Pump Bearings Product Manual · Thordon has developed two types of polymer bearings and several...
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Pump Bearings Product Manual PB2010.1
Transcript of Pump Bearings Product Manual · Thordon has developed two types of polymer bearings and several...
Pump BearingsProduct Manual
PB2010.1
The information contained in this document has been prepared fromthe company’s many years of experience in the manufacturing andinstalling of Thordon Bearings worldwide.
This information is offered as part of our service to customers. It isintended for use by persons having technical training and skill, at theirdiscretion and risk.
The company reserves the right to change or amend any specification without notice.
Table of Contents
A. Company Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
B. Thordon Pump Bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2a) Product and Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2b) Thordon Grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3c) Chemical Resistance Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4d) Material Selection Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5e) Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7f) Thordon Bearing Sizing Calculation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
C. Thordon Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8a) Design and Installation Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8b) Proven Benefits for Pump Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9c) SXL Segmented Shaft Seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11d) Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
D. Reference Letters/Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
E. Pump Bearing References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
F. Typical Pump Bearing Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
COMPANY PROFILE
Thordon Bearings Inc., a member of the Thomson-Gordon Group of Burlington,Ontario, Canada, designs and manufactures a complete range of high performance,environmentally-friendly bearings and bearing systems. Recognized internationally forsuperior performance, Thordon solutions and products are specified extensively inmarine, offshore, pump, hydro-turbine and other many other industrial applications inover 70 countries throughout the world.
Utilizing proprietary polymers developed and manufactured by Thordon as the bearingsurface, Thordon bearing solutions deliver high reliability and long wear life, particularlyin tough, abrasive operating conditions. This high level of product performance resultsin decreased life cycle costs and increased mean time between failures for Thordon'scustomers. A team of experienced, in-house application design engineers providesinnovative bearing system designs to meet or exceed each customer's technicalrequirements. Thordon products and services are available worldwide through localdistributors whose factory-trained specialists consult with customers from theestablishment of bearing system specifications to ensuring the product is correctlyinstalled and commissioned in the field.
Since the turn of the century, Thordon Bearings' parent company, the Thomson-GordonGroup, a fourth generation family-owned business, has recognized the importance ofproviding industry with superior products, precision manufacturing and solid applicationengineering support. Thordon Bearings' own engineering and quality focus has earnedworldwide recognition from its many customers. Quality procedures are certified to ISO9001:2000 Quality System requirements.
Thordon bearings, and bearing systems, are the proven, cost-effective,environmentally-friendly, solution for rigorous and demanding journal bearingapplications.
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SECTION B
PRODUCT AND CONFIGURATIONS
Thordon has developed two types of polymer bearings and several grades that allowselection of the optimal bearing for your unique application.
Elastomeric BearingsThordon Bearings introduced a proprietary, elastomeric, synthetic polymer alloy morethan 30 years ago originally for use as a sleeve bearing for vertical pump applications.The unique polymer structure yields basic properties more in line with those you couldexpect from a very high performance rubber if one existed. However, Thordon isharder - yet elastomeric, tough and resilient in nature, self-lubricating with a muchlower coefficient of friction and able to accommodate much higher specific pressuresthan rubber.
Thordon elastomeric bearing grades are not reinforced with layers of woven fabric,rather, it is a fully homogenous product with all properties consistent throughout theentire wall thickness of the bearing. Compared to other non-metallics such as phenoliclaminates, Thordon is somewhat softer and more compliant. As a result, under slightmisalignment conditions where edge loading is created, Thordon is able to deformslightly, allowing the load to be distributed over a larger area. The localized pressureon the bearing edge is significantly reduced. Due to its elastomeric nature, Thordon isalso able to withstand higher degrees of vibration and shock loading without incurringpermanent deformation or damage. Thordon offers three elastomeric grades and twoconfigurations
Continuous research over the years has resulted in development of three differentpump bearing-grade elastomer products - XL, SXL, and Composite (GM2401). Thisallows selection of an optimum solution based on matching product characteristics tothe specific application requirements.
ThorPlas Thermoplastic BearingsThorPlas is a new, proprietary, engineered thermoplastic bearing product recentlyintroduced by Thordon Bearings. While the Thordon range of high performanceelastomeric bearing products clearly offers superior performance in the applications inwhich they can be specified, there are technical limits, such as maximum temperaturesand pressures beyond which they cannot be used.
To address this issue, Thordon Bearings has introduced ThorPlas, which significantlyexpands the range of applications where Thordon bearings can be specified, while stillmaintaining many of the recognized Thordon performance advantages.
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PRODUCT AND CONFIGURATIONS (cont’d.)
When compared to the Thordon elastomer-based products, ThorPlas offers:
• improved ability to operate at elevated temperatures up to 80°C (176°F) in water or other fluids
• improved chemical resistance in all major chemical categories• enhanced wear life in non-abrasive environments• increased strength and rigidity allowing maximum dynamic working pressures
up to 31 MPa (4500 psi) in a full-form tubular configuration
THORDON GRADES
ThorPlas
• thermoplastic material developed by Thordon specifically as a homogeneous high pressure bearing
• offers dry start up capability• maximum dynamic working pressure to 31.0 MPa (4500 psi)
• very low wear in non-abrasive environments • reasonable abrasion resistance - less than Thordon
elastomeric grades, but better than bronze, epoxy phenolics and many other non-metallic bearing materials
Thordon SXL
• dry start-up capability as a vertical pump bearing• high resistance to shock loading and vibration• lower coefficient of friction (typically 0.10-0.20) than XL• higher dry PV (Pressure Velocity) rating than XL• higher resistance to abrasion than XL in wet applications;
good abrasion resistance operating dry• maximum dynamic working pressure to 10.0 MPa (1450
psi) in limited motion
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THORDON GRADES (cont’d.)
Thordon XL
• low coefficient of friction (typically 0.20-0.25)• high resistance to abrasion in dry applications• high resistance to shock loading and vibration• maximum dynamic working pressure to 5.5 MPa (800 psi)
in limited motion
Thordon GM2401/Composite
• bearing formulated specifically for use in very abrasive environments
• used in rotating applications in abrasive water conditions such as pump and dredge bearings
• outstanding abrasion resistance - two or more times that of rubber
• significantly lower coefficient of friction than rubber • higher resilience and stiffness than rubber
Chemical/Fluid Thordon ThorPlas® Chemical/Fluid Thordon ThorPlas®Elastomers Elastomers
Salt solutions A A Hydrocarbon/fuels A-B ASodium chloride A A Aromatic – benzene, toluene B AWeak acids B-D A-B Aliphatic – gasoline, grease A-B AAcetic acid D B Lubricating oils (petroleum) B ALactic acid B A Chlorinated solvents D C-DStrong acids B-D A-C Alcohols D ASulphuric, 5% B-C A Ethanol D ASulphuric, concentrated D C Methanol D AHydrochloric, 10% B C Ketones D A-BWeak bases A-B A-B Methyl ether ketone D AAmmonia 10% Aq. A A Acetone D BSodium carbonate B A Ethers D ATriethanolamine B-D B Diethyl ether D AStrong bases B C-D Esters D ASodium hydroxide, 10% B C Ethyl acetate D AOxidizing agents B-C A Methyl acetate D AHydrogen peroxide, 1-3% B A Freon 12 A-C AChromic acid C A Vegetable Oils A-B A
A: Excellent-No Affect; B: Good-Little Affect; C: Fair-Moderate Affect; D: Unacceptable
CHEMICAL RESISTANCE CHART
The compatibility of Thordon and ThorPlas® to the following chemical fluids is a general ratingbased on the effect of the chemical at room temperature. For more information, please contactThordon Bearings Inc.
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GENERAL MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE FOR VARIOUSAPPLICATION PARAMETERS
Recommended Thordon GradesLubrication /
Operating Pressure
Dry (sealed or minimal abrasives)
0-10 MPa (0-1450 psi) SXL ThorPlas
10-15 MPa (1450-2175 psi) HPSXL ThorPlas
15-31 MPa (2175-4500 psi) HPSXL TRAXL ThorPlas
31-55 MPa (4500-8000 psi) HPSXL TRAXL
Dry (abrasives present)
0-5.5 MPa (0-800 psi) XL SXL ThorPlas
5.5-10 MPa (800-1450 psi) SXL ThorPlas
10-15 MPa (1450-2175 psi) HPSXL ThorPlas
15-31 MPa (2175-4500 psi) ThorPlas
Wet (sealed or minimal abrasives)
0-10 MPa (0-1450 psi) SXL ThorPlas
10-15 MPa (1450-2175 psi) HPSXL ThorPlas10-15 MPa (1450-2175 psi) HPSXL ThorPlas
15-31 MPa (2175-4500 psi) HPSXL TRAXL ThorPlas
31-55 MPa (4500-8000 psi) HPSXL TRAXL
Wet (abrasives present)
0-3 MPa (0-500 psi) GM2401 SXL ThorPlas
3-10 MPa (500-1450 psi) SXL ThorPlas
10-15 MPa (1450-2175 psi) HPSXL ThorPlas
15-31 MPa (2175-4500 psi) ThorPlas
Note: The maximum pressures given for the various products are based on maximum dynamic
working pressures for intermittent, limited motion. For applications involving continuous
rotary motion, PV limits of the materials will significantly reduce the maximum
allowable pressures stated above.
This is a general guide for technical reference only. Critical applications that are close to
pressure or temperature limits, or subjected to non-standard environments should be
reviewed and approved by Thordon Engineering.
