VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

CRITICAL UNIT COMPONENTS:

Generator rotor
Generator guide bearing
Thrust bearing
Generator shaft
Turbine shaft
Turbine guide bearing
Turbine runner
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WHY ALIGN??

ALIGN ROTATING TO
STATIONARY PARTS
Plumb the parts

BEARINGS
Thrust bearing
Generator guide bearing
Turbine guide bearing

Alignments equalize the

Load on the bearings
 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

STEPS IN UNIT ALIGNMENT

Stationary parts alignment

Load the thrust bearing

Plumb the shafts

Rotation check

Center rotating parts

& adjust guide bearings
VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

LOADING THRUST BEARING

Types of Thrust Bearings:

1. Spring bed
2. Self-equalizing
3. Compression tube
4. Jack Screw
VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

THRUST BEARING SHOES EQUALIZED

 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

1. Hydrostatic lift system

2. Center generator shaft during installation
3. Preload thrust bearing by jacking unit with
brake jacks to unload, then tighten screws
4. Electronic slug arc method for jack screw type

TOP VIEW OF THRUST

BOTTOM VIEW OF THRUST BOTTOM VIEW OF THRUST

 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

PLUMB TOLERANCE

1 MILE (5280 FT)

0.00025” ~0.00028”

1 FT 1 FT

PING PONG
BALL
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“ROTATION CHECK”

1. Plumb center of rotation

2. Maintain a small “throw circle”, <L/D*0.002”
VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

OLD METHOD
 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

NEW METHODS
Resulting from modern technology
•Inclinometers
•Prox-probes, etc

VSAT
“Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”

US Patent 7,111,407
 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT
VSAT
“Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”

1. Use inclinometers instead of plumb wires

2. Use prox-probes instead of dial indicators

US Patent 7,111,407
VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT
VSAT
“Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”
 VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

THANK YOU

For more information:

1. HydroView Article on
VSAT, Sept. 2008, find in
Hydroworld.com
2. Google Patent : 7,111,407
3. Jeff Jones,
jjones@hpaec.com