Corrosion resistance and low maintenance in an environment with high temperatures, sand, dust and high solar radiation, without the use of grease. Our SOLGLIDE® Bearings are engineered for such kind of conditions. SOLGLIDE® Bearings are grease free and UV-resistant plain bushings with a layer of PTFE-compound. Metal-reinforced with stainless steel, zinc coated steel, aluminum or brass, to avoid contact corrosion for all kind of mating components.
Parabolic mirrors need bearings at the middle and end pylons. The biggest challenge for these bearings is the environment, the expected lifetime and the reliability. Usually these CSP plants are located in areas with high sun irradiation which leads to accelerated aging of components. In addition to that, sometimes sand or higher salt concentrations in the air affect the components as well. The expected lifetime shall be (or exceed) 30 years and it would be perfect if they require no maintenance at all. SOLGLIDE® Bearings support our customers reducing their total cost of ownership and increase efficiency and reliability at the same time by:
Maintenance free operation, 100% resistant against weather influences, 30 years’ lifetime, compensating misalignment and tolerances, low and constant friction over lifetime, high temperature range.
Best types for solar applications would be: NORGLIDE® M, NORGLIDE® TALC, NORGLIDE® T.
At Saint-Gobain we have an open innovation culture, a well-equipped agile toolbox and a diverse development network. This enables us to provide individual engineered and tailor-made parts for our customers with worldwide support. Our test capacities help us to simulate the movement and wear of 30 years’ lifetime including corrosion testing. We share this with our customers in our HACKATHON services. So we can help our customers being innovative.
More than 180,000 SOLGLIDE® Bearings have been supplied to solar plants already which makes a difference every day.