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MATERIAL SELECTION GUIDE FOR PUMPBEARING APPLICATIONS
Thordon Grades
Parameter Thordon XL Thordon SXL
Thordon
Composite
(GM2401)
ThorPlas
Description Elastomeric
Polymer Alloy
Elastomeric
Polymer Alloy
Elastomeric
Polymer Alloy
Engineered
Thermoplastic
Temperature Limit 60°C (140°F) 60°C (140°F) 60°C (140°F) 80°C (176°F)
Suitable for Dry Start Up NO YES** NO YES**
Resistance to Acids Limited Limited Limited Fair to Good
Resistance to Alkalies Limited Limited Limited Fair to Good
Suitable for Hydrocarbons YES YES YES YES
Abrasion Resistance Good Better Best Acceptable
Shaft Sleeve Material Bronze,
Stainless Steel
Bronze,
Stainless Steel
Ni-Cr-B
Recommended
Bronze,
Stainless Steel
Lubrication Water, Seawater,
Most Fluids (pH 5 10)
Water, Seawater,
Most Fluids (pH 5 10)
Water, Seawater,
Most Fluids (pH 5 10)
Water, Most Fluids
(pH 3 11) exceptMost Fluids (pH 5-10) Most Fluids (pH 5-10) Most Fluids (pH 5-10) (pH 3-11) except
Chlorinated Solvents
and Strong Acids
and Bases
Remarks Good balance
between abrasion
resistance and low
friction
Lowest friction;
Suitable for dry start-
up; Good abrasion
resistance
For use in highly
abrasive operating
environments
Good choice for low
abrasion applications
and for use at
temperatures and in
chemical solutions
unsuitable for Thordon
elastomers
** For dry start up times longer than 30 seconds, please contact Thordon Engineering for grade selection
Note: For Nuclear use, Quality Control certificates including certified test reports can be supplied. Thordon Bearings Inc.
operates under the provision of 10 CFR21.
This is a general guide for technical reference only. Critical applications that are close to
pressure or temperature limits, or subjected to non-standard environments should be
reviewed and approved by Thordon Engineering.
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TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Thordon Bearings recognizes the importance of superior products, precision manufacturingand application engineering support. Thordon Bearings in-house engineers work closelywith customers to provide innovative bearing system designs that meet or exceed thetechnical requirements of the application. Full engineering drawings are generated asnecessary. Thordon has many years of experience with numerous industrial applications invirtually all industries and offers technical support during machining and installation.
Geared to provide quick response to customer needs, Thordon Bearings understands theimportance of quick delivery and reduced downtime. Standard size bearings are stocked atthe factory and by Thordon distributors around the world. Special sizes or designs can bemachined to the exact requirements of the customer and delivered quickly throughout theworld.
THORDON BEARING SIZING PROGRAM
The Thordon Bearing Sizing Calculation Program is provided to assist designers in thecalculations required to correctly size Thordon bearings. The program input parametersinclude shaft RPM, interference or bond fit, type of lubrication, type of service, load onbearing, etc. Output parameters include machined bearing sizes and tolerances,amount of interference, bore closure amount, min. installed clearance, runningclearance, etc. An example of the Thordon Bearing Sizing Calculation Program outputis attached.
Designed to operate on a PC (personal computer), the software operates in the Windows operating system. The program is in a color, menu-based format so thatentries can be made with a minimum of effort. Outputs can be printed and inputs canbe saved to a file. Contact Thordon or your distributor to obtain a copy of the programor visit our website at http://www.thordonbearings.com.
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DESIGN AND INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONSBefore choosing Thordon or ThorPlas for an application, the following criteria must beconsidered:• speeds (rpm) • process temperature (pumps)• type of lubrication • pH levels (pumps)• pressures • Thordon has produced a Bearing Sizing• amount of abrasives Calculation computer program to assist • degree of impact loading designers in the calculations required to• ambient temperatures (maximum/minimum) correctly size Thordon bearings• special ambient conditions (e.g. intermittent (see sample output above)
exposure to high temperature steam cleaning) • Thordon engineers can help in designing• media temperature (pumps) bearing solutions and drawings can be
provided
SAMPLE OUTPUT
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THORDON SXL SEGMENTED SHAFT SEALS
Reliable shaft sealing is an important concern for large pump or hydro turbine operators forshaft dia. 400 to 2000+ mm (16 to 80 in). Typical turbine axial seals are constructed of anon-rotating segmented carbon face ring operating against a rotating steel collar. Carbonseal rings comprise of very brittle segments which present significant handling andinstallation difficulties and may have a somewhat foreshortened life span if misaligned orsubjected to abrasives.
Thordon Bearings Inc. has embarked on a program to optimize designs of such sealsutilizing its proprietary SXL elastomeric material. SXL has high natural abrasion resistanceand is well suited for such sealing applications.
Typical axial seal segments comprise two annular landsformed via a central groove. The individual segments arebonded into place to form the ring and secured withbolting. The ends of the segments are typically sealed withadhesive. Each of the circumferential lands will perform apressure breakdown function between a centrally fedinjection pressure and the turbine pressure on the oneside and atmospheric pressure on the other. Thearrangement will depend on whether the seal is outside orinside pressurized. The higher pressure injection flow (10to 15% above turbine pressure) functions as a seallubricant, coolant and a barrier to abrasives entering theseal faces.
Typical radial segmented seals comprise three stages ofinterlocking segments. Each ring has both dynamic(against the shaft) and static (against the housing) sealingsections. First stage seals are normally reversedcompared with the two upper rings, to allow introduction ofa higher-pressure injection flow between the first andsecond rings. This higher pressure flow (1.10 to 1.15turbine pressure) functions as a seal lubricant, coolantand a barrier preventing abrasives from entering the sealfaces. A garter spring functions to hold the segments witha nominal light force against the shaft during periods ofshutdown and low pressure and also to maintain theintegrity of the seal ring within the housing cavity.
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THORDON APPLICATIONS
Pump Manufacturer
Manufacturer: Johnston Pump
Pump Type: Vertical; full line
Application: Standard pumps, all bearings except top stuffing box
Sizes: 11/4” - 4 1/2” (31.7mm - 114.3mm) shafts8” - 10” (200mm - 250mm) long
Problem: Abrasive water wear
Solution: Thordon Composite [GM 2401] with hard shaft liners
Installation: Fully machined and pressed in
Results: Longer life than rubber
Reason for selection: Initial use based on customer request
Nuclear Generating Station
Company: Northeast Utilities, Connecticut, USA
Pump Type: Hayward Tyler vertical pump
Application: Supply cooling seawater to Millstone Nuclear Generating Station
Problem: Silt in seawater causing bearing wear resulting in short periods between overhaul
Solution: Thordon Composite (GM2401) polymerized in a metallic shell
Installation: Replaced bronze with an open line shaft design using Thordon Composite making it self lubricating along with a hard-coated shaft sleeve to protect from abrasive wear and corrosion
Results: Doubled the bearing wear life and lengthened the period between overhauls from three years to six years; eliminated the need for a separate lubricating system
Reason for Discussed application with other utilities using Thordon Composite selection: which had excellent improvements in increasing bearing wear life
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THORDON APPLICATIONS
Pump Manufacturer
Manufacturer: Wellmaster, Canada
Pump Type: Submersible pump
Application: Farms and rural residents of Canada; pressure on-demand water systems
Typical Pump: 7/16” (11.1mm) to 2” (50.8mm) shaft size; 2 to 3 bearings per pump
Problem: Sand in well water, very fine to coarse [unpredictable]
Solution: Thordon Composite [GM 2401] on 304 Stainless steel sleeve; bearings always submerged
Installation: Fully machined and bonded, approx. 2” (50.8mm) length.Hundreds of bearings per month
Reason for selection: Thordon’s history of performance working in the Mississippi River
Processing Plant
Company: Shell Chemical, Geismer, LA, USA
Pump Type: Peerless deep well 2-stage
Application: Supply plant service water from Mississippi River
Typical Pump: 1.687” (42.8mm) and 2.187” (55.5mm) shaft sizes
Problem: Very abrasive Mississippi River water
Solution: Thordon Composite [GM 2401] in bronze shell on chrome sleeve
Installation: Dec. 1993. Fully machined and pressed in, 6” (152.4mm) length.
Results: No vibrations or other signs of wear after 24+ months and 18+ months operation. Previously experienced a 6 - 8 month life.
Reason for selection: Thordon's history of performance working in the Mississippi River
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THORDON APPLICATIONS
Feed/Fertilizer Manufacturing Plant
Company: Westway Trading, Omaha, NE, USA
Pump Type: Positive Displacement Pump (Roper Model No. 3658)
Application: Pumping raw soap stock consisting of soybean fat/oil, soybean meal, propyonic acid and sulfuric acid
Problem: After six months operation, the abrasive conditions caused the four bronze bushings to wear so much that the shaft would wear into the cast iron housings. This meant a complete rebuild every six months and a new pump after 18 months.
Solution: Thordon SXL bearings
Installation: Replace bronze bearings when pump was disassembled
Results: After 16 months of operation the pump was disassembled. After inspection the pump was reassembled with the same components. After 24 months operation the pump was still running with the same parts.
