SECTION 5: MAINTE NANCE

MAINTENANCE PLAN OUTLINE

DAILY INSPECTIONS
Discharge End and Feed End Segmented Leaf Seals - Condition
Dryer Shell - Condition
Dryer Shell - Axial Position
Riding Rings - Axial Position
Riding Ring Retaining Segments - Condition and Welds
Riding Ring Outside Diameter - Condition
Support Roller Outside Diameter - Condition
Riding Rings and Support Rollers - Contact Pattern and Lubrication
Support Rollers - Axial Position
Carrying Bearings - Temperature
Thrust Rollers - Surface Condition
Gear and Pinions - Contact Pattern and Lubrication
Motor Amperage - Steady
Drive - Sound
SEMI- WEEKLY INSPECTIONS
Riding Ring Bore - Lubrication
WEEKLY INSPECTIONS
Bolts - Tightness
MONTHLY INSPECTIONS
Riding Rings - Operating Diametrical Clearance
Gear and Pinion - Pitch Line Separation
Ring Gear Mounting Flange - Condition of Welds
Carrying Bearings and Pinion-shaft Bearings - Lubrication
Thrust Roller Bearings - Lubrication
SEMI-ANNUAL SERVICE
Carrying Bearings and Pinion-shaft Bearings - Change Grease
Gear Guard - Clean out accumulation of lubricant, dirt, debris
ANNUAL INSPECTIONS
Piers - Check Elevation and Alignment
Dryer - Check Alignment
Support Rollers - Check Adjustment
Ring Gear Mounting Bolts - Check Tightness
Drive - Check Alignment
Gear and Pinion Teeth - Condition
Carrying Station Base Weldments - Condition
Carrying Bearing Assemblies and Thrust Roller Assemblies - Condition
Thrust Roller Bearings - Oil
All Other Drive Components - Follow Manufacturer's Instructions
On new machines, check after one month of operation.
These inspections should be carried out any time the dryer is shut-down.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

84 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 DISCUSSION
This outline was prepared to help customers develop a maintenance program that will help
prevent the serious problems that can occur when equipment is not properly maintained. Daily
inspections are the most critical items in the plan. The responsibility for these inspections
should be assigned to the same person each day, so they can easily spot changes in the dryer's
operation that might be signs of impending problems. If a change is noted, the cause should be
determined and corrective action taken.

DAILY INSPECTIONS
Discharge End and Feed End Segmented Leaf Seals - Check for gaps and loose
hardware.

Dryer Shell - Is there any obvious distortion, discoloration or hot spots?

Dryer Shell Axial Position - Is the thrust riding ring against the downhill thrust roller or
is it floating between the thrust rollers or contacting the upper thrust roller?

Riding Rings Axial Position - Is the riding ring against the retaining segments on one
side? Has it changed?

Riding Ring Retaining Segments - Check for wear and cracked welds.

Riding Ring Outside Diameter - Is the riding ring spalling?

Support Roller Outside Diameter - Is the roller spalling, crowned, developing grooves
or tapered surfaces?

Riding Rings and Support Rollers Contact Pattern and Lubrication - Has the
contact pattern changed? Is there adequate graphite block lubrication? Is the riding ring
lifting off the support roller?

Support Rollers Axial Position - Are the support rollers thrusting against the downhill
bearing seat inside the pillow block? This can be observed by measuring the distance
from each bearing housing to the sides of the support roller. An indicator mounted on
each downhill carrying bearing housing 12 mm from the support roller face can be used
to monitor the position of the support roller.

Carrying Bearings Temperature - Measure the bearing housing temperature, using an

optical thermometer. If any housing is abnormally warm, check and record the shaft
temperature at regular intervals and also inspect the grease in the bearing at the earliest
possible time. This can be done by removing the upper pillow block housing.

Thrust Roller Surface Condition - Is the wear pattern even across the face?

Gear and Pinions Contact Pattern and Lubrication - Is it uniformly distributed across
the face? Has it changed?

