paen/ase/7293, $3 Gray = Produce Manager, Ceramic Beazings RAC Jayawant ~ Development Engineer, Magnette Bearings Ad Leopard ~ Enginsoring Nansger ‘The Glacier Wotal Co utd - Rotating Plane ‘A Unit of Te ple PSE resented at 11th International Pump Techical Conference, Caabstdge 16 ~ 20 Aprit 1999For many years poet pumps have used either rolling slemant beaeiags, or Weiteneeat faced plain of tiiting pad thrust and journal bearings operacsng oo the nygrodyanie principio (Fig 1)7 for @ Tinted aunber of special SppLicacione product lubrication has been vsed with epecial bearing Siteriale, in this paper we intend to lock ae some davelopmence Both a Conventional vattenacal beacings and in bearings using other materials and concepts. The amphaais vill be on the application of these new {deas to ponps though in many cosas thay are also applicable to other typex oF Foeazing plane machinery the spect#ic subjects which we intend to cover ares 2 Rorizontal self-contained aszentlies for high thrust loeds ustag 3 Geranie bearings for process fluid lubeLeation 4 wagnette beaetegs. Rorizontal Self-contained Asseablies for Riah Thrust Loads Feon the polat of view of the user it is always preferable to have « self contained beating assembly, Lea boaring which dows fot use any external Tebrication or cooling systen. Th practice there are imitations to the bse of such asseubiles due to the nacessity of dissipating heat generated At Aighor speeds and also the desirability in all. except the most Consorvative designs, of providing a” pressure Lubricant supply to the Dearing. Ta noricoatal shaft assemblies these Ls an aditional probien of ‘ensuring that the bearings aze sufficiently lubcleated at start op ae at Standstiil the staric oi Level Ls below soar of the bearing surfaces. in ocder to extend the Linita of the hozizontal self-contained type of assembly Glacier has developed the HSY range of units based on the wie of viscosity pusp 2 ensure @ positive flow of oll to the bearings, The General arrangement of an assenbly of ehis type Ls shown ia Fig 2. 2t will be seen that a double thrust bearing of the tilting pad type ie eed, together with a Journal bearing of the sieeve type: ail of ings would aoznaily be af the conantional waitenotsi faced OLL clzeutation in the HOY unit Le achLeved by moans of a viscosity pump [rig 3) situated eround the theuat collar periphery which circulates oft diceot through tre Bearinge and then through the cooler ata filterr the oft bus returned to the ianer reservoir ehrough an injector which also dria ofl Eton the outer reservoir ag required. The pumping. characteristic of the ‘Lscosity punp is auch that for moat applications ir iz possible to have a Espply pressure ig the ragion of leo 2 Bar with ample flow tensorssupply at Least one other journal bearing at a comate location with the ott Eom Enis being returned to the sain fesecvoir az shown in Pfy 2 ‘the Anser resarvate encurce that the visessity pamp can peine innediecsiy fon starting of the uait as the viscosity punp suction La at all times fully flooded, aven with « lov outer reservoir lavels.i8ig 4), ‘thus if ia ens course ‘of prolonged cunning there is sone minor Leakage Even the systen ie MAIL not affect tho priming ability of the Unit until the outer cavorvote capacity ie alnost emnausted, ‘me availability of anpie oft et a positive pressuce enables = large thrust, bearing to bo carzectiy Iubeteared and the heat generated in it to be ranoved efticiantly by using a forced flow cooles. favs a compact sele= Contained unit 1s achieved capeble of taking high thrust loco at relatively Rgh nate speeds in a celiable vay. The erty external supply Faquired for” the usit iz vater for those applications which have © veces fooler; air coolers can also. be Used eithor with a shaft driven of Sisctricaily driven fan. This in feseLf easbles a father nore compce pump Sscanbly to be installed ehsn with convontional externally costed and Lubricated bearings but in adaition there is a pig saving sn teat the setocnat Iunefoacion package with {t= daaoolates pipework saa soaticis Is Particularly ia atl rig applications the saving ia space requirements and Welgne results in a total pomp unit which hag significant advantages over the cocvantional pump. (#13 5) HSV ype units nive also neea used tor enaxgency standby duty pangs whose they scemaily razain snssed tor prolonged periods. in tests it nar boon shown that aven if all the pares nthe BSY units