This talk will start with an overview of the current forefront issues of the science of tribology. A specific example, the application of tribology to the improvement of wind turbine drivetrain reliability will be then presented in more detail. Wind turbine drivetrains are often subjected to transient and extreme operational conditions which can significantly affect component reliability. The leading mode of failure in wind turbine drivetrains, termed white-etching cracks (WEC), is a topic of active research aimed at determining root causes and mitigation approaches. This talk will cover current research at ANL supported by DOE and industrial partnerships to characterize WECs using X-ray tomography at APS and replicating the failure using bench-top tribometers.

Argonne Physics Division Colloquium Schedule