NSK Europe, the European arm of Japanese bearing manufacturer NSK, has developed deep groove ball bearings that do not require exterior lubrication to be used in submersible pumps dealing with cryogenic gases such as hydrogen and LNG.
NSK has developed special shaft bearings with a cage created from self-lubricating fluoroplastic for submersible pumps that handle cryogenic gases and liquids.
The stainless-steel bearings with a cage made of self-lubricating fluoroplastic are seeing growing adoption in submersible pumps as a growing number of tasks promote the utilization of hydrogen as an energy supply. These tasks typically use special submersible pumps that may reliably pump gaseous and liquid media in continuous or intermittent operation at low temperatures all the way down to round -200°C.
In such pumps, the double bearing of the pump shaft is a crucial design factor. Corrosion resistance is crucial, and no lubricant can be utilized aside from the media washing around the bearing. However, this places powerful demands on the fabric pairing.
So NSK has developed a collection of deep groove ball bearings particularly for these distinctive working conditions, and a quantity of other key design features provide differentiation from conventional pump bearings. For example, the inner and outer rings are manufactured from a chrome steel adapted to the special requirements of rolling bearings.
เกจวัดแรงดันถังออกซิเจน that occupies the whole inside volume of the bearing provides steerage for the rolling elements (also made of stainless steel), whereas the cage material, a self-lubricating fluoroplastic, ensures low friction operating of the bearing without external lubrication. In addition, the high-performance fluoroplastic is extremely wear-resistant and offers good low-temperature properties at speeds up to 3600 rpm. The cage has a two-piece design, with the two halves joined by stainless-steel rivets.
The NSK bearings are available in various sizes (shaft diameter 30–100 mm) and are designed to be used in each larger hydrogen pumping facilities and decentralised purposes, similar to hydrogen filling stations.
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