ere conpuetely ary abo the statte oil Laval there te no problem in starting cs subsequent “damage to the beartage. (#43 6) Nigh Temperature Folysor Materials for Tilting fad earings ite conventional whLeenstais are very good materislz for the sajority of applications, there are an increasing mugse: of cazes where shey canro= be Used satistactorlly, This can either be because of high temperatures, low iscosity lubricants or corrosive elaasats in sxe lupricant. vactour alternatives to vhltonetal have beon used in the past but all of thoes Nave Sone disadvantages as veil 41 advantages. fesentiy polymer murarials have been used as Dearing uzface materials and ons of these if Clacser Hivel. This is a PLEX based polymer Walch 1s Donded £0 steel ehcough = sintered interieyes (380 Pg 7). he advantages of Bice are oa follows: degC without deterioration or weekeniage 3 Gocd boundary progerties - tiex hes good boundary properties shen Funning against atest which enables it to opecate satisfactorily with the shall film thicknesses often associared with product lubricants. He haa alco been successfully used vith ofl in applications where fil Lubrication may be tenporarily absert auch as at start-up of @© Dimensions and chenica stability - ui-ax is hlghty reststane to man thanteals though in sone esses care has’ tote “takes aban the Sttronsent iz" other than gastrals hen operating 4s eovar these tt 30 protien of dineneionsi stabiliey, D Good insulator - dirok is gt good electrical insulator vith a Fasistance in execs of 2 x 10° ohn = om, = Tolerance of dirt - Uslike many other high temperature teartng materials, “si-ex nag similar hardness and hence eabeddebilicy properties to whitonotaly simtleriy it does act ceguire « hesdened In principle Hi-ex can be applied to a steal backing to form either plain eheust oF journal bearings or tilting pads to be used sitner in” thrust bearings or journal bearings. Ia cage of the Latecr the pedp are inensionaily identical to the equivalent vhitenctal faced pads. and tuerefore can oasily be retzofitead 15 an existing standecd bearings ‘the main aroas of application of Hicex to rotating plant eschinsry ate seen 1 soacings for operation az high amient congecatures - there are an Increasing ausber of appiicetions whece the Dearing for various reasons has to operate in Bigh temperature aursoundiagss A typical example of this Ls a geothermal pump which aight Rave co operate in 3 Well at tanperacures in she region of 200 degC. ivok tilting pad Thrust bearings have” been successfully used ig a nusber of soplications of this ype 2 oat soak applications - for this type of application the sormsl operating anvironment is kept cool by a supply of lubricating ofl, Ae ‘Shctdown” conventional practice woUld aaauce that 2 supply of chia oil 15 Kopt ts operation until the machine nat cosled to an accopeable Level. fovever savinge can be made if che bearing material is designed to wienstand heat soak ehiough the shaft ete at abut down withove the seed for a cooling ol} tow. A number of applications of this tyze ace now in successtul opecation. 3 Product lubrication = flex can be successfully used esing low viscosity fluids, such ag water, for Iebeication ave to ite good boundary propecties under margiaal flim cosdisions, Using Lubricants of this type it is essential chat some form of alignment’ Gevice is provided and typical system ts sown in Pig 9. ‘his shows a tiiting bed thrust bearing with Sivex Lined pads uhers the carsier lig ta Mounted ons nicrile cushion ring Cor alignment pucgoses. Beartags of this Eype have seen successful service in variocs types Of Pomp- 4 Extension of operating range for self-contained units ~ az mencioned An the section above on self-conteined hocizontal nies, the Anitation in many cases Is the ability to dissipate heat. By cleting 3 Gelt-containe? assembly with lex Lined pads end using a ayathetic lubricant the moxiaun allowable tenperature of the oil syaten can be zalged which in tum allows the maxima load and/or speed of the unit to be “saized. Wnile thes hes been peoven in teste to be # feasible fopcton Le has yor eo be adopted ins prodvetion machinCeranic bearings for Process Plaid tubetcation Ceramic bearings are seen ez an extension of sxisting bearing satecials, fanabling the designe to achleve tha full benstiee of pesduce Lubsicacion, ‘The concept of product lubrication has by far the greatest Laplications on ene pens Industry where the punped medium