BEARING JOURNAL
www.tce1.com
(713) 943-9100
3rd Quarter
2001
turbo components &
ENGINEERING A Quarterly Publication from Turbo Components & Engineering • Vol III, No. 4
Upgrading “inactive” thrust bearings
in the unbalanced thrust.
An example of such a
situation is the now classic
G.E. Frame 5 power
generation gas turbine, MS
5001, models N and P. Robert
Skladony very aptly
described these problems in
an article in Turbomachinery
Figure 3
International, Vol. 29, issue No.
1. In summary, G.E. upgraded the Model M to a Model N by
increasing airflow and unit efficiency, however, in doing so the
thrust balance changed so that the "inactive" bearing became
"active" and the "active" bearing became "inactive" at higher
loads.
Figure 1 shows a half section through the original #1 journal
Figure 1 bearing and thrust bearing arrangement. This shows that the now
By definition, thrust "active" thrust bearing was originally supplied as a fixed
bearings are designed to resist geometry steel-backed tapered land thrust plate having relatively
unbalanced thrust forces in low thrust capacity, and when supported rigidly in the turbine
turbomachinery, as well as casing has very little ability to
other rotating machines. absorb rotor misalignment or Upgraded bearings
These include gas turbines, housing deflection. A typical can make a
steam turbines, hot gas failure mode is illustrated in significant
expanders, compressors, Figure 2. Misalignment causes
devastating wiping on the outer
improvement in
gearboxes, pumps, motors,
generators, or any edge of the thrust face over a operating
Figure 2
combination of these machines limited segment of the bearing. flexibility and unit
with continuously connected shafts. The radial oil flow passages are reliability
When thrust loads are calculated and designed to be quickly filled in with melting
predominantly in one direction, such loaded thrust bearings are babbitt thus accelerating the wipe problem. Changing the bearing
labeled "active". A design is then selected to carry the thrust load backing material to higher heat conducting copper alloy may
by what is judged to be a conservative criterion with allowances slow down the edge wiping and delay imminent failure, but
for miscalculation or changes in operation, which might increase would not solve the fundamental problem in this instance.
the predominant thrust. Any minor thrust loads in the opposite Because of axial space limitations and the urgency for an
direction, whether real or rationalized, utilize an opposing thrust improved design, TCE offers a tilting pad, copper backed design
bearing, labeled "inactive". When thrust loads are nearly that not only doubles the thrust capacity over the tapered land
balanced or no thrust load is expected in a given direction, bearing even when well aligned, but also eliminates edge wiping
machinery designers often select the lowest capacity and least when misalignment occurs.
complicated of designs for reasons of space, price, and The universal aligning feature of individual pads in an
efficiency. Problems occur when the actual unbalanced thrust assembly can be seen in Figure 1. When a group of three or four
loads exceed those calculated and also exceed the capabilities of pads is needed to carry more than its share of load, it utilizes an
the designs selected and in operation. excess of load capacity called margin of safety. Using cooler
In many medium and large gas and steam turbines the lubricant carried over from the less loaded remaining group of
unbalanced thrust is the difference between a set of large gas See Upgrading, Page 2
pressure forces in one direction and another set of large gas
pressures in the opposite direction. Most compressors use a "TCE's mission is to be the premier supplier of
carefully designed balance piston seal to counteract these gas quality products and services for all of our customers
forces. Small variations in the conditions causing the unbalanced
in the rotating equipment community."
gas forces in either or both directions can cause a huge difference
Meet the TCE team Quality
We would like to acquaint you In the last newsletter we introduced a section on quality. In that
with Dennis Hudson who holds the section we included our mission statement. To back that
position of Shop Foreman. As Shop statement up we have a quality policy written by, and fully
Foreman, Dennis has the overall endorsed by, the management team at TCE:
responsibility of; direct supervision
“The management of TCE is committed to our mission. We are
of production shop personnel,
determined to meet our customers' needs and continuously
maintaining production of quality
improve upon our processes to be the premier supplier of our
components and meeting
production schedules. Dennis products and services. It is TCE's ‘attention to detail’ that will
initially joined TCE in May of 1991 enable us to fulfill our mission and insure our customers, co-
after working several years for workers, and suppliers receive
Centritech Corporation. In May of added value through their
Dennis Hudson TCE emphasizes
1995 Dennis left TCE to join his relationship with TCE.”
father and help run Hudson Machine. In July of 1999, Dennis By being “determined to meet “attention to detail”
again joined TCE and was promoted to foreman in May of this our customers' needs” we mean in everything we do
year. Dennis is an avid outdoorsman enjoying hunting, fishing not only supplying customers
and archery. what they need when they need
it but also understanding what those needs are, and helping
Upgrading, continued from Page 1 customers define those needs. We also are continuously defining
pads enhances their capacity. our processes and evaluating those processes to help improve
The ultimate design that can be fitted to these models of Frame quality and improve upon on-time delivery. TCE emphasizes
5 gas turbines, as seen in Figure 3, is a tilting pad self-equalizing “attention to detail” in everything we do: from initial customer
assembly with babbitted copper alloy thrust pads. The rotor contact through quotation, sales order entry and review,
designer allows .220" to be machined from the thrust collar engineering, manufacture, inspection, shipping, invoicing and
"inactive" face to accommodate this new design. This design has follow up. As well as all points in between. We feel it is this
proven comforting on certain units that have unusual problems "attention to detail" at each and every step that sets us apart from
with rotor alignment and turbine structural deficiencies. our competition.
Due to the current changing trends in the power industry, units
once considered only for standby or peak load may be called on Recent orders of note
now for extended duty. Upgraded bearings can make a
significant improvement in operating flexibility and unit 1. Repaired journal bearings for a GE Frame 7 EA turbine
reliability. generator on a RUSH
API Standards and Thrust Bearing Design 2. Manufactured 4 sets of Torlon seals for 2 compressors for a
For reference it is interesting to note that recent editions of API major OEM
standards offer the following on thrust bearings: 3. Upgraded 18 journal bearings to ball and socket design for a
"Thrust bearing should be hydrodynamic and steel backed,
major Ethylene producer. Bores ranged from 3.5"-7"
with babbitted multiple segments, designed for equal thrust
4. Worked with Kaydon Ring and seal to rebuild 2 dry gas seals
capacity in both directions…"
"Tilting pads shall be used on both sides and shall incorporate
a self leveling feature…" We’re on the Web: www.tce1.com
"Thrust bearings shall be selected at no more than 50 percent
of the bearing manufacturers ultimate load rating."
Ref: TCE First Class Mail
API 612 4th edition, June 1995 (Special Purpose Steam Turbines), 8730 Meldrum US Postage Paid
Houston TX 77075 Mailed From ZIP Code 77546
API 613 4th edition, June 1995 (Special Purpose Gears) and,
Permit #315
API 617 6th edition, February 1995 (Centrifugal Compressors).
Did you know ...
1. … by installing copper alloy backed thrust pads you can
lower your thrust bearing temperatures by as much as 25-
30 degrees F?
2. … by being a member of ROMAC, TCE has, in house, a
complete suite of state-of-the-art analysis tools used for
rotor-bearing system design and optimization?