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

85 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 Motor Amperage - Is it within normal range? A gradual increase can be a sign of a
bearing problem or heavy thrusting of one or more roller assemblies. Large fluctuations
can indicate a warped dryer shell.

Drive Sound - Are there any unusual sounds from the driving equipment?

SEMI-W EEKLY INSPECTIONS

Riding Ring Bore - Lubricate as necessary.

W EEKLY INSPECTIONS
Bolts - Check for tightness.

MONTHLY INSPECTIONS
Riding Ring Operating Diametrical Clearance - After the dryer has reached steady
operating temperature, mark the riding ring and the dryer shell at a point. After 60
revolutions of the dryer, measure the distance between the two marks. Divide this
distance by (60 x ) to obtain the operating diametrical clearance between the filler bars
and the bore of the riding ring. An operating diametrical clearance in excess of 0.1% of
the dryer diameter is not acceptable. For example, on a 4.0 meter diameter dryer the
maximum acceptable operating clearance is 0.001 x 4000 mm = 4.0 mm. If you
measured the following differential rotation over 60 revolutions of the dryer then:
75 mm / (60 x ) = 0.4 mm. This is an acceptable operating diametrical clearance.
900 mm / (60 x ) = 4.77 mm. This is an excessive operating diametrical clearance.
Excessive operating diametrical clearance can cause problems. Clearance between the
riding ring and filler bars and the resulting shell ovality normally develop over time as the
filler bars wear, however, sometimes it is caused by overheating the dryer shell under
the riding ring.

Gear and Pinion Pitch-Line Separation - Check the separation between the scribed
gear and pinion pitch-lines. See the Pitch-Line Separation sub-section of the Installation
section of this manual for the proper relationship between the gear and pinion pitch-lines
and for recommended corrective action.

Ring Gear mounting flange - Check for cracked welds.

Carrying Bearings and Pinion-shaft Bearings Lubrication – Confirm proper

operation of the automatic grease injecting system.

Thrust Roller Bearing Lubrication - Add oil, if necessary.

SEMI-ANNUAL SERVICE
Carrying Bearing and Pinion-shaft Bearing Assemblies - Change grease.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

86 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 Gear Guard – If dirt and debris have accumulated in the bottom of the guard, this
material should be flushed out.

ANNUAL INSPECTIONS
Rotary dryers are rugged, relatively simple machines, and as such are best suited to a
preventive maintenance program rather than a remedial one. An important objective of such a
maintenance effort is to periodically ensure that the equipment has not become misaligned.
This may happen by gradual settling or tipping of the foundation. If this happens and it is not
corrected, it will create problems with the dryer shell, the riding rings, the support and thrust
rollers, carrying bearings, and the ring gear and pinions.

PIERS, CHECK ELEVAT ION AND ALIGNMENT

Proper shutdown procedures should be followed until the dryer is cold. Alignment checks
should start with the top machined surfaces of the carrying station base weldments. The base
weldments at each pier should be examined to determine that the elevation is the same as
when initially installed, that the slope is still correct, and that the base weldment is level in the
transverse direction. If deviations in slope and transverse level are found, tipping of the pier is
indicated. Depending upon the degree of deviation, thought should be given to resetting the
base weldment to the proper slope and level.
After the carrying station base weldment elevations have been checked, the longitudinal
centerline of the base weldments should be confirmed. To do this, establish an offset centerline
along the side of the dryer from the uphill end of the feed end support to the downhill end of the
discharge end support. The offset of the centerline should be at a distance that allows
unobstructed visibility along the line. The distance between the offset centerline and all
intermediate centerline marks on the support bases should be measured and recorded.
Measurements for the intermediate centerlines marks should normally equal the offset distance
at the extreme centerline marks of the dryer support bases. If all measurements are not equal,
one or both of the foundations may have shifted or an original error in centerline markings has
been discovered. New centerline marks should be plainly scribed to replace those that were out
of line.

