Quick repair puts turbine generator back to work
A 40 MW turbine generator was recently repaired on a fast-track schedule, with an undertaking to have the generator back in operation within three months.
The emergency repairs were required after the generator broke down, with damage including failed bearings on the generator train. All four bearings, as well as the rotor sealing elements were found to be damaged. On assessment, additional damage unrelated to the initial failure, was also discovered.
The damage included a crack on the high-pressure (HP) gland section of the main steam casing, while a second, unforeseen irregularity of a malfunction in the starting or auxiliary oil pump, was also discovered. Other irregularities included an incorrect bolt clearance on one of the HP palms, possibly due to a faulty installation.
Mechanical repair company ACTOM Turbo Machines repaired the damaged bearings and reconditioned a spare set of bearings. The sealing segments were replaced with new ones manufactured at the company’s Sasolburg works.
The company notes that the process of repairing the crack in the main steam casing took the team five days, working around the clock.
The repair of the starting oil pump was performed in only two days. This required the manufacture of a new shaft and the reconditioning of the mechanical seals.
Once operations resumed, vibration testing of the generator based at ArcelorMittal South Africa’s Vanderbijlpark Works, confirmed that its performance had significantly improved.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
For over 30 years, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
