g Chapter 15

KALBA Operation Manual Bearings

Bearings

Table of Contents

15.1 Thrust Bearings Tilting Pad (No. 1 Bearing)............................................................2

15.1.1 Introduction.................................................................................................2

15.1.2 Description..................................................................................................4
15.1.2.1 General........................................................................................4

15.2 Thrust Bearing - Taper-land (No.1 Bearing) ..........................................................10

15.2.1 General.....................................................................................................10

15.2.2 Description................................................................................................10
15.2.2.1 General......................................................................................10

15.2.3 Taper-land Thrust Bearings ......................................................................11

15.3 Journal Bearings elliptical (No.1 and 2 Bearings)..................................................14

15.3.1 Introduction...............................................................................................14

15.3.2 Description................................................................................................15

15.3.3 Lubrication ................................................................................................16

15.4 Bearings Installed..................................................................................................17

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15.1 Thrust Bearings Tilting Pad (No. 1 Bearing)

15.1.1 Introduction
The thrust-bearing unit is made up of the shaft member, called the "thrust runner", and
the stationary member, called the "bearing".
Thrust bearings are provided to support the thrust loads developed on the rotor sur-
faces of a gas turbine unit. The thrust load imposed on such a bearing is the algebraic
sum of the forces that act on the rotor assembly in a direction along a rotor axis.
For example, the thrust forces of an axial flow type compressor, such as is used in
GE Energy Products GmbH, are only partially compensated for by the anti-thrust load
will tend to move the rotor assembly in a direction opposite to that of the air flow
through the compressor.
During normal operation of a gas turbine unit, the thrust load of a rotor assembly is uni-
directional; however, during start-up and shutdown of the unit, the direction of the thrust
load will generally reverse. Thus, two thrust bearings are assembled on a rotor assem-
bly shaft in order to support the thrust loads imposed in either direction.
The bearing which takes the thrust load during normal operation is called the "active" or
"loaded" thrust bearing, and that which takes the thrust load during start-up or shut-
down of the unit, is called the "inactive" or "unloaded" thrust bearing.

Figure 151 Tilting Pad Equalizing Thrust Bearing

Tilting pad equalizing type thrust bearings are commonly employed as "loaded" thrust
bearings in GE Energy Products GmbH.
This type of bearing is capable of sustaining high loads and is very tolerant of shaft and
housing misalignment. A tilting pad equalizing type thrust bearing is shown in Figure
15-1.
A typical outline and section are shown in Figure 15-11.

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Tilting pad non-equalizing type thrust bearings are used for the "inactive" or "unloaded"
application. This type of bearing is capable of carrying high thrust loads but is less tol-
erant of misalignment than the tilting pad equalizing type.
A typical bearing is shown in Figure 15-2.

4
5

1. Pad 4. Seat for pad support

2. Oil control plate 5. Pad support
3. Base ring
Figure 15-2 Tilting Pad Non-equalizing Thrust Bearing (No.1 Bearing)

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15.1.2 Description

15.1.2.1 General
The principal parts of the tilting pad equalizing thrust bearing include the rotating "col-
lar" or "thrust runner" which is an integral part of the rotor shaft; the stationary pivoted
segments or bearing members called "pads"; two rows of hardened steel equalizing
levers, called "leveling plates"; and the supporting member, called the "base ring".
Typical pads, leveling plates, and the base ring are shown on Figure 15-3, 15-4, 15-5,
15-6.

1 2

1. Babitted bearing surface 2. Pad support

Figure 15-3 Pads

1. Lower leveling plate showing 2. Upper leveling plate showing

dowel hole set-screw hole
Figure 15-4 Leveling plates

The tilting pad non-equalizing types of thrust bearing is similar in all respects to the
equalizing types, except for the "leveling plates" which are not a part of the design.
The pads and the leveling plates are assembled in the base ring and the complete as-
semblage is supported in a bearing housing which is secured to the main turbine struc-
ture. Both the bearing and the housing are keyed in place to prevent rotation. A typical
bearing assembly with a tilting pad thrust bearing installed is shown in Figure 15-7.

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15.1.2.1.1 Pads
The bearing pad is shaped like the sector of a ring. Its bearing surface is faced with
babbitt and each pad has a hardened steel button, called a "pad support", set into its
back which allows the pad to tilt slightly in any direction on its leveling plate.

4 5

1 2 3 6

1. Holes for fastening oil-control plates 4. Upper leveling-plate set-screw hole

2. Bearing pad space 5. Base ring key
3. Lube oil passages 6. Lower leveling-plate dowels

Figure 15-5 Base ring

1
2

3
8
7 4
6 5

1. Pad 5. Lower leveling plate

2. Oil control plate 6. Pad support
3. Base ring 7. Upper leveling plate screw
4. Upper leveling plate 8. Base ring key

Figure 15-6 A base ring with several pads removed showing leveling plates
and oil control plates

