• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.205-212
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• 2022

This paper presents experimental measurements of the structural characteristics of a two-pad beam-type gas foil journal bearing and its rotordynamic performance for a high-speed motor-driven turbocompressor. The test bearing had two top foils and two beam foils, each with an arc length of ~180°. Each beam foil was etched to obtain 40 beams with six geometries of different lengths and widths. The insertion of beam foils into the bearing housing produces equivalent beam heights. The structural tests of the bearing with a non-rotating journal revealed a smaller bearing clearance and larger structural stiffness for the load-on-pad configuration than for the load-between-pads configuration. Rotordynamic performance measurements during driving tests up to 100 krpm demonstrated synchronous vibrations and subsynchronous vibrations with large amplitudes. The test was repeated after inserting the shim between the top foil and beam foil to reduce the bearing radial clearance. The reduced bearing clearance resulted in a reduction in the peak amplitude of the synchronous vibrations and an increase in the speed at which the peak amplitude occurred. In addition, the onset speed and amplitude of the subsynchronous vibrations were dramatically increased and diminished, respectively. The rotor coast-down tests at 100 krpm show that the reduction in the bearing clearance extends the time to rotor stop, thus implying an improvement in hydrodynamic pressure generation and a reduction in bearing frictional torque.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.68-76
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• 1989

In this paper, the influence of ram-pressure on the static and dynamic characteristics of infinite width tilting-pad journal bearing is investigated theoretically. The ram-pressure is obtained by assumption of conservation of mechanical energy of the lubricant flow through the leading edge of the pad. The pressure in the lubricating film is numerically calculated using the ram-pressure obtained as the inlet pressure boundary condition of the pad. The static equilibrium state of tilting-pad journal bearing is determined by Newton-Raphson iteration method. A numerical results are presented in graphic form and relationships between the ram-pressure and the static and dynamic characteristics are discussed.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.112-118
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• 2017

Tilting pad journal bearings(TPJBs) are widely used for high speed rotating machinery owing to their rotordynamic stability and thermal management feature. With increase in the rotating speed of such machinery, an increasingly important aspect of TPJB design is the prediction of their thermal behaviors. Researchers have conducted detailed investigations in the last two decades, which provided design tools for the TPJBs. Based on these previous studies, this paper presents a thermohydrodynamic(THD) analysis model for TPJBs. To calculate pressure distribution, we solve the generalized Reynolds equation and to predict the lubricant temperature, we solve the 3D energy equation. We employ the oil mixing theory to calculate pad inlet temperature; further, to consider heat conduction via the pad, we solve the heat conduction equation for the pads. We assume the shaft temperature as the averaged oil film temperature and apply natural convection boundary conditions to the pad side and back surfaces. To validate the analysis model, we compare the predicted pad temperatures with those from previous research. The results show good agreement with previous research. In addition, we conduct parametric studies on a TPJB which was used in a gas turbine simulator system. The predicted results show that film temperature largely depends on the rotating speed and oil supply condition.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제39권6호
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• pp.268-272
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• 2023

This study explores the characteristics of tilting pad journal bearings used in the high-speed rotating shaft systems of centrifugal compressors. A centrifugal compressor is a high-speed rotating machine that is widely used to compress gases or vapors employed in various industrial applications. It transfers the centrifugal force of a fast-spinning impeller to the fluid and compresses it under high pressure. Many high-speed rotating shaft systems, which require high stability, use tilting pad journal bearings. The characteristics of these bearings can vary depending on several properties, and identifying the appropriate characteristics is essential to optimize the design on a case-to-case basis. In this study, the authors perform a time-dependent analysis of the properties of tilting pad journal bearings and the rotordynamics of the rotating shaft system using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Specifically, the authors analyze the characteristics of the tilting pad journal bearings by performing a parametric sweep using parameters such as pad clearance, maximum tilting angle, preload, number of pads, and pad pivot offset. The authors then use the results of the bearing-characteristics analysis to evaluate the vibration of the rotating shaft and verify its operation within a desirable range. The understanding gained from this study will allow us to determine the optimal properties of these bearings and the limiting operational speed using COMSOL Multiphysics software.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

