Vesconite Hilube is a highly advanced thermopolymer in the Vesconite range, particularly suited to operating in wet conditions, including pump and marine applications. Combining low friction and low wear properties, Vesconite Hilube performs exceptionally well under high loads in difficult operating environments.
A global petrochemical company ordered 20 large pump bushings made of Vesconite Hilube, a premier-grade bearing material.
The bushings were placed into vertical-turbine pumps which supply sea water to a petrochemical plant for cooling purposes. These bushings are expected to last much longer than the previous metal bearings due to the anti-corrosion properties of Vesconite Hilube.
The order for suction, line-shaft and pump-bowl bushings, consisted of bushings of significant size, with outside diameters ranging from 6.70 inches to 9.00 inches, inside diameters from 5.30 inches to 7.00 inches, and lengths from 7.00 inches to 9.50 inches.
“Vesconite Bearings has significant experience in providing pump bushings that come into contact with sea water,” describes pump application expert Phillip de Villiers.
“Vesconite's pump parts are widely used in desalination and sea-water-cooled plants,” he explains.
Vesconite Hilube bushings survive well in salt water and, unlike metal bearings, do not corrode.
In addition, they do not swell and can be machined for close clearances, which reduces vibration and improves pump efficiencies.
Cooling with the use of sea water is popular in coastal areas since it eliminates the use of scarce fresh water.
It is regarded as a sustainable technology, since there is typically no contact between the water and contaminants and the water can be released back into the sea with only a slight change in temperature being observed.
The original article was featured on Vesconite's website and can be found here.
For more information, or to shop Vesconite standard, hilube, or superlube, check out the bushings category page.