DRYER, CHECK ALIGNMENT

Each support roller's position should be checked in relationship to the dryer centerline.
Measurements are taken from the support roller faces on both the high and low sides, to the
true centerline of the base weldments that have been previously confirmed or established. A
straight edge is laid across the base weldment centerline for taking these measurements which
are recorded for use in the final alignment of the support rollers.
Next, the dryer should be raised off the support rollers at each station and the diameter of the
riding rings and support rollers measured. The clearance between the OD of the filler bars and
the ID of the riding ring should also be measured. If this clearance is excessive, shimming of
the filler bars is recommended.
Find the horizontal center of the riding rings and support rollers on both sides and measure the
vertical center distance between all riding rings and support rollers. Record these readings.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

87 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 The thrust carrying station is always used as the control point. Required adjustment in elevation
can be determined from support roller and riding ring diameters, vertical distances between
centers of riding ring and support rollers and the distance between the face of the support rollers
and the dryer centerline.
All carrying bearings should be checked for shims previously inserted between the carrying
bearing housings and the carrying station base weldment. Because these shims change
elevations their thickness must be recorded. Note that the use of shims between the bearing
housings and the base weldment is not recommended unless specifically approved by Metso
engineering.
After all the above measurements are taken, simple calculations are carried out to determine
the proper setting dimension between each support roller face and the dryer centerline.
Comparing these calculated dimensions with the measured dimensions will give the distance
each support roller will have to be adjusted. Normally this adjustment would be made after the
dryer is returned to operation and running continuously. Alternatively, the dryer riding rings can
be supported on saddle weldments and then support roller adjustments are made prior to
resuming operation. Dial indicators are used to verify the high and low side adjustments made
to each support roller. If the support rollers require large adjustments to return them to the
proper distance from the dryer centerline, it is recommended that adjustments be made in small
increments to all support rollers rather than pushing each support roller the full amount at one
time.
In addition, a visual inspection of the clearance between the riding ring and the riding ring
retaining segments should be made. If the clearance is excessive, the riding ring may have to
be repositioned and new retainer segments / blocks installed.
Measure the clearance between the thrust rollers and the thrust riding ring. Excessive
clearance is an indication that the thrust rollers will have to be repositioned or replaced.

SUPPORT ROLLERS, CHECK ADJUST MENT

With the dryer shell now on centerline and slope, the support rollers should be checked and
aligned if necessary.

When the dryer is first installed, the support roller shafts are set parallel to the axis of the dryer.
As the dryer rotates it will slowly move down hill under the force of its own weight acting on the
dryer slope. It will eventually stop when its thrust riding ring is in contact with the downhill thrust
roller. Additionally, when perfectly aligned, the downhill face of the outer race of each spherical
roller bearing on the carrying roller shafts will bear against the downhill end of the bearing seat
inside the pillow block, since both bearings are ‘free’ and not ‘fixed’.

Support roller shafts may also bear against the downhill side of the bearing seat if the rollers are
skewed or ‘cut’ in one direction. If a support roller has any cut to it, the cut should be such that
it will relieve the downhill thrust roller of load, not add to its load. Those support roller shafts not
bearing against the downhill side of the bearing seat may be overloading the downhill thrust
roller by forcing the dryer downhill. Therefore, it is desirable to slightly skew the support roller
shafts (set them at slight angles to the dryer axis) which will cause light downhill thrusting of the
support roller shafts (or light uphill thrusting of the dryer) and ensure slight relief of the load on
the downhill thrust roller. This is often referred to as ‘training the dryer’.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

88 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 Figure 29 shows the direction that the support rollers have to be skewed to accomplish this for
both clockwise and counterclockwise rotating dryers. If skewed too severely, the support roller
shafts will thrust hard downhill and the dryer will begin to ‘float’ uphill (the thrust riding ring
begins to lose contact with the downhill thrust roller).

A support roller is skewed by the use of the adjusting screws and nuts that are located in front of
each bearing on the dryer carrying stations. If it is desired to move the bearing either toward or
away from the dryer, first loosen, but do not remove the pillow block anchor bolts. Then turn the
adjusting screw in the appropriate direction (depending on whether the bearing is being moved
toward or away from the dryer). Once the bearing is in its desired location, the anchor bolts
may be re-tightened. It is advisable to place dial indicators on the bearing housings to measure
and record the movement of each bearing.

