Bearing Arrangements for

Cement Industry Fans

For Renovation of Small, Medium and
Large Sized Fans
Summary
Fans are used for a large variety of different tasks in the cement
production industry. This article will cover fan bearing
arrangements, tolerances and lubrication as they apply to small,
medium and large type fans.

RB04005
SKF
6 pages
April 2004

SKF Reliability Systems

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 RB04005 - Bearing Arrangements for Cement Industry Fans

General description Basic (bearing) rating lives of between 40,000

and 60,000 operating hours are generally
Fans are used for a large variety of different required.
tasks in the cement production industry.
To protect the bearings and the interior of the
The smaller fans (plain shaft, sleeve mounted housings, labyrinth seals have been found
bearings in standard bearing housings or even suitable, but V-rings or other rubber lip-type
impeller directly mounted on the extended seals may also be used as supplementary seals.
shaft of an electric motor, some kW) are It shall however be noticed that the sealing
typically used for less demanding tasks like surface peripheral speed may be too high for
creating a lower pressure inside parts of the contacting seals. Separate grease lubrication
process to reduce cement dust leakage. of the labyrinth is only recommended for very
dusty or damp environment and where a
Larger fans (separate bearing arrangements,
barrier can be arranged to prevent the seal
driven by couplings or V-belts, up to ca 250
grease from entering the housing to
kW) are used for e.g. cooling and ventilation,
contaminate the bearing lubricant.
while the largest fans (up to 6 MW) are
actually process fans that transport the ground Spherical roller bearings and CARB® in small
material, provide combustion air or evacuate and medium size cement industry fans are
hot exhaust gas. The fan design can differ mostly grease lubricated, especially in
considerably, as indicated by the various machines operating in the open air or subject
names given to them. to considerable temperature changes. Greases
with good rust inhibiting additives should be
used. Normally the bearings are mounted in
SKF SNL plummer block housings. Seal re-
lubrication can be arranged if there is a
suitable grease escape arrangement for use
with the various types of seals.

If speed is very high, or heat is applied from

an external source, e.g. process heat, oil bath
Operating conditions for bearings in cement or circulating oil, lubrication must be used.
industry fans are demanding in many respects. The oil is also being used to dissipate most of
Dust is always present, speed is often high, the heat generated within the bearing
surrounding temperature is typically high and arrangement. It is common that housings for
for the process fans there is usually heat from the large process fans are made by the fan
the process that further elevates the bearing producer, and are using oil bath or oil
operating temperature. Damp and water are circulation with labyrinth seals.
also usually present in cement plants, the fans
often being situated in outdoor locations. Renovation Practices
Bearings, Seals, Lubrication A thorough renovation of a cement industry
fan should include checking that the rotor is
The bearings support the mass of the rotor, the straight within the manufacturer's tolerances
belt load (for belt driven fans) and (for single- to avoid rotating misalignment and imbalance,
inlet fans) the axial load from the impeller. and checking that the bearing seatings are
Imbalance from impeller wear and/or build-up within original diameter and straightness
of dust in the impeller is common.
© 2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 2
 RB04005 - Bearing Arrangements for Cement Industry Fans

tolerances to ensure 100 % bearing Small and Medium Size Cement

performance. Rotor re-balancing is advised. Industry Fans
The housings shall also be checked. Most Bearing Arrangement
important for the bearing function is that the Spherical roller bearings on the locating side
housing bore roundness and straightness is and CARB on the non-locating side with
within original tolerance. If there are ridges tapered bore are recommended. (For very
formed by wear in a housing bore, the housing small fans, Self Aligning Ball Bearings
bore must be re-machined. For larger fans, it (SABB) may be used as the locating bearing).
is advised that the housing bodies are crack The bearings are typically mounted on adapter
tested, for example by liquid penetrates. sleeves, but the SKF SNL housings are also
available for mounting directly on cylindrical
The housing base shall also be checked and
seating.
shall be flat within original tolerance.
Foundation flatness should be within IT7 Figure 1 shows bearings mounted on
(IT8). withdrawal sleeves in the grease lubricated
housings with labyrinth seals. For very dusty
Since it is not unusual that seal collars have
or wet conditions, it is advised to shield the
contacted the housing covers and labyrinths,
housings and the shaft, for example by a
these areas should be checked for wear.
"roof."
Contacting seals are renewed.

