Not sure this is lighter, but it probably could be. Nevertheless, it sure makes a lot of sense.
The idea is this: Treat the drive side of the dryer hood as the back wall of the paper machine hall. In fact, if you are building a new machine, definitely treat it as the back side of the machine hall.
By "treating it as the back side of the machine hall" I mean make it a solid wall. Separate the motors and gearboxes from the machine room. Only have shaft penetrations that go through this wall.
Why? This takes the motors and all the electronics and electrical power associated with them out of the hot, humid environment of the machine room. Segregate them from the working parts of papermaking.
The motors have more in common with the motor control center rooms than they do with the machine room. They like a nice, cool, low humidity environment, not the hot and humid environment of the machine room.
So, seal them off. Give them a better atmosphere in which to work. The cost to do this will be low if incorporated in an original design. They may be acceptable costs in some rebuild situations.
How did motors get into the machine room to start with? Likely because line shafts were in the machine room. Likely because, in the early days, everything was in the machine room.
In a new installation, the costs should be minimal to zero to make this change. Perhaps drive shafts will need to be slightly longer, but wall configurations, if done correctly, will cost nearly nothing.
Your uptime will be better and your maintenance budget will be lower.
Do you agree?
We would like to hear from you. Please send an email to jthompson@taii.com
with "LGMI Frontiers" in the subject line.
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