Composite Materials Show Promise for Clean Kaplan Runners

by B. M. Zhagrin, LMZ, Leningrad, Russia,
A. A. Chernigovsky, LMZ, Leningrad, Russia,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Waterpower '91: A New View of Hydro Resources

Abstract:

In order to prevent any possibility of oil leakage into river water, LMZ manufactured Kaplan runners containing oil in the blade servomotor only, while the blade operating mechanism operates in water. This paper describes development of technical requirements for a self-lubricating material for sliding components of such blade operating mechanism. Given are the results of laboratory testing of some composite materials under conditions simulating the sliding system's operation in a Kaplan runner. A composite material having carbon fiber plastic sliding layer with regularly spaced macro inclusions of PTFE proved to be the best. A complete set of sleeve bearings was manufactured from this material and installed in a large Kaplan runner.

Subject Headings: Composite materials | Sliding effects | Water leakage and water loss | Fiber reinforced composites | Turbines | Synthetic materials | Plastics

Services: Buy this book/Buy this article

 

Return to search