Research On Fatigue Life Of Slewing Bearing In Wind Turbine

Slewing bearing is a large-sized bearing widely used in wind turbines. Because it is one of the key components, its fatigue life is crucial to the safe operation and reliability of a wind turbine.Based on deep analysis and research on slewing bearing, the paper studied the theoretical calculation method and the fatigue life simulation method based on finite element to predict the fatigue life. This paper synthetically compared and analyzed the design standards of wind turbine and rolling bearing at home and abroad, provided the theoretical calculation method of wind turbine slewing bearing, especially corrected the equivalent dynamic load equation for pitch slewing bearing to make the traditional theoretical calculation method available for wind turbine slewing bearing. Moreover, it adopted fatigue life analysis approach based on finite element method to conducted simulation of slewing bearing by the computer simulation technology, found the weakness of life and compared the simulation result with the theoretical one. At last, the factors affecting fatigue life were analyzed and the life was modified to make calculation results closer to the actual condition.This paper provided a reliable basis for initial design and reasonable selection of wind turbine slewing bearing, and offered references to wind turbine safety operating.