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FEED BACK NO. 2

Project: Kakatiya TPS
Problem: Problem faced in the planetary gear box of pulveriser

1. Introduction

BHEL Kakatiya TPS Stage-I 1x500MW project reported on 12-07-2010

suspected thrust pad bearing damage of Planetary Gearbox installed in Mill-B. Mill
was running smoothly from the date of "No Load Trial Run" in March 2010 as shown in
Annexure I, clocking about 300 hours load run. The damaged Gearbox was replaced
with spare gearbox and mill was put back into operation. Later, the Gearbox was sent
to BHEL/Hyderabad works for carrying out inspection and necessary repairs, test run
and dispatch back to site.

2. Receipt & Inspection

Preliminary inspection was carried out and the report is as follows:

* All external pipe lines damaged. To be replaced.
* Ball valves for bottom drain missing
* RTD Guards damaged.
* Table heavily rusted.
The Gearbox was further opened for internal inspection on 22.10.2010 and the
observations made are as follows:

. a) The thrust pad bearing was found damaged (total babbit material is worn out).
This was in conformance to what was reported by site. b) The table lower surface
visually looked OK.

The thrust pad bearing was replaced with new set. The Table lower surface was
re-ground and assembled. The Gearbox was made ready for test run. However,
during assembly and checking, excess play on the pinion was observed and bearing
damage of the bevel-helical stage of gears was suspected. Hence, the Planetary
Gearbox was again dismantled to check/inspect all the internals thoroughly.

The following major damages were noticed further to the Gearbox components:

Bevel Pinion shaft teeth are broken. The inner side bearing of Pinion shaft
damaged and rollers found lying on the bevel gear. From the extent of damages

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noticed it is suspected that broken bearing parts have come between the Bevel-
helical gear set and damaged the Pinion shaft teeth.

The photo taken on the damaged parts is as shown in Annexure - II.

3. Failure mode - analysis

From the extent of damage occurred, it is concluded that severe shock/ thrust
loads have been transmitted to the Gearbox internals, due to hard to grind foreign
materials entering the mill along with coal, like stones, steel parts etc. Site had
also informed that during such foreign materials entry into mill very severe
vibrations were noticed in the mill. The heavy thrust loads not only resulted in
damages to the thrust pad bearings, but also lead to the Bevel pinion shaft inner
side bearing and the shaft teeth.

The failure mode of the bevel pinion shaft inner bearing was analysed in detail.
The experts of bearing suppliers (other than the original supplier of the failed
bearing) were consulted as well as damaged bearing parts were sent to BHEL
Corporate R&D for study purpose too. The reports conclude the following:

(i) The heavy shock/thrust loads that came up on the mill, has resulted in the
bevel gear exerting an abnormal axial movement to the bevel pinion shaft.

(ii) The axial movement of bevel pinion shaft has heavily loaded DE side of the
Non- Drive End bearing, which would have caused a) possible lubrication failure, b)
the solid cast brass cage was now driven by the DE side rollers where as the NDE
side rollers started slowing down, which tried to skew the cage and eventually led
to its failure.

(iii) Once the cage is broken, the rollers became free and escaped through the
assembly slot on the cone and into the bevel helical gear set damaging the bevel
shaft teeth.

(iv) On analysing the further damages that occurred to the bearing assembly
parts, it confirms the mode of failure explained above, whereby it can be
concluded that the bearing failure is not the prime suspect.

.The pictorial representation of the above is given in Annexure-III.

4. Repair procedure - test run

The list of activities to be done and components identified to be replaced

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for making the gearbox good is given in the Annexure-IV.

On 01-01-2011 the Gearbox assembly was completed and released for test run.
The test run of the Gearbox was carried out 02-01-2011 & 03-01-2011 and
concluded successfully. The test results are attached to this report as Annexure-
V.

A brief description of the Planetary Gearbox is given as Annexure-VI. The

repaired gearbox is declared fit and run worthy and cleared for dispatch to
Kakatiya site on 04-01-2011.

5.Conclusion

Entry of foreign materials like steels, stones, wooden blocks and larger size coal is
to be avoided for better availability and smooth functioning of pulveriser. Customer
may be advised to supply the recommended size coal and without foreign materials.

