Wind Turbine Gearbox Cleaning
With the proliferation of wind power in the United States, gearbox reliability is a major concern for the industry. The extreme forces on the wind turbine gearbox affect the lifetime of the bearings and gears and contribute to the high failure rates of the gearboxes. With proper maintenance and repair programs, companies can extend the longevity of wind turbine gearboxes.
Gearbox Cleaning
The gearbox rebuilding process requires clean components and the gearbox case, shaft, gears, and bearings must be free of contaminants (used oil, dirt, metal shavings, and rust preventatives) prior to reassembly. Older cleaning techniques use flammable solvents to remove particulates and residues, but manual part cleaning exposes employees to harmful chemicals and vapors. For safer operations, the industry is shifting towards the use of aqueous parts washers for gearbox cleaning and rebuilding.
Read more about washing Wind Turbines and related equipment here.
The wind industry is shifting towards the use of aqueous parts washers for gearbox cleaning and rebuilding.
Aqueous Parts Washer
An aqueous parts washer includes a cabinet assembly that completely encloses the gearbox parts during the cleaning process. Inside the cabinet, a fixed turntable holds and rotates the parts during the wash cycle. A powerful electric pump circulates heated water through an oscillating manifold system and pressurized streams of water spray and thoroughly clean the parts within the cabinet.
The high volume of the heated water and 3D oscillation pattern of the nozzles effectively clean the gearbox components and contaminates from the parts (dirt, grime, oils, carbon, and debris) accumulate in the debris containment system. The enclosed cabinet assembly, fixed turntable, and cleaning method of the aqueous parts washer provide a safe operating environment for maintenance personnel and consistent cleaning results.
Manufacturer of Parts Washers
Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Vortex manufactures aqueous parts washers and offers a wide range of sizes and options. For more information about wind turbine gearbox cleaning and Vortex Parts Washers, please contact us.