Reliable and cost-effective vibration monitoring solutions for cooling fans and other low frequency equipment
Cooling towers are a critical component of production in many industries today. Most towers use a horizontal electric motor driving a jack shaft into a right angle gearbox with vertical output to a large fan. Vibration monitoring of this drive train is essential to provide signals for early warning or provide shutdown when vibration levels exceed a predetermined threshold. The classic legacy solution involved the use of "earthquake" mechanical switches. These devices utilize a spring and magnet concept and are designed to mechanically trip during high vibration. Reliability becomes an issue with mechanical switches due to harsh cooling tower environments, especially in critical applications.