Analysis of Thrust Bearing Impact on Friction Losses in Automotive Turbochargers

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjoern Hoepke ◽  
Tolga Uhlmann ◽  
Stefan Pischinger ◽  
Bernhardt Lueddecke ◽  
Dietmar Filsinger
Keyword(s):  
Test Bench ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Special Test ◽  
Friction Power ◽  
Overall Efficiency ◽  
Center Section ◽  
Thrust Load ◽  
Bearing System ◽  
Bearing Friction

The importance of automotive turbocharger performance is continuously increasing. However, further gains in efficiency are becoming progressively difficult to achieve. The bearing friction losses impact the overall efficiency of the turbocharger and accordingly the understanding of bearing systems and their characteristics is essential for future improvements. In this work, a detailed analysis on the mechanical losses occurring in the bearing system of automotive turbochargers is presented. Friction losses have been measured experimentally on a special test bench up to rotational speeds of nTC = 130,000 1/min. Special interest was given to the thrust bearing characteristics and its contribution to the total friction losses. For this, the experiments were split into three parts: first, friction power was determined as a function of turbocharger speed at zero externally applied thrust load. Second, external thrust load up to 40 N was applied onto the turbocharger bearing at fixed rotational speeds of nTC = 40,000, 80,000, and 120,000 1/min. Increasing thrust load was observed to result in increasing friction losses amounting to a maximum of 32%. At last, a specially prepared turbocharger center section with deactivated thrust bearing was investigated. A comparison of these results with the measurement of the conventional bearing system under thrust-free conditions allowed separating journal and thrust bearing losses. The contribution of the thrust bearing to the overall bearing losses appeared to be as high as 38%. Furthermore, a modeling approach for estimating the friction power of both fully floating journal bearing as well as thrust bearing is illustrated. This theoretical model is shown to predict friction losses reasonably well compared to the experimental results.

Unsteady Thrust Force Loading of a Turbocharger Rotor During Engine Operation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhardt Lüddecke ◽  
Philipp Nitschke ◽  
Michael Dietrich ◽  
Dietmar Filsinger ◽  
Michael Bargende
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Thrust Force ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Turbine Stage ◽  
Force Modeling ◽  
Thrust Load ◽  
Bearing System ◽  
Engine Cycle ◽  
Bearing Friction

The bearing system of a turbocharger has to keep the rotor in the specified position and thus has to withstand the rotor forces that result from turbocharger operation. Hence, its components need to be designed in consideration of the bearing loads that have to be expected. The applied bearing system design also has significant influence on the overall efficiency of the turbocharger and impacts the performance of the combustion engine. It has to ideally fulfil the trade-off between bearing friction and load capacity. For example, the achievable engine’s low end-torque is reduced, if the bearing system produces more friction losses than inherently unavoidable for safe and durable operation because a higher portion of available turbine power needs to be employed to compensate bearing losses instead of providing boost pressure. Moreover, also transient turbocharger rotor speed up can be compromised and hence the response of the turbocharged combustion engine to a load step becomes less performant than it could be. Besides the radial bearings, the thrust bearing is a component that needs certain attention. It can already contribute to approx. 30 percent of the overall bearing friction, even if no load is applied and this portion further increases under thrust load. It has to withstand the net thrust load of the rotor under all operating conditions resulting from the superimposed aerodynamic forces that the compressor and the turbine wheel produce. A challenge for the determination of the thrust forces appearing on engine is the non-steady loading under pulsating conditions. The thrust force will alternate with the pulse frequency over an engine cycle what is caused by both the engine exhaust gas pressure pulses on the turbine stage and — to a smaller amount — the non-steady compressor operation due to the reciprocating operation of the cylinders. The conducted experimental investigations on the axial rotor motion as well as the thrust force alternations under on-engine conditions employ a specially prepared compressor lock nut in combination with an eddy current sensor. The second derivative of this signal can be used to estimate the occurring thrust force changes. Moreover, a modified thrust bearing — equipped with strain gauges — was used to cross check the results from position measurement and thrust force modeling. All experimental results are compared with an analytical thrust force model that relies on the simultaneously measured, crank angle resolved pressure signals before and after the compressor and turbine stage. The results give insight into the axial turbocharger rotor oscillations occurring during an engine cycle for several engine operating points. Furthermore, they allow a judgment of the accuracy of thrust force modeling approaches that are based on measured pressures.

