Fluid Drives and Fluid Couplings

Fluid drives and fluid couplings are hydrodynamic devices that transmits rotational power. There are 4 main components of a fluid coupling: The housing, the input element (including the impeller), the output element (including the runner) and the oil. The housing contains the oil and the rotating mechanical components. The input element connects to the driving equipment like a motor or a turbine. Inside the coupling or fluid drive is an impeller. The impeller drives. The output element connects to the driven equipment such as a pump or fan. Inside the coupling is a runner. Between the input and output elements is oil. Kinetic energy is added to the oil when input element rotates. This energy is smoothly transferred to the output element and the driven equipment.

TRI Align-A-Pad® Bearings

The TRI Align-A-Pad® tilting pad journal bearings are state of the art. The heavy duty operating performance characteristics result from advanced design detail and careful selection of materials. The Align-A-Pad tilt pad bearings are designed for ease of installation, alignment, and maintenance by customers' in-house personnel.

 The design details which make the Align-A-Pad journal bearings so successful are the direct result of many years of analytical, diagnostic and in-place optimization efforts by Turbo Research in its consulting work with turbomachinery users around the world.

Steady Rest Bearings (extension shaft bearings)

Many turbines have long extension shafts, often approximately 6 feet long or longer, that are attached to the HP Turbine rotor and extend through the front standard.  In almost all cases, the overspeed bolt and the main oil pump are mounted on this shaft, and in some cases, the thrust bearing runner is included as well. 

Fan Bearings

Babbitted bearings for industrial and large utility fans have been made from very crude to very sophisticated designs and materials.

Crude, low cost bearing design frequently lead to trouble. TRI refurbishes and improves existing fan bearings for better performance, or when it is appropriate, manufactures new bearings with pressure fed lubrication systems.

Generator Bearings

TRI designs and manufactures large generator bearings. Our bearing designs account for the geometry of generator rotors and the magnetic forces that act on them. TRI uses proprietary software to analyze existing bearing designs and makes recommendations that improve reliability and operating range.

Turbine Bearings

There are many factors that have to be addressed in the design of bearings for high-speed (3600 rpm) turbine rotors for Steam Turbine-Generators.  Among these factors are the following: Vertical forces from rotor weights and vertical misalignments across couplings; Lateral forces on the High-Pressure turbine rotors from steam emanating from the entrance nozzles from the "Nozzle Block"; temperatures of the journals, temperatures of the housings surrounding the bearings, and even the temperature distribution throughout the foundation for a turbine-generator. 

Lube Oil Systems

Fluid drives and bearings require dependable oil systems. The lube oil systems are critical components that can shut down plants for weeks or even months if they fail. The cost of unscheduled maintenance outages greatly exceeds the cost of lube oil systems.

TRI has been in the business of providing equipment for bearings and fluid drives for over 40 years. We understand that what is required for reliable systems with redundant backups. Consequently, TRI has provided many customers over the years with new or improved oil systems.

Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings

 What type of bearings does TRI work on?

Bearings are used to reduce the friction in moving components. There are linear bearings, journal bearing and thrust bearings. A journal is the part of the shaft that turns inside the bearing. A journal bearing supports a shaft so that it may rotate freely. A thrust bearing is used to resist the axial movement of the shaft.

Pump Bearings

 Boiler Feed Pump Bearings

Boiler feed pumps are a critical components. A good bearing system will reduce vibrations in the pump and keep a unit running even in adverse conditions. There are many aspects to a good bearing design for pumps. TRI has experience with bearings, pumps and many other types of rotating equipment.

Weather you are dealing with bearing damage or pump vibration issues, TRI has a an experienced engineering staff that can analyze your system, recommend and refurbish bearing improvements or design a better pump bearing systems.

TRI Manufactured Seals

Babbitted Seals, Labyrinth Seals and Floating Seal Rings

TRI Manufactures Babbitted seals for rotating equipment. Our seals have steel backing and precision machine Babbit bores. We have both standard sizes and custom designs. Our designs can come with custom labyrinth teeth configurations, anti-rotation pins and width customized to your application. Our seals are used entensively througout many industries.

Contact a TRI engineer for more information about Babbitt Seals and other manufactured products.

Synchronous Condenser Packages

 TRI Transmission & Bearing Corp. can convert generators to synchronous condensers that are used for voltage support, VAR control, and frequency stabilization for the transmission and distribution systems. The design is based on TRI patents 5,610,500 and 5,886,500.

TRI Generator Fans

Heavy-duty Generator Fans

TRI Manufactures heavy-duty fans for air cooled generators. Our fans are machine from a single solid steel forging. There are no welds to fail. These fans have excellent strength and vibration characteristics.

Our generator fans are custom made for your equipment. Contact a TRI engineer for more information about fans and other manufactured products.