Wind turbine pitch bearing with friction enhancing insert layer

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a plurality of rotor blades coupled to a hub;
• a pitch bearing arranged at each of the rotor blades to couple the rotor blade to the hub;
• the pitch bearing comprising:
• an outer race;
• an inner race;
• one of the inner race or the outer race being a hub race configured to be coupled to the hub and the other of the inner race or the outer race being a blade race configured to be coupled to the rotor blade;
• one of the inner race or the outer race being a split race comprising first and second ring components joined together at opposed annular faces thereof;
• and
• a friction enhancing interface between the opposed annular faces that increases a coefficient of friction to minimize slippage between the first and second ring components, the friction enhancing interface formed by a layer of friction enhancing material inserted between the opposed annular faces comprising a particulate component, wherein the layer of friction enhancing material is a sprayed, painted or coated-on layer applied to one or both of the opposed annular faces.

A pitch bearing for coupling a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine, the pitch bearing comprising:

• an outer race;
• an inner race;
• one of the inner race or the outer race being a hub race configured to be coupled to the hub and the other of the inner race or the outer race being a blade race configured to be coupled to the rotor blade;
• one of the inner race or the outer race being a split race comprising first and second ring components joined together at opposed and directly contacting annular faces thereof;
• and
• a friction enhancing interface between the opposed annular faces that increases a coefficient of friction to minimize slippage between the first and second ring components, the friction enhancing interface formed by a surface characteristic that is machined, etched, or blasted into one or both of the opposed annular faces to define a regular or irregular pattern of peaks and valleys in the annular face.