Vertical or Side-Entry, GRAPHALLOY Mixes It Up!

Industrial mixer manufacturers have been using self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY bushings for decades, especially in high-temperature environments.

That’s why when it came to choosing a bearing for a newly designed side-entry tank mixer, a major manufacturer decided to put GRAPHALLOY bushings to the test. Since this mixer was for a brewery application (part of the beer making process), the bushings needed to be oil-free, capable of being submerged and FDA acceptable.

Side-entering mixers work efficiently when a tank is too large for convenient installation of a top-entering mixer or when headroom is severely limited.

The company had been using GRAPHALLOY bushings in their various industrial mixers for many years and were pleased with the long life and low maintenance. Prior to using GRAPHALLOY, they had used a glass-filled Teflon material but their customers complained about the short life of these bushings.

Their new mixer is a high-efficiency, robust side-entry mixer designed for applications from 10,000 to 1,000,000 gallons, speed is 154 RPM, and temperature is 200°F.

Working with Graphite Metallizing engineers, they purchased thirteen pieces of GRAPHALLOY FDA acceptable bushings and installed them in the mixers in their brewery customer’s tanks.

Click here to read more.

GRAPHALLOY® at Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia 2018

Graphite Metallizing Corporation will be exhibiting at the 2018 Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia. This conference is being held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX from September 18-20.

Please visit us in Booth 1216.

To learn more about this conference, click here.

GRAPHALLOY® Upgrade Eliminates Failures in Waste Water Sump Pumps

A major refinery was experiencing frequent bearing failures in their vertical oily wastewater sump pumps. The bronze packing box and line shaft bearings were wearing out within two months of service, damaging the shaft and causing leakage through the packing at the stuffing box. Upgrading to GRAPHALLOY bushings solved the problem.

The bearing failure was also causing an environmental issue when the hydrocarbon/water slime leaked into the ground.

Click here to read more...

GRAPHALLOY® at ACHEMA 2018

Graphite Metallizing Corporation will be exhibiting at ACHEMA 2018, World Forum and Leading Show for the Process Industries.

This conference is being held from June 11-15, 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany. Please stop by and visit us in Hall 8.0, Stand H84. To learn more about this exhibition, click here.  

GRAPHALLOY® at AISTech Show 2018

Graphite Metallizing Corporation will be exhibiting at AISTech 2018, The Iron & Steel Technology Conference and Exposition. This conference is being held from May 7-10, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Please stop by and visit us at Booth #1958.

To learn more about this exhibition, click here.

John Warhoover Joins Sales Team at Graphite Metallizing Corporation

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials for pumps and process equipment, has appointed John Warhoover as Territory Sales Manager for Missouri, Southern Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Western Iowa, and Arkansas.

Warhoover holds a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering Technology from Southeastern Missouri State University. With nearly thirty years of experience in sales and engineering, he previously served as Regional Director of Sales and Technical Support at Rotating Equipment Repair and Senior Sales Engineer at Weir Minerals. He will be based out of his Missouri office.

“John brings extensive rotating equipment and, particularly, pump experience to our sales team,” said Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing. "He can help our customers use GRAPHALLOY to achieve greater equipment reliability.”

Graphite Metallizing Corporation of Yonkers, NY has been solving tough bearing problems for over 100 years. The company began in 1913 when two engineers developed a method for putting molten metal into carbon to create a new material called GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy.

Used in the manufacture of bushings, bearings and other components for machinery and process equipment, GRAPHALLOY can be the solution to the toughest bearing, bushing, thrust washer, cam follower, or pillow block bearing design problem. It is available in over 100 grades with specific properties that meet a wide range of engineering solutions and specifications. FDA accepted grades of GRAPHALLOY are available for use in food service equipment. NSF® International has certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications. 
  
GRAPHALLOY bearings have operated for twenty years and longer in some applications. Standard designs are available but most GRAPHALLOY products are custom designed to the unique requirements of the specific application. Graphite Metallizing Corporation is ISO certified. For more information about Graphite Metallizing and its products, please visit us online at http://www.graphalloy.com or call 914-968-8400.

Cryogenic Pump Survival

A manufacturer of cryogenic 2-stage overhung pumps needed a non-galling bearing material that could survive shaft contact, be oxygen compatible and perform in cryogenic temperatures.

The manufacturer’s 2-stage, cryogenic pumps are used in the liquid gas industry. These units operate at up to 8000 rpm and can pump liquid oxygen at a temperature of minus 320°F (-195°C). The 2-stage design is required to meet the design point of 70 gpm of flow and 1,020 ft. of total differential head.

Due to the shaft length required for the 2-stage pump, shaft deflection leads to a number of issues including contact, rubbing and excessive wear. A tighter fitting bushing can add support to the shaft and can be mounted between the two impellers in the diffuser.

