Axial displacement

1 What is Axial Displacement? What are the hazards of axial displacement?

A: The steam turbine in operation, the axial motion of the rotor in the direction of the main axis is
called axial displacement.

The axial displacement of the unit should be kept within the allowable range, usually 0.8 ~ 1.0mm,
more than this value will cause the friction part of the collision occurred, serious damage to the
accident, such as shaft bending, partitions and impeller fragmentation, a large number of turbine
blades Broken and so on.

Axial displacement of the rotor (also be motion axis) This indicator is mainly used to monitor the
work of the shaft thrust bearing.

Turbine operation, the steam flow in its flow-path when the axial thrust generated by the thrust
bearing axis to bear, and by it to keep the rotor and the cylinder relative axial position. The axial
thrust of different if load is different, the thrust bearing shaft in the elastic deformation generated by
the corresponding change. So we shall compared the operation axial displacement with the
design-value, and to identify whether the normal operation of the unit.

Axial thrust acting on the rotor of the turbine is supported by the thrust bearing, which receives axial
thrust from the rotor and maintains the normal axial clearance of the turbine flow path. If it is clear
that the axial thrust changes, it will affect the thrust bearing shaft changes in working conditions,
which will affect the dynamic and static axial clearance turbine. From the perspective of the safe
operation of the turbine, the axial clearance is not allowed to change too much, so usually in the
thrust bearing axial turbine rotor axial displacement monitoring device installed to ensure the safe
operation of the steam turbine.

Thrust bearing, including the thrust bearing seat frame, elastic ring, oil film, it is not absolutely rigid,
that is said that the axial thrust will produce a certain elastic displacement. If the turbine axial thrust
is too large, more than the thrust bearing shaft allows the load limit, it will lead to thrust bearing
shaft damage, the more common is the thrust pad wear and burn, thrust bearing shaft will not be able
to maintain between the movement Of the normal axial clearance, which will lead to static and
dynamic rubbing.It will cause greater damage to equipment accidents in serious cases. In the unit
operation, the factors that the axial thrust increases as below:

1. The load increases, the main steam flow increases, the differential pressure at all stages
increases, so the unit axial thrust increases. The maximum axial thrust of a heating supply or

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 back-pressure turbine may occur at an intermediate load, since the unit has an influence on the
increase of the heating load in addition to the electrical load.

2. The reaction turbine: the main steam parameters decreased, all stages of reaction will increase,
so that the unit axial thrust increased.
3. The diaphragm seal rings wear, leakage increased, so it would increase differential pressure
between stages.
4. When the unit turbine fouling (scale) due to poor quality steam go through the flowpath, the
corresponding stages blades and wheels differential pressure will increase, then to increase
the axial thrust of the unit.
5. In the event of a water impingement, the axial thrust of the unit will increase significantly.

As the unit under normal operating conditions, the role of the turbine rotor on the axial thrust is great,
if it happens the above abnormalities, axial thrust will be greater, causing the thrust pad temperature
increasing, it would make the thrust pad melt in accident.

From the above analysis, the axial displacement can be more intuitive to reflect the changes in the
axial thrust of the unit in operation. It can also be seen that the magnitude of the axial thrust will
affect the change in thrust bearing operating conditions, that is to say that the changes in the
propeller condition can reflect to some extent the axial thrust change, which has been Confirmed
that, for example, axial thrust increases, the thrust pad temperature will rise, the thrust bearing shaft
back to the oil temperature will rise. Recently, some units also installed thrust oil film pressure
gauge. Practice shows that the use of thrust pad oil pressure gauge to monitor the axial thrust
changes, reflecting the very sensitive. Of course, with the thrust tile temperature, thrust bearing
shaft back to the oil temperature or thrust bearing oil film pressure can not directly reflect the
absolute value of the axial thrust, but can be reflected within a certain range of axial thrust amplitude.
It should be noted: thrust bearing axis back to the oil temperature on the axial thrust of the reaction is
relatively slow, it has been a lot of bearing babbitt layer has worn or began to melt, but the oil
temperature is still no significant change in the case, so we should choose the thrust pad temperature
and Oil film pressure as the axial thrust and axial displacement of the main auxiliary monitoring
meter. Some of the unit thrust pads are not equipped with thermal resistance temperature
measurement device, which is not safe enough, should create conditions to install. Current
high-power unit thrust bearing shaft is not only each thrust pads are equipped with thermal
resistance, and even non-working tiles are also equipped with temperature measurement device.

