• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.27-33
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• 2020

Self-equalizing tilting pad thrust bearings are usually employed in turbomachines to achieve high stability and reliability. A tilting pad bearing can incorporate self-equalizing links to handle the misalignment between the bearing and the thrust collar. In this popular design method, the pads sit on the upper-level plates and the lower-level plates stay on the retainer base. With misalignment, the pads that are heavily loaded are pushed down. Consequently, the link pushes up the pads on the opposite side, keeping the bearing surface parallel to the thrust collar surface. The self-equalizing link is used to handle the misalignment from the thermal and mechanical effects. In this study, the experimental investigation deals with the performance of self-equalizing tilting pad thrust bearings. The test rig for evaluating the performance of bearing is developed which can control the misalignment angle. Simultaneous measurements are taken for the force acting on each pad. Pad metal temperature and oil film thickness are functions of the shaft speed, bearing load, misalignment angle, and design of leveling plates. The effect of misalignment on bearing performance is discussed. The results demonstrate that the load on each pad depends on the test conditions(especially misalignment angle), and the load influences the performance of bearings.

• 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.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2003년도 학술대회지
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• pp.261-266
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• 2003

The present paper theoretically investigates characteristics of moment balance of a tilting-pad thrust bearing. Pressure of lubricant film of the bearing was computed using tile finite element method, and average film temperature was estimated from the heat balance over a pad. From the investigation, it has been found that different two sets of tilt angles satisfy moment equilibrium of the pad about tile pivot for a given pivot location. The tilt angles converged depend upon initial tilt angles assumed. Quite different bearing performance, including load capacity, film thickness, and temperature, is shown to be obtained based on choice of the initial tilt angles.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.152-156
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• 2004

The present paper theoretically investigates characteristics of moment balance of a tilting-pad thrust bearing. Pressure of lubricant film of the bearing was computed using the finite element method, and average film temperature was estimated from the heat balance over a pad. From the investigation, it has been found that different two sets of tilt angles satisfy moment equilibrium of the pad about the pivot for a given pivot location. The tilt angles converged depend upon initial tilt angles assumed. Quite different bearing performance, including load capacity, film thickness, and temperature, is shown to be obtained based on choice of the initial tilt angles.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.35-45
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• 1994

The thermohydrodynamic analysis of tilting pad thrust bearing is studied with the consideration of elastic effect of pad. Reynolds equation, deflection equation and energy equation are solved simultaneously with the boundary conditions. Reynolds equation is modified as the approximate form. Pads are supported by the line pivot and the point pivot respectively. Pads are considered as the flat planes. Effects of pad thickness on the performance of thrust bearing are emphasized and the performances of rigid pad and elastic pad are compared. Effects of inlet temperature on performances of the bearing are compared. Dynamic characteristics of both pad supported by line and point pivot are compared.

• 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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• 제22권4호
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• pp.173-181
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• 2006

In the present study, we developed a numerical analysis software to predict performance of tilting-pad thrust bearings. The finite element method was adopted to compute lubricant film pressure and temperature. Three-dimensional heat transfer equations were solved simultaneously for the lubricant film, pad, and runner. Groove temperature was assumed with two different models. From application of the software to a thrust bearing, it has been seen that the three-dimensional analysis predicts higher temperature than the average temperature analysis. It has also been found that the groove model with a hot-oil-carry-over factor predicts higher temperature.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.82-87
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• 2020

In thrust bearings, the thrust collar and bearing surface need to be parallel to each other to ensure that all pads share the same load. In rotating machines, the shaft system cannot achieve perfect alignment. Misalignment of the thrust collar results in some pads supporting a higher load than others and excessive loads being placed on some pads. Consequently, high loads and high temperatures may occur in the bearing. Thus, in this study, we aim to analytically evaluate the performance of a misaligned non-equalizing direct lubricated tilting pad thrust bearing. We define the oil film thickness of the misaligned thrust bearing using the Byrant angle. Additionally, we calculate the pressure distribution and temperature distribution of the thrust bearing using the generalized Reynolds equation and energy equation. The design limit of the thrust bearing is defined by the load and temperature. Therefore, we evaluate the allowable misalignment angle as the limit of the maximum load and temperature. The analysis results demonstrate that an increase in the speed and load corresponds to a smaller allowable misalignment angle. However, as this is not the same for all thrust bearings, evaluating the allowable misalignment angle at each thrust bearing is essential.

• 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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• 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.