can be used to lubricits the Of the wide range of ceramic naterials available, the nest widely used for Bearings of the type being. considered) are silicon nitride ané sitteon carbide. ‘Te forner has the grater sezengen and the Latter the etter heat conductivity as well as greater hardness. typical values ace shown Un Pay ior For most applications in rotating plant the mechanical stcengeh of sliteon carbide, with caret) design, ia adequate and the good heat aizeipaston ig of great benefit; thorefore siticon carbide iz che pestersed material for the applications described in shia paper The main advantages of silicon carbide bearings can he summarised as folowss~ 2 Cheasestiy Lasse. 2 igh hardness. 3 igh Load capacity. Each of those advantages could have implications on punp destans, tor 1 Chemical inertness enables che bearings to be lubricated py most fads, which in tar engbles lubrication systens and sealing systeas so be sinplitied. In the case of canted aotor punps sealing systems Become completely unnecessary. Cost savings can be made tron the Fanoval of sil systems, ae oll as savings in everall puap site (ohatt Gismoter and leageh)- See Fig lle 2 ign hardness enables dirt and contamination in the Lubricant tebe solorated, if alco noane that a filter system ie not normally Faquired.| for example Pig 12 shovs and in suspension in a geodact Lubricant before and after it hay passed thecugh the hearings Te will be noted that tha rand particles have bean crushed - mo change 3. igh toad capacity, particularly of tilting pad thrust bearings, Leads to! compact bearing designs. Thess beasings have been tested up to 30 Ha Specific load although tor dasign pusporo: the maximum syecitie load” is smually “restricted to between one thicd and ane quarter of unis value. ‘the Migh load capacity can ness reduction OF “removal of belance pistons enar daproving power Loss and acise. fig 1! is an cnangle of tear resules from» thivst bearing shaviny tanperature ries4 Me vide tengerature coage capability enables the designer tou standard bearing over # wider cange of applicavions. vagnatic taarings Forces of attraction between magnatised bodice can he very large but cannot bbe sed by thencolves except in simple applications avch ae load. toists. Tis ie bocause when sere ia 4 gap between magnetised bodies such congigueations are not stable. the force-distance characteristics of auch congigurations ace shown in fig 14, To convert these characteristics aad to produce stable coafigucetions it is necessary to use electconagness whose streagen aon be altered by varying the cucrent in then. This ie alse Ehown in Pig 14 vere the object ro be neld dg a steel Dall against the force of gravity. The position of the steel ball relative to the Stoctronagnet is conta! by sn optical teaneducor and the curtent Sa the Slacteonagnee varied by the elastronic pover amplifier in propoction to the Gerongth of tha position sigmal receives, with appropriate compensation, fron tne optical transducse, Thr in eoeance 4a the petaeipie of the technology of mageatic suspension ayetons using contre! a2 electsonamncts. vagnotic bearings: ven this technology Ss to be apolied ta:bearings the conrigurations astarsily become sore (nvoived than in the sinple example Given” above. the singe elsczconagnet Acting against the force of Seavity s"how eapiaced by a pair of elececomagaate acting ona aneft on to. axes at “right angles 29. each other and against each othe, giving the Conciguracton tha capantlity to withstand mich Laeger Gistucbeace tocces. This ‘configuration of four siactromagnece constitutes ons sadial betsing. Avsingle radial bearing on ite ovn cannot couneeract tilting of the thatt. Further, in sore casor sizpiscament of the ahatt in atisi diceccioas han to be cousterea by a thrust Dearing. This 4a achieves by proviciny circular electromagners acting on a steel disc attaches to the shaft. by and Large optical transducers of the kind chown in Pig 14 are aot Likely to “be duitable for application to nagnstic bearings aad pecial pirpose inductive, magnotte and capacieance sensors hava been developed to meet specific’ ‘requlresents. ‘the eechnotoyy of nagnetie suspension <= sow £411 Proven in the context of Dearing apglications Application of sagnetic bearings to canned puapa: she exploded diagran (Big 15) Shovs che eonazruction of a puap wich nagnetic bearings sn which the’ rotor and. the stationary members are protected Eroa, say, corcosive