Split spherical bearings save chemical plant €220,000 18 September 2013

By replacing a solid spherical roller bearing on an exhaust gas fan with a split spherical roller bearing, an unnamed chemical plant has saved €220,000, according to supplier Schaeffler.

The roller bearing, which had an outside diameter of 230mm, needed urgent replacement, but, whereas in the past, the maintenance team used In the past, if the bearings were worn similar solid bearings, this time it chose the split route.

In the past, such bearing replacements resulted in 14 hours of downtime, which cost around €280,000, including the cost of production downtime and labour for shaft alignment, crane hire etc.

By moving to the split spherical roller bearing, from Schaeffler, the chemical plant reduced downtime to just three hours, with overall costs of €60,000. Alignment, crane hire and a replacement bearing were not required.

Schaeffler makes the point that, as the dimensions of its solid and split spherical roller bearings are identical, the split versions can be mounted in the same space as their solid counterparts, including the adapter sleeve.

Typical applications include belt drives, paper machines, mixing and stirring plant, conveying equipment, roll mills, converters, crushers, rotary kilns, fans, ventilators, drive and transmission shafts.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Schaeffler (UK) Ltd

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