The Load Distribution of the Main Shaft Bearing Considering Combined Load and Misalignment in a Floating Direct-Drive Wind Turbine

Abstract

The main shaft tapered double-inner ring bearing (TDIRB) of floating direct-drive wind turbine system (FDDWT) is one of the most critical components in FDDWT, and its failure accounts for a large proportion of wind turbine malfunctions and faults. Over the past decades, a significant number of methods have been proposed to calculate the contact load distribution along the roller length in TDIRB, since the contact load distribution of roller is the key factor of fatigue life of TDIRB. Most of methods, however, neglected the misalignment of inner ring with respect to outer ring and friction force. In this paper, with the help of comprehensive and accurate quasi-static mathematical method, the contact load distribution of internal loads in TDIRB are analysed by considering the effects of combined loads, angular misalignment and friction force at different wind speeds for FDDWT. The simulation results show that the amount of combined load has an apparent effect on the contact load distribution along the TDIRB raceways and flanges in both rows. Furthermore, the slight change of tilted misalignment has a great influence on the contact load distribution. In addition, the slight angular misalignment easily produces noncontact zone for the bearing raceway in both rows, which is significantly disadvantage for the external load uniform transmitting to each roller.