The use of NSK′s advanced Molded-Oil deep groove ball bearings in the rotary screen of a biogas plant has seen service life more than double, a fact that is helping to save €19,200 per annum. Molded-Oil bearings feature lubricant that is embedded in a polyolefin resin, thus preventing the penetration of liquid and particle contaminants to permit extended periods of maintenance-free running. - Environmental conditions in biogas plants are unfavourable for conventional rolling bearings - especially in the preparation of the residual vegetative material (© Lianem | Dreamstime.com)

At a vegetable-processing company, a newly-installed biogas plant is being used to ferment residual materials and transform the resulting methane into electric power and heat. The plant relies on a rotary screen to filter coarse and non-fermenting materials, but repeated failures were frequently disrupting operation. Every six weeks (on average), the existing deep groove ball bearings with contact seals had to be replaced. Each rotor has two bearing and there are two rotors per rotary screen. Replacing them took one hour to complete each time.

The use of NSK′s advanced Molded-Oil deep groove ball bearings in the rotary screen of a biogas plant has seen service life more than double, a fact that is helping to save €19,200 per annum. Molded-Oil bearings feature lubricant that is embedded in a polyolefin resin, thus preventing the penetration of liquid and particle contaminants to permit extended periods of maintenance-free running. - Environmental conditions in biogas plants are unfavourable for conventional rolling bearings - especially in the preparation of the residual vegetative material (© Lianem | Dreamstime.com)

At a vegetable-processing company, a newly-installed biogas plant is being used to ferment residual materials and transform the resulting methane into electric power and heat. The plant relies on a rotary screen to filter coarse and non-fermenting materials, but repeated failures were frequently disrupting operation. Every six weeks (on average), the existing deep groove ball bearings with contact seals had to be replaced. Each rotor has two bearing and there are two rotors per rotary screen. Replacing them took one hour to complete each time.