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VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

CRITICAL UNIT COMPONENTS:

Turbine runner

Generator rotor

Turbine shaft

Generator shaft

Thrust bearing

Turbine guide bearing

Generator guide bearing

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

WHY ALIGN??

BEARINGS

Thrust bearing

Turbine guide bearing

Generator guide bearing

ALIGN ROTATING TO

STATIONARY PARTS

Plumb the parts

Alignments equalize the

Load on the bearings

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

STEPS IN UNIT ALIGNMENT

Load the thrust bearing

Plumb the shafts

Stationary parts alignment

Rotation check

Center rotating parts

& adjust guide bearings

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

LOADING THRUST BEARING

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

Types of Thrust Bearings: 1. Spring bed

2. Self-equalizing

3. Compression tube

4. Jack Screw

THRUST BEARING SHOES EQUALIZED

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

TOP VIEW OF THRUST

BOTTOM VIEW OF THRUST

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

BOTTOM VIEW OF THRUST

1. Hydrostatic lift system

2. Center generator shaft during installation

3. Preload thrust bearing by jacking unit with

brake jacks to unload, then tighten screws

4. Electronic slug arc method for jack screw type

1 FT

~0.00028”

1 M

ILE

(5280 F

T)

PING PONG

BALL

1 FT

0.00025”

PLUMB TOLERANCE

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

“ROTATION CHECK”

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

1. Plumb center of rotation

2. Maintain a small “throw circle”, <L/D*0.002”

OLD METHOD

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

NEW METHODS

VSAT “Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

US Patent 7,111,407

Resulting from modern technology

•Inclinometers

•Prox-probes, etc

VSAT “Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

1. Use inclinometers instead of plumb wires

2. Use prox-probes instead of dial indicators

US Patent 7,111,407

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

VSAT “Vertical Shaft Alignment Tool”

THANK YOU

VERTICAL HYDRO UNIT ALIGNMENT

For more information:

1. HydroView Article on

VSAT, Sept. 2008, find in

Hydroworld.com

2. Google Patent : 7,111,407

3. Jeff Jones,

jjones@hpaec.com