Lignum Vitae continues to lead innovation in Water Lubricated Bearing Technology!

Posted on Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 and is filed under News

LVNA continues its growth in the hydro industry with the stated goal of converting every hydro plant to environmentally friendly water lubricated lignum vitae. With lawsuits being filed all over the US to stop the threat of oil and grease from getting into our waterways it is our hope not a penny will be spent defending these outdated systems but invest in water lubricated upgrades instead. 2014 has proven to be an incredible year with two new patented products and processes all committed to extending the service life of hydro equipment…..

LV is a unique natural material with extraordinary structural characteristics giving it a rich history as the first original water lubricated bearing and only bearing in continuous service since 1882. LVNA is poised to continue new developments with a secure supply and professional alliances. With over 10,000 Mega Watts currently operating on lignum vitae and nearing 200 new installations we look forward to helping plants wanting to convert from oil or composites to add to the success enjoyed by those currently using our bearings. Our research and development has identified key maintenance areas needing improvement that we have addressed with several patented products and processes.
Water lubricated Main Guide bearings have been central to Lignum vitae since 1882. 2014 brought customer requests for additional products and services to bring the same reliability and longevity to other areas such as thrust bearings, shell bearings, horizontal bearings and on-site shaft cleaning and bearing coatings to extend the life of hydro plants.
To address requests for improvements LVNA has introduced a patented” hone in place” process that allows the shaft to remain in place saving time and money. The hone uses an inflatable tool that can accurately clean any size shaft 6”-50”with only 1-1/2” clearance. Typical old process milling operations require between 10” -12” between shaft and bearing. Using the new process saves removing the shaft, transportation to be turned, offsite milling and re-installing saving months of downtime and upwards to $250,000 for many projects. It is estimated approximately 75% of all existing equipment can benefit from this service. . Added benefits include 2-3 days to perform, vibration reduction, overall stability, absorb shock, and permanent lubrication. Additionally once cleaned and replaced with genuine lignum vitae the bearing will be warranted for 10 years.

LVNA is excited to offer our new patented bearing coating specifically to address large horizontal bearings well known for high wear. Our coating is applied during regular maintenance sessions by applying several layers to the bearing surface. Regular yearly application will reduce or delay bearing replacement extending the life of the bearing well into the future. The coating is a resin distilled directly from the raw material that is 100% natural and cannot be washed out or worn away. The resin is also non- polluting and is 100% renewable. We feel strongly that we have an obligation to present truly renewable products to a green industry such as hydro.
Aligning with hydro experts such as Hydrotech we have the ability to engineer, reverse engineer, design, manufacture, install and provide after sales service throughout North America for any water lubricated project. Our first goal is KISS, by keeping it simple we look first at using existing housings and equipment to keep costs down and schedules on time. Hydrotech has completed multiple projects of water lubricated main guide bearings, including conversions from oil bearings to water lubricated. Hydrotech in conjunction with LVNA has the expertise to refurbish and repair existing water turbine bearings with designs that allow retrofitting within the current bearing envelope. To date all of Hydrotech bearings have been 100% successful in providing reduced operating temperatures and increased efficiencies.
This alliance brings together the leading bearing engineering team capabilities of Hydrotech and LVNA to support one of the most exciting material restorations and developments in water lubricated technology with the sustainable supply of genuine Lignum Vitae!