September 1994                    

Turbo Research has solved vibration, bearing, and stress related problems for the power generation, oil, gas, and petrochemical industries since 1961. Over the years, Turbo Research has provided many services and specialized products for our customers, and each has had one thing in common - a substantial analytical engineering content. Our approach is simple - provide services and specialized products that will improve the operating reliability and availability of our clients’ production facilities. Proprietary "state-of-the-art" engineering and production tools permit Turbo Research to focus on eliminating high maintenance items, on repair or modifications to restore "breakdown" units to service rapidly, and on product improvement projects.

"Sliding Pressure" simply mans reducing boiler pressure in proportion to a reduction of MW generation. When "Power Wheeling" is fully effective, clearly those electrical generating units with the lowest cost will operate the most. Overall operating costs, efficiency, and/or ""eat rate"" as well as "turn down ratio" for each turbine-generator unit will be critical.

The "turn down ratio" is the ratio of maximum to minimum load. Those with high ratios are preferred because they can take a big swing from maximum load in the day to minimum load at night. Without coming off line.

"Sliding Pressure" for most sub-critical boilers is usually required to obtain the lowest minimum load a unit can achieve continuously and the maximum efficiency at that minimum load.

For fluid drive applications, a reduction of boiler pressure corresponds to a reduction of the output shaft speed/BFP shaft speed, resulting in increased heat, usually more than the amount for which the unit was designed, and often, high amplitude vibration.

Turbo Research, Inc. has proven solutions in hand for fully evaluating and resolving these issues for all sizes and types fo fluid drives, in BFP or other applications.

For certain units, during sliding pressure operation, new control valve opening patterns occur, leading to different "nozzle block" forces on the turbine rotors. TRI evaluates the changing rotor vibration conditions which result and makes recommendations, including the benefits provided by TRI Align-A-Pad ® bearings and other TRI products for reducing rotor vibration and bearing maintenance.

Call, fax or write for information on how the following TRI products and services can solve the problems on your maintenance list.

• Journal Bearings: Align-A-Pad®, Tilting Pad, & Fixed Bore.
• Thrust Bearings: Fully Equalizing & Semi-Equalizing
• Seals: Floating Ring & Labyrinth
• Oil Systems: Fluid Drives and Turbine Generators, New & Upgrades
• Fluid Drives: New - TRI Design, Rebuilds, Upgrades, Renewal Parts for Major Manufacturers’ Equipment
• Components and Impellers: Made by multi-axis CNC milling machines
• Consulting Services: Addressing all rotating machinery, emphasizing control of rotor vibrations and performance of journal and thrust bearings.