Colfax develops bearing and lubrication cartridge for refinery cooling fans
Colfax’s Lubrication Systems Co.(LSC) business has developed a MistLock bearing and lubrication cartridge for air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs) used in refineries, power plants and petrochemical plants. ACHEs use fast-rotating fans to remove heat from process fluids and transfer it to the surrounding air.
“ACHEs have typically used grease to lubricate the bearings on the shaft that drives cooling fans,” said Jim Thibodeaux, vice president of sales and marketing at LSC. “But grease has several disadvantages. It can degrade at high temperatures, trap contaminants and not distribute properly on the surfaces that need it. The result can be failure of the shaft bearing system, requiring production downtime and costs for maintenance.”
MistLock overcomes the disadvantages of grease by supplying a clean, cool and continuous oil mist that evenly coats surfaces. Positive pressure in the cartridge prevents entry of external contaminants that could otherwise cause abrasive failure. Additionally, the MistLock bearing cartridge is designed to accommodate up to 20 degrees of axial and parallel misalignment of the shaft, which eliminates the need for shims. The bearing assembly is designed to allow axial thermal expansion of the shaft without restricting rotation.
MistLock has shown a significant increase in the median time between repairs compared to grease. “The average life of a grease bearing is about 2.5 years compared to our tests showing MistLock bearing life to be nearly 10 years,” said Mr. Thibodeaux.
LSC has installed MistLock units in three separate refineries located in North America. These units have been installed for eight months with evaluation showing little or no signs of wear, vibration or product degradation. LSC also plans to install a sealed motor capable of accepting Oil Mist this spring. This product combination, MistLock plus sealed motor, will enhance the MistLock product offering.
The MistLock products are manufactured in LSC’s Houston, Texas, manufacturing location.
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