Operating Performance Limitations of Tilting Pad Thrust Bearings Due to Misalignment

In thrust bearings, the thrust collar and bearing surface need to be parallel to each other to ensure that all pads share the same load. In rotating machines, the shaft system cannot achieve perfect alignment. Misalignment of the thrust collar results in some pads supporting a higher load than others and excessive loads being placed on some pads. Consequently, high loads and high temperatures may occur in the bearing. Thus, in this study, we aim to analytically evaluate the performance of a misaligned non-equalizing direct lubricated tilting pad thrust bearing. We define the oil film thickness of the misaligned thrust bearing using the Byrant angle. Additionally, we calculate the pressure distribution and temperature distribution of the thrust bearing using the generalized Reynolds equation and energy equation. The design limit of the thrust bearing is defined by the load and temperature. Therefore, we evaluate the allowable misalignment angle as the limit of the maximum load and temperature. The analysis results demonstrate that an increase in the speed and load corresponds to a smaller allowable misalignment angle. However, as this is not the same for all thrust bearings, evaluating the allowable misalignment angle at each thrust bearing is essential.

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