Vertical Motor Operation & Repair

EASA 2020 Reimagined

An Online Event
June 15, 2020

Presented by

Chuck Yung
Senior Technical Support Specialist
EASA
St. Louis, MO
 VERTICAL MOTOR OPERATION & REPAIR

By Chuck Yung
Senior Technical Support Specialist
Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Inc.
St. Louis, MO

INTRODUCTION conjunction with a guide bearing.

General-purpose, grease-lubricated horizontal mo-
tors are designed to be mounted either horizontally or
vertically and can be either direct coupled or radially con-
nected to the driven equipment. Normally these motors
are built with ball or roller bearings. Large, horizontally-
mounted motors may use hydrodynamic, oil-lubricated
sleeve bearings and are not designed for external loading
on the bearing.
Definite-purpose vertical motors can be grease or oil
lubricated, are nearly always direct coupled, and are
designed to operate with a wide range of axial thrust load-
ing. Large vertical motors with extremely high downward
thrust may use a hydrodynamic, tilting plate bearing in
This paper addresses various bearing configurations
for definite-purpose vertical motors, along with their
various accessories. Issues associated with design
specifications, installation, operation, maintenance and
repairs are also addressed.
BEARING LOADING
The design difference between horizontal and verti-
cal bearing systems is dictated by the types of external
loading placed on the shaft. Figure 1 contains free-form
diagrams for both horizontal and vertical bearings and
contrasts the difference in shaft loading.
The radial force (Fr) which can be very large on hori-

FIGURE 1: FREE-FORM DIAGRAMS OF HORIZONTAL (LEFT) AND VERTICAL BEARING SYSTEMS

Fr

Opposite end A B
bearing reaction Upper thrust
bearing

Side pull Thrust (Fa) Side pull

Weight
Overhung
Drive end bearing load (OHL) Weight
A
axial reaction
Drive end bearing
radial reaction
Total load
For drive end bearing:
Radial reaction = OHL (A+B) + SP & W(A)
A 2 Lower guide
Axial reaction = Thrust + W bearing
P = Total load = X(radial) + Y(axial)
B
((
L10 life (hrs) = 1 x 106 C a a = 3 for ball bearing,
60n P 3.33 for roller bearing
Total load
Overhung
n = Speed (rpm)
C = Bearing dynamic load rating
load (OHL)
Y = Axial to radial conversion factor Thrust
X = Radial conversion factor
W = Weight For drive end bearing:
Radial reaction = OHL (A+B) + SP(A)
A 2
Axial reaction = Thrust + W
P = Total load = X(radial) + Y(axial)
L10 life (hrs) = 1 x 106 C a a = 3 for ball bearing,
60n P(( 3.33 for roller bearing
n = Speed (rpm)
C = Bearing dynamic load rating
Y = Axial to radial conversion factor
X = Radial conversion factor
W = Weight
Thrust is now a greater percentage of total load

1
 FIGURE 2: ANGULAR CONTACT TANDEM BEARINGS
OIL
METERING
PLUG
zontal motors, is small on vertical motors. While axial
force (Fa) is moderate to small on horizontal motors, it
can be very large, and in either direction on vertical mo-
tors. These are two of the factors that drive the choice
of bearings and their lubricant.
To ensure proper bearing configuration, it is imperative to
identify the direction and duration of the axial thrust. Many
pumps impose a momentary upward axial thrust on the
motor and then shift into downward axial thrust loading.
However, there are some applications where the pump
imposes a continuous upward axial thrust. The motor de-
signer needs to know the direction, magnitude and duration
of axial thrust in order to select the proper bearing system.
THRUST BEARING TYPES
The construction differences between horizontal and
high-thrust vertical motors are dictated primarily by the
differences between radial bearings and thrust bearings.
The radial ball bearing is capable of handling moderate
axial loading. The thrust bearing is designed to handle
higher axial thrust loads in only one direction and small
radial loading in proportion to the axial load.
2
BEARING HOLDER
LOCKNUT AND
WASHER
TOP
BEARING CAP
O - RING
TOP BEARING
CAP BOLT
BEARING
CARRIER
BEARING
SNAP RING
BEARING
BRACKET
STAND TUBE
MOTOR SHAFT
Angular Contact Bearings
The normal high-thrust bearing in vertical hollow
shaft motors is an angular contact ball bearing. A typi-
cal example is shown in Figure 2. These bearings were
developed specifically for pump service, having a high-
contact angle of up to 40°. With such high-contact angles,
these bearings must have a considerable axial thrust
applied in order to operate properly. A motor operating
without axial load will often sound noisy because the
thrust bearing is loose under this condition.
The type and design of the bearing retainer (Figure 3)
is important. There are four types in common use: molded
plastic, pressed steel, pressed bronze and machined
bronze. Larger bearings at 3600 rpm usually use ma-
chined bronze cages. Most repairers opt for machined
bronze retainers as a matter of course. An oft overlooked
aspect of thrust bearings is that they should be ball-
guided, not race guided, to avoid restricting the oil flow
required to cool the bearings. This is especially important
when thrust bearings are stacked.
Greater pumping depths require additional thrust ca-
pacity. A convenient method to obtain additional thrust
 thrust except for the weight of the rotor, which is in the
FIGURE 3: EXAMPLES OF BEARING RETAINER
downward direction. The bearings can be of the follow-
DESIGNS
ing types:
• Deep groove radial
• Angular contact (single or stacked)
• Spherical roller
• Hydrodynamic (plate type)
The net thrust loading on the bearing can be downward
or upward, although down thrust is far more common.
Ball riding The shaft may also have an upward momentary thrust
during starting. Some motors have a balanced thrust,
which means that the sum of all the thrusts equals zero.
Motors on deep-well applications frequently have hol-
low shafts, while those on pipes and tanks usually have
solid shafts. Motors used on channels, rivers and other
similar applications can have either.
Inner land riding Outer race land riding
For high-thrust applications, a spherical roller thrust
bearing is common. Because of the separable nature
of this bearing, motors using them are often fitted with
preload springs to prevent shock damage during mo-
capacity is to stack two or more bearings in tandem. mentary periods of up-thrust. These springs should be
Brackets can then be designed to accept one or more stiff enough to support the weight of the rotor plus some
bearings as desired, adding flexibility and allowing of the thrust load. If springs are missing or damaged, it
bearing arrangement to be changed to accommodate is important that the stiffness of the replacement match
the different thrust requirement of replacement pumps. the stiffness of the original springs, and that they be
Although each additional thrust bearing only adds 60% uniformly distributed around the bearing.
of the capacity of a single bearing of the same size, use Thrust bearings do not all have the same angle of
of a larger diameter bearing is restricted by the lower contact, retainer material, etc. Changes to one aspect
speed rating of a larger bearing diameter. of a bearing may significantly alter bearing performance.
Additional reasons for stacking bearings include: Installation is also of importance, whether new instal-
• Large diameter balls and rollers are subject to higher lation or reinstallation after a repair. It is important to
dynamic stresses and become less efficient in car- establish a (new) benchmark after each repair. Changes
rying load. to vibration levels, bearing temperature, or motor cur-
• Lubrication at high peripheral speeds is more difficult. rent all may indicate a change that warrants attention to
• Higher losses create additional heating which re- determine the reason for such change.
quires auxiliary cooling. Vertical motors often use angular-contact ball bear-
By using smaller bearings in tandem, these difficulties ings for their greater axial load carrying capacity. The
are avoided, although lubrication of stacked bearings typical contact angles are 15°, 30° and 40°. The bearing
also requires special construction. Stacked bearings also nomenclature indicates the contact angle. (See Table 2.)
are limited in thrust capacity. For a set of identical thrust
bearings, each rated for 10,000 pounds (44 kN) thrust, TABLE 2
Table 1 shows the thrust capacity for 1, 2 or 3 bearings.
Suffix Contact angle Example
B 40° 7320B
TABLE 1: THRUST CAPACITY OF BEARINGS
None 30° 7320
Number of thust Thrust capacity Thrust capacity
bearings (lbs) (Newtons) C 15° 7320C
1, thrust down 10,000 44,480
2, thrust down 16,000 71,168 The larger the contact angle, the greater the axial load
capacity. The smaller the contact angle, the greater the
3, thrust down 22,000 97,856
speed capability. Replacing a bearing with a different
3, 2 thrust down contact angle may result in one or more of the following:
16,000 71,168
& 1 thrust up • Lesser angle reduces load capacity, resulting in
decreased bearing life.
Most of the loading on the bearing system is axial • Greater angle reduces radial stability and reduces
and usually in the downward direction. Some have no speed rating.

