Method and apparatus for bearing thrust monitoring

• US 8,640,554 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2013
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flsmidth Sioux City, Inc. (Flsmidth & Company A/S)
• Original Assignee: Flsmidth Sioux City, Inc. (Flsmidth & Company A/S)
• Inventors: Gebhart, Walter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/920,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 73/10.1, 73/77.5, 73 177- 179, 734/321, 738/659, 738/665, 738/624.9, 702/94, 702/58
• US Class Current: 73/862.49
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 13/04 Bearings with only partial enclosure of the member to be borne; Bearings with local support at two or more points
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/507 with rolling elements journaled in one of the moving parts, e.g. stationary rollers to support a rotating part
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 7/20 Details, accessories, or equipment peculiar to rotary-drum furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 7/2206 Bearing rings
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 7/42 Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/22 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/12 for measuring axial thrust in a rotary shaft, e.g. of propulsion plants
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/04 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53104 Roller or ball bearing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for bearing thrust monitoring allows measurable detection of tilt of a support bearing a roller which rotatably supports a rotating body. A tilt meter adapted to measurably detect a tilt of the support bearing is coupled to the support bearing, where the tilt is defined as an angular difference in bearing orientation between a first bearing position and a second subsequent bearing position that is cause by an axial thrust on the rotary body. Once tilt is detected, the bearing orientation of the support bearing can be adjusted to return the support bearing to substantially the first bearing position.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring skew of rollers supporting a rotary body, the system comprising:

a tilt sensor having a housing that is configured to be mounted to an exterior surface of an associated roller bearing; and

a processor configured to communicate with the tilt sensor, and further configured to monitor angular differences in bearing orientations with the tilt sensor, wherein each of the bearing orientations is about a vertical axis between a first position of the associated roller bearing and a second subsequent position of the associated roller bearing that is caused by an axial thrust load on the rotary body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor comprises an electrolytic tilt sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor is configured to be mounted to the exterior surface of the associated roller bearing in a manner that does not modify the associated roller bearing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor is further configured to be unmounted from the associated roller bearing in a manner that does not modify the associated roller bearing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to derive a direction of the axial thrust load as a function of the monitored angular differences in bearing orientations.

7. The system of claim 1, and further comprising an electrical wire operably interconnecting the tilt sensor and the processor.

8. A system for monitoring skew of rollers supporting a rotary body, the system comprising:

a plurality of tilt sensors each having a housing that is configured to be mounted to an exterior surface of an associated roller bearing; and

a processor configured to communicate with each of the tilt sensors, and further configured to monitor angular differences in bearing orientations with each of the tilt sensors, wherein each of the bearing orientations is about a vertical axis between a first position of the associated roller bearing and a second subsequent position of the associated roller bearing that is caused by an axial thrust load on the rotary body.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of tilt sensors are configured to be mounted to separate associated roller bearings.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the tilt sensor comprises an electrolytic tilt sensor.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the tilt sensor is further configured to be unmounted from the associated roller bearing in a manner that does not modify the associated roller bearing.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.

13. A method for monitoring and reducing skew of rollers supporting a rotary body, the method comprising:

mounting a housing of a tilt sensor to an exterior surface of an associated roller bearing;

measurably detecting angular difference in bearing orientation with the tilt sensor about a vertical axis between a first position of the associated roller bearing and a second subsequent position of the associated roller bearing that is caused by an axial thrust load on the rotary body; and

providing an output signal from the tilt sensor to a processor, wherein the output signal is based on the measurably detected angular difference in bearing orientation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein mounting the housing of the tilt sensor to the exterior surface of the associated roller bearing comprises mounting the housing in a manner that does not modify the associated roller bearing.

15. The method of claim 13, and further comprising unmounting the tilt sensor from the associated roller bearing in a manner that does not modify the associated roller bearing.

16. The method of claim 13, and further comprising deriving a direction of the axial thrust load as a function of the measurably detected angular difference in bearing orientation.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the tilt sensor comprises an electrolytic tilt sensor.

19. The method of claim 13, and further comprising performing a skew adjustment on a roller for the associated roller bearing to reduce the angular difference in bearing orientation.