Annexure I
Following are the brief history details of Mill-B and its Planetary
Gearbox till the Failure date:12-07-2010:
1) No Load Trial Run was carried out on 23.03.10 and Ring-Roll gap setting
carried out.
2) Mill Has run for 300 Hours at various intermittent stages - 238 Hours in the
month of July'10 itself.

3) Failure of the PGB on 12/07/10 Parameters are as below

Mill Motor Current 108.5 Amps
Thrust bearing Temp 80.0 deg cent
Oil Temperature (Tank) 40.0 deg cent
The Oil inside the tank was found to be black in colour with frequent chocking of
filters.

4) There has been few incidences of foreign material entry like stones, wooden
logs etc. During this period Gear Box has got disturbed and realignment
had to be carried out. Considering the situation locking arrangement of the
Mill Gear Box was done for all the mills.

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5) During the Erection & Pre-commissioning period following activities were carried
out:
The Pipe lines after erection were acid cleaned as per the Erection manual &
Technical Services, Chennai guide lines.
The lube oil flushing were carried out as per the recommended procedure.
The Oil flushing was declared completed after ensuring the oil filters are clean for
24 hours.
6) The parameters of Lube oil system for the Mill-B before the failure date is as
follows:
, - Flow is maintained at the maximum of 150 LPM and minimum of 120 LPM.
- Lube oil temperature in the tank is around 36 to 38 deg.C.
- Lube oil temperature after the cooler is at 33 to 35 Deg.C.
- Lube oil pressure is maintained at 2.9 Kg/ Sq.Cm to 3.7 Kg/ Sq.Cm.
- No leakage of Hot air is observed from the seals to Gearbox thrust pad
bearing.
- During frequent filter cleaning, site observed silver coloured material
from the filters.
- Due to frequent chocking of the filters of Mill-B, site replaced these filters,
one from Mill-D and another from Mill-G. Then also this chocking of filter is
observed was observed to be happening frequently.

7) The vibrations of the Mill-B during No Load trial run are as follows:

SI. Motor Drive Motor Non-Drive Gearbox bearing drive

Pick Up
No End end end

Location D V

D V D V
1. Horizontal 8 2.3 13 4.8 6 2.7 .
2. Vertical 7 2.6 8 4.3 2 2.0
3. Axial 5 2.4 6 2.9 9 1.4
D - Displacement in microns; V - Velocity in mm/ sec.

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Annexure II

Gearbox as received from Kakatiya TPS

Gearbox as received from Kakatiya TPS

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Thrust Pad bearing -Babbit- material washed out PGB

Bevel pinion shaft damage - PGB Kakatiya TPS

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Bevel pinion shaft DE Side bearing - PGB Kakatiya TPS

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Bevel pinion shaft inner bearing damaged parts - PGB Kakatiya TPS

Bevel pinion shaft inner bearing damaged parts - PGB Kakatiya TPS

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Bevel pinion shaft, inner bearing broken pieces lying at the bottom of housing- PGB ,
Kakatiya TPS

Bevel pinion shaft damage - PGB Kakatiya TPS

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Bevel pinion shaft, damaged - PGB Kakatiya TPS

Annexure-III

The sequence of Events leading to the bevel pinion shaft NDE side bearing failure-
1.There was a shock load / Over load on the drive.
2.Due to which, the spiral bevel has exerted a force in the direction.

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3. This Loaded the bearing (NDE side)

a. Due to this loading, the rollers on the DE end of the bearing were overloaded
which caused Possible Lubrication failure to the bearing.
b. The cage is made of solid cast.
c. The bearing cage (brass) was now driven by the DE end rollers and the NDE
end were slowing down, which tried to skew the cage and eventually lead to
its failure.

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d. The Rollers now free, a few escaped through the assembly slot on the cone

e. This further damaged the cage and the rollers, now unguided, skewed
inside and completely damaged the bearing.

f. This is-obvious from Heavier scoring on the NDE portion of the cup and
Blackening of the Outer diameter and face of the cup.

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