Lignum Vitae bearings come full circle…who knew when the first lignum vitae stern tube patent filed in 1852 it would lead to the introduction of the most important sustainable water lubricated industrial bearings of all time? In 1882 Thomas Edison known for his common sense and pragmatic approach to solving problems recognized high reliability and longevity of lignum vitae on the largest rotating shafts in large steamships. He specified this unique material in his new venture of producing electricity from free running waters of the rivers resulting in…. the birth of the hydro electric industry!
Fast forward 130 years to the environmental concerns of today to find owners seeking an answer to removing the threat of oil and grease from entering the water and we come full circle to the very first original water lubricated bearing lignum vitae.
Other bearings swim in grease to perform. Lignum-Vitae only needs water!
Army Corps HYDRO TURBINE RFQ testimonial
As the only renewable and sustainable industrial water lubricated bearing lignum vitae is the heaviest and densest wood that has an interwoven grain with a resin/gum lubricant giving it tremendous compression strength, lubrication and ability to dampen vibration out of the system. The gum releases when warmed from the shaft creating a glaze that allows the shaft to ride on for decades.
Youth also has its advantages with the recent flood of inquiry from major OEM’s it is great to see the industry embrace one of the most exciting restorations of bearing material technology for use in NEW hydro designs. Without question new equipment can benefit by using lignum vitae ensuring the equipment will enjoy a similar long life cycle as the lignum vitae bearings giving the OEM confidence to specify freely. In fact we back up our claim with a material replacement warranty of 10 years, ask for details. We strongly believe that a plant starting off with lignum vitae set to zero tolerance will receive less stress from vibration resulting in less overall maintenance over the life of the plant vs. installing the prerequisite tolerance required with plastics or composites due the fear of wiping or smearing. Longevity and reliability make lignum vitae an incredible value and possibly the last bearing you may ever buy.
Whether you are rehabilitating a vintage plant, replacing composites or converting from oil lead bearings our engineering team can inspect, analyze engineer or reverse engineer, design, manufacture and install replacements with after sales service, Lignum Vitae North America LLC is ready to supply bearings for all turbine types with current designs up to 54 “.
