• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.332-341
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• 2020

High-speed turbomachinery implements gas foil bearings (GFBs) due to their distinctive advantages, such as high efficiency, lesser part count, and lower weight. This paper provides the test results of the static structural stiffnesses and loss factors of bump-type foil thrust bearings with increasing preload and bearing deflection. The focus of the current work is to experimentally quantify variability in structural stiffnesses and loss factors among the four test thrust bearings with identical design values and material of the bump and top foil geometries using the same (open-source) fabrication method. A simple test setup, using a rigidly mounted non-rotating shaft and thrust disk, measures the bearing bump deflections with increasing static loads on the test bearing. The inner and outer diameters of the test bearings are 41 mm and 81 mm, respectively. The loss factor, best-representing energy dissipation in the test bearings, is estimated from the area inside the local hysteresis loop of the load versus the bearing deflection curve. The measurements show that structural stiffnesses and loss factors of the test bearings significantly rely on applied preloads and bearing deflections. Local structural stiffnesses of the test bearings increase with applied preloads but decrease with bearing deflections. Changes of loss factors are less sensitive to applied preloads and bearing deflections compared to those of structural stiffnesses. Up to 35% variability in static load structural stiffnesses is found between bearings, while up to 30% variability in loss factors is found between bearings.

• 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.39 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2023

This study presents an experimental investigation of the effects of surface roughness on gas foil thrust bearing (GFTB) performance. A high-speed motor with the maximum speed of 80 krpm rotates a thrust runner and a pneumatic cylinder applies static loads to the test GFTB. When the motor speed increases and reaches a specific speed at which a hydrodynamic film pressure generated within the gap between the thrust runner and test GFTB is enough to support the applied static load, the thrust runner lifts off from the test GFTB and the friction mechanism changes from the boundary lubrication to the hydrodynamic lubrication. The experiment shows a series of lift-off test and load-carrying capacity test for two thrust runners with different surface roughnesses. For a constant static load of 15 N, thrust runner A with its lower surface roughness exhibits a higher start-up torque but lower lift-off torque than thrust runner B with a higher surface roughness. The load capacity test at a rotor speed of 60 krpm reveals that runner A results in a higher maximum load capacity than runner B. Runner A also shows a lower drag torque, friction coefficient, and bearing temperature than runner B at constant static loads. The results imply that maintaining a consistent surface roughness for a thrust runner may improve its static GFTB performance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2024

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) are oil-free self-acting hydrodynamic bearings that support axial loads with a low friction during airborne operation. They need solid lubricants to reduce dry-friction between the runner and top foil and minimize local wears on their surfaces during start-up and shutdown processes. In this study, we evaluate the lift-off speeds and load capacity performance of a GFTB with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface coating by measuring drag torques during a series of experimental tests at increasing ambient temperatures of 25, 75 and 110℃. An electric heat gun provides hot air to the test GFTB operating in the closed booth to increase the ambient temperature. Test results show that the increasing ambient temperature delays the lift-off speed and decreases the load capacity of the test GFTB. An early developed prediction tool well predicts the measured drag torques at 60 krpm. After all tests, post inspections of the surface coating of the top foil are conducted. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images imply that abrasive wear and oxidation wear are dominant during the tests at 25℃ and 110℃, respectively. A quantitative energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis reveals that the weight percentages of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen decrease, while that of fluorine increases significantly during the highest-temperature tests. The study demonstrates that the increasing ambient temperature noticeably deteriorates the static performances and degrades the surface coating of the test GFTB.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.141-147
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• 2015

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) have attractive advantages over rolling element bearings and oil film thrust bearings, such as oil-free operation, high speed stability, and high-temperature operation. However, GFTBs have lower load carrying capacity than the other two types of bearings owing to the inherent low gas viscosity. The load carrying capacity of GFTBs depends mainly on the compliance of the foil structure and the formed hydrodynamic wedge, where the gas pressure field is generated between the top foil and the thrust runner. The load carrying capacity of the GFTBs is very important for the suitable design of oil-free turbomachinery with high performance. The aim of the present study is to identify the characteristics of the load carrying performance of GFTBs. A new test rig for the experimental measurements is designed to provide static loads up to 800 N using a pneumatic cylinder. The maximum operating speed of the driving motor is 30,000 rpm. A series of experimental tests—lift-off test, static load performance test, and maximum load capacity test—estimate the performance of a six-pad GFTB, in terms of the static load, driving torque, and temperature. The maximum load capacity is determined by increasing the static load until the driving torque rises suddenly with a sharp peak. The test results show that the torque and temperature increase linearly with the static load. The estimated maximum load capacity per unit area is approximately 80.5 kPa at a rotor speed of 25,000 rpm. The test results can be used as a design guideline for GFTBs for realizing oil-free turbomachinery.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.42-48
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• 2015