Unsteady Thrust Force Loading of a Turbocharger Rotor During Engine Operation

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhardt Lüddecke ◽  
Philipp Nitschke ◽  
Michael Dietrich ◽  
Dietmar Filsinger ◽  
Michael Bargende
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Thrust Force ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Turbine Stage ◽  
Force Modeling ◽  
Thrust Load ◽  
Bearing System ◽  
Engine Cycle ◽  
Bearing Friction

The bearing system of a turbocharger has to keep the rotor in the specified position and thus has to withstand the rotor forces that result from turbocharger operation. Hence, its components need to be designed in consideration of the bearing loads that have to be expected. The applied bearing system design also has significant influence on the overall efficiency of the turbocharger and impacts the performance of the combustion engine. It has to ideally fulfill the trade-off between bearing friction and load capacity. For example, the achievable engine’s low end-torque is reduced, if the bearing system produces more friction losses than inherently unavoidable for safe and durable operation because a higher portion of available turbine power needs to be employed to compensate bearing losses instead of providing boost pressure. Moreover, also transient turbocharger rotor speed up can be compromised and hence the response of the turbocharged combustion engine to a load step becomes less performant than it could be. Besides the radial bearings, the thrust bearing is a component that needs certain attention. It can already contribute to approximately 30% of the overall bearing friction, even if no load is applied and this portion further increases under thrust load. It has to withstand the net thrust load of the rotor under all operating conditions resulting from the superimposed aerodynamic forces that the compressor and the turbine wheel produce. A challenge for the determination of the thrust forces appearing on engine is the nonsteady loading under pulsating conditions. The thrust force will alternate with the pulse frequency over an engine cycle, which is caused by both the engine exhaust gas pressure pulses on the turbine stage and—to a smaller amount—the nonsteady compressor operation due to the reciprocating operation of the cylinders. The conducted experimental investigations on the axial rotor motion as well as the thrust force alternations under on-engine conditions employ a specially prepared compressor lock nut in combination with an eddy-current sensor. The second derivative of this signal can be used to estimate the occurring thrust force changes. Moreover, a modified thrust bearing—equipped with strain gauges—was used to cross check the results from position measurement and thrust force modeling. All experimental results are compared with an analytical thrust force model that relies on the simultaneously measured, crank angle resolved pressure signals before and after the compressor and turbine stage. The results give insight into the axial turbocharger rotor oscillations occurring during an engine cycle for several engine operating points. Furthermore, they allow a judgment of the accuracy of thrust force modeling approaches that are based on measured pressures.

Experimental Study of Oil Supply Pressure Effects on Bearing Friction in Hydrodynamic Lubrication

2013 ◽  
Vol 315 ◽  
pp. 977-981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Ali Ahmad ◽  
Salmiah Kasolang ◽  
Rob Dwyer-Joyce
Keyword(s):  
Friction Coefficient ◽  
Frictional Force ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Hydrodynamic Lubrication ◽  
Diameter Ratio ◽  
Pressure Effects ◽  
Oil Supply ◽  
Supply Pressure ◽  
Bearing System ◽  
Bearing Friction

Journal bearing is widely applied in most of rotating machineries for transmission of large loads at mean speed of rotation. Friction caused by the shearing condition between journal, bearing and lubricant contribute to power loses in journal bearing system. In the present study, an experimental work was conducted to determine the effect of oil supply pressure on frictional force, friction coefficient and torque of a journal bearing. A journal diameter of 100 mm with a ½ length-to-diameter ratio was used. The oil supply pressure was set at three different values (0.3, 0.5, 0.7 MPa). Frictional force and friction coefficient results for 400, 600 and 800 RPM at different radial loads were obtained. It was observed that the change in oil supply pressure has affected the fluid frictional force and friction coefficient to some extent.

Numerical investigation of dynamic and hydrodynamic characteristics of the pad in the fluid pivot journal bearing

2021 ◽  
pp. 135065012110330
Author(s):  
Tuyen Vu Nguyen ◽  
Weiguang Li
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Hydrodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Hydrodynamic Properties ◽  
Squeeze Film Damper ◽  
Lubricant Oil ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Bearing System

The dynamic and hydrodynamic properties of the pad in the fluid pivot journal bearing are investigated in this paper. Preload coefficients, recess area, and size gap, which were selected as input parameters to investigate, are important parameters of fluid pivot journal bearing. The pad’s pendulum angle, lubricant oil flow through the gap, and recess pressure which characterizes the squeeze film damper were investigated with different preload coefficients, recess area, and gap sizes. The computational models were established and numerical methods were used to determine the equilibrium position of the shaft-bearing system. Since then, the pendulum angle of the pad, liquid flow, and recess pressure were determined by different eccentricities.

Numerical Analysis of a Coupled Porous Journal and Thrust Bearing System

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuji Kobayashi ◽  
Hiroshi Yabe
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Dynamic Performance ◽  
Internal Flow ◽  
Disk Drive ◽  
Rotating Shaft ◽  
Static And Dynamic Characteristics ◽  
Bottom Face ◽  
Magnetic Hard Disk ◽  
Bearing System ◽  
Porous Sleeve

A numerical model has been developed to analyze both static and dynamic characteristics of a coupled porous journal and thrust bearing system that is used to support a rotating shaft in a magnetic hard disk drive. The analyzed system is composed of a porous sleeve, a herringbone-grooved solid thrust plate and a flanged shaft, where the bottom end is closed to form a cantilever spindle. The inner surface and the bottom face of the porous sleeve operate as a herringbone-grooved journal and thrust bearing, respectively. The model is based on the narrow groove theory for the bearing oil film, and Darcy’s law for the internal flow in the porous sleeve. The pressure distribution, static equilibrium position of the shaft and dynamic coefficients are obtained under a given external axial load. There exists a window of permeability of the porous sleeve that presents significant advantage to prevent the creation of a sub-ambient condition and to maintain a large thrust bearing film thickness at the expense of some loss of dynamic performance.

