Performance of novel air foil thrust bearings with taper-groove on surface of top foil

2020 ◽  
Vol 235 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-92
Author(s):  
Hongyang Hu ◽  
Ming Feng
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Groove Depth ◽  
Friction Torque ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
Local Dynamic ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Rarefaction Effect ◽  
Foil Thrust Bearing

To improve the load capacity of air foil thrust bearing, the micro taper-grooves on the surface of top foil was introduced and studied. A modified Reynolds equation considering the gas rarefaction effect was established, in which the Knudsen number was affected by the film thickness and pressure. A new bump stiffness model was built with the consideration of bump rounding, friction, and bending stiffness of foil. By considering the variation of gas film thickness, the load capacity, friction torque, and power loss of novel bearing with grooves were calculated by the finite difference method. Moreover, the effect law of groove parameters, groove shape and grooves number on the novel bearing performance was studied systematically. The results show that the predicted axial load capacity considering gas rarefaction effect is decreased slightly in smaller clearance and more consistent with the actual test data. The novel air foil thrust bearing with taper-groove can weaken the air end leakage and enhance the local dynamic pressure efficiently in the parallel portion of top foil, thus improving the static characteristics of bearing. For the novel air foil thrust bearing with taper-groove depth of 10 µm, the load capacity can be increased by about 13.33%, compared with traditional bearing. With the increments of taper-groove depth and length on top foil, the load capacity can be increased. However, the friction torque is decreased when there is a longer taper-groove in the circumferential direction. Meanwhile, the optimal groove width ratio is about 0.5, and the structure of multi-grooves is beneficial to the decreased friction torque. The validity of presented theoretical model has been verified by the literature data, and the results are expected to be helpful to bearing designers, researchers, and academicians concerned.

Static Characteristics of Gas Foil Thrust Bearing Based on Gas Rarefaction Model

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajia Yan ◽  
Guanghui Zhang ◽  
Zhansheng Liu ◽  
Fan Yang
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
Reynolds Equation ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Rarefied Gas ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Lubricating Film ◽  
Lift Off ◽  
Foil Thrust Bearing

A modified Reynolds equation for bump type gas foil thrust bearing was established with consideration of the gas rarefaction coefficient. Under rarefied gas lubrication, the Knudsen number which was affected by the film thickness and pressure was introduced to the Reynolds equation. The coupled modified Reynolds and lubricating film thickness equations were solved using Newton-Raphson Iterative Method and Finite Difference Method. By calculating the load capacity for increasing rotor speeds, the lift-off speed under certain static load was obtained. Parametric studies for a series of structural parameters and assembled clearances were carried out for bearing optimization design. The results indicate that with gas rarefaction effect, the axial load capacity would be decreased, and the lift-off speed would be improved. The rarefied gas has a more remarkable impact under a lower rotating speed and a smaller foil compliance coefficient. When the assembled clearance of the thrust bearing rotor system lies in a small value, the lift-off speed increases dramatically as the assembled clearance decreases further. Therefore, the axial clearance should be controlled carefully in assembling the foil thrust bearing. It’s worth noting that the linear uniform bump foil stiffness model is not exact for large foil compliance ∼0.5, especially for lift-off speed analysis, due to ignoring the interaction between bumps and bending stiffness of the foil.

Numerical and experimental studies on the thermal and static characteristics of multi-leaf foil thrust bearing

2021 ◽  
pp. 135065012110110
Author(s):  
Yu Guo ◽  
Yu Hou ◽  
Qi Zhao ◽  
Xionghao Ren ◽  
Shuangtao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Elastic Model ◽  
Static Characteristics ◽  
Bearing Load ◽  
Foil Thrust Bearing ◽  
Cooling Air

Foil bearing is considered to be a promising supporting technology in high-speed centrifugal machinery. Due to the high-speed shearing effect in the viscous lubricant film, heat generation could not be ignored. In this paper, a thermo-elastic model of the multi-leaf foil thrust bearing is proposed to predict its thermal and static characteristics. In the model, modified Reynolds equation, energy equation, and Kirchhoff equation are solved in a coupling way. The contact area between the foil and welding plate is taken into account. Besides, the effect of cooling air on the bearing temperature is investigated. The ultimate load capacity and transient overload failure process of the bearing is analyzed and discussed. The effect of rotation speed on the bearing temperature is more obvious than that of the bearing load. The bearing temperature drops obviously by introducing the cooling air, and the cooling effect is improved with the supply pressure. The transient overload failure of the bearing occurs when the bearing load exceeds the ultimate value.