3
 • Either change may increase vibration by changing
shaft-bearing stiffness.
Vertical motors with 4 or more poles typically use a 40°
contact angle. Two-pole verticals are more likely to use a
15° or 30° contact angle. Vertical motors are sometimes
fitted with a “pump pack”—one bearing with a 40° contact
angle and the second with a 15° angle. This configura-
tion combines the greater axial load capability of the 40°
angle with the radial stability of the 15° bearing.
FIGURE 4: BASIC ANGULAR CONTACT
BEARING DESIGNS
Race guided Ball guided
Bearing retainers (cages) for angular-contact bearings
come in two basic designs: ball-guided (centered on the
rolling elements) or race-guided (centered on the inner or
outer race). (See Figure 4.) For most oil-lubricated thrust
bearing applications, a machined bronze, ball-guided
retainer offers the best performance.
Single, angular-contact bearings are limited to axial
load in one direction. Greater pumping depths require
additional thrust. A convenient method to obtain ad-
ditional thrust ca­pacity is to stack two or more bearings
in tandem. Bearings may be stacked in multiples to ac-
commodate axial thrust in either direction; or they may
be of “like thrust,” termed duplex tandem, to increase the
thrust capacity in only one direction.
When thrust bearings are mounted in pairs, there
are three possible combinations, each of which has
specific advantages and drawbacks. The bearings may
be mounted face-to-face, back-to-back, or both with the
thrust in the same direction.
The thrust support shoulder of the outer race is referred
to as the “back” of the bearing. In “back-to-back” mount-
ing, the thrust shoulders of the outer races are placed
together. This mounting arrangement provides good
rigidity, and is sometimes used for horizontal pumps.
4
For face-to-face mounting, the thrust faces are to
the outside of the pair. This method will accept some
misalignment, and is used for applications where it is
normal to have some shaft movement relative to the
housing. An example is the single-vane impeller pump
used in wastewater.
It is important to document the thrust combination
when disassembling the motor. When one thrust bearing
is oriented "thrust up" the outer races must be clamped,
and the bearing carrier of a solid-shaft motor should be
seated against a shoulder on the shaft. In this arrange-
ment, "end play/thrust" is not adjusted — the nut should
be fully tightened to clamp the bearing carrier and thrust
bearings in place.
Pro Tip: Incoming bearing arrangement may be incor-
rect from a prior repair.
Spherical Roller Bearings
At higher thrust ratings, when ball bearing size be-
comes excessively large, the spherical roller type is
used. A typical construction is shown in Figure 5. The
rollers have a much larger contact area than balls and
are arranged to be self-aligning. Roller axis is at 45° to
the shaft and the bearing can carry both moderate- and
high-thrust loads. The rollers must be guided, however,
and develop more friction than the ball type. At high
speeds, water cooling is required. This is accomplished
by circulating cold water through a tube immersed in the
oil. Lubrication is also more critical. The bearing must
also be preloaded or it may separate if no thrust is pres-
ent. A minimum down thrust, based on bearing size (and
springs, if present), is required during operation.
FIGURE 5: SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARING DIAGRAM
Hollow shaft
Bearing mount
Spherical roller
bearing
Spring loaded
Oil tube
Hydrodynamic Bearings
For still greater thrust loads, the hydrodynamic (Kings-
bury) type is available. This type is also known as a
sliding plate or tilting pad bearing. Basically, this consists
of two sliding plates separated by an oil film. This is a
very old bearing design. It is very expensive, has high
losses and requires water cooling. It is not good for fre-
 FIGURE 6: TYPICAL SOLID (TOP) AND HOLLOW SHAFT DESIGNS

