Bearing Maintenance Practices to Ensure Maximum Bearing Life

摘要

Reliability of centrifugal pumps is heavilyrndependent on bearing reliability. The bearingsrnthat support the impeller shaft are complexrnmachine components whose service life isrndirectly affected by:rn1.Contamination (both particulate andrnwater)rn2.Lubrication method and lubricant typern3.Mounting and dismounting techniquesrn4.Selection of componentsrn5.Control of inactive bearing rollingrnelementsrn6.Proper housing support and alignmentrnIn addition, there are major risks to bearingsrnfrom unexpected loading conditions as well asrnexposure to vibration while idle. The effects ofrnthese conditions and how to avoid the risks needrnto be considered in order to maximize servicernlife.rnLastly, condition monitoring is an excellent wayrnto maintain awareness of the health of bearings.rnHowever, even the best condition monitoringrntools and techniques are of little value if notrnimplemented and interpreted correctly.