To prevent oil leakage into the compressor and turbine casings, piston ring seals are employed in commercial turbochargers. Since the piston ring seals are not positive contact seals, there is a small leak path around the piston rings and, during certain operating conditions of the engine, i.e. low idle or a vacuum in the air intake system, some oil leakage can occur. Any ail leakage into the turbocharger casings can result in the undesirable emissions in the engine exhaust. In cold weather, there can be a significant lag in the flow of oil to the turbocharger bearings when the engine is initially started. If the lag is long, the "sleeve bearings" can fail on start up. Another problem can occur when an engine is shut down quickly after being operated at high speed and load where the exhaust gas temperature is maximized. Heat transferred into the turbocharger casings can cause residual lube oil in the bearing system to carbonize. 

This carbonization can build up and eventually cause failure of the bearings. Notwithstanding the fact that years of development has mitigated the above named problems, there remained a motivation to remove the use of engine oil to lubricate the bearing systems in small turbochargers. Comp Turbo Technology has responded to this challenge by developing what is believed to be the first commercial turbocharger that does not require a lubricating oil supply from the engine. Lube oil supply and drain lines are no longer necessary and the turbocharger can be mounted in a variety of positions that were not possible when lube oil had to be gravity drained back to the engine crank case. The Comp Turbo Technology oil-less turbocharger, employs the well proven TRIPLEX CERAMIC \u2122 ball bearing system, wherein the ball bearings are lubricated by high temperature grease. In the oil-less bearing system, the elongated steel cylinder is provided with axially spaces \u201cO\u201d rings in its outside diameter that engage the bore in the bearing housing. Cooling water is supplied from the engine to a water jacket in the bearing housing and to the space between the \u201cO\u201d rings. This cools the \u201cO\u201d rings and the bearing carrier, carrying away the heat generated in the bearings. Since the bearing system is easily removed as an assembly from the bearing housing, the bearings can be re-greased at appropriate intervals to extend their service life indefinitely. Contact Comp Turbo Technology, Inc. for more information or submit engine specifications so an experienced staff specialist can return a turbocharger model recommendation to meet individual requirements.

Plane bearings are straightforward; two surfaces moving against each other without the aid of a rolling element. A shaft turning in a bushing, a slide pad damping vibration, a bridge joint expanding, and a chain running through a channel are all examples of plane bearings. Sleeve or flange bushings, thrust washers, linear-slide plates, friction bearings, and wear pads all fall into the plane-bearing category. If there are no balls, needles, retainers, or races, it’s a plane bearing.

Plane bearings stand up to most industrial and outdoor applications. They are self-lubricating and offer superior resistance to fresh water, saltwater, deionized water, slurries, acids, or bases. And because they have few moving parts, most plane bearings are not adversely affected by particulates like coal dust, quartz debris, sand, and road ballast. Plane bearings are safe for clean rooms, too, because they produce minimal debris and won’t attract dirt. Many materials also meet FDA, USDA, 3A, or NSF standards.