Gear Box Failure on Cooling Tower Induction Motor Fan

The large motors in this power plant are attached to a gear box, which is attached to a cooling fan inside the cooling tower. All components are enclosed inside a shroud, making a visual inspection difficult and costly. A knocking noise, possibly coming from inside the shroud, was detected. But was it the motor or the gear box? Watch the video to learn how the problem was analyzed without disassembling the shroud.

• Noah Bethel
• PdMA Corporation