wilans
Member
- Location
- Asia-Pacific
Anybody has experience to operate electric motor for 3 years continuously nonstop. If yes what is the bearing type?
3 years nonstop operation of electric motor
- Thread starter wilans
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zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
I've had hard drives with 4-5 years continuous run time, but those motors are pretty small.
broadgage
Senior Member
- Location
- London, England
A good qaulity motor, on the correct voltage, not overloaded and well cooled should be fine.
It might however be a better design choice to use 2 motors with automatic or manuall changeover, so as to protect against failure of a single motor.
In my work place we have duty/standby pairs of motors that have run 24/7 for 10 years, which is broadly similar to running continualy for half that time.
It might however be a better design choice to use 2 motors with automatic or manuall changeover, so as to protect against failure of a single motor.
In my work place we have duty/standby pairs of motors that have run 24/7 for 10 years, which is broadly similar to running continualy for half that time.
wilans
Member
- Location
- Asia-Pacific
Appreciate for the response. the motor is driving centrifugal compressor. 6.9KV about 550KW. the plant turn arround schedule is 3.5 years so this motor must drive the compressor continuously for 3.5 years. the motor will be fine but worry about the bearing. anybody can advice to use what type of the bearing?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I like how conversation starts pretty casual - motor that runs continuously for 3 years. I can think of some exhaust fans, or other air handling motors or even chiller pumps or something of that nature that if do not run continuously for that long easily come very close to continuously - all these motors possibly being 1 HP or less.
Then OP comes back with "6.9KV about 550KW". There is a motor we all have sitting in the shop just in case someone needs a replacement:lol:
Then OP comes back with "6.9KV about 550KW". There is a motor we all have sitting in the shop just in case someone needs a replacement:lol:
wilans
Member
- Location
- Asia-Pacific
just want to hear that it is possible to run motor with that capacity non-stop for 3.5 or more years ( without any single stop)
Johnmcca
Senior Member
- Location
- Mid-Hudson Valley, NY
The bearing is the motor manufacturers choice. The bigger issue would the proper lubrication of the bearings, with the right lubricant and schedule. Also something the manufacturer should be able to advise you on.
broadgage
Senior Member
- Location
- London, England
It would probably be fine, BUT sounds an unwise design choice.
What is to be done at the end the of the 3 year run ? scrap a costly machine that might run for for another 3 years ? hardly a wise use of capital.
Or hope that it runs for another 3 years ? an increasingly risky choice as the years go by.
And whilst the O/P refers only to the motor, in practice I would have limited faith in the machine driven running for that long without attention.
What is to be done at the end the of the 3 year run ? scrap a costly machine that might run for for another 3 years ? hardly a wise use of capital.
Or hope that it runs for another 3 years ? an increasingly risky choice as the years go by.
And whilst the O/P refers only to the motor, in practice I would have limited faith in the machine driven running for that long without attention.
- Location
- Mission Viejo, CA
- Occupation
- Professional Electrical Engineer
It's not uncommon for both across the line (6000hp) and VFD motors (19000hp) to run 5 years in refinery appliations. See API Standards RP541 (Induction Motors, 250hp+) and RP546 (Synchronus Motors).
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Is the compressor able to run for that long with no maintenance shut downs?
- Location
- Mission Viejo, CA
- Occupation
- Professional Electrical Engineer
I assume you're askiing me.
It had better be. Compressors that large are the "heart & soul" of many refinery processes and they don't have backups. They have to last five years between scheduled turn arounds. I wasn't involved with the mechanical & rotating equipment group so I can't cite the proper API Stds off the top of my head.
Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
Too bad everything made today wasn't that reliable!
- Location
- Mission Viejo, CA
- Occupation
- Professional Electrical Engineer
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
It has much to do with the bearings, the correct bearings can make a world of a difference in how long something can keep turning, I found out the hard way of not getting the correct bearing that the OEM had installed, just because it fits doesn't mean it is the correct bearing for the job, and each type of bearing will require the correct lubrication, this is where many maintenance people go wrong as they are so many different lubricants that just one little change in a spec can cause premature failure of even the best bearing, direct drive couplings as well as belts are also a big problem for premature failure, as improper alignment and loading can put to much pressure on the drive end bearing. so the best answer to this is don't change what works, take the time to get the OEM specs and use them, you will save much headaches down the road.
I have seen motors that have been running for 10 years + and a back up motor to one that had failed just because it was never ran, it froze up and when they needed it they didn't have it just because it wasn't a part of their PM's with the thinking that since it was never ran it didn't need anything, big mistake.
I have seen motors that have been running for 10 years + and a back up motor to one that had failed just because it was never ran, it froze up and when they needed it they didn't have it just because it wasn't a part of their PM's with the thinking that since it was never ran it didn't need anything, big mistake.
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