Reason forselection: Thordon evaluation and recommendation
Coal Fired Power Plant
Company: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Paradise Plant, Kentucky, USA
Pump Types: Layne-Bowler vertical, multi-stage, 600 HP, 3 1/2” (90mm) shaft U.S. Pump, 7 stage vertical, 1 7/16” (36.5mm) shaft Foster Wheeler circulating, 5” (127mm) shaft
Application: Supply plant service water and cooling water from Green River [tributary of Ohio River]
Problem: River water very abrasive
Solution: Thordon SXL tubes with NI-Cr-B sleeves
Installation: Replaced Cutless rubber on larger shafts, bronze on smaller diameters; each bearing machined at plant
Results: Some bearings now exceed 10 years service
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THORDON APPLICATIONS
Coal Fired Power Plant
Company: Virginia Power, Chesapeake Energy Center, USA
Pump Type: Ingersoll-Rand single stage vertical, 4-1/2” (114.3mm) shaft
Application: Supply plant service water and cooling water from Elizabeth River
Problem: Bronze components sufffered from chemicals in water [chlorides,sulfides, etc.]; Cutless bearings suffered from silt.Bronze/rubber serviced every 6 mos.
Solution: Thordon Composite, fully finished
Installation: Epoxy bonded with nitronic 60 shaft sleeves, 6” - 9” (152mm -228mm) bearing length
Results: 4 years+ life with minimal wear observed
Reason for selection: Thordon evaluation and recommendation
Nuclear Power Plant
Company: Southern California Edison, El Segundo, CA, USA
Pump Type: Goulds vertical pump, 4-stage
Application: Plant cooling water intake screen wash pump
Problem: Excessive abrasive wear
Solution: Thordon SXL bowl and shaft bearings, Nine bearings with 11/4” (31.8mm) shaft
Installation: Sept. 94, replaced bronze having relatively short life
Results: Have not been inspected to date
Reason for Evaluation of Thordon and success in plant with Thordon on selection: condensate pump application dating from mid 1980's.
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For years now, non-metallic elements
have been making inroads into the
fluid-handling industries.
Elastomers, ceramics and compositesall have found their way into a variety ofwetted-part applications traditionallyhandled by metals. Chemical compati-bility, corrosion resistance, low weight andease of machining have led to these materi-als being used in the construction of seals,impellers, and even whole pumps. In theEverglades, a non-metallic material nowhas been introduced successfully into adifferent pump element, the shaft bearings.Traditional concerns, such as strength ofmaterial, and resistance to abrasion, playeda role in the process. The primary impetusfor the change, however, was wasteminimization. In this application, the low-friction properties of the new material allowfor the use of process-fluid lubrication,thus removing the need for greasing, andeliminating a grease discharge to a sensi-tive ecosystem.
The Setting The Florida Everglades, at one time,
was a vast floodplain in south Florida.Known as the “River of Grass,” the wateroriginated in and freely flowed from lakessouth of Orlando, through the Kissim-mee River and Lake Okeechobee, andthen through the Everglades to FloridaBay and the Gulf of Mexico
In 1947, Congress authorized theCentral and Southern Florida Project, todrain the land for agricultural purposes,
and to protect people from hurricanes,flooding, droughts and fires. The Projectencompassed diverting floodwaters awayfrom low-lying agricultural and populatedareas via a system of pumping stationsand a network of flood-control canals.When the Project was designed in the1950s, only about 500,000 people livedin the region. Today’s population is about6 million people, and is growing by asmany as 15,000 new residents per month.The south Florida landscape has changed.
Drainage of the wetlands and changesto the natural variability of water flows havealtered the Everglades ecosystem on aregional scale. As significantly less waterhas flowed through, there has been a reduc-tion in resident wading-bird populationsas well as in migratory-bird breeding withinthe area, and a decline in important fishpopulations in neighboring estuaries. Withthe increase in agricultural developmentand the loss of the “natural filtration”provided by the wetlands, water quality hasdeclined.
The drainage also has contributed to thewater-supply problems of the burgeoningpopulation. Water consumption, mostlysupplied by groundwater wells, has soared.Water shortages are frequent, and saltwa-ter intrusion into local aquifers is evident,at the same time that up to 1.7 billiongallons of Everglades drainage isdischarged to the ocean each day.
Efforts at ecological restoration andat water management for south Floridahave culminated in the ComprehensiveEverglades Restoration Plan, authorizedunder the Water Resources DevelopmentAct of 2000. Under this ambitious and
Non-metallic Bearings:Mature Marine Technology Meets aDifficult Fluid-handling Challenge
Moving lots ofwater throughthe Everglades
Brad Wilsonwith Bill Coppedge,Principal,Coppedge Marineand Industrial
high profile plan, fresh water that iscurrently diverted to the ocean will beretained and treated for use. Specifically,the water will be stored in more than217,000 acres of new reservoirs andwetlands-based treatment areas, and in300 underground aquifers. Of this“newly” captured water, 80% will go tothe environment and 20% will be usedfor urban and agricultural supplies.
The South Florida Water ManagementDistrict (SFWMD) is responsible for operat-ing and maintaining existing pumpingstations built prior to the EvergladesRestoration Project, as well as new stationsspecifically built for the work. Most of theexisting stations were built for wetlanddrainage under the 1947 Central andSouthern Florida Project, and have been inoperation up to 50 years. Pumps in thesefacilities, both vertical and horizontal, usegreased bronze for shaft bearings.
The ProblemAs the District’s mission has evolved,
the bearings have come under increasedscrutiny. Materials acceptable for oceandischarge can be viewed as contaminants
when redirected to land applications orhuman use. According to Fred Remen,Director of Field Operations for theSFWMD Central Region, the use ofpetroleate lubricants had been discon-tinued out of environmental concerns.The District has been using biodegrad-able, food-grade lubricants “for yearsnow,” with good results. These materialsdegrade quickly with little impact—especially in Florida sunshine. But,Remen says, biodegradable grease was“still a waste stream,” and not a verycheap one, at that.
The District manages a 16-county area,and deals with a variety of waters. Some arequite clear. Others contain significant solids,many abrasive. All of it, though, is water.“We pump fresh water,” says Remen, and“we might as well take advantage of it.”
Typical of the existing pumping stationsis the S-9, with three pumps (Photo 1).Remen, who has a Merchant Marinebackground, noted that the 1710-HPdiesels, each driving an 11-ft stainless steelimpeller, were essentially “marineengines.” (In fact, two newly builtpumping stations are even fitted with
actual marine engines. Drive enginesrecovered from an Alaska Ferry, andoverhauled to the manufacturers specifi-cations by District personnel, drive two ofthe six pumps. Generator engines fromdecommissioned naval vessels power theother four.)
Another engineer on the projectcarried the analogy even further. Accord-ing to Butch Dias, who is also a formerMerchant Marine, the pumping stationswere essentially moored ships, revvingtheir props. The ship doesn’t move, butthe water does. Water-lubrication of shaftbearings is a mature technology in themarine industry. That’s why Rementurned to a marine-supply distributorseveral years ago.
Technology TransferThe marine distributor worked with
Remen to select a candidate bearingmaterial. A proprietary elastomeric polymerwas chosen because of its abrasion resist-ance, dry start-up capability, and extremelylow coefficient of friction. Because this appli-cation would be a retrofit, ease of machin-ing and installation were also considerations.
PUMPS & SYSTEMS www.pump-zone.com JUNE 2001 15
Photo 1. S-9, a retrofitted pumpstation and its environs
The choice seemed natural. Therewere probably boats, using the candidatematerial, plying the same waters that thestations were pumping. The material hasbeen in use, in marine applications, since
the 1970’s. It is commonly used on ocean-going vessels, from yachts to cruise ships,as water-lubricated bearings for the propshafts. Because of its durability and low-friction, this material also finds use in the
hinge bushings for ship rudders. Whilemost people in the shipyards are famil-iar with the material—marine use stillrepresents over 70% of all sales—it is onlynow “coming of age” in industrial appli-cations.
The long-time marine-industry experi-ence with these nonmetallic bearingsseemed to practically guarantee itssuccess in the pump stations. Thesebearings already had demonstrated acapacity for long life submerged in dirty-water environments. Their abrasionresistance was superior to that of bronze.Also, as an elastomer, they showedconsiderable “shape memory,” returningto original shape after temporary defor-mations. Finally, and most importantly,they were able to perform grease-free inaquatic environments (Photo 2).
In the first test case, the manufacturerrelined the old bronze bearing housingwith the new material, and shipped itback to the District. Based on 1 1/2 yearsof satisfactory service, a second pump wasrefitted the same way, with the custom-fit bearings bonded into the existinghousing. Over time, as District personnelgained confidence in and familiarity withthe material, and as a cost and time savingmeasure, this procedure was changed.The split bearing material, with ODmachined, was shipped to the District,where the element was bonded into thehousing and the ID was machined in-house (Photo 3).
The ResultsThat original, retrofitted pump now
has been in service for seven years.Additional conversions across the systemare being done as time and finances allow,and a number of other individual pumpshave been operating for several years withthe new bearings. The first entirepumping station, S-9, was refitted threeyears ago and has been deemed a success.Over time, the District intends to refitall existing vertical pumps with water-lubricated bearings. Moreover, in 1996,the local Jacksonville District of US ArmyCorps of Engineers modified its purchasespecifications to incorporate this innova-tion in new pumps, as well.
