One of the largest obstacles for single row tapered roller bearings on wind turbines is the yield strength of its interior parts. Several studies have found improving strength levels by making expensive alloy additions or unconventional thermal processing. In this study, an attempt was made to improve the yield strength... more

One of the largest obstacles for single row tapered roller bearings on wind turbines is the yield strength of its interior parts. Several studies have found improving strength levels by making expensive alloy additions or unconventional thermal processing. In this study, an attempt was made to improve the yield strength with micro alloy additions. Commercial software was used to predict the role of element additions on the yield strength and two improved compositions were recommended. The first was a 0.1 wt.% V microalloyed and the second was a 0.05 wt.% V and 0.05 wt.% Nb. Both alloys were cast and microstructures and hardness was recorded for both as cast alloy and thermal cycled alloy. The material was then machined into cylinders and subject to compression testing. As well as rolling trials that included Jominy end-quench, and hot rolling of plates. Jominy testing was performed to understand the improved hardenability due to the micro alloy additions. The results showed that a V alloy had excellent hardenability compared to the V-Nb micro alloy material. Compression tests also show 20% of improved yield strengths with of the microalloyed steels compared to the based material. less