Zero-Max Wind Turbine Couplings are now available as an upgrade replacement for existing wind turbines and for OEM applications.

Proven and tested under conditions simulating a 20-year load spectrum of continuous operation, Zero-Max turbine couplings easily handle torque spikes and high misalignment installations.

Zero-Max couplings are designed with composite disk packs at both ends of a center spacer made of composite or steel. These uniquely designed disk packs provide high strength and generous flexibility. The composite disk packs (flexible elements) provide a distinct advantage over other coupling component designs by allowing for a surplus of parallel and axial misalignment while remaining torsionally rigid through all harmonic ranges of the wind turbine’s oscillating load.

In addition to misalignment protection, the coupling protects the generator and gearbox bearings by transferring lower reaction loads. The lack of conductive properties of the composite material make it ideal for electrically insulating the turbine’s generator from the gear box, eliminating stray electrical current that can leak across the coupling, thus preventing bearing and gear teeth damage to the gearbox. The coupling’s composite material properties withstand all types of environmental elements, including temperature extremes from -40 to +70°C, and also moisture and chemicals native to the nacelles of wind turbines.

Designed for onshore and offshore turbine drivetrains with capacities up to 5 MW, these Zero-Max couplings have extreme endurance in a lightweight package. Easy to install either on the production floor or in the cramped up tower environment, they operate equally well in new OEM turbines or existing drivetrain applications. Working in unison with the Zero Max torque limiter, the composite disc coupling and torque limiter provide the highest level of overall protection for all of today’s wind turbine drivetrain requirements.