Cooling Tower: Simple Considerations for Fan Shaft Bearing Lubrication
Posted on: 13 January 2017
The cooling tower is designed and manufactured to provide long-term heat rejection services in commercial and industrial setups. However, the device is not everlasting or infallible. If it is neglected throughout the year, it will decline in terms of performance. Moreover, the internal components might degrade significantly, and this will lead to accelerated damage or premature failure. Therefore, you should ensure that proper maintenance is performed.
One of the critical servicing maintenance aspects which you should consider for your cooling tower is fan shaft bearing lubrication. Generally, these bearings are critical in facilitating the movement of the fans in the cooling device. These fans will force air to flow efficiently through the tower for better cooling performance. Unfortunately, the bearings can degrade due to the harsh environment. Here are lubrication considerations to help you promote fan shaft bearing functionality.
Lubrication Schedule
You should create a stringent schedule on lubricating the ball bearings in the cooling tower's fan shafts. Ideally, you should ensure that these components are properly greased before your seasonal shutdown and when you are ready to start the device again after the shutdown. This process will ensure that the bearings are purged of contaminants which could cause corrosion and general degradation of the fans haft. In addition, make certain that your products are lubricated during the normal working seasons, according to the recommendations made by the manufacturer.
Greasing Process
There are different methods through which you can have the fan shaft bearings lubricated. The method used can determine the effectiveness of this maintenance process and the frequency of regulation. Therefore, discuss the viable options with your cooling tower maintenance services provider. In ideal circumstances, the bearings should be lubricated manually with a hand grease gun. Basically, this tool is used to add grease slowly into the component. This will purge the old oil material and a fresh bead of the grease will form at the seal. Where this is not possible, splash and oil mist lubrication can be utilised.
Lubricant Selection
There are numerous bearing lubricants in the market to consider for your cooling tower's fan shaft. In general, you can use any quality grease which is compatible with the type used by the manufacturer or assembly factory. The most favourable lubricant choice is polyurea combined with industrial grade mineral oil. However, you can also use lithium grease complex mixed with PAO base oil. If you are uncertain about the right brand or type for your cooling tower, make an inquiry from your maintenance services technician.
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