16 JUNE 2001 www.pump-zone.com PUMPS & SYSTEMS
Photo 3. Fitting to the shaft
Photo 2. Bronze and elastomer, side by side
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Further extensions of marine technol-ogy to freshwater management are alsoin the works. Reminiscent of its use inship rudders, the bearing material is nowunder consideration as a non-metallic,greaseless bushing for floodgate hinges.
Butch Dias inherited the conversionproject after a promotion for Fred Remensome time ago. Dias hopes to have allsmall turbines in the District retrofittedfor water-lubricated bearings in a year orso. Rework of all the 42 pumping stationswill proceed as budgets allow. Workingwith 45-50-year-old pumps, in the faceof budget and staffing constraints, herecognizes that operational and mainte-nance costs can be more significant thanpurchase price. Each conversion reducesthe consumption of both time andmaterials by this far-flung system. Diasexpects these long-lived bearings, andtheir elimination of the need for active
lubrication, to contribute to the bottomline. Though the environmental benefitsof his actions are more difficult toquantify, he believes use of these bearingsis clearly the “right thing to do. ■
Bill Coppedge is a principle withCoppedge Marine and Industrial, a partsdistributor and technical-services providerin Jacksonville, FL. The Coppedge family,with long marine experience, operated ashipyard prior to opening their distributor-ship in 1982. For more information on theapplications and products referenced in thisarticle, contact Mr. Coppedge at 904-398-9586, or Craig Carter at Thordon Bearings,905-335-1440.
Editor’s Note: Process-fluid lubricationfigures prominently in recent efforts tosimplify processes. Waste-minimization,in a considerably different environment,
contributed to the novel bearing design inanother project, presented elsewhere inthis issue (see “Innovative Pump SolvesNuclear Waste Dilemma – Part II”).Process-fluid lubrication also allowed forthe simplification of a new energy projectcovered in a Pump-Zone.com onlinebonus article for April. If you missed it,you can still access www.pump-zone.comand go to “Archives” to read about “Devel-opment of a High-Temperature, Long-Shafted, Molten-Salt Pump For PowerTower Applications.”
Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL)
of India, has recently ordered
Thordon SXL pump bearings for
installation in large vertical
turbine and horizontal split
case pumps for the Sardar
Sarovar project in the west
Indian state of Gujarat. KBL
won the order to provide the
pumps for the world’s largest
pumping system, comprising
five pumping stations and a
total of 48 pumps. The system
will lift 410,000 L (108,000
US Gal.) of water per second
from the Narmada river
providing irrigation and
drinking water to 132
drought-affected towns of the
Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
Incorporated in 1920 and certified
to ISO 9001 and 14001 standards,
Kirloskar Brothers Limited, is
acknowledged as India’s leader in
fluid handling and the largest
manufacturer and exporter of
pumps. KBL’s product range
includes a wide range of
centrifugal pumps for agriculture,
domestic, industrial, process and
general applications as well as
large vertical pumps and
concrete volute pumps for
power projects, water supply
and irrigation schemes. Pumps
sizes range from 0.375 KW to
concrete volute pumps of 4500
KW.
Shaw Engineering
Corporation, Thordon’s
Industrial Distributor in India
has been supplying Thordon
bearings to KBL for over 18
years. Thordon SXL continues
to be KBL’s preferred pump
bearing as a result of its dry start-
up capability, long wear life and
superior service, quality and
delivery. NW
THORDON SELECTED FOR WORLD’S LARGEST PUMPS
Thordon SXL pump bearings
25
This article will discuss some of theissues associated with vertical pumpbearings in general, and non-metallicbearings specifically. Non-metallicbearings may not be the best answer inevery case but have been an excellentchoice for a great many applicationsworldwide. In general, these will beproduct lubricated bearings thusprecluding additional contaminants(oils, greases) infiltrating the pumpedfluid.
Non-metallic materials include rubbers,synthetic rubbers (elastomers), plastics,graphite based materials, ceramics andlignum vitae.
Design When selecting bearings for a givenapplication, there are many designissues to be considered involvingaspects from both bearing and pumpdesign. Bearings in a vertical pump area necessary machine componentforming the basic support structure forthe power transmission system from thedriver to the impeller(s). This systemmust be designed and selected with allthe pertinent mechanical aspectsconsidered to ensure that the overallperformance will be satisfactory for thepump operating life. If the pumpdesign and operating conditions are notcarefully explored, the bearings beingthe weak link in the chain will indicatedistress well before other componentsin the pump are affected. This is truewhether the issue belongs specificallyto the bearings or the pump.
Bearing ConsiderationsThe typical length of non-metallicbearings conforms to L/D ratiosranging from 1 to 1.5. Bearingstiffness values for the general range ofpump shaft sizes will be equivalent tometallic bearings from a shaft andcolumn dynamics standpoint.Loading of vertical pump bearings is
difficult to analyze in general. It willnormally be fairly light establishingbearing stability as a significant issue.While typical pump speeds are not highenough to develop serious observableinstability effects, such activity mayhave detrimental outcomes on the lifeof a bearing.
Grooves in the bearing will tend todevelop centering forces and small sideloads may result from the stack up oftolerances during the assembly stage.For this situation, minor assemblyoffsets may be a good thing, resultingin improved operating stability.
Bearing clearances must be adequate toallow free running of the bearings butnot so large as to compromise theimportant shaft support mechanismprovided by the bearing. Typicalrunning clearances will be 0.0015mm/mm (0.00006 in./in.) of shaftdiameter with a minimum of 0.08 mm(0.0031 in.). In the case of non-metallic materials, consideration mustbe made for fluid absorption andthermal expansion. These allowances,although less for Thordon than for mostother materials, must be considered andmay be minimized by reducingwall thickness to minimumvalues. In any case, theoperational dynamics of thepump will be dependant onestablishing correct runningclearances between the shaftand bearing.
Standard pump sleevematerials such as 400 or 300series stainless steels willfunction well with Thordon.For salt or brackish waterapplications, better corrosionresistance will be experiencedwith the 300 series or duplextype stainless steels. Ifsignificant abrasives arepresent in the pump fluid,
enhanced life of the bearing system willbe achieved with hardened sleeves. Insuch case, superior performance hasbeen achieved with Thordon GM2401material mated with nickel chromeboron (NiCrB) coated shaft sleeves.
In general, grooves should be providedto allow adequate flow through thebearing and to allow easy passage ofany abrasive particulate debris. Somesmaller bearings (under 50 mm or 2 in.shaft dia.) operating in clean fluids maywork well without grooves. In eithercase, the recommended supply of cleanwater must flow through the bearing toensure adequate lubrication andcooling.
Pump Issues
Bearing spacing is the province of thepump designer, but is often an issue forpump re-builders if bearings ofdifferent materials are contemplated.The preferred design approach is toprovide a shaft/bearing system stiffnesshaving the first bending critical of theshafting above the operating speed by amargin of 10 to 20% (stiff shaftdesign). However, for small shafting
M A K I N G A C A S E F O R N O N -M E TA L L I C P U M P B E A R I N G S
...continued on back
ThorPlas® pump bearings offer a broader chemicalcompatibility and higher operating temperaturesthan other Thordon grades
26
20% (stiff shaft design). However, forsmall shafting using more flexiblebearings such as rubber, it has been wellaccepted to design based on the operatingspeed falling between the first andsecond bending critical speed (flexibleshaft design).
The above shafting criticals must bedetermined using the stiffness values forthe actual bearings and support system inuse. The stiffness of a Thordon bearingwill be large enough in comparison withtypical shaft bending stiffness to beconsidered equivalent to a metal bearingfor establishing spacing requirements.Use of a less stiff rubber material mayrequire closer spacing of the bearings ora change in philosophy to the flexibleshaft design.
Most of the installed vertical pumpsworldwide do not have any lateralstructural support below the pumpmounting floor. This means that thecasing holding the bearings, which aresupporting the shafting, is itself quiteflexible and subject to the possibility ofresonance in the operating speed range.If this issue is not carefully investigatedin the design of the machine, the bearingsmay suffer odd wear patterns which maynot be easily interpreted.
Many vertical pumps are located insumps without proper attention toapproach velocities, or clearance
guidelines provided in theliterature for bottom, back wall,sidewall, or neighboringpumps. This may result incavitation and/or separationproducing excessive turbulencein operation. In addition, ifminimum submergencerecommendations by pumpmanufacturers are contravened,vortexing may be generatedallowing air to be entrained inthe suction flow with associatedundesired machine vibrations.
Many pumps are operatedacross the performancecurve without appropriateconsideration for the best
efficiency point. If a pump is highlythrottled, or allowed to run out wellbeyond best efficiency point, excessivevibration can again result with possibleoverheating and damage of productlubricated bearings.
It is common practice to dynamicallybalance impellers of vertical pumps toensure smooth operation withoutvibration. However, if an impeller coreshifts in the casting process, it will notonly result in mechanical unbalance, buthydraulic unbalance as well. No amountof dynamic balancing can correct for thelatter condition which may lead toexcessive vibration and shorter bearinglife.
Advantages of Non-MetallicBearings
There are several advantages offered bynon-metallic bearings such as impactcapability, low friction, self-lubricatingqualities, edge loading capability. Mostnon-metallics, Thordon included, offersignificant electrical resistance. As aconsequence stray currents will not be afactor in bearing erosion, and aconnection point is not provided forgalvanic activity.
The significant advantages of using non-metallic pump bearings will ensure manyyears of excellent service life providedthe various design issues imposed upon
the pump and system are carefullyinvestigated and considered in the pumpdesign or re-build stage prior to puttingthe machine into service.
