Lubrication is, and always will be, a two-fold problem, the choice of lubricant and the means of application. An incorrect choice in either direction will ultimately lead to a serious malfunction.
A recent study of 55 girth-gear drive tooth flank failures provided some extremely interesting results. Some 18.2% of failures were directly attributed to lubrication problems, with 38.5% an amalgam of all areas evaluated. What is clear is that lubrication does play a significant part in ensuring gear trains achieve their design life, therefore it is essential that the correct choice of lubricant and means of application be made.
To provide correct lubrication it is essential that the gear train is not only correctly aligned to itself, but also to the coupling, gearbox and drive motor.
The selection of a specifically designed open gear grease is of utmost importance to ensure, when coupled with an automatic spraying system, the maximum life from the gear train is realised.
This system will provide the most effective lubricant coverage of the tooth flank handling all currently known lubricants. It is easy to control and maintain lubricant flow, and will provide first class monitoring facilities. The system design is based on the following parameters:
The lubrication system should spray lubricant onto the driving face of the pinion (not the girth gear) and provide complete control of the lubricant dispensed with tamper-proof settings. The following are illustrated by the HMI of the control panel: