DIAGNOSIS OF BEARING PROBLEM OF SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER - AN EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION

The investigations reported in this paper deal with diagnosis of the p remature failure of the hydrodynamic journal bearings of a synchronous condenser within a few hours of operation. The surface of the failed bearings has been examined and the cause of the failure investigated. Also, the theoretical analysis has been done to establish the number o f cycles before the level of detected severity of the failure has occu rred. The number of cycles, thus established, matched with that of the cycles/duration of operation for the premature failure of the bearing s. The process leading to the premature failure has been established a nd remedial measures implemented to reuse the existing bearings, and a lso the measures suggested to avoid the repeated failures. The analysi s has a potential to ascertain the shaft voltage after establishing th e severity of the physical damage on the liner surface of a bearing an d duration of its operation.