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15.1.2.1.2 Leveling Plates

The leveling plates are in effect short levers with center fulcrums. Their function is to
align the bearing pads with the thrust runner and to equalize the load amongst the
pads despite possible slight misalignment of the shaft axis from the normal, a condition
that might result from small deflections in the turbine structure during operation.
The leveling plates are located in the base ring by dowels or screws such that the
plates are free to tilt on their fulcrums. The arrangement of the leveling plates with re-
spect to the pads and the base ring is shown on Figure 15-8. It can be seen by refer-
ring to Figure 8 that the load transmitted by the thrust runner to any one pad causes
that pad to press against the upper leveling plate immediately behind it.
Each leveling plate, in turn, is supported upon one edge of each of the two adjacent
lower leveling plates, the other edges of which take part in supporting the next upper
leveling plates on either side.
As a result of this arrangement, any incipient excess of thrust on one pad is immedi-
ately shared, through the interaction of the leveling plates, by the adjacent pads, and
this interaction and load sharing is distributed all around the circle so that all the pads
automatically receive equal loading.
The tilting pad non-equalizing type thrust bearing does not contain leveling plates and
as a result is much thinner in the axial dimension.

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15.1.2.1.3 Base Ring

The base ring provides the support for all the parts of the bearing assembly and keeps
the parts in their proper location.
In some bearing applications, the base ring is specially designed to contain the oil flow
around the pads and thrust runner and prevent flooding of adjacent compartments.
Such a base ring is shown in Figure 15-9.
This base ring incorporates a tooth which surrounds the thrust runner on the shaft and
helps to contain the oil flow within the bearing. In other applications, a base ring such
as the one shown in Figure 15-5 is used.
A thrust bearing with this type of base ring would be installed in a bearing housing
which would incorporate the necessary oil baffles or other devices to assure proper oil
flow around the bearing and prevent excessive leakage along the shaft where such
leakage would be objectionable. See Figure 15-7.

1. Oil seal and oil baffle assembly 4. Taper-land thrust bearing

2. Journal bearing (unloaded)
3. Tilting-pad equalizing thrust bearing (loaded) 5. Oil seal assembly

Figure 15-7 Typical bearing assembly with tilting-pad equalizing thrust bearing installed.

15.1.2.1.4 Oil Control Plates

Oil control plates (see Figs. 15-6 + 15-9) are used on tilting pad thrust bearings to di-
rect the flow of lubricating oil to the pads and to prevent excessive leakage of oil out-
ward away from the pads.
The oil control plates are bronze or steel segments which are placed between the pads
and attached at both ends to the base ring.

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Lubrication:
The tilting pad thrust bearing is classified as a hydro-dynamically lubricated bearing
which means that the bearing surfaces are separated from the thrust runner by a thin
film of lubricating oil which is formed and maintained by the relative motion of the bear-
ing surfaces.
This oil film supports the thrust load and prevents metal-to-metal contact of the bearing
surfaces. In addition to acting as a load-supporting medium, the oil also serves to carry
away the heat generated by the shearing action in the oil film.

Collar
Pad

Leveling plates Base ring

Figure 15-8 Schematic Diagram Showing Arrangement Of Equalizing Means

The pads of a tilting pad thrust bearing are free to assume the position which will pro-
vide for the optimum wedge-shaped oil film required by each different combination of
load, speed oil viscosity and temperature to which the bearing is subjected.
The tilting pad thrust bearing is lubricated by oil which is admitted under pressure
through ports in the bearing housing to an annulus behind the base ring.
The lube oil then flows through ports in the base ring to the thrust bearing cavity where it
is picked up by the rotating thrust runner and carried around the entire bearing surface.
Oil circulation through the tilting pad thrust bearing is assisted by the natural pumping
action of the rotating thrust collar. Oil leaves the bearing at the outer periphery of the
pads and thrust collar where it is gathered in a large annular cavity and drained. The
drain annulus and exit ports are cast or machined into the bearing housing.
On some tilting pad thrust bearings a hole is drilled through the base ring close to the
bearing pads and lubricating oil is ported to an oil sight flow drain where an external
check as to whether oil is flowing through the bearing can be made.

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5
3
4

8 6

2 1 7

1. Lower leveling plate 5. Oil-control plate

2. Base ring 6. Upper leveling plate
3. Tooth 7. Pad
4. Pad, babbitt surface 8. Pad support

Figure 15-9 Tilting-pad equalizing thrust bearing half with oil-control plates
(one pad removed)

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15.2 Thrust Bearing - Taper-land (No.1 Bearing)

15.2.1 General
The taper-land thrust bearing discussed is the type of thrust bearing used in GE Energy
Products Europe gas turbines. The taper-land thrust bearing may be used for either the
loaded or the unloaded thrust bearing.
This bearing is classified as a hydro-dynamically lubricated bearing which means that
the bearing surfaces are separated from the thrust collar by a relatively thin film of lu-
bricating oil which is formed and maintained by the relative motion of the bearing sur-
faces.
This oil film supports the thrust load and prevents metal-to-metal contact of the bearing
surfaces. In addition to acting as a load-supporting medium, the oil also serves to carry
away the heat generated by the shearing action in the oil film.
Figure 15-10 shows the taper-land thrust bearing installed in typical combination jour-
nal and thrust bearing assemblies as used in GE Energy Products Europe gas turbine
units.

