wear, m 271 263 200 238 225 200 198 Friction 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.25 0.25 0.09 0.09 Paste Wear, m 233 225 225 225 300 260 256

Schatz Testing Thread and Collar Friction Measurement

Product
Bolts M 16, 10.9, galvanized Nut Apparatus Mean value Scattering Initial total fastener 1 Initial total fastener 2 Initial total fastener 3 Yes Galvanized

Graphite/Metal Paste
Yes Steel Yes Cast iron Yes Galvanized

Metal-Free Paste
Yes Steel Yes Cast iron

3 fasteners, tighten/loosen 5 times 0.104 0.005 0.099 0.098 0.1 0.093 0.004 0.096 0.101 0.094 0.097 0.007 0.095 0.101 0.096 0.11

1 fastener, tighten/loosen 5 times 0.096 0.002 0.1 0.109 0.002 0.107

0.002 0.109

DOE Project: Executive Summary Notes

Final stage film thickness reduced to 21% of original value PFPE in boundary regime showed reasonable results without EP additives At higher speeds, PFPE CoF lower than benchmark
- Slightly better efficiency than PAO

PFPE efficiency correlates to dynamic viscosity rather than film thickness PFPE film thickness greater under similar load, speed and temperature conditions PFPE required more drive-motor current than PAO PAO had 20% EP additive depletion after stage 3

Acknowledgments
Department of Energy Golden Field Office DE-EE0001364 Clipper Wind Power Dow Corning Corporation
- Dr. Manfred Jungk - Glenn Lutz - Roman Vanecek

The information provided in this presentation does not constitute a contractual commitment by Dow Corning. While Dow Corning does its best to assure that information contained in this presentation is accurate and fully up-to-date, Dow Corning does not guarantee or warranty the accuracy or completeness of information provided in this presentation. Dow Corning reserves the right to make improvements, corrections and/or changes to this presentation in the future.