The first step in training the dryer is to determine the direction of thrust of each support roller, if
they are not already parallel. This can be done by measuring the distance between the sides of
the support roller and each bearing housing. The shorter of the two dimensions will be found at
the bearing housing toward which the support roller is thrusting.

On the support rollers found to be thrusting in the downhill direction, fasten a pointer to the
downhill bearing to the side of the support roller allowing a 12 mm clearance. A "C" clamp and
a piece of heavy wire will serve the purpose.

Before moving a carrying bearing to make support roller adjustments, perform these tasks:

Clean the exposed portion of the shafts adjacent to the bearing seals, in order to prevent
contamination from being drawn into the seal when the support roller shifts its position.
Clean the top surface of the carrying station base weldment adjacent to each end of the
bearing housing.
Clean the area on the carrying station base weldment behind each bearing housing where
the dial indicator magnetic bases will be located.

Adjust the appropriate bearing inward so as to make the support roller move uphill. Move the
bearing inward approximately 0.5 mm (measure bearing movement using dial indicators) and
wait to see if the support roller is moving uphill, as indicated by an increase in the clearance
between the support roller and pointer. The results of any adjustment may take several hours to
show the effects. Continue adjusting in 0.5 mm increments until the support roller moves uphill.

If the support roller does not move uphill after 3.0 mm movement of the bearing, adjustment
should be shifted to the other bearing, which should be moved outward using the same
increment procedure. This is done so that excessive movement does not disturb the dryer
centerline alignment.

When the support roller starts to move uphill, the final adjustment shifts to the bearing whose
inward movement is appropriate to make the support roller move downhill. Move the bearing
approximately 0.13 mm at a time until the support roller moves downhill. If the coarse

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

89 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 adjustment has been done carefully the support roller will move downhill in 0.13 mm bearing
movement or less.

With the support roller approaching a position exactly parallel to the axis of dryer rotation, the
support roller may respond quite slowly to the adjustment, which will cause it to thrust in the
opposite direction. A dial indicator can be used against the side of the support roller to save
time, by detecting movement of the support roller as soon as it occurs.

During any support roller adjustment process, the final movement of any bearing should be
inward, even if it becomes necessary to move a bearing an extra amount outward to achieve
this.

On support rollers that are found to be thrusting in the uphill direction, clamp the pointer to the
downhill bearing 20 mm away from the side of the support roller. Starting with the bearing
whose inward adjustment will cause the support roller to move downhill, use the same coarse
adjustment procedure until the support roller moves downhill. Then use 0.13 mm adjustment
until the support roller moves uphill. Then a final 0.13 mm adjustment to move the support roller
back downhill.

After all support rollers have been adjusted in this manner, the thrust of the dryer will be
absorbed by the downhill thrust roller. The support rollers will be absorbing very little thrust and,
as a result, will experience a minimum of wear. Pointers can now be permanently attached to
the bearing housings or base weldment at a known distance from the support rollers as an aid in
determining the direction of thrust.

After all support rollers have been adjusted, the support rollers and riding rings may not have full
contact across their faces. No changes in support roller adjustment should be made. It is better
to allow the rolling surfaces to wear in to full contact than it is to cut the rolls to obtain full
contact. ‘Skewing’ the support roller to obtain full face contact with the riding ring will cause the
quality of contact to degrade as wear occurs.

All movements of all bearings should be recorded during the adjustment process, as should all
future adjustments of any bearing. It is best if only one individual is made responsible for dryer
alignment. This individual should make all support roller checks, adjustments and keep all
records regarding training the dryer. These records will be valuable in making future
adjustments to the dryer alignment.

The rules for determining which bearing to move, for a required direction of support roller
movement or thrust, are:
On dryers with counter-clockwise rotation, move the bearing on the right inward to make
the support roller move and thrust downhill.

