International Journal of Mechanical and Production

Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD)

ISSN 2249-6890
Vol. 3, Issue 2, Jun 2013, 99-104
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

FAILURE ANALYSIS OF GEAR SHAFT OF ROTARY WAGON TIPPLER IN THERMAL

POWER PLANT- A THEORITICAL REVIEW

ABHILEKH-PAL
M.E. Material Handling, Madhav Institute of Technology and Science Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT

A wagon tipplers are used for unloading of coal from the railway wagon in the coal based thermal power plant.
Thermal power plants are stratified with coal supply continuously for long hours of run. To handle this operation of
unloading is of keen concern and this should be processed and handle very effectively and efficiently as the weight of coal
in railway wagon range is approx to 32 tones which cant be handled by common worker or unloading equipments. This
paper represents the failure based maintenance on the gear shaft of the wagon tippler used at a rate of 14 to 15 coal car per
hours.

This paper also suggests the critical concept of maintenance policy and strategy for such sophisticated material
handling equipments thereby lowering the maintenance cost and ideal time of breakdown maintenance and some
significant benefits.

KEYWORDS: Coal Based Thermal Power Plant, Failure Based Maintenance, Maintenance Policy and Strategy,
Breakdown Maintenance

INTRODUCTION

Coal handling system in thermal power plant, usually means the technique or the procedure by which conveying
of coal from loading and unloading outside the factory to boiler, coal storage is possible. Because of the large number of
machinery and equipment involved, we can sort as we used it, the important part includes unloading coal, coal yard,
transport and accessory equipment, are collectively called coal handling mechanical. An effective handling system which
can work coordinating with project is wagon tippler, tippler is the best for unloading the coal and it has the cheapest
handling system with low maintenance and contains large quantity at a time.

Figure 1: Wagon Tippler

Wagon tipplers are use to unload the wagons carrying bulk materials such as coal in thermal power plants as
shown in Figure 1. The rotary type wagon tippler is used to dump coal from wagons. The wagons are placed in the barrel
for unloading the coal and wagon are hold by clamp. By rotating the barrel the wagon are unloaded.
100 Abhilekh-Pal

In coal handling plant generally there are two types of wagon tippler. They are known as rotary type and rota type.
The main difference between the both tipplers is that the rotary tippler is having floating barrel and rota type tippler turns
between two bearings.

The wagon tippler consists of following main components as shown in Figure 2.

Cradle

The cradle is a frame of table, comprising two main girders, braced together. Both the rails would be fitted on the
two main girders. When tippler is in the down position the cradle rest on the two cup & cones and two roller connecting
two stools located on the concrete pedestals or two beam located on the top of the weighing machine(if supplied) and it is
isolated from any other form of support in order to ensure correct weighing.

The cradle is pivoted in the slotted bearing, attached to toes by hinge pivot. These pivots are positioned-off centre
to the rail track to ensure the tilting tendency in order to bring the wagon against the side bolster during the initial part of
the operating cycle. The cradle has an adequate walkway on it. Sections of checkrails are provided inside the rail gauge to
restrict the wagon wheels in the tipped positions.

End Rings

A pair of end rings with gear sectors mounted on the periphery will be driven by two pinions fixed on the line
shaft driven through a suitable drive unit. Each of end rings is trunnion mounted for the purpose of rotation. These end
rings are built in the form of semi circle by a suitably designed plate structure.

The centre of the end rings is reinforced to carry the trunnion shafts; each of these shafts in turn is supported on
pivot bearing resting on foundations. On each ring is attached an arm known as toe that carries the slotted bearing and
support the cradle and bearing during operation. Part of end ring is filled with concrete to provide the counter weight. This
counter weight reduces the amount of work required during the tipping on the wagon.

Side Beam

This box section girder is fixed at its end on the face of the end rings. It carries the side bolster cushions against
which the side of the wagon rests during tipping.

Behind this beam assembly are the spill plates designed to facilitate the discharge of the contents of the wagons
without spillage.

Top Clamp Assembly

The wagon tippler is equipped with four hydraulically-operated steel clamping arms moving through the hydraulic
cylinder. All the clamps are designed to more into position as the wagon tippler begins to rotate, and they clamp on the top
of the wagon at a pre-determined angle and hold the wagon firmly until it returns to its normal resting position, when the
clamps release the wagon. The clamping system is designed so that it can clamp both the maximum and the minimum
height of the wagon being tipped. The clamping system is capable of holding a fully loaded wagon at any position during
the operation.

Drive Unit

The drive unit is either electromechanical or hydraulic. The electromechanical drive consists of an electric motor
coupled with a speed reduction gear box and brake mounted on the input shaft of the gear box. A hydraulic drive consists
Failure Analysis of Gear Shaft of Rotary Wagon Tippler in Thermal Power Plant- A Theoritical Review 101

of a power pack with electric motor and a hydraulic motor coupled with a helical gear box. The brake is built into the
hydraulic motor, and an external hydraulic thruster brake is mounted on the input shaft of the gear box.

Figure 2: Exploded View of Wagon Tippler

WORKING PRINCIPLE

In the tippling operation, loaded wagon is placed on the wagon tippler platform and wagon tippler rotation starts.
The clamping system holds the wagon in place as its rotated. The clamping system is having four vertical clamps, which
are operated by oil pressure and clamps holds the wagon from the top. In the process of discharge, rotation is start from 40
and continues up to max angle of 150, so as to discharge the material into the hopper. After process of discharge, the
return cycle starts and the empty wagon with platform comes to the rest position.

