Three-Dimensional Turbulent Thermo-Elastohydrodynamic Analyses of Hybrid Thrust Foil Bearings Using Real Gas Model

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangcheng Xu ◽  
Daejong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Loss ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Real Gas ◽  
Gas Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Flow Turbulence

Environment-friendly power generation systems are active area of research. Among many systems, closed loop Brayton cycles using super critical CO2 (S-CO2) is attractive alternative to conventional power cycles due to very high efficiency and power density. When converting low temperature thermal energy such as waste heat to electrical power, closed loop organic Rankine cycles (ORC) using refrigerants are very popular. Large utility scale systems adopting S-CO2 or ORC cycles require traditional bearing systems with dry gas seals, but small systems with shaft power less than 1MW are best suited with gas bearings lubricated with the cycle fluids. Foil gas bearings, which have been successfully applied to the air blowers/compressors and small power generation gas turbines, are the best candidate for the small S-CO2 or ORC cycle systems. However, design/analysis tool of the foil bearings with these non-ideal gases is rare. In addition, thrust foil bearings are technically more challenging compared to radial foil bearings due to low load capacity and large power loss due to high flow turbulence. This paper presents high level analysis tool involving three-dimensional thermo-hydrodynamic analyses of hybrid thrust foil bearings employing real gas effect and flow turbulence inside the film. The pressure distribution, temperature distribution, load capacity, film thickness, and power loss of 154mm hybrid thrust foil bearings are presented.

Design Space of Foil Bearings for Closed Loop Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles Based on Three-Dimensional Thermo-Hydrodynamic Analyses

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daejong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Loss ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Measured Data ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Power Cycles ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Flow Turbulence ◽  
Simulation Results

The closed loop Brayton cycle with super critical CO2 (S-CO2) as an operating fluid is an attractive alternative to conventional power cycles due to very high power density. Foil gas bearings using CO2 is the most promising for small S-CO2 turbomachinery but there are many problems to address; large power loss due to high flow turbulence, lack of design/analysis tool due to non-ideal gas behavior, and lack of load capacity when they are used for large systems. This paper presents high level design/analysis tool involving three-dimensional thermo-hydrodynamic analyses of radial foil bearings considering real gas effect and flow turbulence inside the film. Simulations are performed for radial foil bearing with 34.9mm in diameter lubricated with CO2 and N2 under various ambient conditions up to above 40 bar gauge pressure. The simulation results using the turbulence model still under-predict the measured data in open literature. However, the error between the prediction and measurements decreases as either speed or ambient pressure increases. In addition, general behavior of substantial increase in power loss with ambient pressure agrees with the measured data. The simulation results indicate the importance of detailed THD analysis of the foil bearings for prediction of power loss under severe turbulent condition. A conceptual layout of rotor system for 10MWe S-CO2 loop is also presented along with realistic rotor weight and bearing load. A hybrid foil bearings with diameter of 102mm is suggested for gas generator rotor, and its power losses and minimum film thicknesses at various operating conditions are presented.

Design Space of Foil Bearings for Closed-Loop Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles Based on Three-Dimensional Thermohydrodynamic Analyses

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daejong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Loss ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Measured Data ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Power Cycles ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Flow Turbulence

The closed-loop Brayton cycle with supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) as an operating fluid is an attractive alternative to conventional power cycles due to very high power density. Foil gas bearings using CO2 are the most promising for small S-CO2 turbomachinery but there are many problems to address: large power loss due to high flow turbulence, lack of design/analysis tool due to nonideal gas behavior, and lack of load capacity when they are used for large systems. This paper presents high-level design/analysis tool involving three-dimensional (3D) thermohydrodynamic (THD) analyses of radial foil bearings considering real gas effect and flow turbulence inside the film. Simulations are performed for radial foil bearing with 34.9 mm in diameter and lubricated with CO2 and N2 under various ambient conditions up to above 40 bar gauge pressure. The simulation results using the turbulence model still underpredict the measured data in open literature. However, the error between the prediction and measurements decreases as either speed or ambient pressure increases. In addition, general behavior of substantial increase in power loss with ambient pressure agrees with the measured data. The simulation results indicate the importance of detailed THD analysis of the foil bearings for prediction of power loss under severe turbulent condition. A conceptual layout of rotor system for 10 MWe S-CO2 loop is also presented along with realistic rotor weight and bearing load. A hybrid foil bearing with diameter of 102 mm is suggested for gas generator rotor, and its power losses and minimum film thicknesses at various operating conditions are presented.