Written by:Dr. Keith Laskey, PhD., Chief Design Engineer, Thordon Bearings Inc.
NW
...continued from page 5
Elastomeric Thordon SXL pump bearings offerexcellent load distribution, low coefficient offriction and dry start-up capability
27
T H O R D O N S X L A P P R O V E D F O RD E E P W E L L P U M P S I N A R I Z O N A
Ensuring the water supply for residentsof the driest desert in North America - theSonora - isn't a task that Salt RiverProject (SRP) takes lightly. Through asystem of reservoirs, canals, irrigationlaterals and more than 250 deep wells,the organization delivers nearly 1.2billion m3 (1 million acre-feet) of waterto central Arizona; a vast area thatincludes Phoenix and other surroundingcities, plus a myriad of towns and ruralvillages.
SRP is actually a combination of twocooperative entities: The Salt RiverProject Agricultural Improvement andPower District, a political subdivision ofthe State; and the Salt River Valley WaterUsers' Association, a private corporation.
"The organization is very careful when itcomes to selecting components for itssystems," says Mike Helfrich, Presidentof Michael & Associates Inc., Thordon'sdistributor in Arizona. "Water is a hugeissue in this State, and residents takequality, supply and conservation veryseriously."
Oil And Water Don't Mix
Traditionally, SRP uses oil-lubricatedmetal bearings in their deep wellpumping applications. This materialworks fine, but has some distinctdisadvantages. Unlike oil-lubricatedmetal bearings, Thordon SXL would notfail catastrophically. This is significant",says Helfrich, "because the cost ofpulling a pump out of the ground forrepairs averages US $30,000 to $80,000!Costly maintenance and repairs,particularly unscheduled maintenance,are a big concern".
In addition, there are environmental andesthetic issues. Minute amounts of oilfrom the pump bearings can potentiallymake its way into the water supply. Theoil used is mineral oil and, therefore,harmless. However, it could create an
unsightly sheen if it were to find its wayinto the drinking glasses of Arizonians.
Fortunately, there is a solution. "Weintroduced the folks at SRP on theadvantages of water- and product-lubricated Thordon SXL pump bearingsin 2001," says Helfrich. "Three years agothey finally decided to put the product tothe test."
Putting Thordon To The Test
The initial project involved replacing themetal bearings in one of the deep wellpumps with Thordon SXL in March2002. SRP worked in tandem withMichael Helfrich's team and theengineers at Thordon on the new design.
Rather than completely re-configuringthe well for open spider bearings, theproject team converted the enclosed tube,oil drip system, so that the existingcolumn and coupler bearings could beused.
The results in terms of performance?After three years and almost 20,000hours of operation, the Thordon SXLbearings are still operating withinspecifications. There have been noproblems. And no sign that the bearingsneed to be replaced.
In terms of water quality andenvironmental concerns, Thordon SXLuses water exclusively as a lubricant. Oilhas been completely taken out of theequation. It's no longer an issue.
Tom Frost, Pump Specialist at SRP,added, "…we are impressed on how wellthe Thordon bearings have performed.The bearings in the well installed in 2002have over 20,000 hours of run time andare still operating with no problems."
Other Water ManagementAuthorities
The performance of Thordon SXL inwater supply applications has made otherjurisdictions take notice.
The City of Scottsdale, for example, hasspecified Thordon SXL bearings for theirre-charge wells and recently ordered 320bearings. The City of El Paso has alsoinstalled Thordon SXL bearings for twowater supply pumps for their new reverseosmosis system.
"Many water treatment facilities areswitching from flocculating as a means totake contaminants out of the water toreverse osmosis," Helfrich points out."But the membranes used in this processare very sensitive and cannot tolerate oil.That's what makes Thordon's oil-freebearings so attractive."
Oil and water don't mix. But oil-freeThordon SXL bearings and deep wellpumping applications are fast becoming aperfect match. NW
Water Lubricated SXL Bearings Installed In SRP DeepWell Pump, Arizona, U.S.A.
28
When the engineers at Peach BottomAtomic Station (Pennsylvania, USA)needed to improve the facility's riverwater circulation system, they werefaced with two options: a costlyupgrade of the water filtration systemby installing new corrosion-freepiping to protect the current bearings;or, a much less expensive upgrade ofthe Bingham pumps by replacing thebearings with Thordon GM2401. Theychoose the latter. Two years afterinstallation, an inspection has revealedno visible signs of bearing wear,despite the dirty water conditions.
"Obviously, the Peach Bottomengineers are very pleased,"says Larry Bohn, SalesEngineer for FleetwoodIndustrial Products, theThordon Bearings distributorin Pennsylvania. "They nowexpect to get several years outof the bearings beforereplacement is required."
Long life in abrasiveconditions
Thordon GM2401 is a toughelastomeric polymer bearingmaterial that was introducedby Thordon in 1974. Inapplications around the globe,the product has demonstratedincredible wear resistance inextremely abrasiveenvironments when used incombination with a hard shaftsurface. The bearing material hassignificantly outperformed rubber -often by a factor of two or more - inpump and propeller shaft bearingapplications.
"We needed reliable, water-lubricatedpump bearings that could stand the testof time in abrasive-laden waterconditions," says Phillip Hennessy,Equipment Reliability Engineer for
Exelon Nuclear, the operator of thestation. "Thordon was the obviouschoice."
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Stationis situated on the Susquehanna Riverin York County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.Peach Bottom has two boiling waterreactors, which jointly produces over2,300 megawatts. The station is co-owned by Public Service Electric &Gas of New Jersey and ExelonCorporation.
River water is circulated throughoutthe facility and is used for cooling a
variety of systems and components.Although Susquehanna waters arerelatively clear on most days, rain andother weather conditions can stir upsilt from the river bed. These particlesremain suspended in the water and arehighly abrasive.
A world of references
During plans to upgrade the river
water circulation system, PeachBottom engineers were enthusiastic -yet cautious - about a bearing materialthat claimed to perform well in dirtywater. Replacing the pump bearingswould be significantly less costly thanreplacing the piping. Yet, convincingevidence was required before ThordonGM2401 could be specified.
"That's where that staff at Thordonwas very helpful," says Bohn. "ThePeach Bottom people were definitelyimpressed by what we were tellingthem [about the bearing material], butthey wanted to contact references
before making a final decision."
Fortunately, references were not aproblem.
Thordon GM2401 is installed indozens of hydroelectric and pumpsystems worldwide. Numerousreferences were available involvingapplications that were just what thePeach Bottom engineers werelooking for: large, vertical pumpbearings operating in dirty riverwater and seawater. "Thosereferences really helped us closethe deal."
Peach Bottom is now anotherapplication of a long history ofsuccesses featuring ThordonGM2401. The bearings have beenoperating for approximately twoyears; running on 215 mm (8.5 in.)nickel-chrome-boron coated
sleeves in the six Bingham pumpswith a capacity of 250,000 GPM.Divers were recently sent into the riverto inspect for bearing wear. Theydidn't find any. "In fact," saysHennessy, "they described thebearings using just one word:pristine."
GM2401 SHOWS NO VISIBLE SIGNS OFWEAR IN DIRTY WATER PUMP APPLICATION
Bingham SAFV Vertical Pump with Thordon GM2401 Bearings (Photo Courtesy of Sulzer-Bingham)
NW
29
nitrogen. Pfizer currently have over 6
year's life from the Thordon SXL
bearings installed in 1996. And the four
bearing replacements avoided to date by
converting to Thordon means Pfizer has
saved a lot of downtime money.
Brevik also used Thordon to eliminate
oil pollution from large Johnson flood
control pumps operated by the City of
Stanford, CT. "The bearings in these
pumps were oil lubricated and originally
had to be hand cranked to achieve the
required oil pressure. I recommended
using water lubrication by replacing the
bearings with Thordon and upgrading to
a stainless steel 316 shaft. After
installing a solenoid valve and PLC that
fills the housing with water should the
pump ever run dry, City of Stanford
eliminated any source of oil seeping into
the river," says Brevik.
"I believe in using high quality products
that give the best return to my
customers," says Brevik. "Thordon
bearings make my customers happy and
when customers are happy, they tell
other people and my business grows.
Thordon bearings last longer, they
eliminate grease or oil and they are so
damn easy to work with," says Brevik.
"My biggest problem is trying to get
pump equipment engineers to change
from the existing metal bearings they
have been using for years to try these
new materials."
Leading Shipyards Specify... (continued from page 1)
"If Thordon bearings worked well in
propeller shaft and rudder bearing
applications, wouldn't they would work
equally as well in pump applications."
This was the thought of Odd Brevik,
former Marine Engineer with Texaco,
and current President of New England
Pump & Valve, in Connecticut, USA.
After spending over 20 years travelling
the world keeping Texaco ships running
smoothly, Brevik decided that it was
time to stay at home for a while and
started up his own pump repair business
in 1986.
One of Brevik's first customers was
Pfizer Global Research & Development
located in New London, Connecticut.
Pfizer was having bearing problems in
their large vertical turbine pumps. The
bronze bearings were only lasting
approximately 18 months due to the
abrasive brackish water. Brevik
contacted Thordon and was referred to
Eric Nitsch at Johnson Packings and
Industrial Products, Thordon's
Distributor for Connecticut. After
reviewing the application with Johnson
Packings, Thordon SXL pump bearings
were recommended.
