Gas Foil Bearings: Limits for High-Speed Operation

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andre´s ◽  
Tae Ho Kim
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Ultimate Load ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Structural Deformation ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Algebraic Equations ◽  
Ultimate Load Capacity ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Initial Assembly

Commercial oil-free micro turbomachinery relies on gas foil bearings (GFBs) for reliable performance with improved efficiency. However, GFB modeling is still largely empirical, lacking experimental validation. An analysis of simple GFBs operating at large shaft speeds (infinite speed number) follows. The bearing ultimate load and stiffness coefficients are derived from simple algebraic equations for the gas film pressures at the equilibrium journal position and due to small amplitude journal motions, respectively. GFBs without a clearance or with assembly interference are easily modeled. The underlying elastic structure (bump foil strip) determines the ultimate load capacity of a GFB as well as its stiffnesses, along with the limiting journal displacement and structural deformation. Thus, an accurate estimation of the actual minimum film thickness is found prior to performing calculations with a complex computational model, even for the case of large loads that result in a journal eccentricity well exceeding the nominal clearance, if applicable. An initial assembly preload (interference between shaft and foil) increases the GFB static stiffness at both null and infinite rotor speeds. At infinite speed, cross-coupled stiffnesses are nil; and thus, GFBs are impervious to hydrodynamic whirl instability.

Limits for High-Speed Operation of Gas Foil Bearings

2006 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 670-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Ho Kim ◽  
Luis San Andrés
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Ultimate Load ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Structural Deformation ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Algebraic Equations ◽  
Ultimate Load Capacity ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Initial Assembly

Commercial oil-free microturbomachinery implements gas foil bearings (GFBs) for reliable performance with improved efficiency. However, GFB modeling is still largely empirical, lacking experimental validation. An analysis of simple GFBs operating at large shaft speeds (infinite speed number) follows. The bearing ultimate load and stiffness coefficients are derived from simple algebraic equations for the gas film pressures at the equilibrium journal position and due to small amplitude journal motions, respectively. GFBs without a clearance or with assembly interference are easily modeled. The underlying elastic structure (bump foil strip) determines the ultimate load capacity of a GFB as well as its stiffnesses, along with the limiting journal displacement and structural deformation. Thus, an accurate estimation of the actual minimum film thickness is found prior to performing calculations with a complex computational model, even for the case of large loads that result in a journal eccentricity well exceeding the nominal clearance, if applicable. An initial assembly preload (interference between shaft and foil) increases the GFB static stiffness at both null and infinite rotor speeds. At infinite speed, cross-coupled stiffnesses are nil, and thus, GFBs are impervious to hydrodynamic whirl instability.

Rotordynamic Performance of a Rotor Supported on Bump Type Foil Gas Bearings: Experiments and Predictions

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 850-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Dario Rubio ◽  
Tae Ho Kim
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Critical Speed ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Test System ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Rotor Imbalance ◽  
Synchronous Motion ◽  
Damping Characteristics ◽  
Rotor Surface ◽  
Stiffness And Damping

Gas foil bearings (GFBs) satisfy the requirements for oil-free turbomachinery, i.e., simple construction and ensuring low drag friction and reliable high speed operation. However, GFBs have a limited load capacity and minimal damping, as well as frequency and amplitude dependent stiffness and damping characteristics. This paper provides experimental results of the rotordynamic performance of a small rotor supported on two bump-type GFBs of length and diameter equal to 38.10mm. Coast down rotor responses from 25krpm to rest are recorded for various imbalance conditions and increasing air feed pressures. The peak amplitudes of rotor synchronous motion at the system critical speed are not proportional to the imbalance introduced. Furthermore, for the largest imbalance, the test system shows subsynchronous motions from 20.5krpm to 15krpm with a whirl frequency at ∼50% of shaft speed. Rotor imbalance exacerbates the severity of subsynchronous motions, thus denoting a forced nonlinearity in the GFBs. The rotor dynamic analysis with calculated GFB force coefficients predicts a critical speed at 8.5krpm, as in the experiments; and importantly enough, unstable operation in the same speed range as the test results for the largest imbalance. Predicted imbalance responses do not agree with the rotor measurements while crossing the critical speed, except for the lowest imbalance case. Gas pressurization through the bearings’ side ameliorates rotor subsynchronous motions and reduces the peak amplitudes at the critical speed. Posttest inspection reveal wear spots on the top foils and rotor surface.

Rotordynamics Performance of Hybrid Foil Bearing Under Forced Vibration Input

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daejong Kim ◽  
Brian Nicholson ◽  
Lewis Rosado ◽  
Garry Givan
Keyword(s):  
Impulse Response ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Supply System ◽  
Forced Response ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Lateral Acceleration ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Gas Supply

Foil bearings are one type of hydrodynamic air/gas bearings but with a compliant bearing surface supported by structural material that provides stiffness and damping to the bearing. The hybrid foil bearing (HFB) in this paper is a combination of a traditional hydrodynamic foil bearing with externally-pressurized air/gas supply system to enhance load capacity during the start and to improve thermal stability of the bearing. The HFB is more suitable for relatively large and heavy rotors where rotor weight is comparable to the load capacity of the bearing at full speed and extra air/gas supply system is not a major added cost. With 4,448N∼22,240N thrust class turbine aircraft engines in mind, the test rotor is supported by HFB in one end and duplex rolling element bearings in the other end. This paper presents experimental work on HFB with diameter of 102mm performed at the US Air force Research Laboratory. Experimental works include: measurement of impulse response of the bearing to the external load corresponding to rotor’s lateral acceleration of 5.55g, forced response to external subsynchronous excitation, and high speed imbalance response. A non-linear rotordynamic simulation model was also applied to predict the impulse response and forced subsynchronous response. The simulation results agree well with experimental results. Based on the experimental results and subsequent simulations, an improved HFB design is also suggested for higher impulse load capability up to 10g and rotordynamics stability up to 30,000rpm under subsynchronous excitation.