This solution required a material with the properties to withstand the loading and contact with minimal wear. In addition, the material had to be oxygen compatible and reliably perform within cryogenic temperature ranges. The pump manufacturer contacted Graphite Metallizing Corporation...

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Coal-Fired Power Plant Slashes Maintenance Time with GRAPHALLOY Bushings

The conditions inside of a coal-fired power plant can place heavy stress on components. The dampers and burners have to deal with high temperatures and the presence of particulate. Bearings functioning in this environment have to be durable and must be able to operate without frequent maintenance.

This was not the case at one North American coal plant. The plant manager and his staff spent too much time maintaining the bearings inside the wind boxes that control the air supply to the combustion process. The bearings still failed regularly despite hours of work each week. Bearing failure meant that the combustion mix had fluctuated, leading to damaged boiler tubes, higher emissions and increased fuel costs.

By switching from lubrication-hungry roller-element bearings to GRAPHALLOY self-lubricating bushings, the plant greatly reduced maintenance demands while achieving a more predictable combustion mix. Click here to read more...

Andrew Ondish Joins Sales Team at Graphite Metallizing

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials for pumps and process equipment, has appointed Andrew Ondish as Territory Sales Manager for New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Eastern New York.

Ondish holds a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. With nearly thirty years of experience in sales and engineering, he previously served as Regional Sales Manager at Grundfos Pumps, Regional Sales Manager for Hazleton Pumps and Product Engineer for Sundyne Corporation. Ondish was also a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve.

“We are pleased to have Andy join our team,” said Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing. ”His extensive experience with industrial machinery will help our customers use GRAPHALLOY to achieve greater equipment reliability.”

Graphite Metallizing Corporation of Yonkers, NY has been solving tough bearing problems for over 100 years. The company began in 1913 when two engineers developed a method for putting molten metal into carbon to create a new material called GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy.

Used in the manufacture of bushings, bearings and other components for machinery and process equipment, GRAPHALLOY can be the solution to the toughest bearing, bushing, thrust washer, cam follower, or pillow block bearing design problem. It is available in over 100 grades with specific properties that meet a wide range of engineering solutions and specifications. FDA accepted grades of GRAPHALLOY are available for use in food service equipment. NSF® International has certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.
 
GRAPHALLOY bearings have operated for 20 years and longer in some applications. Standard designs are available but most GRAPHALLOY products are custom designed to the unique requirements of the specific application. Graphite Metallizing Corporation is ISO certified. For more information about Graphite Metallizing and its products, please visit us online at www.graphalloy.com or call 914-968-8400.

GRAPHALLOY® Upgrade Saves Boiler Feed Pump

Keeping a multistage boiler feed pump operating was a problem for a gas plant...until they installed GRAPHALLOY bushings and wear rings.

A large industrial gas supplier in the southeastern United States experienced a catastrophic failure of a horizontal 8-stage, axially split, BB3-type multistage pump in Boiler Feed Service. The pump had been fitted with a plastic composite (Teflon®/Carbon Fiber) material for the stationary wear rings and bushings.

They contacted Graphite Metallizing and invited one of our engineers to visit their repair shop to examine the failed pump and recommend a GRAPHALLOY upgrade.

Here is what he saw: the throttle bushing showed the most wear. The sleeve under the throttle bushing was worn with radial grooves that appeared to be from contact with the stationary (plastic composite) wear part. However, in this case, the center stage (typically the first part to fail in a dry run episode or low viscosity transient) was fine while all of the hub side composite inserts were missing and the eye side inserts were unaffected. This tells us that we were looking at a completely different issue.

The engineers agreed that the cross section of the throttle bushing was so thin (only approximately 3/16 inch per side) and the pressure against the face of the bushing was so high that it deformed the plastic composite material causing it to move toward the ID.

The reduced clearance caused the bushing to ride onto the throttle sleeve. The friction and pressure caused the plastic composite material to melt and “blow out” the low pressure side. Once the throttle bushing was lost, the rotor lost its hydraulic balance within the case causing the rotor to shuttle towards the one end. The axial movement separated the mechanical seal faces and overloaded the bearing causing the pump to shut itself down. There was evidence the seal had leaked and the bearings showed signs of having thrust in one direction.

The Graphite Metallizing engineer recommended replacing the hub rings, center and throttle bushings, and eye side rings with nickel-grade GRAPHALLOY. The GRAPHALLOY material was ordered, shipped next day, installed and the pump was quickly put back into service. The pump has been in service now for over four years with no further problems.

The plant engineer explained that GRAPHALLOY was chosen because of successes with other pumps at this site and also for providing fast turnaround on both the quotation and replacement parts.

To learn more about GRAPHALLOY pump bushings and wear parts, please click here.