STATOR FRAME

MOTOR SOLID SHAFT

END BRACKET

LOWER BEARING COVER

O-RING SEAL

OIL FILLER PLUG

OIL SIGHT GAUGE

OIL SLEEVE

OIL DRAIN PLUG

LABYRINTH SEAL BEARING LOCKNUT
AND LOCKWASHER

LOWER (GUIDE) BEARING

Courtesy of General Electric

5
quent starting under thrust loads. At higher speeds, it has
leakage problems. The hydrodynamic type is mostly used
for low-speed hydro generators, which are only started
a few times per year and operate almost continuously.
The hydrodynamic bearing is usually avoided unless
the required thrust or size exceeds roller bearing ca-
pability. The life of this bearing is theoretically infinite.
However, in real life operating conditions, it requires
extensive maintenance, particularly at higher speeds.
TYPES OF THRUST LOADING
NEMA does not specify thrust loading for motor bear-
ings. Each motor manufacturer has their own system for
identifying the thrust capability of their motors. However,
they can be generally classified as follows:
• Normal thrust: General applications where there is
very little if any external thrust imposed by the pump.
The bearing is primarily supporting the weight of
the rotor. Often these motors are footless horizontal
P-flange mounted.
• In-line thrust: Sometimes called medium thrust. The
pump impeller is mounted directly on the motor shaft.
The thrust bearing may be located at the bottom
rather than at the top as in high-thrust construction.
This allows for thermal growth of the rotor so it will
not affect the impeller clearances.
• High-thrust: The pump imposes a significant
amount of thrust during normal operation and may
require special bearing arrangements. The thrust
bearing is usually mounted at the top end to facilitate
cooling and replacement of the bearing.
BEARING CONFIGURATIONS AND SYSTEMS
Appendix A and Figure 6 on Page 5 show some of the
most common configurations used in the upper and lower
end of the vertical motor. Note that the downward thrust
is taken by the upper bearing and the upward thrust is
taken by the lower bearing for most of these systems.
There is not universal agreement as to where the thrust
bearing is best located.
Shaft Designs
Most vertical motors used for pumping applications
are of solid shaft construction while a few are of hollow
shaft construction. For solid shaft designs, the shaft is
coupled to the pump with a coupling located between the
pump and the motor. Deep water well or river pumping
applications often use a hollow shaft motor design where
the pump shaft is coupled to the motor shaft on the top
end of the motor shaft. Figure 7 on Page 7 illustrates
typical solid and hollow shaft designs.
Specifications
Thrust Range
Vertical motors are typically rated for pumping appli-
cations as extra-high thrust, high thrust, medium thrust,
6
and normal thrust.
• Extra-high thrust requirements are typically met with
stacked angular contact thrust bearings, spherical roller
thrust bearings, or tilting pad plate-type thrust bearings.
• High and medium thrust requirements are typically
met with one angular contact thrust bearing.
• Normal thrust requirements are typically met with
standard ball (Conrad) bearings.
An important caution about normal-thrust applications.
Rather than a Conrad deep-groove ball bearing, some
applications use a max type bearing, which has addi-
tional balls and a filling notch to facilitate assembly of
the bearing. The filling notch must never be oriented in
the direction of thrust (down), or damage and premature
bearing failure will occur.
For large and/or high-speed rolling-element thrust
bearings, it may be necessary to maintain force on the
rolling element to keep it rolling instead of it skidding in
the race. This is often accomplished by spring loading the
thrust bearing such that with no external thrust applied
the springs maintain the pressure on the thrust bearing.
In the situation of no external thrust, the preload caused
by the springs is borne by an axial loading of the guide
bearing. Under normal operating conditions, the external
thrust overrides the force of the springs and relieves the
axial load from the guide bearing. Such motors require
a minimum external thrust to override the spring force
Thrust Bearing Life
Bearing life is typically thought of in terms of the L10 life,
the statistical time duration for 10% of the bearings to fail
in that application. This life is based on ideal operating
conditions (i.e., clean lubricant of the correct grade and
viscosity), normally expressed in hours or years, with
8800 hours equal to one year.
Calculated bearing life can be extended by using more
and/or larger bearings, though there is a penalty for do-
ing this. The “more and/or larger” bearings have higher
initial and replacement costs and require more power to
drive them, resulting in reduced motor efficiency. When
multiple bearings are used, each subsequent bearing
only adds 60% of the load-carrying capacity of the initial
bearing. Over-sizing bearings should be done only after
careful consideration of the overall operating costs.
Actual bearing life is greatly affected by considerations
that are not part of the theoretical bearing life calcula-
tion. These factors include vibration, contamination (dirt
and water), thermal, lubricant breakdown, and bearing
currents.
Upthrust
Some pumps experience momentary or continuous
up-thrust under certain operating conditions. This infor-
mation is very important to the motor manufacturer who
has to accommodate this up-thrust in the motor bearings.
 FIGURE 7: VERTICAL HOLLOW SHAFT BEARING ASSEMBLIES
PUMP NUT

GIB KEY BEARING HOLDER

PUMP NUT
LOCKNUT AND
LOCKING
WASHER
COUPLING BOLT
BOLTS (BOLTED COUPLING BOLT
& NON-REVERSE) (SELF RELEASE)

RATCHET PIN COUPLING

RETAINING RING
& SCREWS
(NON-REVERSE) RATCHET PLATE

O - RING
RATCHET PIN
(NON-REVERSE)
RATCHET PLATE
BOLT

BEARING
HOLDER

Thrust bearing BEARING

(Top end, medium high thrust)

OIL
METERING
PLUG BEARING
BRACKET
STAND TUBE

MOTOR SHAFT
PUMP SHAFT

PUMP NUT

GIB KEY BEARING HOLDER

PUMP NUT
LOCKNUT AND
LOCKING
WASHER
COUPLING BOLTS
BOLTS BOLTED COUPLING BOLT
& NON-REVERSE (SELF RELEASE)

RATCHET PIN COUPLING

RETAINING RING
& SCREWS
(NON-REVERSE) RATCHET PLATE

O - RING
RATCHET PIN
NON-REVERSE
RATCHET PLATE
BOLT

BEARING
HOLDER

BEARING
PRE-LOAD
SPRING
Spherical roller bearing
(Top end, extra high thrust)
OIL
METERING
PLUG BEARING
BRACKET
STAND TUBE
MOTOR SHAFT

