The power generation industry faces significant change as the world turns its attention to clean energy sources. New machine designs require expert rotordynamic analysis and robust bearings with verified performance. Meanwhile, traditional power gen facilities must continue to improve operational flexibility and address power-density requirements, environmental impact and fuel costs.
With our extensive application experience, expertise in rotor-bearing system optimization, and ongoing research & development, Waukesha Bearings delivers highly reliable, high-performing bearing solutions to meet the challenges of power generation, today and well into the future.
Waukesha Bearings hydrodynamic fluid film bearings and magnetic bearing systems can be found in a wide variety of fossil-fuel and nuclear applications – combustion turbines, steam turbines, reactor coolant pumps, boiler feedwater pumps, nuclear ancillary blowers, and turbo-generators, to name a few.
As applications evolve to accommodate requirements for combined cycle plants, responsiveness to grid demands and hydrogen blend gases, Waukesha Bearings engineers partner with OEMs to ensure ongoing success.
Only Waukesha Bearings has the breadth of bearing, damper and seal technologies to meet the increasingly complex demands of the industry.
Waukesha Bearings is committed to the ongoing development of fluid film and magnetic bearing technologies. With a brand-new Innovation Lab in Houston and advanced magnetic bearing test rigs in Worthing, England, we have unparalleled capabilities to test and validate new products and processes under real-life conditions; provide field analysis and upgrade solutions; and develop next generation technologies.
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.
© 2021 Waukesha Bearings. All Rights Reserved.