As Brevik has a large machine shop,
Johnson Packings showed him how to
use the Thordon Bearing Sizing
Calculation Program to size the
bearings, how to easily machine the
elastomeric polymer bearings and how
to freeze fit the bearings using liquid
PUMP REPAIR BUSINESS GROWS WITH THORDON
NW
NW
Typical vertical turbine pumping station
Odd Brevik of New England Pump & Valve
"We are starting to see signs that the
global marine community is becoming
increasingly aware of the need to assess
potential risks and eliminate potential
sources of environmental pollution,"
said Graham Smith, General Manager of
Thordon Bearings. "While stern tube oil
leakage does not have the visibility of a
VLCC spill or even oily water bilge
discharge, it still occurs, as all seals leak
to some degree. The quantity of oil
leaked can be insidious, as a few litres
per day may not seem like much in
isolation but, when taken over a world
fleet of 45,000 vessels, it amounts to
millions of litres per year. We are very
proud of our new generation Thor-Lube
system. Building on our success and
experience with Thor-Lube systems over
the past ten years, we have formulated
TL3G, a water-based biodegradable
stern tube lubricant that outperforms
mineral oil, and a new 5000 series
circulation and monitoring package that
incorporates continuous improvement
upgrades our customers have suggested.
These next generation products are
being well accepted by both shipowners
and newbuild yards and momentum to
move away from oil-filled stern tubes is
building. These are exciting times for
Thordon Bearings."
30
Sleeve bearings in vertical, mediumlubricated pumps are a frequentsource of problems. Poor shaft sup-port, dry starts, high friction andrapid wear in abrasive services aresome of the more common problemsencountered. One of the commonsolutions to some of these problemsis the addition of a sealed tubearound the shaft with either a freshwater flush or oil/grease lubrication.This approach has a high initial costand a continuing expense in the sup-ply of fresh water or oil/grease andalso has the potential for contamina-tion of the medium being pumped.Jacksonville Electric Authority(JEA) of Florida has solved theirabrasive wear problem by installingThordon bearings.
Jacksonville Electric Authority hasbeen using Thordon bearings in theirriverfront circulating water pumpssince 1996. “Over the past 31/2 years,Thordon steel-backed GM2401(Composite) bearings have held upwell under brackish, high silt, riverwater application on 500HP verticalshaft circulating water pumps atNorthside Station,” stated JohnKang, Director of Maintenance atJEA. John said, “In one incident,one of the pumps ran with minimalseal water for 24 to 48 hours due to aclogged seal water strainer. Past
experience with a different bearingmaterial would have been cata-strophic.” John added, “This pumpcontinues to operate with no devia-tions in vibration which is the pri-mary indicator of pump bearingwear. We have also had excellentfollow-up and professional serviceduring the past three years of materi-al evaluation from Thordon’s FloridaDistributor, Coppedge Marine.”
JEA has initiated a complete inven-tory switch to Thordon Compositefrom cutless bearings for all circulat-ing pumps. John added, “We believethat Thordon GM2401’s superiormaterial characteristics over cutlessrubber enables it to be more resilientand resistant to silt and sand impreg-nation resulting in longer wear andstable pump operation.”
Projected Bearing Wear by Volume (Independent Testing at University of Cincinnati, USA)
0.01 0.05 0.1 0.5 1 5 10 50 100
Brass
Cotton Phenolic
Virgin Teflon
Acetyl
Lignum Vitae
Asebestos Phenolic
Nylon 612
Thordon XL
Thordon SXL/COMPAC
Rubber
Thordon Composite
Typical Bearing Abrasive Wear Rates
THORDON SOLUTION TO ABRASIVE-MEDIUM PUMP PROBLEMS
NW
their pumps. Even with these test
results, it took a number of visits
before we convinced them to convert
a pump and try it. Finally they said
okay, and agreed to go ahead if
Shinshin Engineering took full
responsibility for any problems. We
agreed and supplied SXL bearings for
a vertical pump with a 220mm (9”)
diameter shaft. We worked with them
on the conversion and the pump has
performed flawlessly.”
“Since then, we have fully
converted more than 10 pumping
stations,” said Mr. Park. “The
engineers tell us that they never
worry about grease polluting the
water anymore; they save money
because the bearings last longer, they
don’t have to purchase grease and
maintain the grease lines; and when a
pump has to be brought on line
quickly they just push the start
button with no worries about
lubrication status.”
A number of Korean pump
manufacturers are now specifying
Thordon SXL as their standard pump
bearing.
“One of the Korean pump
manufacturers who converted to
Thordon was Hyosung Ebara and
word of their satisfaction reached
Ebara Japan,” said Larry Leung,
Thordon’s Asian Sales Manager. Ebara
Japan was using a teflon coated
rubber bearing for dry running start
up. Due to the teflon lining this
bearing had low friction
characteristics and performed well
during dry running start up, but was
quite expensive to manufacture.
When operating in even small
amounts of abrasives both the shaft
and bearing experienced significant
wear. Ebara was looking for an
alternative product and contacted
Japan Marine Technologies Co. Ltd.
(JMT), the Japanese agent for
Thordon industrial bearings. JMT
supplied technical information and a
After 3 years of rigorous testing
by Ebara Japan, Asia’s largest pump
manufacturer, Thordon SXL has
proven to be Ebara’s best choice for
“friction free” (defined by Ebara as a
bearing allowing dry running during
pump start up and not requiring pre-
lubrication) vertical pump bearings.
Thordon’s first major Asian pump
bearing success story began over 10
years ago in Korea where annual
precipitation is high with occasional
summertime rains of 500mm (20”) in
a 24 hour period. To manage these
rainfalls, Korea’s cities have built
extensive networks of drainage
pumping stations alongside the rivers
to pump out the water.
The pumps used were commonly
fitted with grease lubricated sealed
bronze bearings and were leaking
grease into the water. The bronze
bearings were also failing due to
insufficient lubrication when the
grease hardened in the supply lines to
the bearings. Shinshin Engineering
Co. Ltd., Thordon’s Korean
Distributor, was consulted, and
recommended that the seals be
eliminated, the greased bronze
bearings converted to water lubricated
Thordon SXL and the grease lines be
removed. “The engineers had serious
concerns when we told them that
with SXL, the pumps could be started
dry and would not require pre-lube of
the bearings that were not
submerged,” explained Mr. H.S. Park,
Sales Manager of Shinshin
Engineering. “They told us that dry
running at start up was impossible!
We were able, however, to show them
tests that Thordon Bearings had
conducted on behalf of Kirloskar
Pumps of India showing Thordon SXL
would survive dry running start up in
A S I A G E T S “ P U M P E D ” O N T H O R D O Nset of SXL test bearings and in time
were advised by Ebara that the
bearings had failed. “After visiting the
Ebara factory and reviewing the test
procedure, we determined that the
test pressure was almost 10 times the
normal operating pressure and the
dry running test time was greater
than what was required,” said Larry.
“The combination of these two
factors had resulted in failure of the
bearings. We then asked Jeffrey Butt,
Manager of Engineering Services for
Thordon Bearings to work closely
with the Ebara engineers to develop
more realistic test procedures. The test
was rerun with satisfactory results
this time and Ebara went on to set up
a very comprehensive series of tests
including dry running at varying
pressures and time intervals where
they measured friction, wear and
shaft vibration. Wear tests in dirty
water were run as well.”
“Ebara has told me that Thordon
SXL performed better than expected
and passed their entire series of tests,”
said Larry. “Bearing and shaft wear
were significantly less compared to
their existing locally produced
bearing. In the future, Ebara plans to
specify Thordon, having proven that
SXL bearings will make their pumps
simpler and even more reliable than
in the past.”
Thordon SXL Pump Bearings
THAT’S A LOT OF WATER!!Moving water across the state of
Arizona is by no means an easy task and,
when that water has to be pumped up the
side of an 870’ (265m) high mountain at
volumes as great as 3,000 cubic feet per
second (85,000 litres/second), the need for
pump reliability is critical.
Relying on six large 60,000 hp Hitachi
pumps, the Central Arizona Water
Conservation District pumps water from
the Colorado River to an open cement
lined canal. From there it passes through a
mountain that is 7 mi (11km) long and
comes out into an open aqueduct. The
water then travels 356 mi (573km) across
the state of Arizona from the Colorado
River to Tucson, Arizona. During the trip,
the water passes through 13 re-lift plants
that pump the water up to the next
elevation. Some water is then pumped
into a 765,000 acre (3,096 km2
) storage
reservoir for power generation and later
use.
“The unique thing about our pump is
that it is a single stage centrifugal pump
that pumps water on a 45 degree angle up
a mountain that is about 870’ (265m)
high,” says Glenn Weddle, Supervisor of
Mechanical Maintenance. “By the time
the water reaches the top of the mountain
you have about 400 psi (2.75 MPa) head
pressure. In similar projects requiring that
type of lift, two or three stage pumps or
two different pumping stations staged
progressively up the mountain are usually
used.” Glenn added, “We don’t pump
year round, but during the heavy pumping
season (typically about 5 months of the
year), these units run 24 hours a day each
pumping 500 cubic feet/second (14,166
litres/second)...that’s a lot of water!”
“We were having sealing problems
resulting from two different conditions,”
says Dick Gibson, Mechanical Engineer.