An Accurate Solution of the Gas Lubricated, Flat Sector Thrust Bearing

1977 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Etsion ◽  
D. P. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Thickness Distribution ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Accurate Solution ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Practical Design ◽  
Minimum Film Thickness

A flat sector shaped pad geometry for gas lubricated thrust bearings is analyzed considering both pitch and roll angles of the pad and the true film thickness distribution. Maximum load capacity is achieved when the pad is tilted so as to create a uniform minimum film thickness along the pad trailing edge. Performance characteristics for various geometries and operating conditions of gas thrust bearings are presented in the form of design curves. A comparison is made with the rectangular slider approximation. It is found that this approximation is unsafe for practical design, since it always overestimates load capacity.

Nanoparticles-Laden Gas Film in Aerostatic Thrust Bearing

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiru Yang ◽  
Dongfeng Diao ◽  
Xue Fan ◽  
Hongyan Fan
Keyword(s):  
Effective Viscosity ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Sio2 Nanoparticles ◽  
Enhancement Effect ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Air Film

Nanoparticles-laden gas film (NLGF) was formed by adding SiO2 nanoparticles with volume fraction in the range of 0.014–0.330% and size of 30 nm into the air gas film in a thrust bearing. An effective viscosity of the gas-solid two phase lubrication media was introduced. The pressure distribution in NLGF and the load capacity of the thrust bearing were calculated by using the gas-solid two phase flow model with the effective viscosity under the film thicknesses range of 15–60 μm condition. The results showed that the NLGF can increase the load capacity when the film thickness is larger than 30 μm. The mechanism of the enhancement effect of load capacity was attributed to the increase of the effective viscosity of the NLGF from the pure air film, and the novel lubrication media of the NLGF can be expected for the bearing industry application.

On the Optimum Groove Geometry for Herringbone Grooved Journal Bearings

2006 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Gad ◽  
M. M. Nemat-Alla ◽  
A. A. Khalil ◽  
A. M. Nasr
Keyword(s):  
Groove Depth ◽  
Radial Force ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Friction Torque ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Circular Groove ◽  
Groove Profile

Recently, herringbone-grooved journal bearings have had important applications in miniature rotating machines. The scribed grooves, on either the rotating or stationary member of the bearing, can pump the lubricant inward, which generates supporting stiffness and improves the dynamic stability, especially for concentric operation. Most of the previous investigations that dealt with herringbone grooved journal bearings and grooved thrust bearings were theoretical. Few experimental attempts for the investigation of the performance characteristics of herringbone grooved journal bearings (HGJBs) and grooved thrust bearings have been done. All these investigations concentrated on rectangular and circular groove profiles of HGJBs. In order to improve the performance characteristics of HGJBs, a new design of the groove profile, the beveled-step groove profile, is introduced. The introduced groove profile is capable of increasing the pressure recovery at the divergence of the flow over the step. In addition, it increases the amount of oil pumped inward over the circular groove profile. Optimization processes were carried out experimentally, in order to obtain the optimal geometry of the introduced groove profile. The optimum geometrical parameters of the groove (groove angle α, groove width ratio β, and groove depth ratio Γ) are 29deg, 0.5, and 2.0, respectively, which give maximum radial force and maximum radial stiffness of the beveled-step HGJB. In order to check the effectiveness of the introduced beveled-step groove profile, the obtained results were compared with that for rectangular groove profile. The comparison shows that the introduced beveled-step HGJBs have higher radial force, higher load carrying capacity, and lower friction torque than the rectangular HGJBs.

Theoretical Study on Static Performance of Double-Bump Foil Bearings

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangcheng Xu ◽  
Jianhua Chu ◽  
Wenlin Luan ◽  
Guang Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Static Characteristics ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearing ◽  
Static Performance ◽  
Initial Clearance

Abstract In this paper, single-bump foil models with different thickness and double-bump foil models with different initial clearances are established. The structural stiffness and equivalent viscous damping of double-bump foil and single-bump foil are analyzed by finite element simulation. The results show that the double-layer bump foil has variable stiffness and the displacement of the upper bump is greater than the initial gap when the two-layer bumps contact. A model for obtaining static characteristics of aerodynamic compliant foil thrust bearing is established on the basis of the stiffness characteristics of the double-bump foil. This paper solves gas Reynolds equation, the gas film thickness equation and the foil stiffness characteristic equation via the finite element method and the finite difference method. The static characteristics of the thrust bearings including the bearing pressure distribution, the gas film thickness and the friction power consumption have been obtained. The static characteristics of two kinds of foils have been compared and analyzed, and the effect of initial clearance on the static performance of double-bump foil bearings is studied. The results show that the double-bump foil structure can effectively improve the load capacity of thrust bearing. In addition, the static performance of double-bump foil thrust bearings is between the performance of the single-bump foil bearing and the double-bump foil bearing whose foil’s clearance is zero. The smaller the initial clearance is, the easier it will be to form a stable double-bump foil supporting structure.

