Experimental Analysis of the Dynamic Characteristics of a Foil Thrust Bearing

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Balducchi ◽  
Mihai Arghir ◽  
Romain Gauthier

This paper deals with the experimental analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a foil thrust bearing (FTB) designed according to specifications given by NASA scientists in 2009 (Dykas et al., 2009, “Design, Fabrication, and Performance of Foil Gas Thrust Bearings for Microturbomachinery Applications,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 131(1), p. 012301). The present work details the new configuration of the same test rig that was used to test start-up characteristics of the aforementioned bearing (Balducchi et al., 2013, “Experimental Analysis of the Start-Up Torque of a Mildly Loaded Foil Thrust Bearing,” ASME J. Tribol., 135(3), p. 031703). The rig has been reconfigured to test dynamic characteristics. The dynamic characteristics of the bump foil structure were measured for static loads comprised between 30 N and 150 N while measurements for the FTB were performed at 35 krpm for 30 N, 60 N, and 90 N. Excitation frequencies were comprised between 150 Hz and 750 Hz. Results showed that the dynamic stiffness of the FTB increase with excitation frequency while the equivalent damping decreases. Both stiffness and damping increase with the static load but are smaller at 35 krpm compared to 0 rpm.

Author(s):  
Franck Balducchi ◽  
Mihai Arghir ◽  
Romain Gauthier

The paper deals with the experimental analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a foil thrust bearing (FTB) designed following the specifications given by NASA in 2009. The start-up characteristics of the same foil bearing were investigated in a recently published paper. The test rig used for start-up measurements was adapted for dynamic measurements. The paper presents the test rig in detail as well as its identified dynamic models. Measurements of the dynamic characteristics of the bump foil structure were performed for static loads comprised between 30 N and 150 N while measurements for the FTB were performed at 35 krpm for 30 N, 60 N and 90 N. Excitation frequencies were comprised between 150 Hz and 750 Hz. Results showed that the dynamic stiffness of the FTB increase with excitation frequency while the equivalent damping decreases. Both stiffness and damping increase with the static load but are smaller at 35 krpm compared to 0 rpm.


2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Balducchi ◽  
Mihaï Arghir ◽  
Romain Gauthier ◽  
Emelyne Renard

The paper deals with the experimental analysis of the torque and of the lift-off velocity of a foil thrust bearing. The geometric characteristics of the foil thrust bearing follow the design recently proposed by Dykas et al. (2009, “Design, Fabrication, and Performance of Foil Gas Thrust Bearings for Microturbomachinery Applications,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 131(1), p. 012301-1). A dedicated test rig was developed and enables the measurement of the speed, the torque, and temperatures under the foils. The measurements underlined the importance of managing heat transfer in a foil thrust bearing. Results are presented for mild static loads ranging from 5 to 60 N and rotation speeds comprised between 20 and 35 krpm. The value of the start-up torque was validated by comparisons with results obtained with a rapid camera.


2014 ◽  
Vol 915-916 ◽  
pp. 49-52
Author(s):  
Xiang Kun Zeng

Experimental method and parameters to investigate the dynamic performances of an automatic tensioner are discussed. Parameters to evaluate the dynamic performances of a tensioner include dynamic stiffness, loss angle and equivalent viscous coefficient. Dynamic stiffness and loss angle can be measured directly, and the equivalent viscous coefficient can be calculated by torque-angular displacement loop which identified with the parameters including dynamic stiffness, loss angle, pre-load torque, pre-load angular displacement, excitation amplitude and excitation frequency. In this paper, the influences of excitation amplitude, excitation frequency and pre-load torque on the dynamic characteristics of tensioner are measured and investigated.


Author(s):  
Dong-Jin Park ◽  
Yong-Bok Lee ◽  
Chang-Ho Kim ◽  
Gun-Hee Jang

The thrust pad of the rotor is used to sustain the axial force generated due to the pressure difference between the compressor and turbine sides of turbomachinery such as the gas turbines and turbochargers. Furthermore, this thrust pad has a role to maintain and determines the attitude of the rotor. In a real system, it also helps reinforce the stiffness and damping of the journal bearing. This study was performed for the purpose of analyzing the characteristics of the air foil thrust bearing. The model for the air foil thrust bearing used in this study is composed of two parts: one is an inclined plane, which plays a role to increase the load carrying capacity using the physical wedge effect, and the other is a flat plane. This study mainly consists of three parts. First, the static characteristics were obtained over the region of the thin air film using the finite difference method (FDM) and the bump foil characteristics using the finite element method (FEM). Second, the analysis of the dynamic characteristics was conducted by perturbation method. For more exact calculation, the rarefaction gas coefficients perturbed about the pressure and film thickness were taken into consideration. At last, the static and dynamic characteristics of the tilting condition of the thrust pad were obtained. Furthermore, the load carrying capacity and torque were calculated for both tilting and not-tilting conditions. From this study, several results were presented: 1) the stiffness and damping of the bump foil under the condition of the various bump parameters, 2) the load carrying capacity and bearing torque at the tilting state, 3) the bearing performance under various bearing parameters, 4) the effects considering the rarefaction gas coefficients.


