When Niagara-Falls-based design contractor Acres was commissioned to speed up outage times at the McCormick plant in Quebec, it specified the retrofitting off hydraulically actuated Pilgrim Radial Fit Coupling Bolts for the turbine to generator coupling.
It can be time consuming to re-align coupling flanges and their bolt holes on each jack shaft. the Pilgrim bolts offer a “true interference fit” to ensure the maximum transfer of torque through the generator to the turbine to generator coupling.
The bolts are reusable and repeatable, achieving original coupling accuracy and performance that ensures consistent alignment and uniform torque and tolerances without damaging the couplings, bolts or bolt holes.
The first coupling of 16 Radial Fit Couling Bolts at McCormick was retrofitted with the hydraulicaly actuated bolts in the 2000 shutdown.Subsequent couplings on units 3, 4 and 5 will be retrofitted over each coming summer shutdown period.
Pilgrim also manufactures Morgrip bolts, for installation where one side of the coupling is difficult to reach.