scholarly journals A New Analysis Tool Assessment for Rotordynamic Modeling of Gas Foil Bearings

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A. Howard ◽  
Luis San Andre´s
Keyword(s):  
Power Loss ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Structural Deformation ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Analytical Tools

Gas foil bearings offer several advantages over traditional bearing types that make them attractive for use in high-speed turbomachinery. They can operate at very high temperatures, require no lubrication supply (oil pumps, seals, etc), exhibit very long life with no maintenance, and once operating airborne, have very low power loss. The use of gas foil bearings in high-speed turbomachinery has been accelerating in recent years, although the pace has been slow. One of the contributing factors to the slow growth has been a lack of analysis tools, benchmarked to measurements, to predict gas foil bearing behavior in rotating machinery. To address this shortcoming, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has supported the development of analytical tools to predict gas foil bearing performance. One of the codes has the capability to predict rotordynamic coefficients, power loss, film thickness, structural deformation, and more. The current paper presents an assessment of the predictive capability of the code, named XLGFBTH©. A test rig at GRC is used as a simulated case study to compare rotordynamic analysis using output from the code to actual rotor response as measured in the test rig. The test rig rotor is supported on two gas foil journal bearings manufactured at GRC, with all pertinent geometry disclosed. The resulting comparison shows that the rotordynamic coefficients calculated using XLGFBTH© represent the dynamics of the system reasonably well, especially as they pertain to predicting critical speeds.

Parametric Study of Bump Foil Gas Bearings for Industrial Applications

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar De Santiago ◽  
Luis San Andres
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Dynamic Performance ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Metal Foil ◽  
Gas Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Process Gas

Gas bearings are an appealing technology for rotor support due to their inherent characteristic of oil-free operation. Elimination of lubricant brings also the possibility of designing the bearings for operation within the flow path of thermal machines and even using the process gas as working fluid for the bearing. Among several gas bearing technologies, foil bearings are the most common ones currently found in applications such as small compressors for aircraft pressurization, microturbines, and other small turbomachinery. Broad application of foil gas bearings to date is precluded due to their limited load capacity. Presently, scaling up of foil bearings requires expensive testing due to limitation of validated computational models of the fluid flow in the bearing coupled to the mechanical behavior of the metal foil and underlying corrugated structure. Recent work in this area shows that calibrated models are now available in the open literature and it is possible to predict more accurately the performance of the bearings at non-conventional sizes. The objective of this work is to present a study of the most relevant parameters of foil bearings affecting their static and dynamic performance and aimed at scaling them up for industrial applications currently not considered for them. The paper presents a calibration of the computational model to previous tests by independent researchers and discusses simple rules for scaling up the bearing components. Finally, the paper presents a feasibility study of application of foil gas bearings to a generic centrifugal compressor for industrial use.

Effect of Foil Geometry on the Static Performance of Thrust Foil Bearings

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gen Fu ◽  
Alexandrina Untaroiu ◽  
Erik Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Optimization Technique ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Numerical Approach ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Rotating Speed ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearing

