• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.203-211
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• 2023

This study experimentally investigates the effects of angular acceleration on the friction and wear performances of a gas foil thrust bearing (GFTB) using a typical GFTB with six pads. The outer radius of the bearing is 31.5 mm, the total bearing area is 2,041 mm² , and the bump foil and incline (ramp) height are both 500 ㎛. The newly developed GFTB test rig for measuring the friction torque and coefficient measures the axial load, drag torque, lift-off speed, and touch-down speed. The experiment is conducted for angular accelerations of 78.5, 314.2, and 328.3 rad/s² at axial loads of 5, 10, and 15 N, respectively. The test shows that the start-up friction coefficient increases with increasing axial load at the same angular acceleration, and the friction coefficient decreases with increasing angular acceleration under the same axial load. As the angular acceleration increases, the lift-off speed at the motor start-up increases, and the touch-down speed at the motor stop decreases. The wear distance of the GFTB for a single on/off cycle increases with increasing axial load at the same angular acceleration and decreases nonlinearly with increasing angular acceleration under the same axial load. The test results suggest that adjusting the rotational angular acceleration helps reduce bearing friction and wear.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.219-227
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• 2007

The dynamic performance of air foil bearings relies on a coupling between a thin air film and an elastic foil structure. A number of successful analytical techniques to predict dynamic performance have been developed. However, the evaluation of its dynamic characteristic is still not enough because of the mechanical complexity of the foil structure and strong nonlinear behavior of friction force. This work presents a nonlinear transient analysis method to predict dynamic performance of foil bearings. In this method, time dependent Reynolds equation is used to calculate pressure distribution and a finite element method is used to model the bump foil structure. The analysis is treated with a direct implicit integration technique that can handle nonlinear problems and the stick-slip algorithm is used to consider friction force. Using this method the response to the mass unbalance excitation is investigated for various design parameters and operating conditions. The results of analysis show that foil bearing is very effective on the restriction of vibration at the resonance frequency compared to the rigid surface bearings and the effectiveness depends on the operating conditions, static load and a amount of mass unbalance. In addition, there exist optimum values of friction coefficient, bump foil stiffness and number of circumferential slit with regards to minimizing dynamic response at the resonance frequency. These optimum values are system dependent.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.27-34
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• 2006

Knudsen number is the ratio of molecular mean free path versus mm thickness and the criterion to determine the flow form. When its value is lower than 0.01, the flow can be assumed to has no slip boundary condition. And in the case that the value is between 0.01 and 10, then the flow has slip boundary condition at both the adjacent walls. The condition of the air flow between the rotating journal and top foil in the air foil bearing is determined by the rotating speed and load, and the Knudsen number is also varied by those values. Because the molecular mean free path is variable to the pressure and temperature, more exact formulation is necessary to understand and analyze the flow regime. In this study, the analysis considering Knudsen number formulated with those variables (pressure, temperature and mm thickness) was executed. The approximate value was examined using the equation to confirm whether the flow has the slip or no-slip boundary condition. From the analytic investigation, it was decided to range approximately 0.01 to 1.0 and the flow can be supposed to have the slip boundary condition. Under the condition of the slip flow, the static characteristics of the air foil bearing were examined using modified Reynolds equations. The results were compared with those considering no slip condition. It shows that the slip condition makes the flow decelerates and the load carrying capacity decreases compared with no slip condition. And as the bearing number and eccentricity ratio increase, the load carrying capacity also increased at both the cases. From this result, it can be supposed that the bearing torque also increases. In the analysis of the dynamic characteristics, the perturbed Knudsen number was taken into consideration. Because the Knudsen number is expressed as the terms of each variable, the perturbed equation can be simply derived. The results of both cases considering and not considering Knudsen number were compared each other. In the case of the direct terms of the stiffness and damping coefficients, the difference between both cases was little and increased as the bearing number and eccentricity ratio increased. And the cross terms have less or more differences.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.261-272
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• 2021