“Due to the grit in the water, the carbon
seals were wearing quickly causing
downtime during our busiest time of the
year. Secondly, we were also experiencing
pitting of the shaft sleeve because of
electrolysis resulting from the number of
dissimilar materials in the stuffing box. We
had stainless steel, cast steel, bronze, two
rows of carbon seals and a row of phenolic
impregnated material. Our first approach
was to change the carbon seals to
something which was more inert and the
best product we could find was Thordon
SXL.”
“The first trial with Thordon seals was
about 5 years ago,” says Dick, who did the
initial research of the Thordon material to
see if it would stand up to the challenge of
their applications. “We had heard of the
great results from the Bureau of
Reclamation regarding the use of Thordon
SXL at the Grand Coulee Dam. They had
used SXL successfully in their seals, which
are somewhat similar to ours, so we
thought we’d try Thordon. Fortunately, it
has worked out very well.”
“During the initial installation, we had
problems determining the proper reference
points for machining the seals,” says
Glenn. “We were working with a very
large diameter shaft - close to 42”
(1067mm) - rotating at 514 rpm, which
means the surface of the shaft is traveling
at over 5500’ (1700m) per minute.
Initially, the Thordon seal did not
expand as much as was originally
factored into the machined dimensions,
so we re-calculated and machined to
tighter tolerances.”
“We have had the pumps apart for
overhaul several times and we are
reasonably pleased with the results,” says
Glenn. “Sometimes the seals get hot and
scorch the running faces so we take them
into the shop, put them in a big lathe
and bore them out; removing the burnt
surface and bringing a new surface to the
top, making it like a brand new seal.”
Glenn added, “Although the carbon seals
could also be remachined, they did not
seal as well as Thordon SXL. Unless we
have something catastrophic happen, by
remachining the faces of the Thordon
seals occasionally, we expect them to last
over 10 years.”
As of June 1996, Thordon SXL is
installed in all six pump turbines at the
Central Arizona Water Conservation
District.
“We are investigating converting the
oil-lubed main guide bearings in some of
our vertical turbine pumps to Thordon
water-lubricated bearings for
Six 60,000 HP Hitachi pumps at the Havasu Pumping Plant, Arizona.
Compressed Air Systems which provides
sales and service of industrial air
compressors and accessories, and TG-
Burgmann, specialists in mechanical
seals and other engineered sealing
solutions.
“With future growth opportunities
including: the investigation of specific
applications and further development of
specialized markets; use of in-house R&D
facilities to create new polymers; and the
manufacture of new mechanical
components ( intermediate bearings for
example) where Thordon products play a
key role, we expect to outgrow our
current facilities within the next few
years,” says Sandy. “We anticipate
moving one or two business units to new
facilities.”
Although there are many long term
Thomson-Gordon employees, there are
also many new faces in this relatively
young workforce. “We try to encourage
people to stay within the organization
and we promote internal movement to
keep employees challenged and involved
with the company,” says Sandy. “Many
years ago, I established a regular session
where I take new employees out to
breakfast and we talk about the
company and where they see themselves
growing within the organization...this
feedback has been invaluable.” Sandy
adds, “Over the years, the critical
ingredient to our success has been fun.
We don’t have a very hierarchical
system, just enough policy and structure
to effectively get things accomplished
without hindering the process. Through
employee self-empowerment and well
established two-way communication
channels, our internal structure is based
on leading by example.”
The key ingredient to Thomso
Gordon’s 80 years of success is, of co
the customer. “The customers’ consta
quest for new products and applicatio
continues to add excitement to o
organization,” says Sandy. “Th
technical challenges and innovatio
means there is always a new applicat
to be discovered or a challeng
deadline to be met - we never have b
and never will be a 9 to 5 organization!
As part of the 80th anniversa
celebrations, an open house was held
the Burlington Head Office earlier th
year. In addition, the Thomson-Gordo
Group is looking to establish
commemorative scholarship a
mentoring program to encourage ne
entrepreneurs to enter
manufacturing industry.
”We have been really
pleased with the success
we’ve had with the Thordon
seals in the pumping units.
Thordon SXL is a good
product that has multiple
uses.”
NW
80 Years Stong...Continued from back page
Thordon SXL segmented shaft seals used in Central Arizona WaterConservation District pumps.
environmental reasons, as well as
exploring a few ideas on other auxiliary
equipment,” says Dick. “We have been
really pleased with the success we’ve had
with the Thordon seals in the pumping
units. Thordon SXL is a good product
that has multiple uses.”
NW
34
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
p B
ea
rin
g R
efe
ren
ce
s
Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
Initia
l
Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
)C
usto
me
r N
am
eP
um
p U
se
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ou
ntr
yM
an
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ctu
rer
20
08
GM
2401
We
ir P
um
ps
Du
ba
i A
lum
inu
m C
om
pa
ny
Du
ba
i A
lum
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om
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U.A
.E.
19
98
GM
2401
62
Dia
blo
Ca
nyo
n N
ucle
ar
Dia
blo
Ca
nyo
n N
ucle
ar
U.S
.A.
20
00
XL
54
KS
B P
um
ps
New
York
U.S
.A
20
07
XL
11
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20
05
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ITT
In
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20
07
SX
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um
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ITT
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20
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U.S
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19
97
GM
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14
0L
ing
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Ge
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EN
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20
08
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52
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ic P
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20
05
XL
60
Ch
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in
tern
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na
l a
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
45
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an
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sh
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in
tern
atio
na
l a
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
45
Ch
an
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aC
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in
tern
atio
na
l a
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
70
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an
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20
05
XL
11
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an
fen
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
45
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an
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sh
aK
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Sin
ga
po
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nu
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14
, 2
01
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of
52
35
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
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Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
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Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
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20
05
XL
45
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ha
ng
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an
fen
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pla
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
60
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ha
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SB
Sin
ga
po
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20
05
XL
65
Ch
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ha
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ha
ng
ha
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on
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ai sh
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co
mp
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20
05
XL
65
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ha
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SB
Sin
ga
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20
05
XL
65
Ch
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ha
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ctr
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evic
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uite
Ch
ina
20
05
XL
65
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aS
ha
ng
ha
i zh
on
gyi p
um
p c
o.
ltd
Ch
ina
20
05
XL
65
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aS
ha
ng
ha
i zh
on
gyi p
um
p c
o.
ltd
Ch
ina
20
05
XL
45
Ch
an
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aC
ha
ng
sh
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ha
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ha
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fen
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o.
ltd
Ch
ina
20
05
XL
45
Ch
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aC
ha
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sh
aS
ha
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ha
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me
ch
an
ica
l sa
les c
om
pa
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
50
Ch
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aC
ha
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sh
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ha
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ha
i to
ng
yo
ng
me
ch
an
ica
l sa
les c
om
pa
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Ch
ina
20
05
XL
65
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
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ha
ng
ha
i fe
ng
qin
Ch
ina
20
06
XL
60
Ch
an
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ha
ng
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ha
ng
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ua
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ipp
ing
pro
ject
Ch
ina
20
06
XL
65
Ch
an
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aC
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we
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lan
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20
06
SX
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20
06
SX
L7
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ng
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Ch
ina
Ja
nu
ary
14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 2
of
52
36
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
p B
ea
rin
g R
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ren
ce
s
Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
Initia
l
Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
)C
usto
me
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p U
se
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rer
20
06
SX
L7
5C
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ha
ng
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an
po
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lan
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20
06
SX
L7
5C
ha
ng
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ha
ng
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L1
00
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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ao
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
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aC
ha
ng
sh
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am
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Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L8
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ng
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ng
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ing
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20
06
SX
L1
30
Ch
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ng
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ian
fan
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lan
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a
20
06
SX
L2
40
Ch
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ha
ng
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ab
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lan
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a
20
06
SX
L2
40
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L8
0C
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ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aT
on
glin
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L2
40
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aC
ao
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po
we
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lan
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a
20
06
SX
L1
00
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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ing
ko
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L1
80
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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an
po
we
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lan
tC
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a
20
06
SX
L8
0C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aQ
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po
we
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L1
00
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aM
inq
ua
n p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L6
4C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aH
ua
njin
bu
po
we
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
Ja
nu
ary
14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 3
of
52
37
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
p B
ea
rin
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ce
s
Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
Initia
l
Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
)C
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me
