Experience In The Use Of Flexure Pivot Tilt Pad Bearings In Boiler Feed Water Pumps

Boiler feedwater (BFW) pumps are among the most critical rotating equipment in power plants. The bearings in these pumps must be able to attenuate rotor vibrations and other hydraulic forces while still maintaining a high degree of reliability. This paper discusses the problems experienced with the original fixed geometry bearings, and the progression in bearing upgrades to spherical pivot tilt pad bearings, followed by the more recent 77 EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF FLEXURE PIVOT TILT PAD BEARINGS IN BOILER FEEDWATER PUMPS