Investigation of sustainability of lubricated journal bearing under relevant design parameters

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Shahin ◽  
Mohammad Asaduzzaman Chowdhury ◽  
Md. Arefin Kowser ◽  
Uttam Kumar Debnath ◽  
M.H. Monir
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Elastic Strain ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Stress Formation ◽  
Bearing Design ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Bearing Friction

Purpose The purposes of the present study are to ensure higher sustainability of journal bearings under different applied loads and to observe bearing performances such as elastic strain, total deformation and stress formation. Design/methodology/approach A journal bearing test rig was used to determine the effect of the applied load on the bearing friction, film thickness, lubricant film pressure, etc. A steady-state analysis was performed to obtain the bearing performance. Findings An efficient aspect ratio (L/D) range was obtained to increase the durability or the stability of the bearing while the bearing is in the working condition by using SAE 5W-30 oil. The results from the study were compared with previous studies in which different types of oil and water, such as Newtonian fluid (NF), magnetorheological fluid (MRF) and nonmagnetorheological fluid (NMRF), were used as the lubricant. To ensure a preferable aspect ratio range (0.25-0.50), a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted by ANSYS; the results show a lower elastic strain and deformation within the preferable aspect ratio (0.25-0.50) rather than a higher aspect ratio using the SAE 5W-30 oil. Originality/value It is expected that the findings of this study will contribute to the improvement of the bearing design and the bearing lubricating system.

scholarly journals Fluid Film Bearing Housing Design for a Hot Ambient Environment

1976 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. McHugh ◽  
W. O. Winer ◽  
G. D. Robson
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Experimental Program ◽  
Special Test ◽  
Housing Design ◽  
Full Size ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Operating Field ◽  
Industrial Gas Turbine

Industrial gas turbine rotors sometimes require a journal bearing in a region of the machine surrounded by compressor discharge air. Ambient temperatures in this region may exceed 600 F (588 K), which poses a challenge to bearing designers. The present paper describes housing design approaches to meeting this challenge, an experimental program to evaluate them, and the application of results to operating field units. The experimental program was carried out in a special test facility on full-size housings for a 14-in. journal bearing in a hot, pressurized environment.

Experimental Rotordynamic Parameter Study at Turbochargers With Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Systems

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander T. Hummel ◽  
Michael Rott ◽  
Christoph Schneider ◽  
David Kuschnertschuk ◽  
Günther Stelzner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Test Bench ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Commercial Vehicle ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Hot Gas ◽  
Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing ◽  
Run Up

This paper presents an evaluation of various rotordynamic parameters at commercial vehicle turbochargers, which are operated supercritically in full-floating hydrodynamic journal bearing systems. The evaluation is conducted by using an experimental approach to determine the performance of the rotor-bearing-system in a real-life assembly at a hot gas test bench. This takes support stiffness, external heating and the excitation by seals, thrust bearings and gas forces into account, while Engine-specific excitation is not present. The system’s ability to carry additional unbalance load at different oil support pressures without the occurrence of mixed friction throughout a complete run-up is assessed. By executing this assessment for multiple assemblies with different bearings, rotors and oil types, the influence of main design and boundary parameters on the effective journal bearing performance of turbochargers is quantified.

Nonlinear Dynamics of Flexible Rotors Supported on Journal Bearings—Part I: Analytical Bearing Model

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Miraskari ◽  
Farzad Hemmati ◽  
Mohamed S. Gadala
Keyword(s):  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Nonlinear Coefficient ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Flexible Rotor ◽  
Dynamic Coefficients ◽  
Flexible Rotors ◽  
Rotor Bearing ◽  
Bearing Force ◽  
Derivatives Of ◽  
Bearing System

To determine the bifurcation types in a rotor-bearing system, it is required to find higher order derivatives of the bearing forces with respect to journal velocity and position. As closed-form expressions for journal bearing force are not generally available, Hopf bifurcation studies of rotor-bearing systems have been limited to simple geometries and cavitation models. To solve this problem, an alternative nonlinear coefficient-based method for representing the bearing force is presented in this study. A flexible rotor-bearing system is presented for which bearing force is modeled with linear and nonlinear dynamic coefficients. The proposed nonlinear coefficient-based model was found to be successful in predicting the bifurcation types of the system as well as predicting the system dynamics and trajectories at spin speeds below and above the threshold speed of instability.

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