To improve the core technology of the micro gas turbine, the performance test facility was developed. This paper is focusing on the explanation of the characteristics of micro gas turbine and its assist devices. Major part of micro gas turbine were radial type of compressor, annular type of combustor, radial type of turbine, thrust foil bearing, radial foil bearing and generator. The assist devices were consist of exhaust duct, inverter, data acquisition system, load bank and test cell. Before building up the test facility, the component test was previously conducted to confirm the component performance. After the test facility was prepared, the motoring test was conducted to investigate the rotor dynamic characteristics of the micro gas turbine. Also, the part load performance test was performed. With a developed micro gas turbine test facility, the improved core technology about the micro gas turbine can be suggested to the related industries.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2019

This study characterizes the coastdown performances of two small electric motors supported on high-speed ball bearings (BBs) and gas foil bearings (GFBs), and it predicts their acceleration performances. The two motors have identical permanent magnetic rotors and mating stators. However, the shaft of the GFBs has a larger mass and polar/transverse moments of inertia than that of the BBs. Motor coastdown tests demonstrate that the rotor speed decreases linearly with the BBs and nonlinearly with the GFBs. A simple model for the BBs predicts a constant drag torque and linear decay of speed with time. The test data validate the model predictions. For the GFBs, the hydrodynamic lubrication model predictions reveal that the drag torque increases linearly with speed, and the speed decreases exponentially with time. The predictions agree very well with the test data in the speed range of 100-30 krpm. The boundary lubrication model predicts a constant drag torque and linear decay of speed with time. The predictions agree well with the test data below 15 krpm. Mixed lubrication occurs in the speed range of 30-15 krpm. Rotor acceleration performances are predicted based on the characteristics of deceleration performances. The GFBs require more time to reach 100,000 krpm than the BBs because of their larger shaft polar moment of inertia. However, predictions for the assumed identical polar moment of inertia reveal that the GFBs have a nearly identical acceleration performance to that of the BBs with a motor torque greater than $0.03N{\cdot}m$.

• 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.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.300-309
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• 2019

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) support axial loads in oil-free, high speed rotating machinery using air or gas as a lubricant. Due to the inherent low viscosity of the lubricant, GFTBs often have super-laminar flows in the film region at operating conditions with high Reynolds numbers. This paper develops a mathematical model of a GFTB with turbulent flows and validates the model predictions against those from the literature. The pressure distribution, film thickness distribution, load carrying capacity, and power loss are predicted for both laminar and turbulent flow models and compared with each other. Predictions for an air lubricant show that the GFTB has high Reynolds numbers at the leading edge where the film thickness is large and relatively low Reynolds numbers at the trailing edge. The predicted load capacity and power loss for the turbulent flow model show little difference from those for the laminar flow model even at the highest speed of 100 krpm, because the Reynolds numbers are smaller than the critical Reynolds number. On the other hand, refrigerant (R-134a) lubricant, which has a higher density than air, had significant differences due to high Reynolds numbers in the film region, in particular, near the leading and outer edges. The predicted load capacity and power loss for the turbulent flow model are 2.1 and 2.3 times larger, respectively, than those for the laminar flow model, thus implying that the turbulent flow greatly affects the performance of the GFTB.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.1029-1037
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• 2015

Recently, the importance of rotordynamic stability has been increased because of the tendency to employ ultra-high speeds in rotating machinery. In particular, the dynamic characteristics of gas bearings for high-speed rotating machinery need to be identified at various excitation frequencies to predict the rotor's behavior. In this study, we perform dynamic loading tests for gas-foil bearings (GFBs) to determine the bump foil structure and an air-film combined bump-foil structure for varying excitation frequencies. We calculate the dynamic characteristics from the measured force and displacement data. The air film is generated by a pressurized air supply. Based on the results, the stiffness coefficients of the bump structure and the air-film combined bump structure increased, while the damping coefficients decreased at increasing excitation frequencies. Further, the stiffness and damping coefficients of the air-film combined structure show lower values than those of the bump structure. Consequently, we identify the frequency-dependent dynamic characteristics of the bump structure and the effect of gas film on the dynamic characteristics of GFBs. Furthermore, to reveal the effectiveness of the proposed method, we perform experiments and discuss two methods of extracting the dynamic characteristics from the measured data.