Canadian Babbitt Bearings in Africa

It started with heavy wear to the babbitt bearing thrust shoes, due to large gaps in the joints of the rotating ring. Oil pressure was lost when the joint face gaps connected with the thrust shoes, causing cavities.

The Volta River Authority in Ghana West Africa was looking for a solution to the problem that could cause the Akosombo generating station, serving one third of the population, to lose power.

The project was awarded to Hydro Tech, in Sault Ste Marie Ontario, to design, procure and install new four segment rotating rings, otherwise known as runner plates. Canadian Babbitt Bearings was awarded the contract to supply the six new runner plates. Working closely with Hydro Tech, Canadian Babbitt Bearings helped to design and performed the complete manufacture of the new runner plates; the project was completed in approximately one year from inception.

The first two runner plate installations took place in November and December of 2009 with great success.

Read the December 2009 Press Release by Hydro Tech Inc.