Split roller bearings chosen for refurbished icebreaker 25 July 2012

Split roller bearings from Revolvo have were specified as part of the diesel electric propulsion system for a refurbished icebreaker recently re-engined in the Ukraine.

According to the company, they were chosen for their ability to be quickly changed-out in-situ, preventing unplanned layovers or dry docking in service.

The SRB split bearing design, which is split to the shaft, allows easy installation and replacement – claimed to be up to 90% faster than the solid roller bearings typically used on marine drive propulsion systems.

In this application, the bearings are being used to support the intermediate shaft between the icebreakers diesel engines and the generator units.

In contrast to conventional vessels with fore- or midships-mounted main engines, and long propulsion shafts connected via couplings to propellers, the diesel-electric propulsion system uses several medium-speed diesel engines to drive generator units that, in turn, provide electrical power for the vessel's propeller driven electric motors.

The split bearing allows the shaft to be supported by the lower section of the bearing, while the upper section can be removed, allowing simple inspection or servicing, without drive or shaft removal.

This design is valuable, especially on large machines, where sheer weight and size can be a barrier to fast and effective servicing. It also allows for faster bearing replacement, which can save continuous-type applications, such as marine propulsion systems, considerable costly downtime.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Revolvo Ltd

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