PUMP SHAFT

7
Lubrication
Proper lubrication of bearings is critical to performance.
The major functions of a lubricant include:
• To lubricate the various sliding and rolling contacts
between the bearing elements.
• To protect the surface finish of the bearing compo-
nents from oxidation.
• To assist in heat dissipation from the bearing ele-
ments.
Vertical motor bearings may be lubricated with grease
or oil. The type, quality, and condition of the lubricant are
important to bearing life. The motor manufacturer’s in-
struction manual normally describes the correct lubricant
to use under various conditions.
Grease is simply lubricating oil contained in a carrier,
or base. There are a number of different bases, some
of which are compatible with each other and some that
are incompatible. In use, grease is installed to cover the
contact surfaces between the rolling and stationary bear-
ing elements, with additional grease in cavities adjacent
to the bearing. The lubricating oil in the grease slowly
migrates from the base to lubricate the bearing. As the oil
is depleted and as the grease deteriorates with age and
temperature, it is necessary to renew the grease, following
the motor manufacturer’s relubrication instructions. When
incompatible greases are mixed, both greases may lose
their lubricating properties, resulting in bearing failure.
Foaming or frothing of the oil may indicate that the in-
correct oil was added, or that anti-foaming additives were
not present in the oil. It may also indicate too high an oil
level (check sight glass), damage to the lower edge of the
bearing carrier or other rotating parts, or pressurization
of the oil chamber. Consequently the venting, oil pumps
(if present), etc. should be closely inspected.
Lubricating oil used in motors should be a high-grade
turbine oil of the correct viscosity for the bearings and
ambient temperature. Oil-lubricated motors have a sight
gauge indicating maximum and minimum levels. It is
important to not overfill the bearing oil sump as doing so
can increase turbulence and overheat the bearing. It can
also initiate oil leaks that could ultimately drain the sump.
Most oil-lubricated verticals incorporate a sight glass
with two distinct oil levels marked. The lower mark indi-
cates the standstill oil level, the upper mark the running
level. If overfilled, an oil leak results from spillover. Even
if the oil level is corrected, capillary action may continue
the leak.
Synthetic lubricants may be required when the oper-
ating conditions would result in the bearings operating
at temperatures that could negatively affect the usual
lubricants. High temperature bearing applications require
more than just synthetic lubricant. The bearing itself must
be rated for the higher temperature (i.e., heat stabilized
steel and appropriate cage material).
Motor manufacturers will provide details as to the
8
proper lubricant, as well as lubrication frequency and
procedures.
Oil Foaming
Editor’s note: The information regarding oil foam-
ing is from an article titled “Solving Foam Problems Is
Elementary” by Marianne Duncanson, Today’s Lubes
(Summer 1998).
"Lubricating oils typically contain 10-12% dissolved
air at room temperature. When lubricating oil is ob-
served to have air entrapment or the oil is foaming,
draw an oil sample into a clear glass tube and then
determine which of the following conditions apply:
• Foam on top of the oil—Foam that sits on top of
the oil is generally a superficial problem. Usually
there is sufficient oil beneath the foam to lubricate
the bearings. Caution: Do not treat the oil with anti-
foaming additives.
• Bubbles appear throughout the oil—Very small
bubbles throughout most of the oil indicate air
entrainment. This is more serious than foam. It
causes a number of problems, including vibration
and oil oxidation.
• Foam that goes away—If bubbles dissipate quickly,
check for mechanical causes. Look for areas
where there is a pressure drop. Sharp corners
in pipes or oil passages can cause dissolved air
to come out of solution in the form of bubbles. If
possible, install 45° angle piping to replace right
angles, and chamfer the edges of sleeve bearings
to smooth out the flow of the lubricant. Consider
installing baffles or weirs inside the oil reservoir
to allow air bubbles time to break up. For sleeve
bearing machines, check for bent oil rings.
• Foam that does not go away—If the foam does not
disappear, it is probably caused by contamination.
Com-mon contaminants include cleaning solvents,
silicone sealers and gasket materials, water, dirt
and detergent oils. The contaminants tend to dis-
color the oil, resulting in a milky appearance, and
the bubbles dissipate very slowly after the motor
has stopped. The foaming can usually be corrected
by thoroughly cleaning the oil reservoir and as-
sociated parts, and then baking them to dry. The
primary emphasis is to remove all contaminants
and make sure that the reservoir is completely free
of moisture. If cleaning and baking do not eliminate
the foaming, check with the motor manufacturer
about the possibility of using anti-foam additives.
Caution: These additives often cause air entrain-
ment, a more destructive problem than foam."
Bearing Temperature
As with horizontal machines, the 80-90-100°C rule ap-
plies [80°C (176°F) operating temperature; alarm should
occur at 90°C (194°F) and shut down at 100°C (212°F)].
Synthetic oil can raise the acceptable temperature by
30°C. Above those temperatures, corrective measures
might include heat-stabilized steel bearings or cooling
of the oil. One rule-of-thumb for water cooling of verti-
cal motor bearings is minimum of 4 gpm (15 L/min) at
a maximum of 125 psi (9 kg/cm2) water pressure, with
the water inlet temperature not to exceed 33°C (90°F).
BENCHMARK TESTING
Motor manufacturers work closely with bearing
manufacturers. Some have special test equipment for
testing the bearings under various loading situations,
including application of external thrust up to the rating of
the bearing. This allows the manufacturer to determine
thermal cooling capacities of their bearing brackets and
optimize oil flow through the bearing. Motor designs are
available to cover a broad range of loading situations,
and the manufacturer is in the best position to determine
the proper bearing arrangement for specific conditions.
Benchmarking of the motor should include vibration
spectra and bearing temperature, at a minimum. No-load
bearing heat runs are of very little benefit, and can even
be harmful. A vertical motor with spring-loaded spherical
roller thrust bearing should not be run in the shop for more
than 5 minutes, to avoid damage to the lower guide bear-
ing caused by the upwards preload caused by the springs.
Vibration levels of a vertical motor without thrust load will
differ from the installed vibration. First, the resonant fre-
quency (so-called natural frequency) of the motor by itself
will be different than installed on the intended pump. Mag-
netic centering forces can lift the rotor, resulting in unstable
oscillation of the top end of the motor. Sub-synchronous
vibration is one indication of such an issue. One common
practice is to take vibration readings when running the
motor at approximately half of rated voltage.
Benchmark testing of the installed motor is important.
Testing in the shop is not an adequate substitute for
in situ testing. This testing confirms that the operating
conditions are satisfactory and establish benchmarks
for setting monitoring equipment to provide warnings
at earliest possible time in event of deteriorating condi-
tions. Benchmark testing should include vibration and
temperature. If the benchmark testing reveals that the
“normal” operation of these parameters is outside ac-
ceptable ranges, corrective action can be taken before
damage to the motor occurs. IEEE 841-2001 includes
the following useful information:
“For vertical flange-mounted motors with a thrust
loading, angular contact ball (single or duplex
type), Conrad deep-groove or spherical roller
thrust bearings are recommended, depending upon
the requirements of the application. Filling-slot
(maximum-load) antifriction bearings shall not be
used in any motor. The manufacturer shall note
thrust bearings of other construction. P-base mo-
tors shall have the thrust bearing at the non-drive
9
end. Where the motor shaft is solidly coupled to the
driven apparatus, the thrust capacity of the thrust
bearing should be sufficient to carry the weight of
the rotating element of the motor and the external
axial thrust loads (in either or both directions) as
well as the radial load specified.
Note—Vertical motors purchased in combination
with pumps (vertical overhung and vertically sus-
pended types) specified in accordance with API Std
610-1995 may have more stringent thrust-bearing
loading definition and life requirements than speci-
fied. For vertical overhung and vertically suspended
applications, both the motor and the pump impose
radial and thrust loading on the motor bearings. The
maximum radial and thrust loading that occurs dur-
ing start-up and end-of-pump-curve operation can
be severe and difficult to predict, and conservatism
in bearing specification is recommended.”
START-UP SERVICE
Having a qualified technician at the job site to review
the motor installation before and during the initial run can
save time and money. Vibration, bearing temperature,
lubrication and cooling, as well as the no-load and full-
load current should be documented.
REPAIR CONSIDERATIONS
When a vertical motor requires repair or routine main-
tenance, the service center may be in the best position
to evaluate the motor condition and make recommenda-
tions for improvement.
When bearing failure is accompanied by lubricant con-
tamination, the addition of lip seals or bearing isolators
is a cost-effective improvement. Oil leaks should prompt
close inspection of gaskets, oil dam/stand tube seal,
confirmation of correct oil level, and visual inspection of
the inner surface of the bearing carrier.
The oil should be of the correct viscosity and have
anti-foaming additives. Once opened, an oil drum may
be susceptible to condensation, which may change the
properties of the oil. Oil drums should be stored indoors,
and the bung should be tight and never left out.
Failure of the lower guide bearing (Figure 8) may in-
dicate incorrect adjustment of the bearing position, with
thermal growth of the shaft transferring the thrust load
from the upper thrust bearing to the bottom guide bearing.
Time-in-service is a crucial part of this diagnosis. Failure
may occur within hours or a few days, depending on the
resulting axial load. If the lower guide bearing fails within
a few days of installing the motor, or of replacing the up-
per bearing in place, improper thrust setting is probably
the cause of failure.
Shaft Currents
If shaft currents are noted (fluting of the inner or outer
race), mitigation options include:
 FIGURE 8: FAILED LOWER GUIDE BEARING
This lower guide bearing carried the pumpʼs thrust load.
The top thrust bearing was set incorrectly.
1. Insulate at least one bearing
2. Grounding brush
3. Ceramic or hybrid bearing
4. A combination of the above
When shaft currents result from magnetic dissymmetry,
insulation of one bearing (methods 1 or 3) can solve the
problem. The grounding brush only diverts current from
the bearing in close proximity to the grounding brush.
That extends the bearing life of that bearing only, with
no benefit to the opposite end bearing.
When a motor is operated from a PWM drive, protec-
tive measures include:
• Reduce the carrier frequency to below 2-5 kHz.
• Install a dedicated high-frequency ground strap
directly bonding the motor frame to the case of the
drive.
• Insulate both bearings by measures 1 or 3, above.
• Installation of grounding brush.
The combination of insulating both bearings and instal-
lation of a grounding brush is highly recommended. If
both bearings are insulated, capacitive coupling between
the rotor and stator can result in capacitive discharge
between the shaft and clearance fits. Electrical discharge
machining removes shaft material. The appearance
(Figure 9) can mislead one to believe the shaft rubbed
the end bracket during a prior bearing failure.
10
FIGURE 9: ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE
Courtesy of Sohre Tubromachinery, Inc.
Electrical etching can result in a frosted appearance
(above) or even grooves if arcing occurs from the shaft
to the labyrinth seal.
Thrust Considerations
Failure of one or more bearing in a thrust-bearing
stack may indicate mismatched bearings, a machin-
ing anomaly, or incorrect thrust. For example, a pair of
mismatched bearings does not equally share the load.
The bearing carrying a disproportionate amount of the
load fails, and – as it does – the other bearing becomes
the primary load-carrier. When dismantled, both thrust
bearings appear to have been overloaded. That might
lead to the erroneous conclusion that the pair of thrust
bearings is inadequate for the load. According to the
bearing manufacturers, pairs of identical thrust bearings
are suitable for duplex mounting – but that is only true if
both bearings are from the same manufacturer.
Replacement of the driven pump with a pump exhibit-
ing different thrust characteristics may change the thrust
requirement of the motor bearings. Pump replacement
should prompt a careful evaluation of the motor thrust
bearings to preclude future bearing failure.
The correct response to changes in the thrust require-
ments is seldom as simple as removing or adding thrust
bearings. When such a change is made, the bearing and
lubrication systems should be evaluated by qualified
personnel. Factors that influence bearing temperature
include, but are not limited to, dynamic load, speed,
oil level and type, bearing arrangement and cooling
methods. When a motor fitted with 2 or more bearings
is to be modified for less thrust load, use the outer race
of one of the removed bearings as a spacer under the
remaining bearing(s) so that the bearing(s) in use will be
at the uppermost position of the original bearing stack.
This is necessary for correct lubrication. A thrust bear-
ing immersed too deep in oil will have a much higher
operating temperature.
 Short bearing life may indicate misalignment of the
outer race relative to the inner race. In that case, a dial
indicator should be used to verify axial TIR of the outer
race relative to the bearing carrier and inner race. This
is best done by placing the indicator base on the bear-
ing carrier, with the travel rod on top of the outer race,
and slowly rotating the shaft. TIR should be within 1 mil
– alignment becomes more critical at higher speeds.
Other Considerations
When changing the thrust bearing arrangement for a
lighter-thrust load application, maintain the position of
the upper thrust bearing. In such cases, an outer race
makes a suitable spacer to place beneath the thrust
bearing. If a spacer is to be machined, its sides must be
parallel and flat.
Bearing lock nuts are often used to retain the bearing
carrier. These may be N or AN designations. Because
the N and AN bearing lock nuts have different thread
pitches, it is important when ordering replacements (or
repairing threads) to identify the correct nut designation.
Total indicated runout (TIR) of the bottom end bracket
face should be within 0.015” (0.4 mm) when checked
using a dial indicator mounted to the shaft. If the flat fit
TIR is excessive, it may be machined separately if the

