A.W. Chesterton Company is pleased to announce the availability of its innovative Kaplan Runner Blade Trunnion Split Seal, which can help hydropower plants reduce costly turbine downtime and limit the release of operating fluid into the environment.
The Chesterton® Kaplan Runner Blade Trunnion Split Seals are high-performance lip seals for heavy-duty, dynamic rotary and oscillating seal applications in the hydropower industry. These seals are specifically designed for the Kaplan (or “propeller type”) turbine runner blade trunnions. The Runner Blade Trunnion Seal is just one of the fully array of Kaplan Turbine product solutions available from Chesterton.
The Kaplan Runner Blade Trunnion Split Seal’s split design reduces downtime by allowing for easy and fast installation. The removal of the blade is not required for installation and there is no need for complex welding, gluing, or post processing of the split joint. In addition, only two seals need to be installed in back-to-back configuration rather than a full-stacked set. This configuration also keeps the hydraulic media and lubricant in the turbine hub, and protects the hub against ingress of water, solid particles and sediments.
A typical reliability issue with an older Kaplan Turbine is blade droop caused by worn trunnion bushings. The Chesterton trunnion seal design compensates by providing reliable sealing despite any droop. The seal is made with Chesterton’s AWC800 (95 Shore A) high-performance thermoset polymer (EU) material, which offers excellent abrasion resistance and improved durability, and has a proven record of withstanding severe operating conditions.
Image courtesy of A.W. Chesterton