Gas foil bearings can operate in extreme conditions such as high temperature and high rotating speed, compared to traditional bearings. They also provide better damping and stability characteristics and have larger tolerance to debris and rotor misalignment. Gas foil bearings have been successfully applied to micro- and small-sized turbomachinery, such as microgas turbine and cryogenic turbo expander. In the last decades, a lot of theoretical and experimental work has been conducted to investigate the properties of gas foil bearings. However, very little work has been done to study the influence of the foil bearing pad configuration. This study proposes a robust approach to analyze the effect of the foil geometry on the performance of a six-pad thrust foil bearing. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for a parallel six-pad thrust foil bearing is created. In order to predict the thermal property, the total energy with viscous dissipation is used. Based on this model, the geometry of the thrust foil bearing is parameterized and analyzed using the design of experiments (DOE) methodology. In this paper, the selected geometry parameters of the foil structure include minimum film thickness, inlet film thickness, the ramp extent on the inner circle, the ramp extent on the outer circle, the arc extent of the pad, and the orientation of the leading edge. The objectives in the sensitivity study are load capacity and maximal temperature. An optimal foil geometry is derived based on the results of the DOE process by using a goal-driven optimization technique to maximize the load capacity and minimize the maximal temperature. The results show that the geometry of the foil structure is a key factor for foil bearing performance. The numerical approach proposed in this study is expected to be useful from the thrust foil bearing design perspective.

The Static Performance Analysis of Air Foil Journal Bearings Considering Three-Dimensional Structure of Bump Foil

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Hyun Lee ◽  
Young-Cheol Kim ◽  
Kyung-Woong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Suggested Model ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Static Performance

The calculation of bump foil deflection is very important to predict the performance of foil bearings more accurately, because the foil bearings consist of top foil and its elastic foundation usually called bump foil. For the purpose of this, a finite element model considering 3-dimensional structure of the bump foil is developed to calculate the deflection of inter-connected bump. The results obtained from the suggested model are compared and analyzed with those from the previous proposed deflection models. In addition, load capacity of the foil bearings is analyzed by using this model.

Bump-Type Foil Bearings and Flexure Pivot Tilting Pad Bearings for Oil-Free Automotive Turbochargers: Highlights in Rotordynamic Performance

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keun Ryu ◽  
Zachary Ashton
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Mechanical Efficiency ◽  
Outer Diameter ◽  
Gas Bearings ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Thermal Growth ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
Tilting Pad Bearings

Oil-free turbochargers require gas bearings in compact units of enhanced rotordynamic stability, mechanical efficiency, and improved reliability with reduced maintenance costs compared with oil-lubricated bearings. Implementation of gas bearings into automotive turbochargers requires careful thermal management with accurate measurements verifying model predictions. Foil bearings are customarily used in oil-free microturbomachinery because of their distinct advantages including tolerance to shaft misalignment and centrifugal/thermal growth, and large damping and load capacity compared with rigid surface gas bearings. Flexure pivot tilting pad bearings are widely used in high performance turbomachinery since they offer little or no cross-coupled stiffnesses with enhanced rotordynamic stability. The paper details the rotordynamic performance and temperature characteristics of two prototype oil-free turbochargers; one supported on foil journal and thrust bearings and the other one is supported on flexure pivot tilting pad journal bearings and foil thrust bearings of identical sizes (OD and ID) with the same aerodynamic components. The tests of the oil-free turbochargers, each consisting of a hollow rotor (∼0.4 kg and ∼23 mm in outer diameter at the bearing locations), are performed for various imbalances in NVH (i.e, cold air driven rotordynamics rig) and gas stand test facilities up to 130 krpm. No forced cooling air flow streams are supplied to the test bearings and rotor. The measurements demonstrate the stable performance of the rotor-gas bearing systems in an ambient NVH test cell with cold forced air into the turbine inlet. Posttest inspection of the test flexure pivot tilting pad bearings after the hot gas stand tests evidences seizure of the hottest bearing, thereby revealing a notable reduction in bearing clearance as the rotor temperature increases. The compliant flexure pivot tilting pad bearings offer a sound solution for stable rotor support only at an ambient temperature condition while demonstrating less tolerance for shaft growth, centrifugal and thermal, beyond its clearance. The current measurements give confidence in the present gas foil bearing technology for ready application into automotive turbochargers for passenger car and commercial vehicle applications with increased reliability.