FIGURE 10: HYDRODYNAMIC BEARING ASSEMBLY AND ITS COMPONENTS

(ALSO KNOWN AS A SLIDING PLATE, TILT PAD OR KINGSBURY BEARINGS)

Shoe Collar Shoe Support

Pivoted shoes of thrust bearing

Leveling plates Base ring

Bearing thrust runners ride on pivoted shoes.

Shoe Collar Shoe Support

SHAFT LOCK NUT

STAND TUBE THRUST RUNNER

Leveling plates Base ring

GUIDE BEARING OIL SLEEVE

INLET AND OUTLET GUIDE
BEARING

BEARING
BRACKET

SHOES

LEVELING
PLATE

BASE
RING

COOLING
COIL

11
high points are marked on the fit before it is removed.
Other options include assembling the motor with a ball FIGURE 11: COOLING COIL
bearing in place of the thrust bearing, and placing the
entire motor in a lathe to machine the end bracket face.
For small corrections [less than .005” (.13 mm)], the
bottom end bracket can be shimmed at the stator fit.
Shimming the end bracket may misalign the lower guide
bearing, so this method requires caution to avoid damag-
ing the lower guide bearing.

Stand Tubes
For oil-lubricated bearings, a stand tube of some type
is usually incorporated. (See Figure 10.)
A simple test for stand tube leaks is to:
1. Fill the oil chamber with a very thin oil or Naphtha.
2. Place the end bracket on a clean, dry piece of paper
one end and apply air pressure (75-90 psi / 500-600 kPa)
and allow it to sit for several hours.
to the other end. Do not use only air pressure to test
3. If there is oil on the paper, there is a leak.
a cooling coil! A rupture could release enough energy
4. To repair the stand tube:
to injure personnel. By testing with the coil filled with
5. Document the height of the stand tube.
water, the pressure dissipates instantly if the tube bursts.
6. Press the stand tube out carefully.
Replacement cooling coils can be formed using cop-
7. Clean the tube and the corresponding bracket fit.
per or stainless steel tubing. Cooling coils may also be
8. Apply a layer of two-part, oil-resistant repair epoxy.
added if the oil temperature is too high.
9. Install the stand tube to the correct position and
al­low the epoxy to cure. It is important that the tube MECHANICAL ISSUES
be centered and parallel to the shaft axis. Bottom end bracket face runout (TIR) should not
exceed the limits in Table 3 when checked using a dial
Oil Leaks in the Upper Bearing Carrier
indicator mounted to the shaft. If the flat fit TIR is exces-
The upper bearing carrier (also called a top-hat or
bearing quill) is generally a slip fit on the shaft to facilitate sive, it may be machined separately if the high points
assembly and end play adjustment. are marked on the fit before it is removed. Other options
include assembling the motor with a ball bearing in place
Non-reverse Ratchet of the thrust bearing, and placing the entire motor in a
Some pump applications will allow fluid back-flow lathe to correct the end bracket face runout.
through the pump, which drives the pump as a turbine
and spins the entire drive train in the reverse direction, TABLE 3: MAXIMUM END BRACKET RUNOUT
with detrimental results. The use of a non-reversing Rabbet diameter
ratchet on the motor will hold the drive train against Flange diameter TIR Face TIR
backspin and prevent the consequential damage. The
12" 0.003" 0.004"
motor manufacturer may utilize either a ball-type or pin- (305 mm) (0.08 mm) (0.10 mm)
type ratchet. In either case, the ratchet is designed to
allow rotation in one direction and prevent rotation in the 12 - 24" 0.005" 0.007"
opposite direction. It is important to specify the correct (305 - 610 mm) (0.13 mm) (0.18 mm)
direction of rotation when specifying a ratchet. 24 - 40" 0.007" 0.009"
It is important to note that a check valve by itself is 610 - 1016 mm (0.18 mm) (0.23 mm)
not adequate protection against reversal. A failed check 40 - 60" 0.010" 0.012"
valve can result in catastrophic motor failure when the 1016 - 1524 mm (0.25 mm) (0.30 mm)
pump is driven overspeed in reverse. Table derived from NEMA MG 1, Part 4, AK dimension.