The Influence of Ambient Pressure on the Measured Load Capacity of Bump-Foil and Spiral-Groove Gas Thrust Bearings at Ambient Pressures up to 69 Bar on a Novel High-Pressure Gas Bearing Test Rig

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Wilkes ◽  
Ryan Cater ◽  
Erik Swanson ◽  
Kevin Passmore ◽  
Jerry Brady
Keyword(s):  
Power Loss ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Spiral Groove ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Foil Thrust Bearing ◽  
Thrust Load

Abstract This paper will show the influence of ambient pressure on the thrust capacity of bump-foil and spiral-groove gas thrust bearings. The bearings were operating in nitrogen at various pressures up to 69 bar, and were tested to failure. Failure was detected at various pressures by incrementally increasing the thrust load applied to the thrust bearing until the bearing was no longer thermally stable, or until contact was observed by a temperature spike measured by thermocouples within the bearing. These tests were performed on a novel thrust bearing test rig that was developed to allow thrust testing at pressures up to 207 bar cavity pressure at 260°C while rotating at speeds up to 120,000 rpm. The test rig floats on hydrostatic air bearings to allow for the direct measurement of applied thrust load through linkages that connect the stationary thrust loader to the rotor housing. Test results on a 65 mm (2.56 in) bump-foil thrust bearing at 100 krpm show a marked increase in load capacity with gas density, which has not previously been shown experimentally. Results also show that the load capacity of a similarly sized spiral-groove thrust bearing are relatively insensitive to pressure, and supported an order-of-magnitude less load than that observed for the bump-foil thrust bearing. These results are compared with analytical predictions, which agree reasonably with the experimental results. Predicted power loss is also presented for the bump-foil bearing; however, measured power loss was substantially higher.

Development of Foil Thrust Bearings with Simple Structure for Micro Turbines

2011 ◽  
Vol 368-373 ◽  
pp. 1392-1395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quan Zhou ◽  
Yu Hou ◽  
Ru Gang Chen
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Simple Structure ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Complicated Structure ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Foil Bearings ◽  
Rotational Systems ◽  
Micro Turbine ◽  
Foil Thrust Bearing

Because of the low power loss and high stability, foil bearings are suitable lubrication components for high speed rotational systems. At present, the foil bearings used in actual applications almost have complicated structure and are hard to manufacture. In this paper, two kinds of foil thrust bearings with simple structure are presented. Configurations of these two foil thrust bearings are introduced; meanwhile, the load capacity and running stability are also tested in a high speed micro turbine. It is shown that viscoelastic supported foil thrust bearing has higher load capacity and hemisphere convex dots supported foil thrust bearing is more stable in high speed operational condition.

Effects of Grooving in a Hydrostatic Circular Step Thrust Bearing With Porous Facing

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mahbubur Razzaque ◽  
M. Zakir Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Inclination Angle ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Seepage Flow ◽  
Groove Depth ◽  
Small Thickness ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
High Level

Effects of grooving in a porous faced hydrostatic circular step thrust bearing are investigated using a mathematical model based on the narrow groove theory (NGT). It is shown that enhancement of load capacity by grooving the step is possible at moderate level of permeability of the porous facing. Load capacity drops sharply with the increase of porous facing thickness. However, this drop in load capacity occurs mostly within a small thickness of the porous facing. Considering the coupled effects of permeability and inertia, it is recommended that the dimensionless step location should be 0.5–0.8 and the dimensionless step height should be less than five to take advantage of grooving. The groove geometric parameters such as groove inclination angle, fraction of grooved area and groove depth corresponding to the maximum load capacity are found to be the same for both with and without porous facing. However, with porous facing, the sensitivity of the load capacity on the groove parameters reduces. At high level of permeability, the effects of grooves may become insignificant because of high seepage flow through the porous facing.

Analysis of Starved Thrust Bearings Including Temperature Effects

1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Artiles ◽  
H. Heshmat
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Direct Iteration ◽  
Finite Thrust ◽  
Raphson Iteration

A method of analysis is described treating starvation in finite thrust bearing pads. A variable-size finite difference mesh is used to represent the two-dimensional temperature and pressure fields. A combination of Newton-Raphson iteration, direct iteration, and column matrix methods are used to solve for the start-of-film and minimum film thickness as well as the coupled two-dimensional energy and Reynolds equations. A parametric study describes the performance characteristics of the tapered land thrust bearing (flowrates, extent of fluid film, temperature rises, load capacity and torque) for different minimum film thicknesses and levels of starvation. This study considered variations in the geometrical parameters such as pad aspect ratio (L/R2=1/3, 1/2, 2/3) and extent of the pad (β=27, 42, and 57 deg) with an optimum taper ratio (β1/β=0.8). It is found that the effects of starvation are fairly small near the flooded condition but accelerate rapidly below the 50 percent starvation level. The start of the film (θ1) depends mostly on the level of starvation, and is essentially independent of the geometrical parameters, operating conditions or film thickness.

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