Training Material

Turbine/Generator Bearings

OCT, 2013

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Photos of Turbine/Generator Bearings

T/G Bearings

Journal Bearing Thrust Bearing

Tilting Pad Type Elliptical Type

Tilting pad type Taper land Type

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Turbine & Generator Bearings

Contents

1. Lubrication
2. Turbine/Generator Bearings
3. Bearing Failure

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1. Lubrication

BC 1880, Egypt

Friction = 172Man X 800N/Man = 137.6kN, Sculpture = 600kN,

Frictional coefficient = 137.6/600 = 0.23

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1. Lubrication

Reynolds equation

  h3 p    h3 p  h  h 

      6(U1  U 2 )  (U1  U 2 )  12V 
x   x  z   z  x 2 x
1 2 3

1.Wedge effect 2.Stretch effect 3.Squeeze effect

pressure

pressure
pressure

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Comparison of Journal Bearings

Circular ELLIPTICAL (LEMON) TILTING PAD

rotor rotor rotor

bearing bearing bearing

Circular Elliptical Tilting pad

Structure Simple Simple (Use Shim) Complicate

Stability Low Medium High

Load capacity High High Medium

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings
Comparison of Thrust Bearing

Taper land type Tilting pad type

Optimum performance only for one operating Optimized for all speeds and loads by pivot
condition positioning

Taper Land Type Tilting pad type

Structure Simple (Use Shim) Complicate
Stability Medium High
Load capacity High (over 30years for large High (For small/combined cycle
steam turbine) turbine)
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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Location of Turbine Bearings

1 2 3 4 5 DTP Bearing
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6 7 8 Elliptical Bearing
10
12 Thrust Bearing 8 9
7

2
1
Generator

LP Turbine

5 Location of Generator
IP Turbine 6 Bearings
9 10 Elliptical Bearing
12 4
HP Turbine 11 DTP Bearing
3

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 2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

• DTP bearings are self aligned in the axial

direction and radial direction.

• DTP pad bearings are used for HP & IP and

LP A front Bearing to prevent rotor instability
• Elliptical bearings are used to provide high
• The standard alarm limits is 116 ℃ and trip
load.
127 ℃. If the alarm point is exceeded the
turbine should be tripped by manually.
• Usually elliptical bearings are used to LP A, B
& Generator bearings.

• The standard alarm limits is 107℃ and trip

• Thrust bearing is installed in the front standard or 121 ℃. If the alarm point is exceeded the
middle standard between No. 2 & 3 bearing. turbine should be tripped by manually.

• Thrust bearing absorbs the axial thrust and prevents

axial movements of the turbine.

• The standard alarm limits is 93℃ and trip temp. is

99℃

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Tilting Pad Journal Bearing

① Ring
DTP bearing
② Casing
configuration
③ Pad segments

①
• Horizontal bolts should be tightened on the
②
① Ring pedestal to fit the bearings set
• Alignment pads are installed to adjust bearing
positions ③

• Casing supports pad segment ①Bearing ring

② Casing ②Bearing casing Horizontal
• It could be removed without displacing the ③Pad segment bolt
rotor shaft
Oil lifting device Alignment
(optional) pad
Oil supply
③ Pad • Pad is 3~6 steel pads with babbitted cylindrical
segment bore in the casing
• Each pad has a locking pin to hook fits on the Tilting Pad Journal Bearing
casing.

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Elliptical Bearing
4. Elliptical Bearing

Ell. bearing ① Ring

configuration ② Casing
①

②
• Elliptical bearing has spherical ball seat
① Ring • It allows the bearing to be adjusted to obtain the
proper alignment.
• Contact area is over 80% between ring & casing
①Bearing ring
②Bearing casing Horizontal
bolt
• It could be removed without displacing the rotor
② Casing shaft Alignment
Oil lifting device
• Twist and tilt test should be carried out just before pad
(optional)
final assembly of the bearings. Oil supply

Elliptical Bearing

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Thrust bearing

Thrust ① Ring
bearing ② Casing
configuration ③ Thrust plates
①

• assembled in pedestal ②
① Ring • It combined with casing ball seat
• Contact area is over 80% between ring & casing ③

② Casing • Support thrust plate on bearing ring ①Bearing ring

②Bearing casing
③Thrust plate
Anti-
rotation pin
• Copper plate with babbitt cast Oil supply
③ Thrust
• Any land of results in a flat 35% or more, it should be Oil supply
plate
reconditioned or replaced.
• Thrust shims are installed to adjust clearance. Taper Land Thrust Bearing
• After removing the thrust parts, do not stack thrust
plates and shims on one another.

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Manufacture of Ring

Raw Bearing Ring Rough Machining After Heat Treatment

Semi-Final Machining Semi-Final Machining Assembly of bearing ring

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 2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Manufacture of bearing casing & pad

Liquid
Pad babbitt

Raw Bearing Ring

Rough Machining Heat Treatment After babbitting*
(* : Casting with tin based metal)

After babbitting* Pad Semi-Final Machining Casing semi-Final Machining Assembly of bearing pad
(* : Casting with tin based metal)

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2. Turbine/Generator Bearings

Test

Ultrasound test Installation pads on casing Fluorescent material on pads

Dummy Shaft to pad contact Pad contact Ring Contact Check

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 3. Bearing Failure

Cause of Bearing Failure

Problem Cause Way to monitor

• High vibration • Oil whirl/Whip • Vibration sensor

A. Design
• High metal temp. • small clearance • Thermocouple
• Small oil flow

• Debonding (babbitt+back metal) • Poor bonding • UT/Visual check

B. Manufacture • interface interference • interface check • Interface check/Assembly

• High vibration • Misalignment, balancing • proper installation

C. Assembly
• High metal temp. • Temporary mesh • Removal temporary mesh
• Installation of reverse • Proper installation of orifice
orifice

• High vibration • Incomplete oil flushing • Keep oil flushing procedure

D. Operation
• High metal temp. • particles in oil • Removal temporary mesh
• Wear of bearing & rotor • Temporary mesh

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3. Bearing Failure

Abrasive
wear
 Care of oil flushing (operation)
 Remove temporary strainer

Journal bearing Rotor Journal

Fluttering
wear
 Need preload design in leading
edge (design)

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3. Bearing Failure

Electrical pitting

Do not weld around bearing (assembly)

Need to install ground (design)

Fatigue wear
Do not operate high vibration(operation)

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Thank you for your attention
Kyungbo.bang@doosan.com

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