Desalination Plant Pumps Upgraded with GRAPHALLOY NSF® Certified Bearings

A major pump manufacturer’s Water Systems Group, which focuses on the commercial and industrial water markets, won a contract to provide vertical turbine pumps for a desalination facility at a publicly-owned water agency.

The pumps would experience dry starts with the possibility of prolonged dry running. In addition, the bearings needed to be NSF certified. These conditions led the pump company to replace their standard bronze bearings with GRAPHALLOY NSF certified bearings.

The unique properties of GRAPHALLOY bearings and wear rings enable pumps to run dry and survive upsets and flashing that cause metal bearings to fail.

Read more...

GRAPHALLOY Outperforms Traditional Bearings and Bushings in Ovens, Kilns and Dampers

GRAPHALLOY^®, a graphite/metal alloy, is ideally suited to applications where temperatures are too high to permit the use of oil or other lubricants.

GRAPHALLOY bearings and bushings will not soften at high temperatures or extrude under load. Many grades are suitable for temperatures to 750°F (400°C) in air. In addition, special grades provide service up to 1000°F (535°C) and higher in non-oxidizing atmospheres.

Use GRAPHALLOY bearings and bushings in bakery and industrial ovens, glass plants, conveyors, dryers, kilns, kiln cars, stokers, soot blowers, oil guns, gypsum board and veneer dryers ...wherever temperatures are too high to permit the use of oil or greases.

Click here to learn more about the GRAPHALLOY product line for extreme and high temperatures. 

GRAPHALLOY Tames "Bad Actor" Pump

A recent article in World Pumps magazine focused on a major oil refinery in Texas that was experiencing breakage problems with their vertical turbine pump. The plant’s engineers knew that there was a serious problem when the shaft broke twice - in exactly the same place - in less than three years.

The pump was a 4-stage, 14 GH Byron Jackson vertical turbine pump in isopentane service.  A thorough inspection and analysis by the pump repair shop revealed the underlying issue was not with the shaft itself but with the use of the wrong type of bearing materials.

As noted in the article - “Alloy Bearings Cure Breakage Problems” - the bronze bearings should have been able to withstand exposure to the isopentane being pumped. However, there was an occasional inflow of caustic soda which reacted with the bronze.

The bronze bearings were replaced with GRAPHALLOY^® nickel-grade bearings. Since the repair, the pump has been operating efficiently for almost three years with no reports of any problems.

Based on a recommendation from an engineer at the refinery, a GRAPHALLLOY nickel-grade material that would withstand 400°C and offer self-lubricating and corrosion resistant properties was chosen. GRAPHALLOY bushings were installed into the stuffing box, column, bowl and suction bell bearing fits.

According to the sales engineer at the pump repair shop, “GRAPHALLOY is a material that is compatible with a wide range of pumped liquids and offers a good option in high temperature applications.”

GRAPHALLOY resists attack by most corrosive liquids including sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, chlorine water and caustics and can withstand high temperatures without deforming or burning.

To read the full article, please click here.

David Moser Joins Sales Team at GRAPHALLOY

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials for pumps and process equipment, has appointed David Moser as Sales Engineering Representative for Texas, Louisiana and southern Arkansas.

Moser holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University. He has has over twenty years experience in the industrial market place, much of it with a manufacturer of centrifugal pumps. Moser will be based out of his Houston office. 

“David's extensive experience with industrial machinery will help our customers use GRAPHALLOY to achieve greater equipment reliability,” stated Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing. "We are pleased to have David join our team.”

Graphite Metallizing Corporation of Yonkers, NY has been solving tough bearing problems for over 100 years. The company began in 1913 when two engineers developed a method for putting molten metal into carbon to create a new material called GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy.

Used in the manufacture of bushings, bearings and other components for machinery and process equipment, GRAPHALLOY can be the solution to the toughest bearing, bushing, thrust washer, cam follower, or pillow block bearing design problem. It is available in over 100 grades with specific properties that meet a wide range of engineering solutions and specifications. FDA accepted grades of GRAPHALLOY are available for use in food service equipment. NSF® International has certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.

GRAPHALLOY bearings have operated for 20 years and longer in some applications. Standard designs are available but most GRAPHALLOY products are custom designed to the unique requirements of the specific application. Graphite Metallizing Corporation is ISO certified.

GRAPHALLOY® at Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium

Graphite Metalllzing Corporation will be exhibiting at the 2016 Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium from February 22 - 25. The event will be held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Please stop by and visit us at Booth #614.

For more information about this Symposium, click here.

Graphite Metallizing Issues New Catalog of Products

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY^® bushing materials, announces the release of a new catalog of its products. The catalog provides a thorough introduction to the company's highly regarded line of bearings and bushings which thrive in harsh environments.

