Soete Laboratory - Tribology

Knowledge Institute

Ghent University

Address

Technologiepark 46, 9052 Zwijnaarde

Website

https://www.ugent.be/ea/emsme/en/research/soete/tribology

N° of FTE working on wind topics

Less than 5

Our offshore wind expertise (general)

Labo Soete - Tribology combines advanced modelling and experimental research to address friction, wear and lubrication challenges in offshore wind, wave and tidal, supporting improved drivetrain reliability, efficiency and service life.

Lubricants and lubrication: numerical modelling and experimental characterisation of lubricant behaviour and lubrication performance under operating conditions relevant to offshore wind.

Thermo-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL): multiscale, multiphysics modelling of the coupled effects of lubricant flow, temperature and elastic deformation in heavily loaded bearing and gear contacts.

Fast and accurate surrogate models: computationally efficient representations of TEHL behaviour to support design optimisation, parameter studies and system-level simulations.

Lubricant testing and degradation: performance assessment and accelerated ageing to investigate lubricant degradation, its effects on lubrication and its implications for maintenance.

Bearing testing and diagnostics: experimental evaluation incorporating in situ lubricant film thickness measurements, electrical impedance spectroscopy and testing of electrical discharge damage.

Hydrodynamic bearings: modelling of film formation, load-carrying capacity, friction and thermal behaviour, including performance during start-up, shutdown and variable operating conditions.

Self-lubricating materials: characterisation and tribological assessment of materials and composites for sliding components, with a focus on friction, wear, durability and reduced relubrication requirements.

Gear testing: back-to-back testing of helical gears to assess lubrication performance, friction, wear and damage under representative loading conditions.

Tribology-based condition monitoring: assessment of lubricant condition and bearing and gear degradation to support early fault detection and condition-based maintenance.

Our group was/is involved in these key offshore wind projects:

Our relevant equipment | tools | infrastructure

for offshore wind:

Labo Soete combines advanced computational tools with dedicated lubricant, bearing, gear and seal test facilities to investigate tribological performance, degradation and reliability under conditions relevant to offshore wind applications.

Multiscale and multiphysics modelling: computational capabilities ranging from high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulations to reduced-order models and machine-learning surrogate models of lubricated contacts. These tools support the analysis of lubricant film formation, thermal behaviour, contact deformation and friction as well as impedance and breakdwon voltage calculations.

Vertical FV8 thrust bearing test rig: a dedicated platform for lubricant and thrust bearing research, equipped with electrical impedance spectroscopy and in situ sensing to characterise lubrication behaviour and monitor contact conditions.

Modular Tribo Test-bed: a versatile test bed for medium-sized bearings, gears and seals, offering variable loads, speeds and oscillatory motion with controlled lubrication. The platform enables component testing under representative operating conditions, including transient loading and oscillation relevant to wind turbine applications.

TriboBear large-bearing test rig: a facility for testing large bearings under dynamic conditions, with vertical and horizontal loading capabilities up to 250 kN. It supports investigations of bearing performance under variable and combined loading.

Eovline accelerated lubricant degradation facility: a dedicated setup for accelerated lubricant ageing and degradation studies, oil-sensor evaluation and supporting the assessment of lubricant durability and the development of condition-monitoring methods.

STRAMA FZG-type gear test rig: a three-shaft test configuration accommodating both spur and helical gears, enabling investigations of scuffing, abrasive wear and pitting, alongside comparative assessments of lubricant and gear performance.

Together, these capabilities support research into offshore wind drivetrain reliability, lubricant durability, component design and condition-based maintenance.