• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.197-202
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• 2012

In this study, with the purpose of fundamentally improving the unbalance response vibration of a large PRT motor-generator rotor by design, a performance improvement design analysis is carried-out by retrofitting tilting pad bearings, replacing the plain partial journal bearings that were originally applied for operation at a rated speed of 1,800 rpm. In this process, a goal of the design analysis is to obtain a design solution for maximizing the direct stiffness of the bearings while satisfying the key basic lubrication performance requirements such as the minimum lift-off speed and maximum oil-film temperature. The results show that with a careful design application of tilting pad journal bearings for operation at such a relatively low speed of 1,800 rpm, direct stiffness increment of the bearings by about two times can be effectively achieved. Prevention of pad unloading is also considered in the analysis. Moreover, the designs of elliptical and offset half journal bearings are also analyzed and reviewed.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2021

This study shows the effect of the thermal boundary condition around the tilting pad journal bearing on the static and dynamic characteristics of the bearing through a high-precision numerical model. In many cases, it is very difficult to predict or measure the exact thermal boundary conditions around bearings at the operating site of a turbomachine, not even in a laboratory. The purpose of this study is not to predict the thermal boundary conditions around the bearing, but to find out how the performance of the bearing changes under different thermal boundary conditions. Lubricating oil, bearing pads and shafts were modeled in three dimensions using the finite element method, and the heat transfer between these three elements and the resulting thermal deformation were considered. The Generalized Reynolds equation and three-dimensional energy equation that can take into account the viscosity change in the direction of the film thickness are connected and analyzed by the relationship between viscosity and temperature. The numerical model was written in in-house code using MATLAB, and a parallel processing algorithm was used to improve the analysis speed. Constant temperature and convection temperature conditions are used as the thermal boundary conditions. Notably, the conditions around the bearing pad, rather than the temperature boundary conditions around the shaft, have a greater influence on the performance changes of the bearing.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 1993

The thermohydrodynamic performance of large tilting pad journal bearings is analyzed, taking into account the three dimensional variation of lubricant viscosity. The eddy viscosity model based on wall formula is applied. The effects of temperature rise and turbulence on the bearing performance are studied in comparision with the isothermal or the laminar analysis. It is shown that these effects have significant influence on temperature distribution, load capacity and power loss of the bearing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.499-500
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• 2007

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 1994

The static and dynamic analysis of air lubricatied tilting pad journal bearing which considers tilting effect of each pad, preload but which neglects pad inertia effect and deflection are performed. A direct numerical method is used in evaluating the static characteristics such as load carrying capacity, friction force and small peturbation method is used for calculation of dynamic characteristics. Stiffness and damping coefficients are compared with the variation of the preload. And these coefficients are slightly decreased with increased compressibility number under the constant bearing load carrying capacity.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.205-211
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• 2014

Recent studies emphasize the importance of pivot stiffness in the analysis of tilting pad bearings (TPBs). The present paper develops a finite element model of the pad pivot and compares the predicted pivot stiffness to the results of Hertzian contact model calculations. Specifically, a finite element analysis generates tetrahedral mesh models with ~40,000 nodes for a ball-socket pivot and ~50,000 nodes for a rocker-back pivot. These models assume a frictionless boundary condition in the contact area. Increasing the applied loads on the pad in conjunction with increasing time steps ensures rapid convergence during the nonlinear numerical analysis. Predictions are performed using the developed finite element model for increasing the differential diameters between the pad pivot (or ball) and the bearing housing (or socket). The predictions show that the pivot contact area increases with decreasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. Further, the maximum deformation occurring at the pivot center increases with increasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. The pivot stiffness increases nonlinearly with decreasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. Comparisons of results of the developed finite element model to those of Hertzian contact model calculations assuming a small contact area show that the latter model underestimates the pivot stiffnesses predicted by the finite element models of the ball-socket and rocker-back pivots, particularly for small differential diameters. This result implies the need for cautionduring the design of pivot stiffness by the Hertzian contact model.

• 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.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2002

This paper presents the synchronous vibration control of a rotor system using an Active Air Bearing(AAB). In order to suppress the synchronous vibration, it is necessary to actively control the air film pressure or the air film thickness. In this study, active pads are used to control the air film thickness. Active pads are supported by the pivots containing piezoelectric actuators and their radial positions can be actively controlled by applying voltage to the actuators. Disturbances and various kinds of external forces can cause the shaft vibration as well as the change of the air film thickness. The dynamic behaviors of a rotary system supported by two tilting-pad gas bearings and its active stabilization using the tilting-pads as actuators are investigated numerically. The PID controller is applied to the tilting-pad gas bearing system with three pads, two of which contain piezoelectric actuators. To test the validity of the theoretical method, the performance of this control method is evaluated through experiments. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the control system for suppressing the unbalanced response of the rigid modes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.32-39
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• 2001

This paper presents the synchronous vibration control of a rotor system using an Active Air Bearing(AAB). In order to suppress the synchronous vibration, it is necessary to actively control the air film pressure or the air film thickness. In this study, active pads are used to control the air film thickness. Active pads are supported by the pivots containing piezoelectric actuators and their radial positions can be actively controlled by applying voltage to the actuators. Disturbances and various kinds of external force can cause the shaft vibration as well as the change of the air film thickness. The dynamic behaviors of a rotary system supported by two tilting-pad gas bearings and its active stabilization using the tilting-pads as actuators are investigated numerically. The PID controller is applied to the tilting-pad gas bearing system with three pads, two of which contain piezoelectric actuators. To test the vapidity of the theoretical method, the performance of this control method is evaluated through experiments. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the control system for suppressing the unbalanced response of the rigid modes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2001

This paper presents an experimental study on active control of self-excited vibration for a high speed turbomachinery. In order to suppress the self-excited vibration, it is necessary to actively control the air film pressure or the air film thickness. In this study, active pads are used to control the air film thickness. Active pads are supported by pivots containing piezoelectric actuators and their radial position can be actively controlled by applying voltage to the actuators. The transfer characteristics from actuator inputs to shaft vibration outputs are experimentally investigated. In a tilting-pad gas bearing (TPGB), a shaft is supported by the pressurized air film. Four gap sensors were used to measure the vibration of the shaft and PID was used in the feedback control of the shaft vibration. The experimental results show that the self-excited vibration of the rotor can be effectively suppressed if the PID controller gains are properly chosen. As a result we find that the feedback control is effective for suppressing the self-excited vibration of a rotor system using stack-type PZT actuators.