• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

This paper focuses on the thermal deformation induced preload change in the tilting pad journal bearing, using a three-dimensional (3D) thermo-hydro-dynamic (THD) approach. Preload is considered as a critical factor in designing the tilting pad journal bearing. The initial preload measured under nil external load and nil thermal gradient is influenced by two factors, namely, the thermal deformation and elastic deformation. Thermal deformation is due to a temperature distribution in the bearing pads, whereas the elastic deformation is due to fluid forces acting on the pads. This study focuses on the changes induced in preload and film clearance due to thermal deformation. The generalized Reynolds equation is used to evaluate the force of the fluid and the 3D energy equation is used to calculate the temperature of the lubricant. The abovementioned equations are combined by establishing a relationship between viscosity and temperature. The heat transfer within the bearing pads, the lubricant, and the spinning journal is calculated using the heat flux boundary condition. The 3D Finite Element Method (FEM) is used in modeling the (1) heat conduction in the spinning journal and bearing pads, (2) thermal gradient induced thermal distortion of the spinning journal and pads, and (3) viscous shearing, and heat conduction and convection in a thin film. This evaluation method has an increased fidelity, and it can prove to be a cost-effective tool that can be used by designers to predict the dynamic behavior of a bearing.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.752-760
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• 2011

In tilting pad bearing design process, the selection of the proper configuration type of either a load-between-pad(LBP) or load-on-pad(LOP) as well as preload and pivot offset conditions is to be carefully considered. Also the bearing needs to be designed in order to be suited for the rotor-bearing system and operating condition. In this paper, it is observed that the dynamic characteristics in a five pad tilting pad bearing for the LBP and the LOP configurations are influenced by the variation of preload and pivot offset. In this context, rotor dynamic analysis of the 5 MW industrial gas turbine supported by the tilting pad bearing at the front and roller bearing at the rear is carried out based on the dynamic coefficients of the tilting pad bearing investigated. The result shows that two rigid body critical modes experience various changes according to the influence of the tilting pad bearing uniquely applied to one side of this machine. Mainly, the second critical speed, the rigid body mode of conical shape with high whirling in the tilting pad bearing, is significantly changed by preload and pivot offset regardless of the LBP and LOP configurations. And, the first critical mode, the rigid body mode of conical shape with high whirling in the roller bearing, is sensitively affected by preload applied to the LOP configuration and by its asymmetric dynamic properties.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.425-432
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• 2011

In tilting pad bearing design process, the selection of the proper configuration type of either a Load-Between-Pad (LBP) or Load-On-Pad (LOP) as well as preload and pivot offset conditions is to be carefully considered. Also the bearing needs to be designed in order to be suited for the rotor-bearing system and operating condition. In this paper, it is observed that the dynamic characteristics in a 5 pad tilting pad bearing for the LBP and the LOP configurations are influenced by the variation of preload and pivot offset. In this context, rotor dynamic analysis of the 5MW industrial gas turbine supported by the tilting pad bearing at the front and roller bearing at the rear is carried out based on the dynamic coefficients of the tilting pad bearing investigated. The result shows that two rigid body critical modes experience various changes according to the influence of the tilting pad bearing uniquely applied to one side of this machine. Mainly, the second critical speed, the rigid body mode of conical shape with high whirling in the tilting pad bearing, is significantly changed by preload and pivot offset regardless of the LBP and LOP configurations. And, the first critical mode, the rigid body mode of conical shape with high whirling in the roller bearing, is sensitively affected by preload applied to the LOP configuration and by the its asymmetric dynamic properties.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2013

To increase the machine accuracy by improving the stiffness of spindle bearings, preload was applied to the spindle bearings. The methods of fixed position preload, convertible preload, constant pressure preload, and variable preload are used to apply the preload to the spindle bearing. The previous studies performed by the author of this study were variable preload methods using rubber pressure and centrifugal force based on mechanical systems. This study proposed a toggle joint mechanism that could be applied to variable preload method using centrifugal force and rubber pressure to increase the preload. Also, a finite element analysis was conducted to predict the deformation of the rubber and change of the preload. And the analysis results showed that the preload by the device using rubber pressure only was increased by the toggle joint mechanism using rubber pressure.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

