Case Study 4: Shaft Bearing Failure
Introduction:
A bearing that had been in service for a year and a half was sent to undergo failure analysis (Figure 4.1). This bearing had been installed in the drive of a #P-40 centrifugal pump in the R-8 plant. It was located on a long shaft to separate the pump from the drive due to the presence of concentrated sulphuric acid. The shaft was belt driven at about 800 RPM. No special events were noticed in the pump operation.