The power generation industry continues to evolve as operators balance long‑term baseload requirements with increasing demands for flexibility, efficiency, and reliability. As cleaner energy sources come into play, new machine designs require expert rotordynamic analysis and robust bearings with verified performance.
Power generation applications range from traditional utility and industrial facilities to mission‑critical installations such as data centers, where gas turbines are relied upon to provide continuous, dispatchable power under demanding operating conditions.
Waukesha Bearings delivers proven bearing solutions that help power producers, OEMs, and operators maintain reliable rotating equipment performance across this full spectrum of power generation needs.
Waukesha Bearings fluid film bearings and magnetic bearing systems are applied across a wide range of fossil‑fuel and nuclear power generation equipment: combustion turbines, steam turbines, turbo‑generators, and large rotating auxiliaries. This includes gas turbine applications supporting baseload, peaking, and high‑availability power generation, including facilities designed to support data centers and other mission‑critical loads.
As power generation applications evolve to deliver greater operational flexibility, Waukesha Bearings’ engineers work closely with OEMs and operators to ensure reliable performance across increasingly demanding duty cycles.
Waukesha Bearings is committed to the ongoing development of fluid film and magnetic bearing technologies. With a state-of-the-art Innovation Lab in Houston, TX, and advanced magnetic test rigs in Worthing, England, we have advanced testing and validation capabilities to support the development of bearing solutions required for higher utilization, elevated thermal loads, and increasingly demanding operating conditions seen in modern power generation.
Waukesha Bearings custom engineers tilt pad and fixed profile journal bearings to specific operating conditions. Expert application of specialized design features ensures our bearings transfer radial loads with minimum power loss and optimum dynamic characteristics.
Waukesha Bearings offers fixed profile thrust bearings for lightly loaded applications, and advanced tilting pad solutions for more demanding operating conditions. Tilt pad designs may be non-equalizing or self-equalizing, and patented design features can address industry-wide challenges such as axial vibration.
High-performance polymer materials, combined with an optimized bearing design, can allow continuous operation under high loads and temperatures, low-viscosity fluids and adverse conditions. Polymer materials have operating temperature capabilities of up to 250°C (482°F), compared to 130°C (266°F) for babbitt.
Control vibrations and shift critical speeds with ISFD® technology, an integral squeeze film damper. The ISFD design is an industry-leading vibration solution, providing highly engineered damping and stiffness.
For a power generation customer in Scandinavia, Doosan Škoda Power engineered a 46 MW steam turbine as part of a combined cycle system. When high subsynchronous vibrations forced a trip in turbine operation at just 27 MW versus the rated 46 MW, the ISFD design provided rotordynamic stability needed to achieve full power output.
Minimize power loss and increase load capacity with ‘Directed Lubrication’, an industry standard for improved bearing performance. ‘Directed Lubrication’ is available on tilt pad thrust and journal bearings.
Waukesha Bearings brush seals can minimize leakage gaps in compressors and increase operational efficiencies. The compliancy of a brush seal allows sealing clearances to be significantly reduced, while its low profile allows simple integration with labyrinth seals.
Waukesha Magnetic Bearings leads the industry in custom-engineered magnetic bearing systems for large turbomachinery and high-performing rotating equipment. Achieve high reliability and availability with active magnetic bearings that come standard with remote connectivity and the most advanced digital control systems.
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