The exhibit hall and poster gallery presentations at HydroVision International 2012 provide two opportunities to learn more about the companies that provide and/or do work on hydro bearings or seals, as well as the products and services available.
By Elizabeth Ingram
Bearings and seals are important components that enable proper functioning of hydroelectric generating equipment. These components come in a variety of designs and are made of many different materials, depending on site conditions and the specific application. Choosing what type of bearing or seal to use is a complicated decision and requires a great deal of technical information.
One opportunity to gather this information is the exhibit hall at the HydroVision International 2012 event, being held July 17-20 in Louisville, Ky. At this event, 27 companies that manufacture, supply and repair bearings and/or seals will be taking part in the exhibition, offering an ideal chance to meet face-to-face with subject matter experts.
An online tool is available that allows event attendees to find specific exhibitors and products that will be featured on the exhibit floor. Using DirectEventConnect at community.hydroevent.com, attendees can search for a specific product or service and then save items of interest in “My Event Planner,” which can then be used to schedule appointments with exhibitors or navigate through the exhibit hall. Attendees can send messages to exhibitors regarding products and services and network with key contacts. And they can inform colleagues about exhibitors, products and services at the event.
The table on page 16 provides the names of these companies, as well as the country in which they are headquartered and details about their work with bearings and/or seals.
Some of the products these companies will be featuring during the exhibition, based on data from DirectEventConnect, include:
– KAron bearing liner system, which has been used in aviation and marine applications. This technology, offered by Kamatics Corp., is a replacement for polytetrafluoroethylene fabric-lined bearings and is a thermosetting polyester resin-based material with PTFE particles;
– D-glide composite bearing materials, manufactured by DRIE-D Americas Inc., which consist of a combination of modern synthetic fibers and resins. They contain PTFE and can be used with or without lubrication;
– The Toshiba Brush seal from Toshiba International Corp. is a non-metallic seal designed to stop oil mist from leaking into the generator and has a low starting friction coefficient; and
– XR21 segmented turbine shaft seals for face seal applications feature an Orkot grade material. This seal, supplied by Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, combines natural fibers with solid lubricants and a thermosetting resin.
A second valuable information-gathering opportunity is three poster gallery presentations on bearings and seals that will take place on Friday, July 20. Poster gallery sessions are geared toward highly specialized topics that are better-suited to small group or one-on-one discussions. On Friday, the poster authors are available in person to answer questions from 8:30 to 10 a.m. but the posters will remain on display until 12 p.m. The three poster presentations are:
– “An Oil to Water Conversion of a Hydro Turbine Main Guide Bearing – Technical and Environmental Aspects,” by Conrad Richard with Thordon Bearings Inc. in Canada;
– “Effects of Bearings’ Coefficient of Friction on Turbine Efficiency,” by Willian Barreto with GGB Bearing Technology in Brazil; and
– “Francis and Kaplan Turbine Main Shaft Seals: HydroSele – Field Experience and Testing Advancements,” by Tim Smith with James Walker Sealing Products & Services Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
Make plans now to attend HydroVision International 2012, and visit these exhibitors to learn more about their products and services. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.hydroevent.com.
Elizabeth Ingram is senior editor of Hydro Review.
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