TPS Highlights Latest Rotating Equipment Technology

The 55^th Turbomachinery & 42^nd Pump Symposia (TPS) concluded in Houston, TX recently. Its wide reach and exceptional program further solidified TPS as a premier event in the rotating equipment industry, fostering meaningful exchanges among professionals and businesses alike in industries such as turbomachinery, pumps, oil & gas, petrochemical, power, aerospace, chemical and water/wastewater. Some show highlights: 

Regal Rexnord presented its Powerlign 2.0, an updated torque monitoring system for turbomachinery applications. The updated system is designed to make installation and use simpler, while enabling more robust performance, better train efficiency and smarter maintenance planning.

Turbomachinery equipment end-users will find value in the long-term performance insights that Powerlign 2.0 enables, including fuel optimization, predictive maintenance, perfected cleaning schedules, real-time tuning and load balancing across compressor bodies, compliance with environmental regulations and emissions controls and validating driving and driven equipment performance upgrades.

“Powerlign is a high-precision, phase displacement torque monitoring system designed for continuous trending in demanding industrial environments,” said Chuck Sakers, director of engineering, high-performance couplings. “With Powerlign 2.0, we have delivered improvements that reflect nearly 30 years of customer feedback and field experience to provide a tool that supports smarter, data-driven decisions.” 

Powerlign 2.0 is an add-on feature to industry-standard Kop-Flex and Ameridrives couplings and offers a more condensed installation, with dual sensor setup. It can also be retrofitted into existing systems subject to mass elastic data compliance. Existing guards can be modified for sensor installation, making it a cost-effective upgrade.

Trelleborg presented its XploR S-Seals designed for extreme pressure and temperature environments in static oil and gas applications. These seals use innovative, flexible anti-extrusion support elements in the corners to ensure robust, high-performance sealing in challenging energy application conditions. Leak-tight sealing is achieved by controlled deformation of the elastomer element. Extrusion resistance is provided by the specially designed springs that support the elastomer element yet are flexible enough to allow straightforward installation.

Also featured is Trelleborg’s advanced HiMod composite bearings made using patented automated fiber placement (AFP) technology. This robotic fabrication method for thermoset and thermoplastic composites creates high-quality, consistent and repeatable parts. 

James Simpson, global segment director energy, says: “The key attribute of AFP composite bearings is their high wear extrusion and wear resistance even in dry running conditions, making them ideal for extending service life in arduous conditions. These unique bearings can also operate from an extremely low temperature of -250 °F to +525 °F/-156 °C to +274 °C.”

Eric Bucci, global technical manager, oil and gas, said: “Components inside turbomachinery must operate flawlessly under severe heat and pressure. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the sealing and bearing systems where innovation can minimize energy loss, protect equipment and ensure compliance. Trelleborg offers high-performance materials backed by extensive R&D capabilities, so our components remain reliable where failure is not an option.”

The Renk Group featured its engineering, manufacturing, couplings, high-speed, and service and aftermarket capabilities for demanding turbomachinery applications at TPS 2026. Renk Group’s Dietmar Sterns hosted a technical lecture exploring "Tests, Simulation and Validation of Offset-Halves Bearings and Sub-Synchronous Rotor Vibrations," the presentation shared results from a testing campaign conducted on hydrodynamic bearings under speeds and loads typical of high-speed gear units used in compressor and gas-turbine power-generation applications including testing beyond typical operating ranges. 

Additionally, Sterns participated in a broad range of topics impacting gear applications including new gear applications, rotordynamics, bearings for gear drives, installation questions, metallurgy and heat treatment methods, contamination, overhaul frequency, instrumentation and monitoring, lubrication and efficiency.

SKF provided technical information on the core technology behind high-speed compressor designs. From the acting magnetic bearings and control system to the high-speed motor with the rotor and the stator as well as the variable frequency drives (VFDs) under license, from Sieb & Meyer, a renowned expert in VFDs and control electronics. This collaboration helps deliver integrated, high-efficiency inverter solutions tailored for applications such as air compressors, turbo blowers and HVAC systems. 

tps.tamu.edu