Discussion of “Ultimate Load Capacity of Arch Dams”

1967 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-267
Author(s):  
Marek Janas ◽  
Lance A. Endersbee ◽  
M.L. Juncosa ◽  
K.V. Swaminathan ◽  
A. Rajaraman
Keyword(s):  
Ultimate Load ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Ultimate Load Capacity ◽  
Arch Dams

Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Multiple Openings

2020 ◽  
Vol 857 ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
Haidar Abdul Wahid Khalaf ◽  
Amer Farouk Izzet
Keyword(s):  
Reinforced Concrete ◽  
Ultimate Load ◽  
Concrete Beams ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Reinforced Concrete Beams ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Ultimate Load Capacity ◽  
Concentrated Load ◽  
Simply Supported ◽  
Group I

The present investigation focuses on the response of simply supported reinforced concrete rectangular-section beams with multiple openings of different sizes, numbers, and geometrical configurations. The advantages of the reinforcement concrete beams with multiple opening are mainly, practical benefit including decreasing the floor heights due to passage of the utilities through the beam rather than the passage beneath it, and constructional benefit that includes the reduction of the self-weight of structure resulting due to the reduction of the dead load that achieves economic design. To optimize beam self-weight with its ultimate resistance capacity, ten reinforced concrete beams having a length, width, and depth of 2700, 100, and 400 mm, respectively were fabricated and tested as simply supported beams under one incremental concentrated load at mid-span until failure. The design parameters were the configuration and size of openings. Three main groups categorized experimental beams comprise the same area of openings and steel reinforcement details but differ in configurations. Three different shapes of openings were considered, mainly, rectangular, parallelogram, and circular. The experimental results indicate that, the beams with circular openings more efficient than the other configurations in ultimate load capacity and beams stiffness whereas, the beams with parallelogram openings were better than the beams with rectangular openings. Commonly, it was observed that the reduction in ultimate load capacity, for beams of group I, II, and III compared to the reference solid beam ranged between (75 to 93%), (65 to 93%), and (70 to 79%) respectively.

scholarly journals Experimental Study on the Effect of Heel Plate Length on the Structural Integrity of Cold-formed Steel Roof Trusses

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 08010
Author(s):  
Je Chenn Gan ◽  
Jee Hock Lim ◽  
Siong Kang Lim ◽  
Horng Sheng Lin
Keyword(s):  
Ultimate Load ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Local Buckling ◽  
Ultimate Capacity ◽  
Ultimate Load Capacity ◽  
Plate Length ◽  
Roof Truss ◽  
Cold Formed Steel ◽  
Structural Failures

Applications of Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) are widely used in buildings, machinery and etc. Many researchers began the research of CFS as a roof truss system. It is required to increase the knowledge of the configurations of CFS roof trusses due to the uncertainty of the structural failures regarding the materials and rigidity of joints. The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of heel plate length to the ultimate load capacity of CFS roof truss system. Three different lengths of heel plate specimens were fabricated and subjected to concentrated loads until failure. The highest ultimate capacity for the experiment was 30 kN. The results showed that the increment of the length of the heel plate had slightly increased the ultimate capacity and strain. The increment of the length of the heel plate had increased the deflection of the bottom chords but decreased the deflection of the top chords. Local buckling of top chords adjacent to the heel plate was the primary failure mode for all the heel plate specimens.

Influence of geometric parameters on the bump foil bearing performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 234 (7) ◽  
pp. 1017-1026
Author(s):  
Sadanand Kulkarni ◽  
Soumendu Jana
Keyword(s):  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
High Speed ◽  
System Development ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Load Carrying Capacity ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Load Carrying ◽  
Lift Off

High-speed rotating system development has drawn considerable attention of the researchers, in the recent past. Foil bearings are one of the major contenders for such applications, particularly for high speed and low load rotating systems. In foil bearings, process fluid or air is used as the working medium and no additional lubricant is required. It is known from the published literature that the load capacity of foil bearings depend on the operating speed, viscosity of the medium, clearance, and stiffness of the foil apart from the geometric dimensions of the bearing. In case of foil bearing with given dimensions, clearance governs the magnitude of pressure developed, whereas stiffness dictates the change in radial clearance under the generated pressure. This article deals with the effect of stiffness, clearance, and its interaction on the bump foil bearings load-carrying capacity. For this study, four sets of foil bearings of the same geometry with two levels of stiffness and clearance values are fabricated. Experiments are carried out following two factor-two level factorial design approach under constant load and in each case, the lift-off speed is measured. The experimental output is analyzed using statistical techniques to evaluate the influence of parameters under consideration. The results indicate that clearance has the maximum influence on the lift-off speed/ load-carrying capacity, followed by interaction effect and stiffness. A regression model is developed based on the experimental values and model is validated using error analysis technique.

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