This study investigates the structural characteristics of oil-free, gas beam foil journal bearings (GBFJBs) for use in high speed motors. Mathematical modeling was carried out, and reaction force modeling for static load was performed to predict the structural characteristics of the GBFJB. Mathematical modeling and reaction force modeling for static load are performed to predict the structural characteristics of GBFJBs. The reaction force of the test bearing against static loads was measured during experiments and compared with the predicted results. The measured experimental data reveal the nonlinear stiffness characteristics of the GBFJB against varying displacement and agree well with the predictions. Dynamic load tests using an exciter allow to identify the vibration characteristics of the GBFJB. Test results show that the vibration displacement, dynamic force, and acceleration measured on the test bearing are most dominant at the applied dynamic load (synchronization) frequency. Futhermore, the test results show that the hysteresis area recorded during the dynamic tests increases with the excitation amplitude and frequency, and that the beam stick phenomena occurr at high excitation frequencies. The single degree of freedom (DOF) vibration model aids to identify the stiffness and damping coefficient of the GBFJB, which decrease as the excitation frequency increases.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

This study investigates the effects of the slopes of the rotational axis and bearing preloads on the natural frequencies and onset speeds of the instability of a rotor supported on gas foil bearings (GFBs). The predictive model for the rotating system consists of a rigid rotor supported on two gas foil journal bearings (GFJBs) and a pair of gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs). Each GFJB supports approximately half the rotor weight. As the slope of the rotational axis increases from $0^{\circ}$(horizontal rotor operation) to $90^{\circ}$(vertical rotor operation), the applied load on the GFJB owing to the rotor weight decreases. The predictions show that the natural frequency and onset speed of instability decrease significantly with an increase in the slope of the rotational axis. In a parametric study, the nominal radial clearance and preload for the GFJB were changed. In general, a decrease in the nominal radial clearance lead to an increase in the natural frequency and onset speed of instability. For constant assembly clearance, the decrease in the preload changed the natural frequency and onset speed of instability with insignificant improvements in the rotordynamic stability. The present predictions can be used as design guidelines for GFBs for oil-free high-speed rotating machinery with improved rotordynamic performance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2002

Experiments were conducted to determine the structural dynamic characteristics of bump foil bearing. The housing of the bearing on the journal was driven by two shakers which were used to simulate dynamic forces acting on the bump foil strips. Three different bump foils(Cu-coated bump, silicon bump, viscoelastic bump) are tested and the dynamic coefficients of three bump foils compared, based on the experimental measurements for a wide range of operating conditions. From the test results, the high damping coefficients of viscoelastic bump are achieved and the possibility of the super-bending-critical operation is suggested.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.282-289
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• 2001

Experiments were conducted to determine the structural dynamic characteristics of bump foil bearing. The housing of the bearing on the journal was driven by two shakers which were used to simulate dynamic forces acting on the bump foil strips. Three different bump foils(Cu-coated bump, silicon bump, viscoelastic bump) are tested and the dynamic coefficients of three bump foils compared, based on the experimental measurements for a wide range of operating conditions. From the test results, the high damping coefficients of viscoelastic bump are achieved and the possibility of the super-bending-critical operation is suggested.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.186-194
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• 2004

Experiments were conducted to determine the structural static and dynamic characteristics of air foil bearings. The housing of the bearing on the journal was driven by an impact hammer which was used to simulate dynamic forces acting on the bump loll with various leading condition. Two different bump foils (Cu-coated bump and viscoelastic bump) were tested and the static and dynamic coefficients of two bump foils compared, based on the experimental measurements for a wide range of operating conditions. The static and dynamic characteristics of air foil bearings were extracted 0rpm the frequency response function by least square method and IV(Instrumental Variable) method. The experiment was tested at 0rpm and $10,000\~16,000rpm$, and loaded on $50\~150N$. From the test results, the possibility of the application of high load and high speed condition is suggested.

• 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.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.331-334
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• 2006

Air foil bearings have been attempted for application to industrial turbo machines, since they have several advantages over oil bearings in terms of endurance, simplicity, environment-friendliness, efficiency, sound and vibration, and small turbo machines with air foil bearings are in the market as the result. Recently, researches on widening the application spectrum of air foil bearings are in progress worldwide. In this paper, a 300 HP class turbo blower using air foil bearings is introduced. The turbo blower has a high speed PMSM(Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor) driving a compressor, and air flow rate is designed to be $180\;m^3/min$ at pressure ratio of 1.6. The maximum rotational speed is set to 17,000 RPM to maximize the total efficiency with the result that the weight of rotor assembly is 26kg, which is expected to be the largest turbo machine with air foil bearings ever developed in the world.