Integrated Service and Bearing Solution for a Converter

Customer Success Story

With its comprehensive service and bearing solution, Schaeffler increased the availability and service life of a converter, which is the heart of any oxygen steel plant.

The comprehensive solution included:

Developing a new and extremely long-lasting cast iron housing
Use of split spherical roller bearings for faster bearing replacement
A comprehensive condition monitoring solution to avoid unscheduled downtime

Challenge
Solution
Savings
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Challenge

A complex task

The oxygen steel plant has two converters. The customer wanted to replace both and use this opportunity to also increase their capacity to 400 metric tons. This application required a highly complex solution for the journal bearings as well as the newly constructed cast iron housing. Since the converter represents a highly critical bottleneck to the downstream production processes, the customer decided to have the bearing monitored. However, the process made it impossible to use a standard vibration monitoring solution. A combination of several monitoring approaches therefore had to be developed.

Technical information on the Converter

Converter capacity: 400 metric tons

Annual production volume: approx. 5 million metric tons

Operating temperature: max. 1,750 °C

Year of manufacture: 2013/2014

Solution

Schaeffler developed a customized solution consisting of a cast iron housing in collaboration with the converter manufacturer. Split spherical roller bearings as spare parts make it possible to very quickly replace the bearings and thus significantly reduce downtime costs. The associated condition monitoring solution combines several processes. For example, the trunnion bearings are monitored by means of acoustic emission, vibration and grease analysis. Force transmission into the bearing housings is recorded by strain gauges. In addition, the axial displacement of the floating bearing and vertical deflection of the fixed and floating bearings are documented as well. The mounting of the trunnion bearings by our fitters and continuous remote condition monitoring by Schaeffler complete the package of solutions.

Technical Information on the Solution

Converter movable bearing	Split spherical roller bearing Z-537284.PRL
Fixed bearing	Spherical roller bearing Z-541835.249/1120-B
Housing	KPGZ49/1120-F-D KPGZ49/1120-L-D
Condition monitoring	Acoustic emissions Online grease analysis Vibration measurement Transmission of force to the housing Trunnion and bearing displacement
Schaeffler services	Mounting Remote monitoring

Savings

Comprehensive monitoring of a converter is no easy task, if only because it must operate at a temperature of 1,750 °C. Due to their experience with monitoring solutions from Schaeffler in the past, the steel plant operator turned to us once again. And they were not disappointed. Whenever damage is avoided, the savings potential is enormous.

Savings potential

Cost of crude steel: € 250 per ton

Volume of one batch: 400 tons

Price of one batch: € 100 000

Production volume per day: 20 batches

Unplanned shutdown due to bearing damage: 5-7 days in lost production

€ 10-14 million in lost production

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Integrated Service and Bearing Solution for a Converter
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Our Schaeffler Lifetime Solutions customer support is ready to help you implement your predictive maintenance strategy and solution.

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Integrated Service and Bearing Solution for a Converter

Customer Success Story

Challenge

A complex task

Technical information on the Converter

Solution

Technical Information on the Solution

Condition Monitoring

with ProLink CMS

Grease Monitoring

with GreaseCheck

Bearing Solution

with split spherical roller bearings

Savings

Savings potential

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Contact

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