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TILTING-PAD JOURNAL BEARINGS CM&

INTRODUCTION

TURBINES
STEAM TURBINES
Bearings for rotating parts are key components for operating The bearing can be oriented in either of two positions
safety, mechanical integrity and durability of steam turbines. according to the load supported:
GE Oil & Gas research has culminating in the replacement of 1. Load on one shoe: standard configuration (Figure 4)
old style four-lobed and elliptical bearings (Figure 1) with 2. Load between shoes: used for large rotors and/or critical
pivot tilting-pad bearings. GE Oil & Gas for all steam tur- as regards flexure (Figure 4)
bines it produces.
The GE Oil & Gas bearings have offset pivots that optimize
Tilting-pad bearings have the following benefits:
load distribution on the shoe when the rotor is in operation
Total elimination of oil-whip and oil whirl phenomena and
and provide a better oil film wedge (Figure 5).
therefore of dynamic instability;
In order to have an optimum oil wedge and to guarantee
Reduction of the amplitude of shaft vibration due to the
greater supportable loads, the GE Oil & Gas tilting-pad
higher damping coefficient of these bearings;
bearings are preloaded. The preload value varies according
Considerable increase in the reliability and operating
to dimensions and the specific application (Figure 5).
safety of the journal bearing system;
Possibility of housing thermoelements (supplied in a GE Oil
& Gas conversion kit) directly the pads to monitor the
operation of the bearings in real time.

STEAM
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
The new bearing system designed and produced by GE
Oil & Gas, consists of a housing split along the centerline (Fig. 3)
and of five shoes with a pad fitted under the rim of each shoe,
which allows the shoes to tilt (Figure 2).
Each pad is circumferentially secured to the housing by
radial pins to prevent the shoe from moving circumferentially
but allowing it to adjust to the position of the shaft. There are
five oil feed holes in the bearing housing in the annular spaces
between the shoes. Oil flow to the bearing is guaranteed and
controlled by two calibrated metallic oil seals that are remov-
able in order to be able to check lube oil flow by measuring
the diameter. The journal shoes are made of low-carbon
steel with a babbitt coating on the bearing surface; the pads
are made of high-carbon steel heat treated to obtain a high
degree of hardness on the tilt surface.

Elliptical or lemon type Four lobe bearing

LOAD LOAD

Rotation Rotation

Figure 1

GE Power Systems CM&Us TU/VA02-9/2002

Oil & Gas
BENEFITS
GE Oil & Gas tilting-pad journal bearings have many
advantages including:
improved dynamic performance of the rotor-bearing
system and drastic reduction of instability caused by
the lubricating oil;
bearing adaptability to shaft movements from the ability
of the shoe to tilt;
uniformly distributed oil flow from five equidistant
radial feed holes;
reduced oil flow, controlled by oil seals;
increased stability due to greater damping;
lower costs for spare parts as only the pads need be
changed;
big reduction in purchasing time for spare parts as the
shoes are standard components and readily available
from stock;
Availability of a thermocouple kit to monitor the tempe-
rature of the bearing system (Figure 7).

APPLICABILITY
This modification can be applied to all steam turbines with
elliptical or lobed bearings.

GE Oil & Gas has standardised shoes for the following shaft
diameters (mm):
Figure 2 50, 55, 65, 70, 80, 90*, 100, 110*, 120*, 130, 150, 180, 200.

Figure3
 Tilting - pad bearing Tilting - pad bearing

LOAD LOAD

Rotation Rotation
oil inlet

oil inlet
Figure 4
One shoe arrangement Between shoes arrangement

Preload
oe
sh

Rs
R

ha
ft

offset
Figure 5

Figure 6
TILTING-PAD JOURNAL BEARINGS
Non-standard sizes can be evaluated on an as needed
basis.
Pads can also be provided for dimensions other than those
indicated and also for steam turbines of other
Manufacturers. Given the greater axial and radial dimen-
sions of the tilting-pad bearings, it is necessary to carry out
a brief preliminary feasibility study. In general, no machining
on the casing or the rotor and no modification to the existing
lubrication system is necessary. Machining of the bearings
to take into account the greater radial dimensions of the
bearing housing is necessary in rare cases.
This can be carried out on site with the aid of specialized
portable equipment that can be supplied by GE Oil & Gas.
The modification kit includes modification drawings for the
bearings. It is also possible apply this modification to
steam turbines which have the journal bearing and
Figure 7
Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.
via F. Matteucci, 2 - 50127 Florence (Italy)
Tel. +39-055-423-211- Fax +39-055-423-2800
E-mail: info.service@np.ge.com
www.gepower.com/geoilandgas
thrust bearing combined in one piece by replacing the
four lobe load bearing part with the tilting-pad bearing
and the thrust bearing with a new thrust bearing (of more
recent design) which could also be made to accommo-
date thermoelements and/or load cells (see Figure 6)
(Available in GE Oil & Gas modification kits).
SCOPE OF SUPPLY
The basic supply consists of the following:
2 bearing housings including dowels and pins to circum-
ferentially secure the pads
10 shoes including pads and screws (5 per bearing)
4 calibrated oil seals for controlling oil flow including set-
screws (2 per bearing)
Assembly drawing of the modification
Assembly instructions and part list.
COMK/MARK 679/I I- Studio Tre Fasi - 9-2002 2002 Nuovo Pignone S.p.A. all rights reserved