Axial displacement indication is usually based on the thrust plate thrust only bearing non-working
surface (commonly known as the positioning surface) to zero, so the normal operation, the axial
displacement of the indicated values include the thrust bearing shaft and working pads (This value is
generally between 0.4 ~ 0.6mm thrust bearing axis), as well as in the axial thrust under the action of

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the axis of the seat frame, elastic ring, oil film, such as the elastic displacement. For high-power
units, due to the direction of the axial thrust is more complex, there is the possibility of negative
instantaneous thrust there, for this zero-displacement axial displacement and expansion difference is
often used to indicate the same positioning method, the thrust plate work alone Surface when the
zero, then the positive thrust will only show the bearing seat frame, tile, etc. in the axial thrust of the
elastic displacement; and negative thrust will be the performance of non-seat frame, non-surface tile,
etc. The sum of the inelastic displacement and the bearing travel clearance. For the small and
medium-sized power unit with single cylinder, the former one is used. In this case, the limit value of
axial displacement is only considered positive, and the negative thrust is rarely considered. For the
high-power generating unit

In normal operation, the operator should pay attention to monitor the axial displacement indication,
when it is found to gradually increase and exceed the normal value of 0.2mm, we hould pay special
attention to check the thrust pads temperature, thrust pads oil temperature or thrust pad oil film
pressure to confirm the axis to the displacement indication. At this point should also be further
check unit load, steam flow, steam parameters, the monitoring pressure is overrun, each paragraph
extraction volume has significant changes. Extraction of steam changes, it should be based on
changes in the amount of steam extraction to adjust the heating unit this point is particularly evident.
In addition to pay attention to thrust bearing axis whether the oil off, causing pads wear. If the pad is
worn or melted, the axial displacement indication must exceed the limit and the thrust pads
temperature will be above 90 ° C. It is important that the vacuum emergency stop should be
destroyed immediately when the pad is worn or melted. During the shutdown process, carefully
record the rotor inertia Take the time, side caused serious damage to the unit.

In order to prevent axial thrust caused by excessive axial displacement overruns, resulting in static
and dynamic collision accident, the current large and medium power steam turbine units are based
on the axial displacement monitoring device axial displacement protection device. when the axial
displacement of the limit value increasing, the operator has no time to deal with, the protection
device automatically action to close the automatic main valve and regulating valve. There are many
types of axial displacement monitoring and protection devices. At present, many electromagnetic
sensors are used in our country. They are the same as relative expansion instructions and protection
devices. Such instruments are affected by grid cycle and other factors, and may not be allowed or
even malfunctioned. Some plants use the thrust pads series action tripping protection.

Axial displacement and relative expansion can reflect the changes in the movement of the gap to the
gap, so there is a certain relationship between the two, but should pay attention to the focus point of
the two different. The Axial displacementmain reflect axial thrust axial clearance, While the relative
expansion mainly reflects the difference of the thermal expansion of the cylinder rotor axial gap
caused by the change. When the axial displacement increases, the expansion difference will also
increase; when the axial displacement due to negative thrust to the negative direction changes, the

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expansion will also change in the negative direction.

As the gap between the turbine rotor and the diaphragm is very small, when the axial thrust force of
the rotor is too large, the inferred bearing shaft will melt, the rotor will not allow axial displacement,
resulting in part of the friction, resulting in serious damage to the accident equipment. Therefore, the
turbine is equipped with axial displacement protection device, its role is: When the axial
displacement reaches a certain value, the alarm When the axial displacement reaches a dangerous
value, the protection device to shut down the steam source. Axial displacement protection devices
are hydraulic and electromagnetic two, the former commonly used in small and medium-sized
steam turbine, which is used for high-power steam turbine.