Oil Cooling Coils

Cooling coils (Figure 11) may be used in the upper
bearing oil chamber of vertical machines to reduce the
oil temperature. These coils are subject to fatigue fail-
ures, due to normal vibration during operation. To inspect
them, connect them to city water pressure and block one
end. An alternative test is to fill the coil with water, cap
When a spare motor is obtained, the typical end-user
matches hp (kW), rpm, frame and voltage. Consequently,
a brand A motor might be used to replace brand B. This is
seldom a concern with horizontal machines, but the verti-
cal adds another critical factor: reed critical frequency. The
resonant or natural frequency of a structure depends on the

12
total mass, stiffness, and center of gravity of the structure. these surfaces.
For vertical machines, differences in height, mass, • Some designs use a self-releasing coupling for hol-
center of gravity and stiffness of construction affect the low shaft vertical motors.
reed critical frequency of the motor. Even two motors of • Hollow shaft motors may use a steady bushing in
similar weight may have considerably different resonant the lower end bracket.
frequencies. This is usually discovered when a critical • The motor lifting devices may not be capable of lifting
motor is replaced with the new spare, with unexpectedly the pump and motor as a unit.
vibration levels.
The solution is to change the stiffness and/or mass of Thrust Bearing End Play Adjustment
the motor-pump assembly, or change (preferably lower) Should the motor be disassembled for any reason, the
the center of gravity. For hollow-shaft machines, this may rotor end play must be readjusted. Use one of the following
be accomplished by adding a 5-20 cm (2”-8”) thick steel procedures, depending upon the type of thrust bearing.
spacer beneath the motor base. The thicker/heavier the
plate, the greater the expected effect. Spherical Roller Thrust Bearings and Angular-
Vibration increases due to poor mating of the thrust Contact Bearings (With Springs)
bearing. In one case a manufacturer, when an end-user Setting the correct end play on spherical roller or
specified thrust bearing capacity far beyond what the angular contact thrust bearings with springs for preload
pump generated, deliberately offset the rotor high so requires a controlled assembly method, due to various
the magnetic centering force would exert at least the deflections internal to the motor and friction of locknut
minimum thrust load on the bearing. threads from spring force. An end play setting of 0.005”
to 0.010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) is required to allow
ASSEMBLY TIPS the lower guide bearing to return to an unloaded posi-
When assembling the motor, keep these cautions in tion when external thrust is applied to the motor. (See
mind: Figure 12.)
• Set the end play in the upper bearing as specified,
usually in the .005” to .010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm)
range depending upon the manufacturer and bear- FIGURE 12: ADJUSTMENT OF SPHERICAL
ing type. ROLLER THRUST BEARINGS AND ANGULAR
• Note which way angular contact bearings face; CONTACT BEARINGS (WITH SPRINGS)
some­times they can be tandem, back-to-back or
face-to-face. Depth micrometer shows
• Change in the oil viscosity may cause leaking or the increased height
over­heating.
• Do not adjust holes in metering plates for oils without
vendor approval. Shows bearing raised
• Do not mix oils. They may not be compatible. .005" to .010" (.13 mm
• Check for bearing insulation between the bearing to .25 mm) in final position
and the bearing mount or the end bracket.
• If water cooling coils are used, test for leaks.
• Some thrust bearings must be preloaded beyond Depth micrometer shows
the rotor weight; check for springs under the bear- the increased height
ing mount.
• If an anti-rotation device or backstop device is used,
select the correct direction of rotation prior to starting;
never start unit unless it is completely assembled.
• It may not be possible to rotate the rotor shaft by hand Shows bearing raised
due to the high downward loading on the thrust bear- .005" to .010" (.13 mm
ing. This is particularly true for plate-type bearings. to .25 mm) in final position
• When servicing, always drain and replace the
lubricat­ing oil.
• Oil sump temperatures should normally not exceed
80°C (176°F); alarm should occur at 90°C (194°F) In order to set end play properly, first determine the
and shut down at 100°C (212°F). maximum and minimum settings for the unit using the
• Motors with special C-face or D-flange mounting following recommended procedure:
will usually have special register and shaft runout • Place spring retainer without springs and lower thrust
requirements. Be careful not to distort or damage washer of bearing into upper bracket bearing bore.

13
 • Using a depth micrometer, measure the distance
between the top of the lower thrust washer and the FIGURE 13: END PLAY ADJUSTMENT
faced surface on top of the bearing housing. Record METHOD 1
dimension to three decimal places (or two decimal
places in metric). Note: Certain motor designs require Bearing carrier Bottle jack
removal of the splash plate (Figure 18 on Page 16) to
provide access for depth micrometer measurements.
• Add 0.005” and 0.010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) to the Cable or chain
recorded dimension to obtain the correct minimum
and maximum settings for the unit. Lifting lugs
• Reassemble bearing with springs; motor is now or ears
ready to set end play.
• Several acceptable methods for setting end play are
shown later in this section.
Motors built with spherical roller thrust or angular
contact bearings with springs require a minimum ex-
ternal thrust load sufficient to compress the upper die
FIGURE 14: END PLAY ADJUSTMENT
springs and relieve the lower guide bearing from axial
spring thrust. Refer to the motor’s spring thrust plate for METHODS 1 AND 3
required minimum thrust. Do not run the motor without Magnetic base must rest Dial indicator
load for more than 5 minutes as lower bearing damage on cast bracket close to shows movement
may occur and improper seating of thrust bearing may bearing ­mounting. of shaft.
cause vibration. Must rest on
end of shaft.
Angular-contact ball bearings (without springs)
No preliminary measurements are required to set end
play. End play may be set by any of the following methods
described in this section.
To correctly adjust the rotor end play setting on units
with angular contact ball bearings, position a dial indica-
tor to read the shaft axial movement. (See Figure 14 for
location of dial indicator.) Now turn the rotor adjusting
locknut until no further upward movement of the shaft
is indicated. Then loosen the locknut to obtain 0.005”
to 0.010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) end play and lock the
locknut with the lockwasher.
Motors with two opposed angular-contact bearings that
are locked on the mount for up and down thrust do not
require rotor end play adjustment. The shaft, however,
must be set to original “AH” (shaft extension) dimension Special equipment required:
to prevent external thrust on the guide bearing in the • Locking bolts
lower bracket. • 3/4” (20 mm) chain or cable
• Spanner wrench
End play adjustment method 1
• Dial indicator
(refer to Figures 13 & 14)
• Depth micrometer
This method requires a bottle jack and chain or cable End play adjustment method 2
as shown in Figure 13. Loosen the locknut until 0.005” to (refer to Figure 15)
0.010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) end play is obtained. Lock (Used on spring-loaded bearings only)
the locknut with lockwasher. (See Figure 14 for location
of dial indicator.) This method utilizes a spreader bar, chains to wrap
Note: This is the lowest cost of the three methods and around lifting lugs, a hydraulic jack (five ton), and a crane
requires the least equipment. It may be less desirable to lift the spreader bar. The hydraulic jack is supported
than method 2, however, because considerable locknut by two steel blocks of equal thickness on top of the bear-
torque may be encountered on units with die springs. ing mounting of heavy solid-shaft rotors, lifting the rotor

14
 with a second jack placed beneath the motor will make
FIGURE 15: END PLAY ADJUSTMENT
the locknut easier to turn. After correct range (recorded
METHOD 2
earlier) is obtained, lock the locknut with lockwasher.
Spreader bar Note: This method utilizes usual shop equipment and
tools. End play settings can be checked quickly on larger
vertical motors. The locknut lifts rotor weight only.
Special equipment required:
• Overhead crane
Hydraulic jack • Depth micrometer
• Spanner wrench
• Metal blocks
• Dial indicator
• Hydraulic jack [approximately 5 ton (4500 kg)]
Mounting springs are compressed—only the rotor is lifted • Large spreader bar with chains and locking bolts
by locknut.
End play adjustment method 3
(refer to Figure 16)
FIGURE 16: END PLAY ADJUSTMENT
METHOD 3 This method uses a 1” (25 mm)-thick steel disc with
center hole for the shaft end bolt and two threaded hy-
Pressure gauges Hydraulic pump draulic jacks connected to a single pump. Apply load to
the hydraulic jack until the dial indicator shows no move-
ment on the end of the shaft. (See Figure 14 for location
Threaded jacks of dial indicator.)
Relieve the pressure from the hydraulic jack until 0.005”
Plate bolted
to 0.010” (0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) end play is obtained;
to shaft
then lock the locknut with lockwasher.
Dial indicator Caution: Using excessive hydraulic pressure when
set­ting end play may damage the bearing.
Tip: This method is usable on solid-shaft motors and
Mounting springs are compressed, and the rotor is lifted by can be used on some hollow-shaft motors with the use
fixture. Locknut is merely turned for adjustment. of a long threaded rod and plate. It is very easy to apply
and settings can be checked quickly, especially in field