Rotation is determined by standing at the discharge end and looking up the dryer. Right and left
are determined by standing in front of the support roller and bearing assembly being worked on.

An alternative method of determining which bearing to move for a required direction of thrust is:

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

90 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 Stand on the up-running side of the dryer. Move the right bearing inward to move the
dryer to the right. The support roller, of course, will move to the left. Move the right
bearing on the down-running side inward to accomplish the same result. With this
method, knowing whether dryer rotation is clockwise or counter-clockwise is
unnecessary. See Figure 30.

Note that all of the alignment and adjustment work can be accomplished while the dryer is
operating, if the main gear and pinions have been provided with scribed pitch-lines. The pitch-
lines serve as an approximate guide to maintaining proper engagement while the alignment and
adjustment is being done. See the Pitch-Line Separation section of this manual for the proper
relationship between the gear and pinion pitch-lines. After the alignment and adjustment of the
dryer and support rollers are complete, the main gear and pinion meshing should be checked.

Once the dryer has been properly trained it should not require an adjustment unless the loading
conditions have changed. If movement of the dryer is noted, observe it for a period of time
before attempting any adjustment.

Ring Gear Mounting Bolts - Check tightness.

Drive - Check alignment.

Gear and Pinion Teeth - Condition

Carrying Station Base Weldments - Condition

Carrying Bearing Assemblies and Thrust Roller Assemblies - Condition

Thrust Roller Bearings - Change oil.

All Other Drive Components - Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

91 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE TOPICS

DRIVE SYSTEM
The drive is located close to the thrust riding ring to minimize the difference in hot versus cold
position of the ring gear (due to thermal expansion and contraction of the dryer). The pinion and
gear guard are intentionally located slightly uphill of the cold position of the ring gear, in order to
bring the gear and pinions into closer alignment during (hot) operating conditions.
The ring gear is made in multiple segments, with fully machined teeth to permit reversing of the
gear for double life. This gear is mounted onto a flange that is welded to the dryer shell and
was machined perpendicular to the filler bar surfaces. The pinions are directly coupled to the
low speed shaft of the enclosed gear reducers.
The main reducers are fixed to the foundation on the same slope as the dryer. The main motors
are coupled to the high-speed shafts of the gear reducers, with the motors also mounted on the
same slope as the dryer.
The drive system also includes a hydraulically actuated caliper and disc brake for holding the
dryer in desired positions during maintenance functions.
Proper meshing of the gear and pinion should be checked at regular intervals, since any wear or
adjustment on the support rollers will change the depth of mesh. If the pinion and gear are not
meshing at the proper depth, corrective action should be taken to prevent damaging the gear
set. This can be done by: 1) making an adjustment in the pinion-shaft alignment and/or 2)
moving the support rollers to alter the elevation of the dryer centerline.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

92 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 REVERSING OR REPLACING THE RING GE AR
The following information is applicable to typical ring gears and is for reference only. Please
refer to gear manufacturer’s instructions for specific recommendations.

1. Remove the gear guard.

2. Remove the pinion and take it to a shop capable of removing the coupling half. Note
that it is recommended that when reversing the ring gear, the pinions shall be reversed
to use the un-used side of the teeth or replaced, as necessary. When replacing the ring
gear with a new one, new pinions shall also be installed.

3. Position the gear split joints at the “3 and 9 o'clock” position and remove split flange joint
bolts. Clean joint bolts, inspect and replace if deemed necessary.

4. Hook on to top half of gear with a crane to suspend it and remove mounting flange bolts
on the top half of the gear. Clean gear mounting flange bolts, inspect and replace if
deemed necessary.

5. Using crane, remove top half of gear.

6. Using a chain hoist or rolling hitches, rotate the gear 180 , so remaining gear half is on
top.

7. Hook onto second gear half with a crane to suspend it and remove all remaining
mounting flange bolts. Clean gear mounting flange bolts, inspect and replace if deemed
necessary.