scholarly journals A New Analysis Tool Assessment for Rotordynamic Modeling of Gas Foil Bearings

2010 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A. Howard ◽  
Luis San Andrés
Keyword(s):  
Power Loss ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Structural Deformation ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Rotordynamic Coefficients ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Analytical Tools

Gas foil bearings offer several advantages over traditional bearing types that make them attractive for use in high-speed turbomachinery. They can operate at very high temperatures, require no lubrication supply (oil pumps, seals, etc.), exhibit very long life with no maintenance, and once operating airborne, have very low power loss. The use of gas foil bearings in high-speed turbomachinery has been accelerating in recent years although the pace has been slow. One of the contributing factors to the slow growth has been a lack of analysis tools, benchmarked to measurements, to predict gas foil bearing behavior in rotating machinery. To address this shortcoming, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has supported the development of analytical tools to predict gas foil bearing performance. One of the codes has the capability to predict rotordynamic coefficients, power loss, film thickness, structural deformation, and more. The current paper presents an assessment of the predictive capability of the code named XLGFBTH©. A test rig at GRC is used as a simulated case study to compare rotordynamic analysis using output from the code to actual rotor response as measured in the test rig. The test rig rotor is supported on two gas foil journal bearings manufactured at GRC with all pertinent geometry disclosed. The resulting comparison shows that the rotordynamic coefficients calculated using XLGFBTH© represent the dynamics of the system reasonably well especially as they pertain to predicting critical speeds.

Bump-Type Foil Bearings and Flexure Pivot Tilting Pad Bearings for Oil-Free Automotive Turbochargers: Highlights in Rotordynamic Performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keun Ryu ◽  
Zachary Ashton
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Mechanical Efficiency ◽  
Outer Diameter ◽  
Gas Bearings ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Thermal Growth ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
Tilting Pad Bearings

Oil-free turbochargers (TCs) require gas bearings in compact units of enhanced rotordynamic stability, mechanical efficiency, and improved reliability with reduced maintenance costs compared with oil-lubricated bearings. Implementation of gas bearings into automotive TCs requires careful thermal management with accurate measurements verifying model predictions. Gas foil bearings (GFBs) are customarily used in oil-free microturbomachinery because of their distinct advantages including tolerance to shaft misalignment and centrifugal/thermal growth, and large damping and load capacity compared with rigid surface gas bearings. Flexure pivot tilting pad bearings (FPTPBs) are widely used in high-performance turbomachinery since they offer little or no cross-coupled stiffnesses with enhanced rotordynamic stability. The paper details the rotordynamic performance and temperature characteristics of two prototype oil-free TCs; one supported on foil journal and thrust bearings and the other one is supported on FPTP journal bearings and foil thrust bearings of identical sizes (outer diameter (OD) and inner diameter (ID)) with the same aerodynamic components. The tests of the oil-free TCs, each consisting of a hollow rotor (∼0.4 kg and ∼23 mm in OD at the bearing locations), are performed for various imbalances in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH; i.e., cold air driven rotordynamics rig) and gas stand test facilities up to 130 krpm. No forced cooling air flow streams are supplied to the test bearings and rotor. The measurements demonstrate the stable performance of the rotor–gas bearing systems in an ambient NVH test cell with cold forced air into the turbine inlet. Post-test inspection of the test FPTPGBs after the hot gas stand tests evidences seizure of the hottest bearing, thereby revealing a notable reduction in bearing clearance as the rotor temperature increases. The compliant FPTPGBs offer a sound solution for stable rotor support only at an ambient temperature condition while demonstrating less tolerance for shaft growth, centrifugal, and thermal, beyond its clearance. The current measurements give confidence in the present GFB technology for ready application into automotive TCs for passenger car and commercial vehicle applications with increased reliability.

Real gas flow fields about three dimensional configurations

1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. BALAKRISHNAN ◽  
C. LOMBARD ◽  
W.C. DAVY
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flow Fields ◽  
Real Gas
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