Development, implementation and operational experience with 900 mm R1T pocket-type bearings at Oskarshamn unit 3 nuclear steam turbine generator

The Oskarshamn unit 3 nuclear steam turbine generator in Sweden is operated by OKG and, following the extensive PULS upgrade project, delivers an increased rated output of 1450 MW making it the most powerful BWR unit worldwide. Several turbine bearing incidents occurred in 2009 and 2010, which initiated a detailed root cause analysis to determine the reasons and propose appropriate mitigation measures to ensure reliable unit operation. Together with OKG, ALSTOM Power implemented a short-term solution to operate the unit over the winter period of 2010-11. Subsequently, during the annual outage in June 2011, a permanent solution involving a R1T pocket-type bearing design was installed at three shaft-line positions. Since the 1980's, R1T bearings with diameters from 250 to 670 mm have been operating in numerous full-speed (3000/3600 rpm) steam turbine generators. However, this was the first application of a R1T bearing developed at a diameter of 900 mm and for half-speed operation. This paper presents an overview of the bearing development and details the successful operational feedback gathered to date on the three installed bearings. In comparison with the three tilting pad bearing design, which has typically been used on large half-speed ALSTOM Power steam turbine generators to date, it confirms the R1T bearing design as a viable alternative. (authors)