This document discusses the dangers of using refurbished bearings in gearbox applications. It recommends against repairing used or damaged bearings, as the refurbishment process can introduce internal stresses and deformations that compromise bearing integrity. Refurbished bearings are more likely to fail prematurely under the high loads experienced in gearboxes. The document advises replacing damaged bearings with new ones for long-term reliability and avoidance of potential equipment damage.
This document discusses the dangers of using refurbished bearings in gearbox applications. It recommends against repairing used or damaged bearings, as the refurbishment process can introduce internal stresses and deformations that compromise bearing integrity. Refurbished bearings are more likely to fail prematurely under the high loads experienced in gearboxes. The document advises replacing damaged bearings with new ones for long-term reliability and avoidance of potential equipment damage.
This document discusses the dangers of using refurbished bearings in gearbox applications. It recommends against repairing used or damaged bearings, as the refurbishment process can introduce internal stresses and deformations that compromise bearing integrity. Refurbished bearings are more likely to fail prematurely under the high loads experienced in gearboxes. The document advises replacing damaged bearings with new ones for long-term reliability and avoidance of potential equipment damage.
This document discusses the dangers of using refurbished bearings in gearbox applications. It recommends against repairing used or damaged bearings, as the refurbishment process can introduce internal stresses and deformations that compromise bearing integrity. Refurbished bearings are more likely to fail prematurely under the high loads experienced in gearboxes. The document advises replacing damaged bearings with new ones for long-term reliability and avoidance of potential equipment damage.
APPLICATION This TIL applies to all Load and Compressor Gearboxes
PURPOSE This TIL is to provide customers with information regarding the dangers of using refurbished bearings in load gearbox or compressor gearbox applications.
COMPLIANCE CATEGORY
O - Optional Identifies changes that may be beneficial to some, but not necessarily all, operators. Accomplishment is at customer’s discretion
M - Maintenance Identifies maintenance guidelines or best practices for
reliable equipment operation
C - Compliance Required Identifies the need for action to correct a condition that, if left uncorrected, may result in reduced equipment reliability or efficiency. Compliance may be required within a specific operating time.
A - Alert Failure to comply with the TIL could result in equipment
damage or facility damage. Compliance is mandated with a specific operating time.
S - Safety Failure to comply with this TIL could result in personal injury. Compliance is mandated within a specific operating time.
TIMING CODE
1 Prior to Unit Startup / Prior to Continued Operation (forced outage condition) 2 At First Opportunity (next shutdown) 3 Prior to Operation of Affected System 4 At First Exposure of Component 5 At Scheduled Component Part Repair or Replacement 6 Next scheduled Outage 7 Optional
Following a lubrication issue and/or a high Due to the high loads and high velocities vibration level, slide bearings can be damaged. requirements, Flender-Graffenstaden gearboxes The white metal (Babbitt) being the area are fitted only with hydrodynamic sleeve suffering from the damages. bearings. The torque coming from the driving machine is Bearings will also transmitted via wear due to the gearbox to the normal operation, driven machine. and need to be This results in replaced at the tangential, radial recommended and axial forces in service intervals as the gear teeth, noted in the user known as reaction manual of your forces. gearbox (if you do not have this Axial forces are manual please supported either contact FG or your by axial thrust local service bearings or by the representative) toothing itself for double helical Assuming bearings gears have to be configurations. replaced, either due Tangential and to wear after a long radial forces are period of operation, supported by the or due to gearbox radial exceptional bearings. These damages due to loads are much higher than only shaft weights poor oil quality or and they can have variable amplitudes depending vibration issues, on the operating conditions. there are two possibilities to put the gearbox back to operation: For this reason, gearbox bearing loads cannot be compared to other rotating equipment bearing • To replace the damaged bearing by a new loads like turbines or generators. Some of these one other rotating machinery bearings do not even • To repair the bearing (same technology as reach the half of the allowable load limit used for the one used for the turbine/generator gearboxes. bearing)
RECOMMENDATION Based on our experience we DO NOT RECOMMEND to repair the used or damaged bearings.
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Technical Information Letter
TECHNICAL DISCUSSION – FAILURE MODES OF When refurbishing a bearing you can only do so REFURBISHMENT when the inner part of the bearing is damaged and the outer diameter being in the required The reasons for this are both technical and tolerances (in the range of 0,05mm) practical. The different steps for the repair are the following:
• Removal of the white metal by machining • Preparation of the surface (inner diameter) – Babbitting. • Machining of the inner diameter
During the above outlined operations the bearing is machined, heated up, cooled down and machined again which has the consequence of a build up internal stress in the steel of the bearing surface.
The metal body of the bearing goes through Figure 1: Sliding of white metal deformation and gets twisted i.e. the outer diameter is still within the dimensional tolerances, but it will fail its geometrical tolerances.
The bearing geometry defined by Flender- Graffenstaden ensures appropriate oil film thickness as well as proper stiffness and damping characteristics required and calculated for the good dynamical behavior of the gear
train. Figure 2: Damage to white metal The last machining operation doesn’t allow the bearing to remain within the tolerances for the concentricity AND the parallelism.
At the time of putting a refurbished bearing into place inside the casing, the outer diameter goes back to its previous position, leading to a deformation of the inner diameter.
As a consequence, the contact pattern of the shaft inside the bearing is partial and would lead to a significant disturbance of the dynamic behavior of the bearing generating:
• Risk of damage at the start up Figure 3: Failed refurbished Bearing • Risk of damage of the bearing area of the
shaft
• Risk of unsatisfactory tooth contact pattern with possible complete breakdown of the gearbox. Page 3 of 7
Technical Information Letter
CONSEQUENCES Below examples are from a site in Saudi Arabia
which required our intervention and RCA. The practical consequence of refurbishing bearings is not just the replacement of the bearing – this is a best case scenario.
The final damages can range from damages to the shaft journals, as well as the toothing of the gears necessitating replacement of the entire gear set.
Figure 6: Gearbox explosion due to failure of bearing at load
Figure 4: Damage to the journal area after failure of refurbished bearings
Figure 7: Total destruction of the gearbox
Figure 5: Damage to the teeth after refurbished bearing failure
From an initial time and/or money saving, financial impact might be disastrous considering the cost for new spares supply, and above that the extended downtime due to their long lead time.
Worst case might be a catastrophic failure that leads to the total destruction of the installation, Figure 8: High Damage to surrounding injured personnel or even death of personnel. equipment
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Technical Information Letter
PLANNING INFORMATION
Compliance • Compliance Category: C • Timing Code: 3
Contact your local FG Service Representative for assistance or additional information
NOTE: If you would like to receive future TILs by email, contact your local FG Service Representative for assistance
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Technical Information Letter
TIL COMPLIANCE RECORD
Compliance with this TIL must be entered in local records. FG requests that the customer notify FG upon compliance of tis TIL
Complete the following TIL Compliance Record and email it to:
TIL Compliance flencomm@flender-graff.com
TIL COMPLIANCE RECORD For internal records only # Site Name: Customer Name: Customer Contact Information FG Contact Information Contact Name: Contact Name: Address: Address:
Email: Email: Phone: Phone: Fax: Fax: INSTALLED EQUIPMENT TIL Completed Date 100% TIL Completed Description:
Unite Numbers Part Description Part Number Drawing Number
Comments
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Technical Information Letter
USER SATISFACTION SURVERY
FG values your opinions and comments.
FG requests that you complete the User Satisfaction Survey below to help us better serve you with accurate and timely information on your equipment.
Complete the following Satisfaction Survey and email it to:
TIL Survey flencomm@flender-graff.com
USER SATISFACTION SURVERY
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