A major manufacturer of truck-mounted hydraulic fracturing pump units needed reliable couplings for use on the engine cooling fan drives. Hydraulic fracturing is a process that
extracts natural gas from underground shale formations. The process utilizes high-pressure pumping equipment that injects a specialized mixture of water, sand and chemical additives into vertical, horizontal or multi-lateral well bores.

TB Wood’s Dura-Flex WE50 couplings were selected over competitive units due to their
superior performance and weatherability of their urethane elements in rugged oil field operating environments. The couplings are mounted to a vertical motor shaft that drives a cooling fan for the main engine, which powers the large capacity pumps. WE50 units have a torque rating of 7,650 in.lbs. and an operating range of -40°F to 200°F. The couplings accommodate up to 3/32-inch parallel misalignment and 3° of angular misalignment which helps minimize vibration and prevents damage to the connected drive components.

Dura-Flex couplings feature a “split-in-half” element design which allows for easy element installation/replacement without moving connected equipment or disturbing the shaft connection. The patented design of the urethane bond to the leading edge of the steel shoe bolted to the hub, and the high quality of the urethane element itself, provide the heat, moisture and chemical resistance required in this tough application.