1. Emergency leakage control measures (non-stop state)
If the oil leak is not serious and the equipment needs to continue running, the following temporary measures can be taken to prevent oil spread and equipment damage due to lack of oil:
1. Cleaning and temporary plugging: Clean the leakage area and apply polymer plugging material, oil-resistant sealant or soap to temporarily plug it.
2. Physical oil collection: Use cotton cloth to wrap the leaking point or place an oil collection box to prevent oil from dripping and contaminating the ground.
3. Adjust the operating status: Appropriately reduce the equipment load or shut down to relieve pressure to reduce oil spillage; at the same time, closely monitor the oil level, temperature and abnormal noise to prevent equipment damage due to lack of oil.
4. Control the oil level: If oil leakage is accompanied by an excessively high oil level, excess lubricating oil should be discharged to the standard oil level (preferably lower than higher).
2. Thorough downtime investigation and cure plan
In case of serious oil leakage, the machine must be shut down immediately and the power must be cut off. Follow the "three-step troubleshooting method" to locate the leakage point and repair it completely:
1. Oil leakage from the shaft head (most common)
Symptoms and causes: Oil leakage from the extension of the rotating shaft is usually caused by aging of the sealing ring, assembly deflection, or grooves caused by journal wear.
Repair method: Replace with a high-quality double-lip skeleton oil seal (fluorine rubber FKM material is recommended for high-temperature working conditions). Be sure to apply grease to the lip before installation, and use a special sleeve to press the installation evenly. Hard knocking is strictly prohibited.
Important reminder: If the journal has a worn groove (depth >0.1mm), simply replacing the oil seal with a new one will not work. The new lip will fall directly into the groove, causing seal failure. The journal must be repaired using the bushing repair method or chrome plating first, and then the new oil seal must be replaced.
2. Oil leakage from breathable cap/vent hole
Symptoms and causes: The equipment begins to leak oil after it heats up, but the oil seal is new. This is because the vent cap is clogged with dust and sludge, causing the pressure inside the tank to rise and "squeezing" the lubricating oil out of the weak seal.
Repair method: Clean or replace the blocked vent cap to ensure equalization of internal and external air pressure. For cooling tower fans with large dust or long-term heavy load, it is recommended to modify and install an oil cup-type breathable cap with a hole diameter ≥ 6mm, or to install an external oil and gas separation and breathable device.
3. Oil leakage from the joint surface and holes of the box
Symptoms and causes: Leakage at the joint between the upper and lower housings, sight hole cover or oil drain hole. It is mostly caused by the aging and failure of the sealant, loose bolts, uneven box closing surface or iron filings and impurities.
Repair method: Thoroughly clean the old sealant after unpacking, grind the joint surface (control the flatness to ≤0.05mm), re-apply high-temperature resistant sealant and install a sealing gasket. Bolts need to be tightened diagonally in sequence and to torque standards.
4. "False" oil seal failure caused by bearing wear
Symptoms and causes: Oil leakage is accompanied by increased vibration of the equipment, and there is an obvious gap when shaking the output shaft by hand. Wear of the output shaft bearing will cause eccentric shaft vibration and accelerate oil seal failure.
Repair method: Original or high-quality new bearings must be replaced in pairs to ensure concentricity, and then replaced with new oil seals.
3. Preventive maintenance suggestions
In order to avoid repeated oil leakage from the LF70 cooling tower fan reducer, it is recommended to implement the following specifications in daily operation and maintenance:
Standard oil change: Lubricating oil should be replaced after the first 300-400 hours of operation, and then regularly replaced every 1500-4000 hours (or according to the equipment manual). Mixing of different brands of lubricating oil is strictly prohibited.
Strictly control the oil level: Strictly follow the scale line when refueling to avoid excessive oil level causing gear agitation to produce a large amount of oil mist and increase the internal pressure of the box.
Regular inspection: Check the status of the seal every 500 hours, and regularly clean the coal dust and oil on the surface of the breathable cap to keep "breathing" smooth.
