The Application
A small oil reservoir supplies lubricating oil to the guide and thrust bearings of large turbines at hydroelectric generating facilities.
The Problem
Turbines require a constant supply of lubricating oil to their bearings. Monitoring for low oil level in the feed reservoir is critical to prevent the guide and thrust bearings from burning out. In some installations, the oil is water-cooled. If a cooling tube bursts, the reservoir can fill with water, again causing damage to the bearings. Floats, traditionally used for this measurement, required excessive maintenance to keep them from hanging up.
The Solution
Drexelbrook installs
ultrasonic gap switches in the reservoir to monitor the oil level ensuring a constant supply of lubricating oil. We also supplied dual point gap switches to monitor both low oil level and a high level point. The high-level alarm point indicates that a water-cooling tube has burst, flooding the reservoir with water.
Benefits
· Ensure constant supply of lubricating oil to bearings.
· High-level alarm indicates cooling tube burst.
· Reduces unscheduled downtime.
· No calibration required.
· No routine maintenance required. No moving parts to wear out or hang up.
*Consult factory for higher temperature or pressure.
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