8. Using crane, remove second half of gear.

The ring gear is a precision component requiring care in handling and installation. Thoroughly
clean all surfaces removing all rust and foreign material. Inspect gear and pinions for damage
and remove and dress all nicks and burrs by filing. Then follow the procedures dictated in the
INSTALLATION section of this manual regarding RING GEAR INSTALLATION, DRIVE
COMPONENT INSTALLATION, RING GEAR ALIGNMENT, DRIVE COMPONENT
ALIGNMENT, and GEAR GUARD INSTALLATION.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

93 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 DRYER S HELL OVALITY
Ovality is defined as the difference in length between the horizontal and vertical axis of the dryer
shell and is commonly expressed as a percentage of the nominal inside diameter of the dryer
shell.
Excessive ovality of the dryer shell can be caused by overloading and also excess clearance
between the riding ring and the filler bars. Overloading can be caused by misalignment of the
support rollers or a warped dryer shell. Overloading can also be caused by increased load such
as additional lifters, dams, etc.. Excess clearance can be the result of filler bar wear or
distortion of the shell under a riding ring due to overheating.
Riding ring “creep” is the relative circumferential movement between the bore of the riding ring
and the outside diameter of the filler bars. After measuring riding ring “creep”, the ovality due to
clearance can be approximated by dividing the “creep” by and multiplying by two.
If excess clearance must be reduced, one of the following methods can be used:
Replace existing filler bars if the clearance is due to wear.
Remove existing filler bars, and install new filler bars with shims under them if
clearance is due to a distorted shell. The life of this repair is largely dependent
on the degree of shell distortion and the quality of the shimming job.
Replace the shell section under the riding ring with a new section complete with new
filler bars. This method is the most judicious solution if the shell is severely
distorted in the vicinity of the riding ring.
When a measurement of the actual elastic deformation of a dryer shell is desired, a
device can be attached to the shell to measure and record the deformation as the dryer
rotates. The measured elastic deformation can be expressed using the concept of
ovality.

CARRYING BEARING REPLACEMENT

Due to the various facilities that might be available for the replacement of a support roller
bearing, the following information is intended for reference only. It is a general procedure with
comments useful in developing a detailed procedure to suit the capabilities of a specific plant.

1. Raise the dryer at the location of the bearings to be replaced and secure in
position.

Match marks should be established so bearing housings can be returned to their original
positions after bearing replacement is completed.
The dryer is equipped with adjusting lug jackscrews for support roller adjustment. These
may be used to raise the dryer by moving the support rollers inward. When raising the
dryer by moving the bearing housings to bring support rollers inward, the bearings
supporting a given roller should be moved simultaneously equal amounts. In
preparation for raising the dryer using this method, remove any rust and other foreign
matter from the exposed area on the machined pad of the support base weldment on
which the bearing housing will slide, and grease this area.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

94 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 A saddle (curved, temporary support structure) is commonly used to secure the dryer in
position. The saddle is placed under the riding ring (or occasionally the shell next to the
riding ring) and the machine is then lowered onto the saddle, taking care to distribute the
load evenly across the saddle while lowering. The saddle should be designed to hold
the machine at its normal vertical and transverse position. Saddles are commonly
constructed of fabricated mild steel, timber (hardwood), or a combination of both. A thin
sheet of wood is usually placed between the shell or riding ring and a fabricated mild
steel saddle to help allow slippage between the metal surfaces. The saddle should be
designed to distribute the load on the riding ring (or shell) to eliminate the possibility of
damaging it. Design details of a saddle for this dryer can be made available from Metso
upon customer request.

2. Remove the pillow block anchor bolts.

After the dryer is jacked-up and not supported by the rollers, it is safe to remove the
anchor bolts.

3. Remove the support roller and shaft assembly, including pillow blocks, from the
carrying station base.

The support roller and shaft assembly can be raised using slings around the shaft.
Support the roller by blocking under the roller with cribbing or wedges. The cribbing
should be designed so as not to damage the roller outside diameter.

