Bearing segments with plastic lining: operating and maintenance experience

Summary

Bearing segments with plastic lining instead of the traditional babbitt lining has been used for decades in hydro  generator bearings. Plastic lined bearing segments are said to have a number of advantages compared to segments with babbitt lining. These advantages are often discussed and sometimes disagreed by some users. 
The purpose of this study is to get the operating and maintenance experience when having generator bearing segments with plastic lining.

The study used the survey methodology whereby members of Study Committee A1 and Working Group A1.21 were asked to obtain responses from hydro power plants owners and hydro generator suppliers in their own countries. A questionnaire containing questions about bearing type, type of plastic lining, if high pressure oil lubrication is used at  start/stop sequences, control marks for wear degree, purpose of using plastic lining instead of babbitt, operation experience, possibility to turn the unit by manpower after certain time of standstill was distributed to users.
The survey was limited to hydro generators with ratings greater than 10 MVA, vertical as well as horizontal units. For
vertical units it comprised guide bearings and thrust bearings, for horizontal units it comprised radial and axial bearings.

Additional informations

Authors

Aristidou

Keywords

rotating machines, rotating electrical machines, plastic lining, operating and maintenance