Hydraulic Axial Displacement Protection Device. It mainly control the piston, follow the piston and
the nozzle and other components. The oil pressure in the lower part of the control piston is
determined by the clearance between the shaft head (or oil pan) and the injector. When the axial
displacement is normal, the hydraulic pressure upward is greater than the spring downward force, so
that the control piston is in the upper position. The oil enters the upper part of the follower piston
through the oil port and overcomes the force of the lower spring to press the plunger to the lower
position. When the axial displacement exceeds the allowable value, the gap between the shaft head
and the nozzle increases, the oil discharge increases, so that the control piston lower oil pressure, the
spring will control the piston down, cut off the pressure oil source, at the same time the oil The
mouth with the oil discharge, follow the upper piston chamber pressure decreases, with the piston in
the role of its lower spring, was the top to the upper position, cut off the pressure oil to the main
steam valve port, and the oil and oil In the same way, the oil in the lower part of the automatic main
steam valve closing device piston is drained and the main steam valve is closed quickly. Test
adjustment, you can manually screw into or out of the nozzle, nozzle and head to change the gap
between the piston to change the control of the hydraulic value of the action. After the test, the
nozzle must be fixed with a nut.

Electromagnetic axial displacement protection device. High-power several rounds on the use of
electromagnetic axial displacement protection device, which consists of axial displacement
transmitter and magnetic circuit breaker throttle in two parts. It consists of type Ⅲ iron core and
coil. Core in the core cylinder around the primary coil, AC current through the exchange. As the two
sides of the magnetic column on the same size but the magnetic flux in the opposite direction of the
two coils in series, so when the turbine shaft on the shoulder in the middle position, the two sides of
the coil of the potential of the same size, in the opposite direction, The potential difference at both
ends is zero. When the axial displacement of the turbine rotation, the side of the gap decreases, the
magnetic flux increases, the induced potential increases; the other side of the gap increases, the
corresponding reduction in the potential. So that the secondary coil to output a voltage, the size of
the voltage reflects the size of the axial displacement, so the voltage can be used as axial
displacement protection action control signal, when the axial displacement reaches a dangerous

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value, the voltage reaches a certain value , Through the control circuit to the magnetic circuit throttle
action, close the main steam valve and adjust the valve.

When the solenoid coil is energized, the solenoid will lift the piston, the safety oil and the two-way
valve, the safety valve is closed, Sub-oil and oil return are interlinked, so that the steam turbine main
steam valve and adjust the valve to shut down, stop the operation of the turbine. Because the coil of
the DC electromagnet is limited by the temperature rise, the power-on time can not be too long.
Therefore, in the DC circuit, the time relay is installed so as to cut off the power supply only after a
certain period of time of the magnetic brake throttle operation. When the power is cut off, the
magnetic circuit throttle piston under the action of the spring reset. Obviously, other protective
devices issued by the electrical signal, but also through the magnetic circuit throttle, so that turbine
shutdown.

In addition, there are other protection devices: low-elegant protection devices, low vacuum
protection devices and fire throttle.

Finally, the problem of negative thrust, because the inferred bearing shaft non-face carrying
capacity is weak, there are many negative displacement of the unit side of the non-stop protection,
the presence of negative thrust on the safe operation of a threat to the turbine. The formation of
negative axial thrust, the high-power machine is still understandable, because the direction of air
flow in each cylinder is different, such as high-pressure cylinder is usually the direction of air flow
at the nose, low parameter low load conditions, neat enthalpy And the negative thrust is always
present. When the steam enters the cold steam accident (water impact), the negative thrust will
increase. For the 100MW medium-power wheels, usually negative thrust is often not easy to
understand, but the analysis can be drawn to produce negative thrust reasons.

1. A part of the steam turbine, high-pressure rotor end seal segment with a balanced piston
structure , In the high load regulation chamber pressure is higher, so when the shaft seal
leakage chamber pressure is maintained low, will make the counterbalance thrust piston
force is too large, the formation of negative thrust.
2. Allowable ± 2% deviation in the manufacturing of the flow-through part, for example
± 3% due to manufacturing variations, allows the axial thrust to vary considerably from
positive to negative, which may cause the unit to exhibit negative thrust .
3. Low cycle operation, the unit speed is reduced, the blade peripheral speed decreases, so that
the ratio of the stage to reduce the level of reaction to reduce the degree, resulting in a
positive thrust to reduce the thrust, and even negative axial thrust increases . It should also
be noted that the commonly used electromagnetic axial displacement indicator, when the
cycle will be reduced when the longevity measurement error indication, and the error
performance of negative increases, it should be noted.
4. The gap in the flow path has an undue influence on the axial thrust. For example, when the
axial gap of each stage is too small to improve the unit economy, the axial thrust will
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 change to the negative direction. Mainly due to the root of the pumping effect caused by the
steam seal; Another example is when the high pressure money shaft seal gap is too large,
the leakage of steam increased, regulating the impeller before and after may have negative
thrust.
5. There are deviations in the magnetic center of the generator, especially in the axial and
center deviation of the crankshaft. The axial force of the electromagnetism will be
generated during the operation. The direction of the secondary force may be positive or
negative.

