The first set of oversized diameter main bearings for shield machine developed

2022-12-17

Recently, the 8-meter diameter main bearing for super-large shield machine, led by Li Dianzhong researcher and Li Yi Yi academician team of Institute of Metals, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was successfully developed. The main bearing, with a bearing weight of 41 tons, is the first set of main bearings for shield machines with the largest diameter and single weight manufactured in China, and will be installed in a super-large shield machine with a diameter of 16 meters. Among them, IRAETA provided eight pieces of rare earth steel bearing rings with a diameter of 7-8 meters for the main bearing of this shield machine.


Shield machine is a major equipment for national economic construction and is widely used in various tunneling projects. Among them, the main bearing is called the "heart" of the shield machine and is a key component of the cutter drive system. During the tunneling process of the shield machine, the main bearing "holds" the cutter disk to rotate and cut the palm surface, and provides rotational support for the cutter disk. Coupled with the need to face complex geological conditions, the tunneling process can only move forward, not backward, and once the main bearing fails, it will cause serious economic losses.



At present, China has achieved the localization of the shield machine, but its core components - the main bearing is dependent on imports, the urgent need to pass the "last mile" of independent and controllable manufacturing. The main bearing with a diameter of 8 meters is as big as a round table for 50 people, and the maximum axial force carried during operation reaches 105 kN (1 kN is equal to the gravity of 0.1 tons of objects, and the weight of an adult Asian elephant is calculated as 4 tons, which is equivalent to the action of the gravity of 2500 Asian elephants in the axial direction), the radial force reaches 104 kN, and the overturning moment reaches 105 kN-m.



In 2020, the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a strategic pioneering science and technology special project on "Independent and Controlled Manufacturing of High-end Bearings", in which 7 research units of the Institute of Metals of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences formed an establishment team and more than 20 units, including Iraeta Energy Equipment Company Limited, carried out collaborative research.



After receiving the order task, IRAETA quickly organized a special technical research team to repeatedly verify and strictly follow up the process. In order to ensure the high bearing capacity and high reliability of the main bearing, the project adopted bearing steel materials with high purity, high homogeneity, high strength and high wear resistance, which brought many difficulties for the subsequent processing. Among them, in the heat treatment stage, due to the very high requirements on the uniformity, hardness and hardened layer of the product, the cooling time needs to be strictly controlled to ensure that the product performance meets the technical requirements. Finally, with the full cooperation of all departments, IRAETA successfully delivered 41 pieces of rare earth steel bearing rings with diameters ranging from 3m class to 8m class.



The successful development of the large diameter main bearing for shield machine provides a good model for China's high-end basic parts research, and is a vivid embodiment of the advantages of the new national system to carry out collaborative innovation among government, industry, academia, research and application. In the next step, IRAETA will continue to improve its own level of scientific and technological innovation, continue to make efforts in the field of national high-end equipment manufacturing, and strive to achieve more major breakthroughs!




About IRAETA

IRAETA is an enterprise mainly engaged in the manufacture of clean energy key components, mainly used in fields such as wind power, nuclear power,  hydropower, UHV, offshore engineering, machinery manufacturing, high-end refining, mining and other fields.


IRAETA now has 1 sales company, 7 business divisions, 7 management centers, 1 Shanghai branch, 1 Jining company and 1 Spanish company (FIHI), 1 Logistics company (Haicheng) ,having over 1,800 employees. For nearly half a century, IRAETA has always been steadfastly devoted to the forging industry. From offshore wind turbines on the Atlantic coast to the oil fields deep in the deserts of the Middle East, to mines in the lofty mountains of Peru, our products have made their mark. Adhering to the values of “honesty, humility, perseverance and work”, IRAETA is committed to creating sustainable value for global customers through high-quality products.

 

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