15.2.2 Description

15.2.2.1 General
Thrust bearings are supported in a bearing housing, which is in turn supported by the
main turbine structure. As shown in Figure 15-10, the housing may support several
other bearing assembly components.
The bearing housing is split on the horizontal plane to facilitate inspection, mainte-
nance, assembly and disassembly of the bearing unit. The thrust bearing is split simi-
larly, and each half is bolted to one half of the housing. The housing contains oil pas-
sages which provide for lubrication of the bearing assembly components, and it may
also contain air passages where sealing air is required for oil seals.
The bearing housing is keyed in place to prevent the assembly from rotating with the
rotor shaft. Bearing housings, used to support taper-land thrust bearings, are provided
with some means for aligning the thrust bearing with the thrust collar at assembly, such
as a ball seat.

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15.2.3 Taper-land Thrust Bearings

The taper-land thrust bearing consists of a steel ring faced with babbitt. The bearing
derives its name from the fact that the bearing surface is divided by radial oil grooves
into a number of individual pads, each surface of which is tapered.
A portion of the surface near the trailing edge of the pad is generally left untapered.
The radial oil grooves do not fully extend to the outer periphery of the bearing, but in-
stead, are partially blocked to prevent the bearing from being starved of lubricating oil
under the action of the high centrifugal forces generated by the high shaft speed of a
gas turbine rotor assembly.

1. Tilting pad 4. Taper-land thrust bearing

2. Bearing housing 5. Oil seal
3. Journal bearing 6. Oil baffle

Figure 15-10 Bearing assembly showing taper-land thrust bearing in place

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Figure 15-11 Taper-land thrust bearing installed in bearing housing

Figure 15-12 Cutting the taper on a taper-land thrust bearing

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Figure 15-13 Taper-land thrust bearing

1. Two parallels arranged on surface 2. Dial indicator clamped to vernier height

plate to support bearing at convenient gage
height for accurately checking land ta-
per

Figure 15-14 Checking taper on taper-land thrust bearing

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15.3 Journal Bearings elliptical (No.1 and 2 Bearings)

15.3.1 Introduction
Elliptical bearings are one of the two types of journal bearings used in GE Energy
Products GmbH gas turbines. These bearings are characterized by their non-cylindrical
bores, and are designed to improve the stability of the shafts at high speeds.
In the design of these bearings, convergent clearance regions exist even at a concen-
tric shaft position, and the convergence increases with an increase in shaft eccentricity.
This convergence creates high-pressure regions which, in effect, puts an additional
load on the bearing - a factor which tends to improve the shaft stability. The extra
clearance space, as compared with a cylindrical bearing of a diameter equal to the in-
scribed circle in these bearings, increases the oil flow and also often reduces the power
losses, resulting in lower temperature rises in the bearing.
Figure 15-15 shows the elliptical journal bearing installed in bearing assemblies as
used in GE Energy Products GmbH gas turbine units.

1 2 4 3 5 6

1.Oil baffle 4.Bearing housing

2.Journal bearing 5.Taper-land thrust bearing
3.Tilting-pad thrust bearing 6.Oil seal

Figure 15-15 A bearing assembly with the bottom lobe of the elliptical journal bearing
and bottom halves of the thrust bearings installed

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15.3.2 Description
The elliptical bearing is made up of two cylindrical halves brought together so that their
centers are displaced several my from the bearing center. It is manufactured by plac-
ing shims at the horizontal split and then machining a cylindrical bore. The shims are
then removed and the two halves are brought together to form the elliptical bearing.

RL
d
d
RL
RC

Figure 15-16 Schematic Diagram of Elliptical Bearing

RL is the radius of each lobe.

RC is the radius of the inscribed circle.
d is the distance at which the center of each lobe arc is displaced from the center of
the inscribed circle.

Figure 15-17 Typical elliptical journal bearing lobes

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The outside surface of the bearings is machined without shims so that the outside sur-
face will be cylindrical.
After the bearing is bored, the inside surface of each lobe is lined with babbitt and the
bearing is remachined with the shims in place to give the desired inside dimensions.
The housing provides passages for admitting lubricating oil to the bearing and locates
the bearing lobes both axially and radially with respect to the shaft.
The bearing lobes and housing are keyed to prevent rotation. To facilitate disassembly
of the parts, the bearing housing is split on the horizontal plane.

15.3.3 Lubrication
The bearings are pressure lubricated. Lubricating oil is admitted through ports in the
bearing housing to the annular space around the outside of the bearing lobes.
The oil passes through grooves, machined between the matching edges of the lobe
segments, to the inside surface of the bearing where a wedge-shaped oil film is formed
between the journal and bearing lobe, thus providing hydrodynamic lubrication of the
bearing.

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15.4 Bearings Installed

Bearing No. 1
Type Journal and Thrust Bearings
Bearing - Journal - Elliptical
- Thrust: Taper-Land Unloaded (non-equalizing)
- Thrust: Kingsbury loaded (equalizing)

Bearing No. 2
Type : Journal Bearing
Bearing: Elliptical

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