To get superior MTBF you need two things: Optimum pumphydraulics and a robust pump structure. The new i-FRAME housings delivers on the second point by providing a premium robust housing with unique new and improved features that raises the bar on what you can expect from your pump’s long term performance. These i-FRAME bearing housings include the new patented one piece design bearing housing for the ball-ball bearing arrangement, as well as the patent pending split bearing housing for the sleeve-ball and sleeve-tilt pad bearing arrangement.
The i-FRAME bearing housings have enhanced air cooling with axial fans and achieves metal and oil temperature reductions of up to 30° F from previous design without the need for cooling water. All shaft ends on the NDE side come standard with a guarded extension to accept a fan for ease of field retrofit, so if your process needs change the fan can be fitted without the need for expensive pump disassembly.
Bearing oil contamination by wind-blown sand and dust together with atmospheric moisture are major contributors to bearings failing well before their design life. In an industry first, all self-contained bearing housings include a cartridge filter assembly that will help safeguard the bearing oil from debris contamination. The patent pending filter cartridge will also continuously work to scrub dissolved water from the bearing oil utilizing specifically engineered moisture absorbing materials built into the filter. The design allows for easy changeover of filter cartridges even while the pump is operating – no need to stop your process. All this additional reliability is achieved without the need for additional oil pumps or piping – no additional system complexity, monitoring or control overhead.
Another smart feature included as standard is the award winning,
i-ALERT. This provides class leading continuous machine monitoring with comprehensive wireless reporting including diagnostic quality vibration FFTs and operating history to the mobile phone or tablet of your choice. The bearing housings come equipped as standard with constant level oilers*, sight window* and provisions for instrumentation including: RTD’s, proximity probes*, and accelerometers. If your monitoring needs change in the future, this comprehensive approach allows field retrofitting of almost any monitoring scheme without replacing your bearing housings or relying on ad-hoc instrument mounting. It is important to note these new i-FRAME bearing housings are not interchangeable with the previous design.