IntelliSafe is caring for bearings

SLS Technical Manager, Engineering, Jose Antonio Vazquez described a four-step development process that enables the bearing to react in real time to prevent such situations developing.

Step 1 was to include sensors within the bearing at critical places to provide information about the oil film thickness. These are typically mounted either side at the aft part the IntelliSafe bearing and provide proximity data to indicate the clearance between the shaft and bearing.

In Step 2, lubrication was improved for standard operating conditions. For example, the oil injection port is supplied with cooled oil and they are positioned so that they can provide fresh oil to the areas of the bearing that most need it.

This is achieved by arranging lubrication wash ways within the bearing to guide the oil to where it is needed, supplemented by pressure release holes to relieve any increased oil pressure.

For Step 3, however, the bearing has a specific high pressure oil injection port directly below the shaft to supply additional fresh oil directly below the shaft in critical conditions to prevent metal-to-metal contact. This is optimised to operate at all load and speed conditions.

A final Step 4 in the design added a hydraulic unit connected to a control box. This monitors all the sensor outputs to determine the appropriate lubrication requirements, reacting in seconds to deliver sufficient lubrication to prevent bearing damage.