Figure 1. Overhung centrifugal fan, pulley driven and plummer block housings. Note that that the locating and non-
locating bearing positions are optimized due to the pulley belt load. The opposite arrangement of locating and non-
locating bearing is also common, and a basic rule for fan re-build is to keep the original locating bearing position.

© 2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 3

 RB04005 - Bearing Arrangements for Cement Industry Fans

Tolerances Lubrication
The following table summarizes the desired The bearings are grease lubricated. Note that
tolerances. This would eliminate housing wear the CARB bearing must be lubricated from
and fretting corrosion. either side, through the bearing.

Shaft Mounting h9 Medium Size, High Speed Cement

on a Industry Fans
sleeve (Form tolerance
IT5/2) Bearing arrangement
Again, spherical roller bearings on the
Housing Standard G7 locating side and a CARB on the non-locating
SNL side with tapered bore are recommended. The
housing (For SRB/SABB +
bearings are typically mounted on adapter
SRB/SABB)
sleeves, but the SONL housings are also
available for mounting directly on cylindrical
Table 1. Note: If SRB and CARB in split housings are
seating.
used, both bearings can be mounted with tight fit in the
housings. K7 is recommended in such cases. This would Figure 2 shows bearings mounted on
eliminate housing wear and fretting corrosion. withdrawal sleeves in SONL oil lubricated
housings with labyrinth seals.
.

Figure 2. Medium size, high-speed fan bearing arrangement. SONL housings, K7 outer ring fit optional.

© 2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 4

 RB04005 - Bearing Arrangements for Cement Industry Fans

Tolerances housings with labyrinth seals and oil bath (or

circulating oil) lubrication. Instead of
The following table summarizes the desired
circulating oil, water-cooling or cooling fans
tolerances. This would eliminate housing wear
are common. Non-split housings are shown,
and fretting corrosion.
but horizontally split housings are also used.
Shaft Mounting on h9 The most suitable SKF housings for larger
a sleeve fans are SNL 30 and SNL 31 with oil seals
(Form and oil bath or circulation.
tolerance
IT5/2) Tolerances
Shaft Mounting on a h9
Housing Standard G7 sleeve
SONL (Form
housing (For SRB + tolerance
SRB) IT5/2)
Table 2. Note: If SRB and CARB in split housings are
used, both bearings can be mounted with tight fit in the Housing Manufacturers G7
housings. K7 is recommended in such cases. standard
(For SRB +
Lubrication SRB)

The bearings are oil bath lubricated. Table 3. Note: If SRB and CARB in split housings are
Circulation for filtering and/or cooling can be used, both bearings can be mounted with tight fit in the
arranged. housings. K7 housing bore tolerance is recommended
in such cases.

Large Process Type Cement In addition, in non-split housings, K7 (or even

Industry Fans M7) housing bore tolerance can be used, but
Bearing Arrangement the mounting and dismounting sequences and
the choice of bearing radial clearance must be
As with the former two applications, spherical revised. It is not possible to dismount a CARB
roller bearings on the locating side and a from a cylindrical shaft seating by pulling via
CARB on the non-locating side with tapered the outer ring or to dismount a CARB from a
bore are recommended. The bearings can be tight fit housing bore by pulling via the inner
mounted on adapter sleeves, but where speeds ring.
approach the catalogue limit, or exceed it, and
for shaft diameters greater than 200 mm, they Lubrication
should be mounted directly on tapered (or
cylindrical) seating. The bearings are oil lubricated. Note that if the
oil is circulating, the CARB bearing must be
Figure 3 shows bearings mounted on lubricated from either side, through the
cylindrical seatings in customer made bearing.

© 2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 5

 RB04005 - Bearing Arrangements for Cement Industry Fans

Figure 3. Larger, process type cement industry fan. Fan producer made oil bath housings, K7 (M7) outer ring fit
optional. Note: Bearings (and housings if K7 or M7 fit is used) dismounted by pulling via the labyrinth collars.

References
Bretz, R. Bearing Basics. RB02002.
http://www.aptitudexchange.com

SKF General Catalogue. 5000 E.

http://www.skf.com

© 2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 6