In this Part II study, rotordynamic stability analyses were carried out to confirm improvements to the stability of a process high-speed lightweight centrifugal compressor, depending on the effects of tilting pad journal bearing designs. The bearing design variables considered were the clearances, LBPs, LOPs, and preloads. The results showed that the rotordynamic stability of the subject compressor rotor-bearing system improves exactly in accordance with the effects of the bearing design variables, which were determined in the preceding Part I study, owing to reduced bearing stiffnesses. Specifically, it was confirmed that the stability of the rotor system can be greatly improved by increasing both the machined and assembled bearing clearances, but there were no stability improvements by simply changing from an LBP to an LOP design. In addition, it was confirmed that for given fixed machined bearing clearances, the stability can be additionally improved by decreasing the preloads, i.e., by increasing the assembled clearances. In conclusion, it may be necessary to improve the designs of the original tilting pad bearings to obtain a sufficient margin of rotordynamic stability against a possible aerodynamic cross-coupled stiffness in a process high-speed centrifugal compressor. Thus, increasing the machined and assembled bearing clearances and decreasing the preload could be effective solutions.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 1997년도 제25회 춘계학술대회
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• pp.91-100
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• 1997

In this paper the linearzed stiffness and damping coefficients of tilting pad thrust bearing are calculated by the perturbation method. The coefficients are obtained for a wide range of pivot positions. The effects of exciting frequency and pad mass on stiffness and damping coefficients are investigated. Critical frequencies due to the tilting motions of the pad are presented and are shown to be strongly influenced by the pivot position and pad mass.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.33-41
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• 1997

In this paper the linearized stiffness and damping coefficients of tilting pad thrust bearing are calculated by the perturbation method. The coefficients are obtained for a wide range of pivot positions. The effects of exciting frequency and pad mass on stiffness and damping coefficients are investigated. Critical frequencies due to the tilting motions of the pad are presented and are shown to be strongly influenced by the pivot position and the pad mass.

• 한국유체기계학회 논문집
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.7-13
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• 2006

In the present study, we develop an analysis module to be applicable to design of sliding thrust bearings. The pressure equation is solved by using the finite element method. Average lubricant temperature is obtained from using the energy balance method. The module developed has been applied to three types of thrust bearing, such as tapered-land thrust bearings of angular and diamond types, and tilting-pad thrust bearings. Effects of the dam of the tapered-lad thrust bearings have also been investigated. It has been seen that the tapered-land thrust bearings of angular type result in the highest load capacity, while the tilting pad thrust bearings result in the lowest lubricant temperature. It has also been seen that the dam in the tapered-land thrust bearings increases both the load capacity and lubricant temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.2325-2334
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• 2023

To study the lubrication performance of tilting-pad thrust bearing (TPTBs) during start-up in nuclear pump, a hydrodynamic lubrication model of TPTBs was established based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method and the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) technique. Further, a mesh motion algorithm for the transient calculation of thrust bearings was developed based on the user defined function (UDF). The result demonstrated that minimum film thickness increases first and then decreases with the rotational speed under start-up condition. The influence of pad tilt on minimum film thickness is greater than that of collar movement at low speed, and the establishment of dynamic pressure mainly depends on pad tilt and minimum film thickness increases. As the increase of rotational speed, the influence of pad tilt was abated, where the influence of the moving of the collar dominated gradually, and minimum film thickness decreases. For TPTBs, the circumferential angle of the pad is always greater than the radial angle. When the rotational speed is constant, the change rate of radial angle is greater than that of circumferential angle with the increase of loading forces. This study can provide reference for improving bearing wear resistance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.386-391
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• 2013

Part I of this study analyzed the effects of tilting pad bearing designs to reduce the stiffness of the bearings used in a process high-speed lightweight centrifugal compressor intended for a domestic refinery use. This was done in an attempt to enhance the robustness of its rotordynamic stability against possible aerodynamic cross-coupled stiffness. The bearing design variables reviewed were the clearances, LBPs, LOPs, and preloads. The results showed that there was practically no difference between the LBP and LOP designs in terms of the bearing stiffness, because the compressor rotor was lightweight and the bearings had relatively high preloads. Increasing both the machined and assembled clearances in bearing designs has resulted in the bearing stiffness being greatly reduced. In addition, it has been confirmed that an additional reduction in the bearing stiffness can be obtained for given fixed machined clearances by decreasing the preloads, i.e., by increasing the assembled clearances.