Author(s):  
Kai Feng ◽  
Xueyuan Zhao ◽  
Zhiyang Guo

With increasing need for high-speed, high-temperature, and oil-free turbomachinery, gas foil bearings (GFBs) have been considered to be the best substitutes for traditional oil-lubricated bearings. A multi-cantilever foil bearing (MCFB), a novel GFB with multi-cantilever foil strips serving as the compliant underlying structure, was designed, fabricated, and tested. A series of static and dynamic load tests were conducted to measure the structural stiffness and equivalent viscous damping of the prototype MCFB. Experiments of static load versus deflection showed that the proposed bearing has a large mechanical energy dissipation capability and a pronounced nonlinear static stiffness that can prevents overly large motion amplitude of journal. Dynamic load tests evaluated the influence of motion amplitude, loading orientation and misalignment on the dynamic stiffness and equivalent viscous damping with respect to excitation frequency. The test results demonstrated that the dynamic stiffness and damping are strongly dependent on the excitation frequency. Three motion amplitudes were applied to the bearing housing to investigate the effects of motion amplitude on the dynamic characteristics. It is noted that the bearing dynamic stiffness and damping decreases with incrementally increasing motion amplitudes. A high level of misalignment can lead to larger static and dynamic bearing stiffness as well as to larger equivalent viscous damping. With dynamic loads applied to two orientations in the bearing midplane separately, the dynamic stiffness increases rapidly and the equivalent viscous damping declines slightly. These results indicate that the loading orientation is a non-negligible factor on the dynamic characteristics of MCFBs.


2013 ◽  
Vol 712-715 ◽  
pp. 1535-1540
Author(s):  
Li Liu ◽  
Wei Hua Zhang ◽  
Dong Li Song

Axle box spring of railway vehicle is the structure of helical spring in series with rubber pad to reduce working stress of helical spring and absorb high-frequency vibration. Rubber pad model was built. Static and dynamic characteristics were researched in axial and radial directions. The results show that the static stiffness of rubber pad decreases with the increase of radial displacement and increases distinctly with the increase of the amount of compression; The dynamic stiffness of rubber pad increases with the decrease of the excitation force in the case of the same excitation frequency and decreases with the decrease of the frequency in the case of the same excitation displacement. Axle box spring method was established and the amplitude-frequency curve of dynamic stiffness of the spring was presented. The results provide a theoretical basis to research the dynamic performance of railway vehicle.


Author(s):  
Laurent Rudloff ◽  
Mihai Arghir ◽  
Olivier Bonneau ◽  
Pierre Matta

The paper presents the results of the experimental analysis of static and dynamic characteristics of a generation 1 foil bearing of 38.1 mm diameter and L/D = 1. The test rig is of floating bearing type, the rigid shaft being mounted on ceramic ball bearings and driven up to 40 krpm. Two different casings are used for start-up and for measurement of dynamic coefficients. In its first configuration, the test rig is designed to measure the start-up torque. The foil bearing casing is made of two rings separated by a needle bearing for enabling an almost torque free rotation between the foil bearing and the static load. The basic results are the start up torque and the lift off speed. In its second configuration a different casing is used for measuring the impedances of the foil bearing. Misalignment is a problem that is minimized by using three flexible stingers connecting the foil bearing casing to the base plate of the test rig. The test rig enables the application of a static load and of the dynamic excitation on the journal bearing casing, and can measure displacements, forces and accelerations. Working conditions consisted of static loads comprised between 10 N and 50 N and rotation frequencies ranging from 260 Hz to 590 HZ. Excitation frequencies comprised between 100 Hz are 600 Hz are applied by two orthogonally mounted shakers for each working condition. Stiffness and damping coefficients are identified from the complex impedances and enable the calculation of natural frequencies. The experimental results show that the dynamic characteristics of the tested bearing have a weak dependence on the rotation speed but vary with the excitation frequency.


Author(s):  
Dung L. Tran ◽  
Dara W. Childs ◽  
Hari Shrestha ◽  
Min Zhang

Abstract Recent multiphase-pump developments encountered several rotordynamic issues with smooth balance-piston seals, creating a need to better understand the performance of annular seals under multiphase-flow operation. This paper presents measurements of static and dynamic characteristics of a long smooth seal (L/D = 0.75, D = 114.686 mm, and Cr = 0.200 mm) operating under pure- and mainly air condition in which air is mixed with silicone oil (PSF-5cSt). Tests are performed at a supply pressure of 62.1 bars-a, three rotation speeds (5, 10, 15 krpm), three pressure ratios (PRs) (0.6, 0.5, 0.4), for a range of inlet liquid volume fraction (LVFi) from 0% to 8%. The results are then compared to: (1) the previous test reported by Zhang et al. (2017, “Experimental Study of the Static and Dynamic Characteristics of a Long Smooth Seal with Two-Phase, Mainly-air Mixtures,” J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 139(12), p. 122504) with similar testing condition but a different seal geometry (L/D = 0.65, D = 89.306 mm, and Cr = 0.188 mm) and (2) the predictions from a bulk-flow model developed by San Andrés (2012, “Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of Bubbly Mixture Annular Pressure Seals,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 134(2), p. 022503). Results show a significant increase of direct dynamic stiffness KΩ as LVFi increases, especially at low PR. Test results reported by Zhang et al. (2017) has an opposite tendency of KΩ as an impact of increasing LVFi. Concerning cross-coupled dynamic stiffness kΩ and cross-coupled damping c, the results from Zhang et al. (2017) and the present results agree to the effects of changing speed, PR, and LVFi under pure- and mainly air conditions. As LVFi increases, direct damping C increases while test results reported by Zhang et al. (2017) showed no significant increase. Except for the direct dynamic stiffness and the impact of changing LVFi on the cross-coupled dynamic stiffness, the bulk-flow model of San Andrés (2012) predicts decently the tendencies and magnitudes of the rotordynamic coefficients.


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