FIGURE 17: VERTICAL HOLLOW-SHAFT BEARING ASSEMBLIES

Thrust bearing Spherical roller bearing
(Top end, medium thrust) (Top end, high thrust)
PUMP NUT

PUMP NUT GIB KEY BEARING HOLDER PUMP NUT

LOCKNUT AND
LOCKING
WASHER GIB KEY BEARING HOLDER
COUPLING BOLT PUMP NUT
LOCKNUT AND
BOLTS (BOLTED COUPLING BOLT LOCKING
WASHER
& NON-REVERSE) (SELF RELEASE) COUPLING BOLTS
COUPLING BOLTS BOLTED COUPLING BOLT
RATCHET PIN & NON-REVERSE (SELF RELEASE)
RETAINING RING
& SCREWS COUPLING
RATCHET PIN
(NON-REVERSE) RATCHET PLATE RETAINING RING
& SCREWS
O-RING (NON-REVERSE) RATCHET PLATE
RATCHET PIN
(NON-REVERSE)
RATCHET PLATE O - RING
BOLT RATCHET PIN
NON-REVERSE
RATCHET PLATE
BEARING
BOLT
HOLDER
UP-THRUST
RETAINER
BEARING
HOLDER

BEARINGS BEARING
PRE-LOAD
SPRING
OIL
METERING
PLUG BEARING
BRACKET OIL
STAND TUBE METERING
PLUG BEARING
MOTOR SHAFT
BRACKET
PUMP SHAFT
STAND TUBE
MOTOR SHAFT

PUMP SHAFT

15
FIGURE 18: TYPICAL HIGH-THRUST, HOLLOW-SHAFT MOTOR WITH SELF-RELEASING COUPLING

GIB KEY PUMP HEAD SHAFT

TOP HALF ADJUSTING NUT

COUPLING LOCKSCREW

MOTOR SHAFT NUT

LOWER HALF
AND LOCKWASHER
COUPLING

DRIP COVER
VENT HOLE FAN CASING

SPLASH PLATE AIR INTAKE

DRIVING PIN
OIL FILLER PLUG
EXTERNAL FAN
OIL SIGHT GAUGE OIL COVER PLATE

LIFTING
LUG

TOP END BRACKET

OIL METERING HOLE
INTERNAL AIR
DEFLECTOR
OIL DRAIN PLUG
ROTOR KEY

UPPER (THRUST) ROTOR CAST

BEARING(S) END RING

RETAINING RING ROTOR PUNCHINGS

AIR GAP
OIL SLEEVE

MOTOR HOLLOW SHAFT

STATOR FRAME
STATOR LAMINATIONS
STATOR PIN

STATOR WINDING

AIR DISCHARGE
LOWER BEARING
COVER

BASE END BRACKET INTERNAL AIR

DEFLECTOR

LOWER (GUIDE) DRAIN HOLE

BEARING (EXPLOSION AND
DUST IGNITION PROOF
GREASE FITTING MOTORS HAVE
APPROVED DRAIN
FITTING)

GREASE RELIEF
PLUG

LABYRINTH SEAL BEARING LOCKNUT GREASE RELIEF

AND STEADY BUSHING AND LOCKWASHER PASSAGE
(IF USED)

Motors for 3000 - 3600 rpm operation in frames 364 and larger may have oil-lubricated lower bearings.

16
service. The locknut does not see rotor weight or spring Do not run the motor uncoupled from the pump without
force and can be turned easily. disengaging the steady bushing from the motor shaft.
Special equipment required:
• Fixture with hydraulic jacks [5 ton (4500 kg)]
• Dial indicator or depth micrometer
• Spanner wrench
Cautions:
• After setting end play by any of the above methods,
run unit for 5 minutes and recheck end play setting.
If it is not within range, end play must be reset.
• Reassemble all loosened or removed parts and
tighten to original specifications. Keep all tools,
chains and equipment clear of the unit before en-
ergizing motor.

Coupling Adjustment and Steady Bushings

(Motor Installed)
"In general, the coupling is adjusted to lift the pump
shaft to the desired operating position of the impeller(s).
(See Figure 17.)
The motor hollow-shaft bore is larger than the pump
head shaft to allow easy insertion during installation.
The only point of contact with the motor is the motor
coupling. Occasionally, it is necessary to limit pump head
shaft movement by installing a steady bushing (bottom
center of Figure 18).

Purpose of the steady bushing

In many applications, pump manufacturers use a
hollow-shaft motor with an end face mechanical seal
in the pump. To eliminate possible shaft whip that may
damage the seal, a steady bushing is required.
The inherent design of the hollow-shaft motor with the
water slinger makes modification to the steady bushing
easy. The steady bushing is made of corrosion-resistant
bronze and replaces the water slinger. Its main purpose
is to stabilize and center the pump shaft in the motor
hollow shaft. This is done by close-tolerance machining
of the outside diameter of the hollow shaft and the inside
diameter of steady bushing itself. The steady bushing
bore is held within .002” (.05 mm) concentricity, thus
assuring shaft alignment and smooth operation.

Installation of the steady bushing

The bushing should be assembled onto the head shaft
below the motor before the motor is installed but left
disengaged until the motor is coupled to the shaft and
aligned. If motor is received with a slinger on the bottom
end of the shaft, remove the slinger before lowering the
motor onto the pump shaft.
Check the direction-of-rotation and perform any other
no-load tests desired before coupling motor to the pump
shaft or engaging the steady bushing. When ready to
drive the pump, couple the motor to the pump shaft, slide
the bushing up the pump shaft until it engages the lower
end of the motor shaft, and secure it with setscrews.

17
 APPENDIX A

Common configurations used in the upper and lower end of the vertical motor.
Thrust bearing (top end, low thrust with one bearing thrust up. Thrust bearing (top end, medium thrust)
BEARING HOLDER
COUPLING LOCKNUT AND
WASHER
ADJUSTING NUT
TOP
LOCK WASHER BEARING CAP
O - RING
BEARING CARRIER
TOP BEARING
RATCHET CAP CAP BOLT

BEARING
CARRIER
SHAFT
BEARING
THRUST BEARING

SNAP RING
TOP BEARING OIL
LOCK WASHER METERING
PLUG BEARING
TOP BEARING BRACKET
LOCK NUT
STAND TUBE
TOP BRACKET MOTOR SHAFT

Pilot bearing (Bottom end guide bearing) Spherical roller thrust bearing
(top end, high thrust)
MOTOR SHAFT
BEARING HOLDER TOP
LOCKNUT AND BEARING
WASHER CAP
BEARING CAP
O - RING