The magnitude and direction of the axial thrust of the steam turbine are related to many factors,
especially the negative thrust. For units that can not be eliminated temporarily by negative thrusts,
the necessary safety measures shall be taken, such as increasing the area of non-working tiles,
installing non-working tiles with temperature measuring devices or oil film pressure measuring
points, taking into account the negative value of axial displacement There is the blade into the steam
side of the axial gap to expand the installation of negative displacement axial displacement
protection action. The above measures have been considered in the high-power units, which is
mainly high-power unit and the size of the instantaneous reasoning more complex direction.

2.Mornitoring the axial displacement

Turbine rotor axial displacement is used to monitor the working conditions of the thrust bearing.
Recently, some units are equipped with thrust pad oil film pressure gauge, the use of these operators
to monitor the working status of turbine thrust tiles and rotor axial displacement changes.

Turbine axial displacement shutdown protection value is generally thrust pad Wujin thickness
minus 0.1-0.2mm, its meaning is when the thrust wavin wear and melting and tile metal metal has
not touched the thrust plate when the tripping stop, so that the thrust plate and The unit will not be
damaged within the unit repair is also relatively easy.

Thrust tile in the early stages of work, more difficult to determine the temperature back to the oil
temperature. Because the oil is very large, the reaction is insensitive, thrust wavin thermometer can
more sensitive to reflect the tile temperature changes. But the running unit thrust pad temperature
and location of the measured temperature and Wujin surface distance, are measured so that the
temperature can not fully represent the highest temperature of gold. As a result, manufacturers have
set limits based on their own experience. Oil film pressure points can respond immediately to
changes in pad load, but the safety margin for oil film pressure values, can not present a common
standard.

When the axial displacement increases, the operator should control the operating conditions, check
the thrust pad temperature and thrust oil temperature back to the oil temperature rise and differential
expansion and expansion of the situation. If it is proved that the axial displacement table indicates
correct, the cause should be analyzed and applied to do the variable load test, make a record, report
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to the superior, and should take specific measures to take the appropriate measures.

Turbine thrust bearings are designed to face and non-working face, under normal circumstances
should be consistent with the design of the force, that is, the face to withstand axial thrust, but this is
not static, and the installation level, into the steam mode, The level of pressure, the axial thrust of the
balance, etc., in some special conditions or abnormal conditions, the original design of the
non-working face can also withstand axial thrust, but regardless of positive or negative axial
displacement Can not exceed the dangerous value (trip value).

Turbine thrust tile face and non-face is just the name of the difference, the tile structure and the same
force (but due to the installation of positioning pins and the inlet position is different from the
general installation of bad free swap), thrust tiles Of the face in operation is not necessarily the
thrust of the tile. When the steam turbine is in the cold state, it needs to set the parameters such as the
axial displacement, differential expansion and installation gap of the turbine to zero or measure the
force. For example, the force of the rotor (such as 10 tons Force), so that the thrust plate and the
thrust tile close, this time is the differential expansion, axis displacement measurement 0, pushed to
the side of the thrust tile side called the thrust tile surface.

For the HP and IP comprised steam turbine, low pressure cylinder has great influence on the axial
thrust force.Under normal circumstances, the axial thrust of the turbine is to the generator side, so it
is near the generator side.When the unit load In the case of rapid changes, the direction of the axial
thrust is directed to the head of the head and the side of the head close to the head is the working
face.

Question: 1. In the operation, we found that the axial displacement increases. How to do?

A: In the operation of the turbine, the axial displacement is found to increase, the unit should be a
comprehensive inspection, if the axial displacement of the load than the normal value of the axial
displacement increases. Should reduce the load, so that the axial displacement back to normal.
When the axial displacement exceeds the allowable value, should immediately stop to prevent the
occurrence of static and dynamic part of the friction collision, causing serious damage to equipment
accidents.

Turbine shaft change can monitor what?

A: The axial displacement of the turbine rotor. If changing the axial displacement of the rotor, it is
possible to monitor the operation of the thrust bearing and the variation of the static and dynamic
clearance of the turbine flow path.