Ligsids by a pair of stainies steel screens. The impeller {5 also mde of stuiniess stool, The insertion of these ezeezs maxes great deal of Giteerence to the design of the bearings thengelves, the transducers ard the motor which in this case is Ineated between che two radial beariage. ovever, it can be seen imediately that the neat for any seals is Sir gap 2 possible between the shaft and the face of the sagnets, cf the ocder of OvSma, ‘The staialesa azeel covering on the zotor and the screen Adjacent to the stator are im thick. The effective air gap in the present case is Inn for the dearinga, the actor and the transducers. the leas® affected by this increased alz gap is the design of the electronagnets. Gare is needed to ensure that as auch of the magnetic flux generated DY currents flowing in the stator windicgs as posaibie i coatributing © the force of atteaction. In apite of careful design aa increase in te antWLLL be neceasacy and techalques have been evolved which 2o not adversely Atect the neat dissipation and/or sificleney. The motor in the gees Ailuserated in Pig 15 1 an induction motor operating acrmity av Osan ale gap. Increased air gap. loading to increased Leakage £102 and leakage Fesstance con have daleterious effect on the pertocnance of an” ndiseise motor. Stepe, therefore, had to be taken to teduce this and che aerating (Of the sotor his been from 4 ki to 2 kK. With a new design it fs" expected that this derating could be halved. the most serious challenge, fowsvess 4s presented by the position transducers, These have’ to" bo cspatie oe Looking at the roter tnroagh the stainless steel barriers wnten are conducting. Spactal transducers had vo be doveloped for this purpose, he Increased alr gap presents further problems ef Linearity of opecationy resolution and effects of tengeratare drift. All these have best cho Subject of intensive study and investigation and have been secisesctortly Design specifications and operating experience: the pump with mayaetic bearings Rae deen developed asa prototype and hes been in operation on che gestoner's prenices since February 1987. apart from an initial aoe a two Feothing peoblens, there have bean Ao prabless in satisfying the sciginel (me spectticstions of the bearings and pune ace as follows: rose nearing Siaracer 99 an Leogen 200 pm ver static load 0000 Teta intenatey 201! seletnens 500 W/an up to 50 a: Power dtrespation 90 W for mex Lead ear nearing Dtanater 90 mn Gneageator contrat) sittness 500 w/em up 9 50 82 Power dissipation 50 W for max load morast nearing Disc diameter 210 an Mex static 10d 3000 Seieeness 500 B/am up es 50 us Power lssipation hao Pump preasuce varying from 2.2 bar at ODieeea/ain co 0.2 Dar ae 100 Litees/ain Pndustion 3000 zon 2 kif ovegue (4 RW at original gap! Conclusioas: magnetic bearings ofter unique opportunity for eliminating Problens of seais and protection of external manbers from corrosive fsids- Many of the problems perceived in the early days of developaent of the PUMPdescribed have bean scccesstully overcone, proving that punpa incorgeratiag magnetic Bearings are an alternative way of designing euch pieces of epuipment.fo) JOURNAL BEARING (o) Trust _seaRING Fig 1 Hycrodynanic converging wedge principle on journal and thrust bearing3 oe209 13 Space FoR te OBE varie STANDARD OIL SYSTEM weigar = 21900 Kg GLACIER HSV OIL SYSTEM EIGHT + 18000 ko Fig 5 Comparison of Standard & HSV Lubrication space Aeauicenents (Courtesy oF Sulzer Punps Led?BPD a | em 5 wf van | woe «fw 5 » [ile vf [ou i a ole]= fe 7 4, Saas sei I peal gas ainsi watsad 3 [Sitinot]———_NOTLIG0a09 we We Fig 7 saoring materials for rotating plant applicationsou [ouw Jor Yox nex Prrefead [etre | Acctal — |PEEK + PTFE copolymer fand ilers ie Inoregaeted bronze 3) steel |sronze | Steet | Steet | Stee! 1 Ovedey 2 Intelayer 3 Mele bocking (Gul depth not shown) Fig 8 Section through polyneSELE-ALIGNING THRUST BEARING LL Pig 9 Mitrila Cushion Ring ALinament Device| seace ron eaerroot STANDARD OIL SYSTEM elon + 2isea 4 PRODUCT LUB, RETRO-FIT eIoHT = rro2okg PRODUCT LUB. SYSTEM WEIGHT + 16500 by Sn 7 eceeerinee aut eum dicBEARING TYPE M WITH CENTRE PIVOT & 3 PAOS BEARING TYPE M WITH CENTRE PIVOT 6 3 PADS 30 MPa. (Jo tater, GEC. HOD) toate)-_ electromagnet feoil input ee == power amplifier photocell lonaan lens/light [compensation] fay / /closed loop coil current force open loop. airgap (> Fig. 14 Principle of magnetic suspension Gsing optical transducers,