Belts Instead of Gearbox: Continental Equips Goldwind Wind Turbines with Efficient Drive Belts

Goldwind is one of the few providers on the market to use a drive without a gearbox to adjust the blades, which is becoming vital to be able to respond flexibly to changing wind strengths. “Goldwind relies on timing belts,” says Rolf Marwede, who heads Continental’s location in Dannenberg. “There are some advantages to this. For instance, the system is less complex and therefore less prone to vibrations and disturbances at the top of the nacelle. Our belts are also extremely low-wear and durable.”

The belts provided by Continental do not require any oil for lubrication and are very low-maintenance overall and also largely corrosion-resistant. In offshore wind turbines in particular, this last point presents a major advantage over conventional metal designs that are permanently exposed to salty sea air. “In comparison with gearbox solutions, a simpler design that uses drive belts is also more cost-effective and more efficient in the long term,” says Marwede. If there is a defect, the system can also be repaired very quickly because only the belt needs to be replaced, not the whole gearbox.

For Goldwind, it was important to develop a low-maintenance and simpler alternative to the conventional gearbox system. The chosen belt solution was an exact match for these requirements and is based on Continental’s Synchrodrive technology. Galvanized steel cords are integrated into the belt’s interior and coated with polyurethane, which furnishes both the teeth and the back of the belt and forms an outstanding connection with the tension member. Polyurethane is particularly abrasion-resistant.

The two opposing impact directions of the steel cords and their strands result in neutral running properties, making the belts extremely resilient. It is not uncommon for there to be around 12 million reverse bending cycles. But what makes the belts used by Goldwind so unique is the special fabric, which is manufactured at Continental’s location in Northeim. The specialist in drive belts is making use of its Synchrochain technology expertise for this application. “The fabric reduces wear and absorbs noise and also provides a much more stable structure for the timing belt. This enables us to significantly improve the belt’s performance yet further,” explains Marwede. The fabric reinforces the teeth and improves run-in behavior, which in turn boosts efficiency. “Ultimately, we have brought together two product groups to develop the ideal solution for Goldwind’s application.”