“This will enable potential customers to learn about the advantages of GRAPHALLOY and why it can reduce downtime and provide years of maintenance-free operation," says Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing.

The catalog includes a list of industries and applications that are well-suited for GRAPHALLOY products. Additionally,there is comprehensive explanation of its features and benefits, particularly its success in high temperature and submerged industrial environments.

GRAPHALLOY, a graphite-metal alloy, is available in over 100 grades with specific properties that meet a wide range of engineering solutions and specifications. Most GRAPHALLOY products are custom designed to the unique requirements of the specific application. The engineers at Graphite Metallizing have extensive experience with all types of industrial machinery and will work customers to design the appropriate solution.

FDA accepted grades of GRAPHALLOY are available for use in food service equipment. NSF® International has certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.

For a copy of this new catalog, contact sales@graphalloy.com.

Bushings that Outperform Metal Wear Parts in CO2 Service

Graphite Metallizing Corporation announces GRAPHALLOY^® wear rings and bushings that provide performance superior to standard metal stationary and rotating wear part in pumps for CO₂ service in oil field applications. Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY,  a graphite/metal alloy, eliminates concern about bearing failures or possible flashing of CO₂.

The ability to operate without additional lubrication is important in CO₂ injection applications because CO₂ has low lubricity. Standard metal wear parts rely on the lubricity of the liquid being pumped for proper operation so they are prone to failures in pumps used to inject CO₂. In addition, due to high suction pressure required to keep CO₂ as a dense phase liquid, flashing is always a possibility.

CO₂ injection in older, low flowing wells is becoming an increasingly popular method for permeating rock formations and forcing more oil to the surface. Many older wells still contain vast amounts of oil locked in the pores of rock layers deep underground. CO₂ injection often releases more oil in older wells than can be released by water injection.

“Use of self-lubricating, non-galling GRAPHALLOY materials in pumps for CO₂ service provides substantial cost savings by avoiding expensive downtime and field repairs caused by wear part failures,” said Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing Corporation. “GRAPHALLOY is currently the material of choice for many oil field applications in North America and around the world.”

GRAPHALLOY wear rings and bushings operate at longer intervals without the need for replacements or maintenance which helps reduce downtime and maintenance expenses. GRAPHALLOY is an excellent choice for any application where service and maintenance tasks are cumbersome or difficult to perform. GRAPHALLOY is a proven solution for even the most challenging plant maintenance and new equipment design applications.

Dennis Rawle Joins Graphite Metallizing Corporation as European Director of Sales

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY^® bushing materials for pumps and process equipment, announces the appointment of Dennis Rawle as European Director of Sales. Rawle has over 25 years of experience in the marine and industrial industries. Most recently, he was General Manager and Technical Sales Manager for pump products at Exalto UK. Rawle will be responsible for coordinating sales and marketing activities for Graphite Metallizing in the UK and Europe and will be based out of the UK office.

“We are pleased to have Dennis join our team,” stated Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing. “His extensive experience in the pump and industrial markets will help our customers use GRAPHALLOY to achieve greater equipment reliability.”

To learn more about GRAPHALLOY, please visit www.graphalloy.com.

The GRAPHALLOY® Solution to High Heat and Heavy Loads

The annealing furnace at a Pennsylvania metal manufacturer had an interior temperature in the range of 1200°F (650°C). Bearings supporting the pinch rolls were located outside the furnace walls and reached temperatures up to 750°F (400°C) due to heat transmitted through the furnace wall by the shaft.
The heat transmitted by the shaft through the oven wall to the bearing was causing lubrication failure. In addition, the movement (linear expansion) of the shaft caused problems well beyond the capability of any standard ball or roller bearing arrangement.

GRAPHALLOY ^® high temperature bearings were installed in a metal adapter designed to fit the original bearing housings and solved the problem without a major redesign. With minimal investment, bearings failures and associated maintenance costs were reduced.

GRAPHALLOY® Exhibiting at the 2015 ACHEMA World Forum

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self- lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials, will be an exhibitor at the ACHEMA World Forum in Frankfort, Germany. This trade show runs from June 15 – June 19 and is considered to be the leading forum for chemical engineering and the process industry.

Graphite Metallizing will be located in Hall 8.0, Stand H84. Representatives will be discussing two exciting new business initiatives. The first is the creation of a new headquarter office in the U.K. to support design applications in the European Union. The second initiative is the introduction of an expanded line of self-lubricating bearings for petrochemical and power pumps along with a full line of bearings for harsh environments.

GRAPHALLOY pump bearings have been granted Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) approval. These bearings are used in municipal water system pumps and can operate for more than 10 years.

For more information about Graphite Metallizing and its products, please visit us online at http://www.graphalloy.com