Inner Mongolia Guodian Dongsheng Thermal Power Co., Ltd. — Plastic Thrust pad Project for Coal Mill Gearbox

In June 2008, the first phase of the client's power plant commenced operation, with two 330MW thermal power units put into service. Each boiler was equipped with five coal mill gearboxes. After operation began, it was found that the thrust bearing pads in the gearboxes exhibited excessively high temperatures, preventing full-load operation. Among them, four coal mills successively experienced failures due to burning of the plastic thrust pads, severely impacting the normal power generation of the units. Even after replacing the original domestic spare parts during maintenance, issues such as high operating temperatures and inability to operate normally persisted, causing significant economic losses for the power plant.

Upon recommendation from the coal mill OEM and gearbox manufacturer, technical engineers from SHCM conducted a reliability analysis of the lubrication process for the thrust pads and optimized the shoe design. Without altering the installation structure or dimensions of the thrust pads, the plastic thrust pads in the gearboxes of the four faulty coal mills were replaced with SHCM's FZB3G plastic thrust pads. These successfully passed the 168-hour operational trial, demonstrating stable and reliable performance.

SHCM's product features an optimized dual-row shoe surface design, which enhances lubricant flow and the exchange of hot and cold oil. The shoe surface material is a composite formed from high-strength synthetic fibers and specially engineered wear-resistant plastic-enhanced polymer materials, offering superior mechanical properties and wear resistance. The FZB3G plastic thrust pads exhibit wear resistance 175 times higher than that of the previously faulty plastic pads. Additionally, they possess excellent high-temperature resistance and self-lubricating properties.

The successful implementation of this project ensured the full restoration of production at the power plant in the shortest possible time, guaranteeing electricity supply for industrial and agricultural production as well as daily life, thereby holding profound social significance. Furthermore, since replacing the products with SHCM's solutions, no instances of burnt thrust pads have occurred. The high quality, safety, and reliability of the products have not only earned the client's affirmation and high recognition but have also played a significant role in ensuring the safe operation of the power plant and promoting future retrofit markets.