In this study, a three-pad gas foil journal bearing with a diameter of 40 mm and an axial length of 35 mm was modeled to predict the static and dynamic performances with regard to an increasing mechanical preload. The Reynolds equation for an isothermal and isoviscous ideal gas was coupled with a simple elastic foundation foil model to calculate the hydrodynamic pressure solution iteratively. In the prediction results, the journal eccentricity, journal attitude angle, and minimum film thickness decreased, but the friction torque increased with the preload. A quick comparison implied a lower load capacity but higher stability for a three-pad gas foil bearing compared to a one-pad gas foil journal bearing. The direct stiffness coefficients increased with the preload, but the cross-coupled stiffness coefficients decreased. The direct damping coefficient increased in the horizontal direction but decreased in the vertical direction as the preload increased. These model predictions will be useful as a benchmark against experimental test data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.145-148
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• 2003

Thermal characteristics according to the bearing preload arc studied for the four type spindles with high frequency motor. For the analysis. three dimensional models are built considering heat transfer characteristics such as natural and forced convection coefficients, Bearing and motor are main heat generation, and heat generation by ball bearings as a function of load. viscosity and gyroscopic moment effect are considered. Unsteady-state temperature distributions and thermal displacements according to the bearing preload are analyzed by using the finite clement method.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06c
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• pp.281-286
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• 2001

Tilting pad journal bearings have been widely used in a high speed rotating machinery, such as steam turbines and gas turbines, owing to their inherent stability characteristics. However, some peculiar fatigue failure in the babbitt metal due to spragging has been continuously occurred at the leading edge of the upper pads. The spragging is defined as the pad vibration initiated on the upper unloaded pads in a tilting pad journal bearing. This paper describes both several kinds of bearing failure related with spragging and the theoretical investigation on the prevention of the spragging phenomenon using the variation of preload. Results show that positive preload(m>0.5) assures all pads remain statically loaded under all operating conditions. For the change of design parameter to prevent spragging, thermo-hydrodynamic lubrication and rotor dynamic analysis were performed to verify temperature limitation on bearing and vibration problems on rotor bearing system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.135-136
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• 2006

A precise linear motion stage supported by magnetically preloaded air bearings is introduced where preloading magnetic actuators are combined with permanent magnets and coils to adjust air bearing clearance by controlling magnetic force actively. Each of the magnetic actuators has a permanent magnet generating nominal magnetic flux for required preload and a coil to perturb the magnetic force resulting adjustment of air-bearing clearance. The characteristics of porous aerostatic bearing are analyzed by numerical analysis, and analytic magnetic circuit model is driven for magnetic actuator to calculate nominal preload and variation of force due to current. A 1-axis linear stage motorized with a coreless linear motor and a linear encoder is built for verifying this design concept. With the active magnetic preloading actuators controlled with DSP board and PWM power amplifiers, the active on-line adjusting tests about the vertical, pitching and rolling motion were performed, and the result shows very good linearity.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.102-110
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• 2023

This study aims to quantify the variation in the performance of a tilting pad journal bearing (TPJB) owing to the elastic deformation of its pad. To this end, we first defined a parameter, "elastic preload", and predicted the changes in the performance of the TPJB, as a function of the preload amount. We used the iso-viscosity Reynolds equation, which ignores the temperature rise due to viscous shear in thin films, and the resultant thermal deformation of the bearing structure. We employed a three-dimensional finite element model to predict the elastic deformation of the bearing pad, and a transient analysis, to converge to a static equilibrium condition of the flexible pads and journal. Conducting a modal coordinate transformation helped us avoid heavy computational issues arising from a mesh refinement in the three-dimensional finite element pad model. Moreover, we adopted the Hertzian contact model to predict the elastic deformation at the pivot location. With the aforementioned overall strategy, we predicted the performance changes owing to the elastic deformation of the pad under varying load conditions. From the results, we observed an increase in the preload due to the pad elastic deformation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.389-392
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• 1997

This paper presents the dynamic analysis and experiment for rotor systems supported by angular contact ball bearings subjected to axial displacement preload. A dynamic software, which has been developed by the authors for the analysis of rotor systems supported by angular contact ball bearings, is used to simulate a uniform shaft system supported by two angular contact ball bearings with the axial displacement preload varied. Experiments are also performed to validate the simulation. An experimental system is constructed which consists of a uniform shaft, two bearings and a device for adjusting the axial displacement preload. Through a series of simulation and experiment, the dynamic characteristics of rotor systems with angular contact ball bearings subject to axial displacement preload are investigated.