Best Practices for Pump Bearing Housings Date: 08/10/2016

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Bearings Lubrication system

Out of tolerance shaft fits should be avoided as they impact bearing The OEM operation manual should be consulted for
preload. Follow OEM shaft and bearing bore fit tolerance guidelines. recommendations on lubrication viscosity. Viscosity of the oil to
Thermal difference between inner and outer bearing races increases the be used is dependent on the oil sump operating temperature. The
preload in high temperature applications. Unless specified by the viscosity of synthetic oil is less sensitive to temperature
manufacturer, the exterior of a bearing housing shouldnt be cooled since changes and should be considered when large temperature
it will also cool the bearing outer race. This will reduce the internal radial fluctuations exist. If temperature also exceeds 212F (100C), a
bearing operating clearances and increase the bearing load. synthetic is recommended for improved reliability.
For general-purpose chemical process equipment, bearings should be If the oil bath level is changed for any reason, small changes and
replaced at each equipment rebuild if shaft runout is out of tolerance. careful monitoring of operating temperature and vibration levels
Thrust bearing design variations include steeper 40-deg contact angles are necessary to make sure the bearings are operating reliably.
for increased thrust capacity; machined brass cages to offer robust The bearings should not be submerged in the oil more than one-
performance in heavy-duty and poor lubrication conditions; reduced axial half the diameter of the lowest rolling element or ball bearing.
internal clearances to promote load sharing between the two rows of balls The constant level oiler control point should be aligned with
and a reduced possibility of skidding in the inactive ball set. the proper oil level of the equipment. Even if the instrument is
When properly installed, lock nuts and wave springs can be used to locate installed correctly and there is oil in the reservoir, the lubricant
bearings onto the shaft and prevent unintentional loosening. The pressure level should be checked through the bearing housing sight glass
from wave springs removes play between ball bearings and bearing races. in case the instruments supply pathway is blocked.
A breather model should be chosen with a CFM rating greater
than the CFM requirements of the tank or reservoir. Installing a
Storage breather with inadequate airflow will create excessive pressure
Rebuilt pumps should come from the clean room and be stored in a weather- or vacuum and will cause damage to the equipment.
protected environment. In the event the equipment will be stored for an Desiccant breather filters should be checked for clogs
extended period of time the pump should be sealed to prevent moisture from periodically. With a clogged breather, pressure in bearing
building in the bearing housing and in other critical component areas. compartment may deviate due to thermal changes etc, resulting
Circulating systems of any size should generally be filled with the appropriate in over feeding or under feeding.
lubricating oil and 10 percent by volume of vapor phase concentrate oil. Pump bearing housing shaft seals must be installed and
A best practice to reduce damage of bearing race is to rotate stored maintained properly in order to prevent lubricant contamination
equipment by hand every six weeks to two months. A 270 rotation is optimal. from process fluids, moisture, dirt particles, or other impurities.

Alignment Level pump, base, and motor

Alignment should be checked before grouting the baseplate, after grouting the baseplate, after connecting the piping, after the first run, and
after each repair. Vertical offset, vertical angularity, horizontal offset, and horizontal angularity should be checked during each alignment.
Lasers-optic Devices should be used whenever possible. Generally, the laser is helpful when aligning shafts that are separated by more than a
few inches.
Straight edges and feeler gauges should only be used for very small pump / motor combinations where there is not enough room to use larger,
but more accurate, alignment methods.
Foundation mass for centrifugal pumps should be at least five times the mass of the pump, driver, and baseplate system.
The foundation should be approximately six inches longer and wider than the baseplate.
The foundation should rest on solid or stabilized earth completely independent of other foundations, pads, walls, or platforms.
A minimum of 3,000 psi steel reinforced concrete should be used.
All mounting surfaces should be coplanar to 0.002 in. All baseplate welds should be continuous and free of cracks.