TOP
BEARING
BEARING CAP BOLTS CAP BOLT

BEARING
BEARING CARRIER

BEARING BRACKET BEARING

PRE-LOAD
SPRING
SNAP RING

STAND TUBE
OIL
METERING BEARING
ORIFICE BRACKET
MOTOR SHAFT
OIL METERING PLUG
BEARING CAP STAND TUBE
MOTOR SHAFT
MOTOR SHAFT
BEARING CAP BOLTS

BEARINGA-1. BEARING
VerticalCAP
Solid Shaft Bearing Assemblies
BEARING BRACKET

SNAP RING BEARING CAP BOLTS

STAND TUBE
BEARING

Pilot bearing (Bottom end guide bearing)BEARING BRACKET

OIL METERING PLUG

MOTOR SHAFT
SNAP RING
BEARING CAP
STAND TUBE

BEARING CAP BOLTS

OIL METERING PLUG BEARING

BEARING BRACKET

SNAP RING

STAND TUBE

OIL METERING PLUG

A-2. Vertical Hollow Shaft Bearing Assembly A-3. Ball Bearing Nomenclature

18
EASA 2020 Reimagined - An Online Event June 14, 2020

EASA 2020 Reimagined — An Online Event

Vertical Bearing Repair & Operation

Sponsored by
Chuck Yung
EASA
St. Louis, MO

Free form diagrams of horizontal (left) and vertical (right) bearing systems

EASA © 2020 1
EASA 2020 Reimagined - An Online Event June 14, 2020

Angular contact tandem bearings

Angular contact thrust bearings

§ Pump service, may have contact angle as great as 40 degrees

§ Require considerable axial thrust load to operate
§ May be noisy if run without thrust load
(more than rotor weight)
§ Retainer may be molded plastic, pressed steel, or bronze
• Machined bronze is preferred

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Bearing retainer

§ Bronze bearing retainer may be machined or pressed

§ Machined bronze retainer is recommended!
§ MB retainer may be:
• Inner-race guided
• Outer race guided
• Ball guided – RECOMMENDED for better cooling & lubrication

Race or ball guided?

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Race versus Ball guided
Thrust types / ratings depend on manufacturer
§ Low thrust
§ Medium thrust
§ Medium-to-high thrust
§ High thrust
§ Very high thrust
EASA © 2020
June 14, 2020
Deep groove ball bearing
Angular contact
Multiple angular contact
- May be tandem or opposing
Spherical roller thrust bearing
- May require preload springs
Hydrodynamic (e.g. Kingsbury)
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EASA 2020 Reimagined - An Online Event June 14, 2020

Thrust capacity (assuming 10,000 pound thrust rating for 1)

Angular contact bearings, contact angle

EASA © 2020 5
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Contact angle of thrust bearings

§ Smaller contact angle == Higher speed capability

Reduced load capacity
Decreased bearing life
§ Higher contact angle = Greater load capacity

§ Be cautious about changing the bearing contact angle!

Stacking multiple angular contact bearings

§ Increased thrust load requirement

§ Larger diameter bearing has lower speed rating
§ Lubrication at higher peripheral speed is more difficult
§ Increased heating = higher losses requires additional cooling

§ Cooling coils in oil chamber may be required

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Two thrust bearings, both thrust DOWN

Thrust capacity, diminishing returns

§ If 1 thrust bearing is rated

for 10,000 pounds capacity
§ Adding a 2nd identical bearing
increases capacity to
16,000 lbs.
§ Adding a third brings total
capacity to 22,000 pounds

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Thrust one up & one down

Extra high thrust may be spherical roller thrust bearing …

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EASA 2020 Reimagined - An Online Event June 14, 2020

… or hydrodynamic (sliding plate, e.g. Kingsbury)

Oil foaming

§ Oil contains 10-12% dissolved air at room temperature

§ Foam on oil surface is not usually a concern
§ Bubbles throughout the oil = air entrainment; could cause oil
oxidation or vibration
§ Oil foam disappears fast – mechanical: sharp corners within the
oil chamber, obstructions. Chamfer sharp corners!
§ Foam remains – often contamination. Could be solvent, or
water if the oil looks milky.

EASA © 2020 9
EASA 2020 Reimagined - An Online Event June 14, 2020

Oil temperature

§ Same 80-90-100 rule as for ball or sleeve bearings

§ Add cooling tubes if water source available
• 4 gpm (15 L/min)
• Less than 125 psi; most use
“city water pressure”
• Water inlet temperature
< 90F (33 C)
• Recirculate using cooler
is recommended

Standards that discuss vertical motors include

§ IEEE 841
§ API Std. 610 is more comprehensive

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Lower guide bearing should never carry thrust load

Bearing currents Electrical discharge machining

1. Insulate at least one bearing
2. Grounding brush
3. Ceramic or hybrid bearing
4. A combination of the above

When a motor is operated from a PWM

drive, protective measures include:
• Reduce the carrier frequency to below 2-
5 kHz.
• Install a dedicated high-frequency group
strap directly bonding the motor frame
to the case of the drive.
• Insulate both bearings by measures 1 or
3 (above).
• Installation of the grounding brush.

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If one thrust bearing is “thrust up”

If one thrust bearing is “thrust up”

§ Outer races must be clamped

§ Thrust up bearing should be in the lowest position
§ Bearing carrier is often clamped against a shaft shoulder

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End play / Thrust adjustment

Mechanical issues to be aware of

§ Non-reverse ratchet
• Pin type or ball type?
- Pins must be hardened
- Ball type must have retaining ring
§ Oil cooling coils
• Pressure test only with water fill
• Test pressure must exceed
customer water pressure
§ Bottom bracket flange runout
• See table

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Resonance is unique to vertical motors
Difference in mass, height center Additional of harmonic balancer
of gravity
Assembly tips
§ Set the end play in the upper bearing as
specified, usually in the .005” to .010”
(0.13 mm to 0.25 mm) range depending
upon the manufacturer and bearing type.
§ Note which way angular contact bearings
face; sometimes they can be tandem, back-
to-back or face-to-face.
§ Change in the oil viscosity may cause
leaking or overheating.
§ Do not adjust holes in metering plates for
oils without vendor approval.
§ Do not mix oils. They may not be
compatible.
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Hollow-shaft: Add 2” – 8” thick
steel plate beneath motor base
to lower CG and add mass to
change resonant frequency.
§ Check for bearing insulation between the
bearing and the bearing mount or the end
bracket.
§ If water cooling coils are used, test for
leaks.
§ Some thrust bearings must be preloaded
beyond the rotor weight; check for springs
under the bearing mount.
§ If an anti-rotation device or backstop
device is used, select the correct direction
of rotation prior to starting; never start unit
unless it is completely assembled.
§ It may not be possible to rotate the rotor
shaft by hand due to the high downward
loading on the thrust bearing. This is
particularly true for plate-type bearings.
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Cautions

§ Bump for rotation before installing anti-rotation devices

§ Watch out for hollow-shaft motors which may have a release-
type of coupling
§ Some motors use a steady bushing, fitted into the bottom of
the hollow-shaft to steady the pump shaft and prevent
whipping. This is essential in hollow-shaft motors with an end
face mechanical seal in the pump.

Review: PILOT BEARING

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Review: THRUST BEARINGS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS

§ Bearing carrier is
shouldered on
shaft – no thrust
adjustment!
§ Splash plate
§ Upper end air
baffle
§ Oil level = slow fill

Thank you for attending

EASA 2020 Reimagined

Sponsored by

https://www.baldor.com/brands/baldor-reliance

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