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se
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an
ufa
ctu
rer
20
06
SX
L5
6C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
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ing
we
i p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L3
2C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aB
ao
tou
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ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L3
2C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
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ian
do
ng
po
we
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lan
tC
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a
20
06
SX
L1
20
Ch
an
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aC
ha
ng
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ei co
un
ty p
ow
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L2
20
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aZ
ou
co
un
ty p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L2
00
Ch
an
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ha
ng
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uo
hu
an
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L2
00
Ch
an
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aC
ha
ng
sh
aM
ash
ash
an
po
we
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lan
tC
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a
20
06
SX
L1
00
Ch
an
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aC
ha
ng
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
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L5
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ng
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ha
ng
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ing
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lan
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a
20
06
SX
L8
0C
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ng
sh
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ha
ng
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an
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lan
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hin
a
20
06
SX
L1
00
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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iya
ng
po
we
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lan
tC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L2
40
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aX
ua
nch
en
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L3
2C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
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an
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en
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an
g p
ow
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pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L4
0C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aQ
inb
ei p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L2
00
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aW
uh
u p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
Ja
nu
ary
14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 4
of
52
38
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
p B
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rin
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ren
ce
s
Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
Initia
l
Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
)C
usto
me
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an
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rer
20
06
SX
L3
2C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aD
alo
ng
ha
rbo
rC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L3
2C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aS
uzh
ou
xu
jian
g p
um
p s
tatio
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a
20
06
SX
L2
60
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aV
ert
ica
lC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L1
45
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aA
nh
ui a
nq
ing
po
we
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L1
45
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aW
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ate
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
06
SX
L1
45
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aJia
ng
su
su
lon
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L1
20
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aJia
ng
su
su
lon
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L9
5C
ha
ng
sh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aJia
ng
su
su
lon
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
06
SX
L1
70
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aJia
ng
su
su
lon
g p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
07
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aG
ua
ng
zh
ou
sh
i jia
o w
ate
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
07
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aS
u z
ho
u w
ate
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
07
SX
L1
35
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aD
ai h
ai p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
07
SX
L1
45
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aZ
ou
co
un
ty p
ow
er
pla
nt
Ch
ina
20
07
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aW
uzh
on
g w
ate
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
20
07
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aW
uzh
on
g w
ate
r p
lan
tC
hin
a
Ja
nu
ary
14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 5
of
52
39
Th
ord
on
Ve
rtic
al P
um
p B
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Sh
aft
Dia
me
ter
Initia
l
Insta
llatio
n
Da
te
Th
ord
on
Gra
de
(mm
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20
07
SX
L1
15
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
aG
ua
ng
zh
ou
sh
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ate
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lan
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a
20
07
SX
L1
55
Ch
an
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ha
ng
sh
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we
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lan
tC
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a
20
07
SX
L1
45
Ch
an
gsh
aC
ha
ng
sh
aS
u z
ho
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ate
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lan
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hin
a
20
07
SX
L1
60
Ch
an
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ha
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20
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20
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25
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20
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SX
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75
Ch
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20
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20
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20
07
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Tert
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Ch
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20
07
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20
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20
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05
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20
07
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05
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20
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Ch
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Ch
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Ja
nu
ary
14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 6
of
52
40
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20
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20
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20
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20
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20
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20
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20
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45
Ch
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20
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20
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20
07
SX
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45
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Ja
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14
, 2
01
0P
ag
e 7
of
52
41
Pump OEM and OEM Repair CentresUsing Thordon Bearings
OEM Country Pump Types RegionWeir Pumps (Clear Liquid Div.) Brazil VerticalFlowserve Pump Division Canada VerticalSulzer Pumps (Canada) Inc. Canada Vertical ABWeir Pumps Canada Canada VerticalKSB Pumps China Vertical BCChangsha Pumps China Vertical ONShenyang Pumps China VerticalKSB Pumps Germany VerticalFlowserve Corp. Mexico VerticalFlowserve Corp. U.S.A. VerticalITT A-C Pumps U.S.A. VerticalPeerless Pump Company, Inc. U.S.A. VerticalITT A-C Pumps Canada Vertical Cooling WaterEbara Corp. Japan Vertical Cooling Water
Hayward Tyler U.S.A. Vertical Cooling WaterPA, NJ, NC, MD, TX
ITT Goulds Pumps U.S.A. Vertical Cooling Water VTJohnston Pump Company U.S.A. Vertical Cooling Water WIHyosung Ebara Corp. South Korea Vertical Cooling Water, Drain Pump NY, PAKirloskar Brothers Ltd. India Vertical Turbine, Horizontal Split Case VA, UT, TXLawrence Pumps U.S.A. Waste Water MAKSB Pumps Brazil Water Treatment IN
Customer Power Plant/Dam Country Seal TypeGrade or Product
Shaft Diameter (mm)
Original Install Date
Itaipu Binacional Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant Brazil Axial SXL 3,770.000 Oct-05Harbin Electric Machinery Etan Power Station China Radial SXL 2,380.000 Nov-04Infraserv Hoechst Germany Axial SXL 2,060.000 Oct-04IMPSA Hydro Argentina Axial HPSXL 2,044.000 Mar-01IMPSA Hydro Argentina Axial HPSXL 1,925.000 Mar-01Harbin Electric Machinery Gongboxia Power Station China Axial SXL 1,820.000 Feb-03Harbin Electric Machinery Sanbanxi Power Plant China Axial SXL 1,530.000 Aug-05Harbin Electric Machinery Zhelin Power Plant China Axial SXL 1,526.000 Jan-01Harbin Electric Machinery Kalun lll China Axial SXL 1,520.000 May-02Harbin Electric Machinery Gelatan Power Plant China Axial SXL 1,395.000 Apr-06Harbin Electric Machinery Fujinba Power Station China Axial GM2401 1,240.000 May-06Harbin Electric Machinery Xiafu Power Plant China Axial GM2401 1,240.000 Jun-06Harbin Electric Machinery Jupudu Power Plant China Axial SXL 1,210.000 Apr-06Harbin Electric Machinery Nirji Power Plant China Radial SXL 1,170.000 Jun-04Dongfang Electrical Machinery Tekeze Hydropower Plant Ethopia Radial SXL 1,160.000 Jan-06Harbin Electric Machinery Zhouba Power Plant China Axial SXL 1,130.000 Apr-06Harbin Electric Machinery Xishan Power Plant China Radial SXL 1,070.000 Sep-06Central Arizona Water Conservation District Havasu, Colorado River U.S.A. Radial SXL 1,067.000 Jul-95Hydro Quebec Beauharnois Generating Station Canada Radial SXL 1,022.000 Aug-88Harbin Electric Machinery Baishan Power Plant China Radial SXL 1,015.000 Aug-05IMPSA Hydro Argentina Axial HPSXL 970.000 Sep-01Harbin Electric Machinery Kangyang Power Station China Axial SXL 970.000 Aug-05Harbin Electric Machinery Fengman Power Station China Radial SXL 970.000 Aug-03California Department of Water Resources San Luis Dam U.S.A. Radial SXL 940.000 Mar-03Meridan Energy Manapouri Power Station New Zealand Radial SXL 910.000 Jan-82Harbin Electric Machinery Banglang Power Plant China Axial SXL 892.000 May-02Dongfang Electric Machinery Nalan Power Plant China Axial SXL 892.000 Oct-05Harbin Electric Machinery Sanxia Power Plant China Radial SXL 892.000 Nov-01Dongfang Electric Machinery Aoluke Power Plant China Axial SXL 835.000 Nov-06U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Grand Coulee Dam U.S.A. Radial SXL 792.000 Mar-88U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Grand Coulee Dam U.S.A. Radial SXL 792.000 Jan-03Mighty River Power Aratiatia Power Station New Zealand Radial SXL 755.000 Jan-92Dongfang Electrical Machinery Fenshuijiang Power Plant China Radial SXL 720.000 Jun-05Northern Wasco Co. P.U.D. Oregon McNary Dam U.S.A. Radial SXL 650.000 Aug-98Genesis Power Rangipo Power Station New Zealand Radial SXL 644.000 Dec-96Mighty River Power Plant Maraetai Power Station New Zealand Radial SXL 635.000 Jun-99Harbin Electric Machinery Huilong Power Plant China Radial SXL 620.000 Nov-04LA Dept. of Water Power (LADWP) U.S.A. Radial SXL 499.000 Sep-97Seattle City Light, Washington Centralia City Light Power Plant U.S.A. Radial SXL 337.000 May-96Cedillo Power Station Cedillo Power Station Spain Axial SXL 330.000ENECO Centrale Di Cassano D'Adda Italy Axial SXL 240.000 Aug-05Snohomish Co. P.U.D. Washington Henry M. Jackson Project U.S.A. Axial SXL Nov-98
SXL Segmented Shaft Seals
42
43
44
45
T H O R D O N B E A R I N G S I N C.
3225 Mainway Drive, Burlington, Ontario L7M 1A6 Canada Tel: +1.905.335.1440 Fax: +1.905.335.4033
www.ThordonBearings.com
Supply and Service: Geared toprovide quick response tocustomer needs, ThordonBearings understands theimportance of quick delivery andreduced down time. Thordonproducts can be designed,produced to the exactrequirements of the customer andshipped quickly.
Distribution: With Thordonbearings specified all around theworld, an extensive distributionnetwork has been established inover 70 countries. Inventories ofcommon bearing sizes are stockedby local Thordon Distributors andare backed up by large regionaland head office Thordon stocks.
Application Engineering:Thordon Bearing’s engineers workclosely with customers to provideinnovative bearing system designsthat meet or exceed the technicalrequirements of the application.
Manufacturing: Thordon’s modernpolymer processing facility isstaffed with experienced anddedicated employees. Bearings upto 2.2 m (86") in diameter havebeen supplied and bearings up to1.5 m (60") O.D. have beenmachined in-house.Quality: Thordon Bearings Inc. is aCanadian company manufacturing to ISO 9001:2000 Quality Systemrequirements. With over 30 yearsexperience in elastomeric bearingdesign, application engineering
and manufacturing, Thordonbearings are recognizedworldwide for both quality andperformance.
Research and Development:Thordon bearings are beingcontinuously tested by our BearingTest Facility. The Facility evaluatesnew designs and applicationsbefore they are put into service.Ongoing testing not only allows fordesign refinements, but ensuresquality and performance afterinstallation. Our polymer laboratoryevaluates new and modifiedpolymers in a continuing quest toimprove Thordon bearingperformance and search for newploymer bearing solutions. to ord.
CUSTOMER FOCUSED TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE NEEDS
ZERO POLLUTION | HIGH PERFORMANCE | BEARING SYSTEMS