SOURCES OF WEAR AND TEAR FOR ORIGINATING FAILURE

Wear and tear is a very vital parameter of the rotary and stationary parts. The surface finish parameter is always
taken into due considerations for calculations of wear and tear (tribology) phenomena. Generally the effective points of
origin of wear and tear are tippler drive shaft, fluid coupling, gear coupling and lastly the over run. Due to excessive
working and open assembly, the dirt and unwanted minute particles enter between the bearing and shaft interface which
later on rubs and wears the adjacent part.

TYPES OF FAILURE OBESERVED

In the wagon tippler during the unloading of wagons it is to be found that some time due to excessive load the
gear shaft bends and misaligned with the bearing which may cause failure in terms of removal of material either from
bearing or from shaft.

Sometimes after a long run of meshed gear may generate backlash or due to jerky actions, the gear tooth may also
deforms resulting slip ages in the gear for turning the unloading of wagon.

Due to these factors sometimes whining and clunking sounds appears which represents the wear and tear between
the two components rotating and stationary.

The failures observed in the gear shaft as shown in Figure 3 may due to misalignment bending, producing the
bending stresses in the wagons. As the gear shaft is rotating it impinges the same twisting moment on the gear body
providing the axial and tangential forces on the gears to rotate the pinion gears.
102 Abhilekh-Pal

Figure 3: Misalignment of Shaft

The shaft failed between gear drive side bearing and coupling, and also rubbing on the seat of drive bearing. There
are three probable reasons for failure of the gear shaft.

Failure due to high cyclic loading.

Failure due to poor material quality.

Failure due to high centrifugal force.

REMEDIAL ACTS AND MAINTENANCE

Remedies are the locus of avoiding wear and tear in the different components of the wagon tippler assembly,
which causes the wear and tear. For the tippler drive shaft lubrications of wagon tipper is done by the recommended oil and
grease at frequent and regular intervals the part description with number of lubricating points are explained in Table 1.

Table 1: Parts for Maintenance of Wagon Tippler

No. of Lubricating
Part Description
Points
Line Shaft Bearing 8
Cradle Pin Bearing 2
Cradle Roller Bearing 2
Transfer Beam Hinge 6
Calm Arm Guide Plate 16

These grease nipples should be carefully cleaned before lubricant is applied to prevent the penetration of dirt into
the bearings.

All lubrications pipes should be periodically checked to make certain that they have not been disconnected,
broken or dented in order to ensure that the grease actually penetrates to the bearing.

The gear type couplings at the output shaft of gear box and at the line shaft should be inspected at the three
monthly intervals for security of bolts and grease filling. Grease periodically the teeth of the spur gears at the limit switch
drives on the drive unit.
Failure Analysis of Gear Shaft of Rotary Wagon Tippler in Thermal Power Plant- A Theoritical Review 103

The helical gearbox unit must be filled with the gears stationary. The unit is to be designed to run at a maximum
temperature rise of 100F, above the ambient up to a maximum running temperature of 200F.

Fluid Coupling

The fluid coupling is fitted on the drive unit between the motor and helical reduction unit. It should be filled with
mineral oil of low viscosity to the correct filling angle. Great care should be taken so that a mixture of oils is never used
and oil of a different grade to that in the fluid coupling is never added.

The recommended filling angle enclosed between a vertical radius and a radius going through the filling plug is
40F. This should be such that the coupling will transmit the power, without slipping unduly.

Gear Coupling

Gear type coupling should be inspected externally at three monthly intervals for security of bolts and grease
should be added. The coupling should be re-lubricated after every six months with recommended grade of lubricant.

Weighing Machine

The weighing machine should be designed to ensure the necessary accuracy over long periods with a minimum of
attention. To ensure correct weighing when the tippler is in down positions, the cradle should rest on the landing beams on
top of the weighed load cells and it should be isolated from anything else in particular around its walkways and at the hinge
pins.

Over Run

If at any time the raise or lower ultimate switches operate, it is essential that the tippler be immediately inspected
electrically and mechanically. This inspection must include the brake because an over-run may have resulted from its wear
or improper adjustment.

Since the over-run limit switches do not operate under the normal conditions, a danger exists that, over a longer
period of time, a mechanical or electrical fault may develop and it may remain undetected. Therefore, it is recommended to
test the mechanical and electrical operation of these switches at least at three months intervals. The mechanical check
should include the security of connections of all components of the switch assembly drive, and electrically a competent
engineer should be able to operate the tripping camp of each contact pad (and to reset it after the test) without the necessity
of over running the tippler.

The over-run limit switches should always be adjusted to operate as close as practically possible after the
operation of the working limit switches.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The following Table 2 represents the outcome of the paper which is expressed in terms of the life of the bearing,
gear shaft and other counter parts of the wagon tippler.

Table 2: Comparative Studies of Result

Working Cycle
Component With Without
Lubrication/Oil Lubrication/Oil
Gear Shaft 25000 hrs. 48 hrs.
Bearing 35000 hrs. 40 hrs.
104 Abhilekh-Pal

As we find after the proper and adequate lubrications will enrich the life cycle of the whole system/assembly the
work rigorously.

CONCLUSIONS

This work investigates the life of gear shaft of wagon tippler under maintenance and un-maintenance condition.
Gear shaft being a very crucial part of the wagon tippler for the unloading of the railway wagons in the coal based power
plant. The gear shaft work under very high loads hence proper maintenance is required at a very high frequency in order to
maintain the proper lubrication and avoiding all the above explained problems. Providing proper lubrication and oiling
could make the shaft to work for almost three years i.e. 25000 hrs of life. This could also help to enhance the productivity
and to lower the running cost.

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