Elastic metal-plastic thrust bearings for combined hydraulic units of pumped storage hydroelectric power stations

The paper presents an analysis of serviceability of heavily-loaded elastic metal-plastic (EMP) segments with zero circular eccentricity at hydroelectric unit No. 5 of Ust-Ilim hydroelectric power station. The design of EMP segments suggested and tested by the authors was used in the thrust bearing design of hydraulic-turbine generators by the “Uralelectrotyazhmash” research-and-production association at the Zagorsk pumped storage hydroelectric power plant where they proved to be completely reliable and are still successfully used.