WORKING AT HEIGHTS - Wind Energy Network

LubricaTION & Filtration featureLook after your oiland your oil willlook after You!Dave MossfromMoventasgives somesoundadvice...Magnetic stick showing metal filingsresulting from metal to metal contact inthe gearbox.the attitude of some in the wind industryremains a complete mystery.I climbed to the nacelle of a turbine inTurkey about a year ago. The wind farmmanager had complained about the noisethe gearbox was making. The gear hadbeen recently re-installed after service bya local ISP. Half way up the tower I couldsmell the familiar smell of the burnt oil. Aquick look at the oil sight glass revealed asubstance the colour of Guinness.Opening up the inspection hatch andreaching inside to grab a handful of oil, thefoul smelling, viscous, black substance inmy hand felt more like grinding paste thanoil. When I asked the site manager if hehad used new oil when he had re-installedthe gear he assured me he had, howeverhe had refitted the old cooler and hosestaken off the previous gearbox and thesehad not been flushed.Larger bearing cage/carrier metal particles in theplanetary section of the gear.In 1982 I qualified as a MarineEngineering Officer and went to workin the engine rooms of a number ofships owned by BI, OCL and P&O.An early lessonAt college, and whilst working in theengine room, one thing that was drummedinto me was the importance of oil inrotating machines. The phrase “look afteryour oil and your oil will look afteryou” is as true today as it was all thoseyears ago.Remote locationsOn a ship of course there is the luxury of ateam of engineers in the engine room on adaily basis. In a wind turbine, especially ifit is offshore, there is very seldom anyoneto see, hear, smell or touch the operatingplant. However we live in an age of remotecondition monitoring and the senses ofthe engineer are replaced with sensors,probes and monitors.Temperatures,pressures, theRPM, and manyother parametersare monitoredand reported24/7, however oilcondition still seemsto be forgotten orneglected by many.Why should this bewhen it is a basicfundamental to thelongevity of anyrotating machineand it’s individualcomponent parts?Oil degradation evidenceWorking in service, I see gearboxesreturned for service and overhaul whereit is clear that the failure root cause startswith the degradation of the oil leading tothe inevitable process of metal on metalcontact between gear teeth and bearingsurfaces.As we dig out the metal dust,filings and particles from thegearbox sump, we can seethat little fines beget biggerparticles which in turn begetchips and eventually largepieces of bearing or gear teeththat we use as paper weightsin the office.Lubrication is keyOther industries have knownfor over a century thatlubrication is the key, howeverNot uncommonThis is unfortunately a not uncommonsituation and the debris from the old failedgearbox gets fed straight into the new orrecently serviced gearbox.Immediately the process of metal on metalis restarted and the gearbox is doomed toan early failure.ConclusionThe conclusion therefore should not justbe – “look after your oil and your oilwill look after you”But instead should be – “Look after thethings that look after your oil and theywill look after you”Dave MossMoventaswww.moventas.comClick to view more info= Click to view videoBig bearing cage/carrier, bearing and bearingrace chips and chunks.www.windenergynetwork.co.uk75