The purpose of the bearing cooler is to remove the heat generated in the lubricating oil by the operation of the machine. Typically water is used as the cooling fluid for a Bearing Cooler. Common Bearing Cooler applications are in large motors, hydro electric generators (thrust or guide bearings), compressors and any other high speed rotating equipment. Bearing coolers are varied in type and can take on many forms. They are seldom “standard designs” so manufacturing replacement coolers requires knowledge, experience, and flexibility. Below is a list of common bearing cooler designs.
Circular-one piece
- One piece / drop-in design
- Finned or Bare Tube
- Pipe Headers or Box Header design
Circular-sectional
- Two or more segmental pieces
- Installed in sections to take a circular form
- Finned or Bare Tube
- Pipe Headers or Box Header design
Straight Tube for horizontal machines
- Finned or Bare Tube
- Pipe Headers or Box Header design
- Custom designed to fit in the bearing pot
Bare Tube
- Can be replaced with finned tube coolers that match dimensionally but with increased cooling capabilities.
Finned Tube
- Identical replacements of existing coolers or uprated performance.
- Aluminum or copper finned tube
- Variety of fin attachment types.
- Hifin or lofin designs
- Can be designed to match existing finned tube or bare tube designs
Upgraded Cooling or Materials
- Thermal performance of existing coolers can be modelled and replacement coolers with
improved, that match the pressure drop can be designed. - Existing copper tube coolers can be upgraded to Copper-Nickel or Stainless Steel.
Shell & Tube and Plate Heat Exchanger
- Mounted external of the bearing pot.
