Gear Oils

Gears: longer oil change intervals

The most common lubricants for main and yaw gears in wind power stations today are synthetic oils – mostly based on polyalphaolefin, polyglycol or ester. Which type is chosen depends on the requirements and previous experience of the power plant or gears manufacturers.

The requirements of gear makers supplying to the wind energy sector are particularly high. They stipulate that gear oils must be compatible with paints and elastomers, but foremost they need to show a high scuffing load capacity and excellent resistance to micropitting. As gears will only function correctly if the rolling bearings run smoothly, the requirments of bearing manufacturers must be met at the same time.

Synthetic gear oils have proven extremely successful with regard to these requirements. They score over mineral oils in many ways, e.g. by offering

  • High thermal resistance and resistance to oxidation lower change in viscosity at rising or falling temperature
  • Lower friction coefficients on the gear teeth
  • High wear protection for bearings and gears
  • Good load-carrying capacity in bearing and gears
  • Low residue formation

Another benefit is the extension of the service intervals: thanks to the lower friction coefficients attained by synthetic gear oils, less heat is generated, which in turn reduces the thermal impact on the lubricant film on the gear teeth in mesh. Furthermore, the thermal resistance of synthetic gear oils is higher; their aging progresses at a much slower pace than that of mineral oils. Consequently, oil change intervals can be extended several-fold.

Klüber has developed a comprehensive range of gear oils for the various high-performance requirements encountered in wind power plants.

  • Klübersynth® GH 6-320 Polyglycol gear oil

    • Synthetic high-performance gear oil series for high temperatures and loads.
    • Extremely long relubrication intervals and better efficiency help to optimize power yields.

  • Klübersynth® GH 6 Series Polyglycol

    • ISP VG 32 to 680
    • Service temperature range -45 degrees Celsius, depending on viscosity
    • High FZG scuffing load capacity > 13 offers protection at normal and elevated loads
    • High micropitting resistance protects against premature fatigue failure
    • Good wear protection of rolling bearings, prevents premature failure
    • Dynamic seal compatibility tests with NBR and FKM materials show that seals are safeguarded against leakage caused by oil effects
    • Good filtering behavior prevents filter clogging
    • Low residue formation keeps gears clean

  • Download a brochure with more information about Klübersynth® GH 6 oils (PDF format)

Please contact our sales department for pricing.

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