• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.123-129
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• 2007

This paper presents a theoretical model for the analysis of double-bumped AFBs. The stiffness and damping coefficients of the double bump vary depending on the external load and its friction coefficient. In the case of a lightly loaded condition where only the upper bump contributes to deformation, the double bump is in the single active region. In the case of a heavily loaded condition where both the upper and lower bumps contribute to deformation, the double bump is in the double active region. So the double bump can be either in the single or double active region depending on vertical deflection. The equivalent stiffness and damping coefficients of the bump system are derived from the vertical and horizontal deflection of the bump, including the friction effect. A static and dynamic performance analysis is carried out by using the finite difference method and the perturbation technique. The results of the performance analysis for a double-bumped AFB are compared with those obtained for a single-bumped AFB. This paper successfully proves that a double bumped AFB has higher load capacity, stiffness, and damping than a single-bumped AFB in a heavily loaded condition.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.9 no.6 s.39
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• pp.45-53
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• 2006

Turbo-blower as an air supply system is one of the most important BOP (Balance of Plant) systems for FCV(Fuel Cell Vehicle). For generating and blowing compressed air, the motor of air blower consumes maximum 25% of net power, and fuel cell demands a clean air. In this study, turbo-blower supported by air foil bearings is introduced as the air supply system used by 80kW proton exchange membrane fuel systems. The turbo-blower is a turbo machine which operates at high speed, so air foil bearings suit their purpose as bearing elements. Analysis for confirming the stability and endurance is conducted. The rotordynamic stability was predicted using the numerical analysis of air foil bearings and it is verified through experimental works. In spite of various transient dynamic situation, the turbo-blower had stable performances. After the performance test, results are presented. The normal power of driving motor has about 1.6 kW with the 30,000 rpm operating range and the flow rate of air has maximum 160 SCFM. The test results show that the aerodymic performance and stability of turbo-blower are satisfied to the primary goals.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.67-72
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• 2006

Blower as an air supply system is one of the most important BOP (Balance of Plant) system fur FCV(Fuel Cell Vehicle). For generating and blowing compressed air, the motor of air blower consumes maximum 25% of net power and fuel cell demands a clean air. Considering the efficiency of whole FCV, low friction lubrication of high speed rotor is needed. For the purpose of reducing electrical power and supplying clean air to Fuel cell, oil-free air foil bearings are applied at the each side of brushless motor (BLDC) as journal bearings which diameter is 50mm. The normal power of driving motor has 1.7kW with the 30,000rpm operating range and the flow rate of air has maximum 160 SCFM. The impeller of blower was adopted a mixed type of centrifugal and axial which has several advantages for variable operating condition. The performance of turbo-blower and parameters of air foil bearings was investigated analytically and experimentally. From this study, the performance of the blower was confirmed to be suitable far 80kw PEM FC.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.453-458
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• 2002

The feasibility study on supporting a turbocharger rotor on air foil bearing is investigated. Based on finite difference method and Newton-Raphson method, the static equilibrium position of a turbocharger rotor is predicted. And using finite difference method and perturbation method, dynamic characteristics of air foil bearings are calculated. Rotordynamic analysis is performed by finite element method, with collaboration of calculated stiffness and damping of foil bearing. The effect of compliance and clearance of bump foil bearing on the oil-free turbocharger is investigated in terms of rotordynamics. And the critical speeds, eccentricity ratio, vibration amplitude, and stability are considered. It is demonstrated that foil bearings offer a rlausible replacement for oil-lubricated bearings in turbocharger.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.6 no.1 s.18
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• pp.51-56
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• 2003

The feasibility study on the oil-free turbocharger supported by air foil bearings is investigated. Using the perturbation method, dynamic characteristics of air foil bearings are calculated based on the static equilibrium position of a turbocharger rotor is predicted. With collaboration of calculated stiffness and damping of foil bearing, rotordynamic analysis is performed using the finite element method. The effects of bump compliance and bearing clearance on rotordynamic characteristics of the oil-free turbocharger such as the critical speeds, eccentricity ratio, vibration amplitude and stability are investigated.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.256-262
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• 2005

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.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2006

This paper presents the influence coefficient method to predict the deflection of bump foil precisely in the sub-structure of AFB(air foil bearing). Heshmat has introduced the simple compliance model to calculate the deflection of bump foil. But this approach can not consider the deflection of bump foil at the edge of AFB, so elasto-hydrodynamic model is insufficient to analyze in case that the eccentricity ratio is greater than 1. Peng has used the average pressure and film thickness, but this approach is not also a realistic model. Influence coefficients of a bump is calculated by finite element method, and introduced in bump deflection equations of the performance analysis of air foil bearing. The effects of the influence coefficient on the bearing performance is discussed in detail for appropriate foil design.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.459-464
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• 2003

The Roordynamic feasibility of Micro Power System supported by air foil bearings is investigated. The Micro Power System is new portable power source based on brayton cycle, which consists of compressor, turbine, generator, and combustion chamber. In this paper, the analysis of Rotordynamic characteristics of Micro Power System is performed based upon the bearing equilibrium position, Campbell diagram and stability. As a result, it is demonstrated that the air foil bearings could be adopted well to the Micro Power System. However, for more stable operation at target running speed, the damping characteristics of air foil bearing should be enhanced.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.109-115
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• 2004

The micro turbo generator is new portable power source based on the Brayton cycle, which consists of a compressor, a turbine, a generator, and a combustion chamber. In this paper, the thermodynamic analysis was performed to find the required condition for hundreds watts power in the micro turbo generator, and also the rotordynamic stability was predicted using the numerical analysis of air foil bearings which support the micro turbo generator. By experimental works, the rotordynamic stability of the micro turbo generator with foil bearings was verified. While various transient dynamic situation, the micro turbo generator had stable performances. From the result, it was demonstrated that air foil bearings could be adapted to the micro turbo generator as a excellent lubrication element.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2019

The paper presents the rotordynamic performance measurements and model predictions of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) air compressor supported on gas foil bearings (GFBs). The rotor has an impeller on one end and a thrust runner on the other end. The front (impeller side) and rear (thrust side) gas foil journal bearings (GFJBs) are located between the impeller and thrust runner to support the radial loads, and a pair of gas foil thrust bearings are located on both sides of the thrust runner to support the axial loads. The test GFJBs have a partial arc shim foil installed between the top foil and bump strip layers to enhance hydrodynamic pressure generation. During the rotordynamic performance tests, two sets of orthogonally installed eddy-current displacement sensors measure the rotor radial motions at the rotor impeller and thrust ends. A series of speed-up and coast-down tests to 100k rpm demonstrates the dominant synchronous (1X) rotor responses to imbalance masses without noticeable subsynchronous motions, which indicates a rotordynamically stable rotor-GFB system. Finite element analysis of the rotor determines the rotor free-free (bending) natural modes and frequencies well beyond the maximum rotating frequency. The predicted damped natural frequencies and damping ratios of the rotor-GFB system reveal rotordynamic stability over the speeds of interest. The imbalance response predictions show that the predicted critical speeds and rotor amplitudes strongly agree with the test measurements, thus validating the developed rotordynamic model.