4. Remove the split housing bolts and remove the bearing housing.

5. Remove the bearing.

Removal of the bearing should be per the manufacturer's procedures (i.e. hot oil or
thermal heating ring).

6. Inspect the support roller shaft.

Inspect the shaft and refinish it when necessary. Longitudinal grooves on the surface of
the shaft can usually be removed using emery cloth. The shaft should be checked for fit-
up tolerance to establish proper mounting fits for replacement bearings.

7. Install a new bearing.

Contamination with grit or dust is a major cause of bearing failures in rotary dryers.
Complete cleanliness is essential.

Before installing the new bearing, inspect the bearing housing, repair or replace if
necessary, and clean it out. It is important that care is taken in cleaning the housing and
carrying roller shaft; an incomplete rush job is likely to result in a repeated bearing
failure.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

95 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 If the dryer has not been aligned recently, the slope of the top of the machined pads on
the carrying station frames should be checked. If the slopes deviate more than 0.016
mm per meter from the true slope, consult Metso for assistance.

Replace the bearing per the manufacturer's recommendations.

8. Lubricate the bearings to the manufacturer's recommendations.

9. Pack the bearing housing 1/3 to 1/2 full with grease.

10. Re-install the pillow block housings over the bearings and tighten the housing
bolts. The float of the bearing in the housing should be equal on both sides of the
bearing with respect to the housing.

11. Mount the pillow blocks to the carrying station frame, applying the correct torque
to the anchor bolts.

12. Recheck support roller alignment.

CARRYING BEARING MAINTENANCE

In order to minimize the possibility of bearing operating problems, the following actions can be
taken.

1. Use heat shields over the dryer bearing housings. This eliminates radiant heat from the
dryer shell as a source of heat to the grease in the bearings, therefore, resulting in a
lower steady state operating temperature.

2. Use high-grade grease recommended in the Lubrication section of this manual. Replace
the grease whenever there are signs that the grease is contaminated or has deteriorated
in any way.

3. Dryer heat-up and plant start-up should be gradual to minimize misalignment due to
differential expansion of the support mechanism frames.

CARRYING BEARING F AILURE ANALYS IS

When a dryer bearing failure occurs, the operating conditions that contributed to the failure
should be determined and corrective action taken to minimize the possibility of repeated
failures. The following is a list of items to be investigated that cover most of the conditions that
could contribute to bearing failures.

1. Frame Alignment

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

96 Revision A: 06 June, 2013
 A common reason for a dryer bearing failure is misalignment of the machined pads on
top of the carrying station frame. It is important to carefully check frame alignment
whenever a bearing failure occurs.

Frame alignment measurements should be made with a precision machinist's level and a
precision slope gauge. If the slopes of the machined pads on the frame deviate more
than 0.016 mm per meter from the true slope, consult Metso for assistance.

2. Support Roller and Shaft Alignment

The support roller and shaft should be properly aligned. A misaligned roller will exert
excessive force, either uphill or downhill, on the bearings. Excessive thrust forces will
overload the bearings, which may result in premature failure.

A good maintenance plan will include daily observations on support roller and dryer shell
axial position. A review of the results of these inspections will provide information on
roller alignment when the bearing failure occurred. A properly aligned dryer will have all
rollers in the downhill position and the thrust riding ring contacting the downhill thrust
roller during normal operation of the dryer.

3. Contamination
Contamination is another common reason for a bearing failure. The inside of a failed
bearing should be carefully inspected for foreign material and any questionable
substances analyzed.

4. Lubricant
The lubricant being used should conform to the specifications given in this manual.

5. Overload
Any modification that has been made to the dryer that may have significantly increased
the loading on the carrying mechanism bearings should be investigated. Consult Metso
for assistance.

6. Heat Shields
If heat shields are not in place over the bearings, radiant heat can cause high operating
bearing temperatures, which may change the consistency of the grease and reduce the
lubricating characteristics. Grease may soften and leak from an overheated bearing
housing.

Rotary Dryer Installation, Lubrication, and Maintenance Manual

97 Revision A: 06 June, 2013