Gearbox Reliability Collaborative Phase 1 and 2: Testing and Modeling Results; Preprint

The Gearbox Reliability Collaborative (GRC) investigates root causes of wind turbine gearbox premature failures and validates design assumptions that affect gearbox reliability using a combined testing and modeling approach. Knowledge gained from the testing and modeling of the GRC gearboxes builds an understanding of how the selected loads and events translate into internal responses ofthree-point mounted gearboxes. This paper presents some testing and modeling results of the GRC research during Phase 1 and 2. Non-torque loads from the rotor including shaft bending and thrust, traditionally assumed to be uncoupled with gearbox, affect gear and bearing loads and resulting gearbox responses. Bearing clearance increases bearing loads and causes cyclic loading, which couldcontribute to a reduced bearing life. Including flexibilities of key drivetrain subcomponents is important in order to reproduce the measured gearbox response during the tests using modeling approaches.