Three-Dimensional Thermo-Elasto-Hydrodynamic Computational Fluid Dynamics Model of a Tilting Pad Journal Bearing—Part II: Dynamic Response

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongin Yang ◽  
Alan Palazzolo

Part II presents a novel approach for predicting dynamic coefficients for a tilting pad journal bearing (TPJB) using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element method (FEM), including fully coupled elastic deflection, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics. Part I presented a similarly novel, high fidelity approach for TPJB static response prediction which is a prerequisite for the dynamic characteristic determination. The static response establishes the equilibrium operating point values for eccentricity, attitude angle, deflections, temperatures, pressures, etc. The stiffness and damping coefficients are obtained by perturbing the pad and journal motions about this operating point to determine changes in forces and moments. The stiffness and damping coefficients are presented in “synchronously reduced form” as required by American Petroleum Institute (API) vibration standards. Similar to Part I, an advanced three-dimensional thermal—Reynolds equation code validates the CFD code for the special case when flow Between Pad (BP) regions is ignored, and the CFD and Reynolds pad boundary conditions are made identical. The results show excellent agreement for this validation case. Similar to the static response case, the dynamic characteristics from the Reynolds model show large discrepancies compared with the CFD results, depending on the Reynolds mixing coefficient (MC). The discrepancies are a concern given the key role that stiffness and damping coefficients serve instability and response predictions in rotordynamics software. The uncertainty of the MC and its significant influence on static and dynamic response predictions emphasizes a need to utilize the CFD approach for TPJB simulation in critical machines.

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongin Yang ◽  
Alan Palazzolo

This paper presents the first simulation model of a tilting pad journal bearing (TPJB) using three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including multiphase flow, thermal-fluid, transitional turbulence, and thermal deformation of the shaft and pads employing two-way fluid–structure interaction (FSI). Part I presents a modeling method for the static performance. The model includes flow between pads BP, which eliminates the use of an uncertain, mixing coefficient (MC) in Reynold's equation approaches. The CFD model is benchmarked with Reynold's model with a 3D thermal-film, when the CFD model boundary conditions are consistent with the Reynolds boundary conditions. The Reynolds model employs an oversimplified MC representation of the three-dimensional mixing effect of the BP flow and heat transfer, and it also employs simplifying assumptions for the flow and heat transfer within the thin film between the journal and bearing. This manufactured comparison shows good agreement between the CFD and Reynold's equation models. The CFD model is generalized by removing these fictitious boundary conditions on pad inlets and outlets and instead models the flow and temperature between pads. The results show that Reynold's model MC approach can lead to significant differences with the CFD model including detailed flow and thermal modeling between pads. Thus, the CFD approach provides increased reliability of predictions. The paper provides an instructive methodology including detailed steps for properly applying CFD to tilt pad bearing modeling. Parts I and II focus on predicting static and dynamic response characteristic responses, respectively.


Author(s):  
Jason C. Wilkes ◽  
Dara W. Childs

For several years, researchers have presented predictions showing that using a full tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB) model (retaining all of the pad degrees of freedom) is necessary to accurately perform stability calculations for a shaft operating on TPJBs. This paper will discuss this issue, discuss the importance of pad and pivot flexibility in predicting impedance coefficients for the tilting-pad journal bearing, present measured changes in bearing clearance with operating temperature, and summarize the differences between measured and predicted frequency dependence of dynamic impedance coefficients. The current work presents recent test data for a 100 mm (4 in) five-pad TPJB tested in load on pad (LOP) configuration. Measured results include bearing clearance as a function of operating temperature, pad clearance and radial displacement of the loaded pad (the pad having the static load vector directed through its pivot), and frequency dependent stiffness and damping. Measured hot bearing clearances are approximately 30% smaller than measured cold bearing clearances and are inversely proportional to pad surface temperature; predicting bearing impedances with a rigid pad and pivot model using these reduced clearances results in overpredicted stiffness and damping coefficients that are several times larger than previous comparisons. The effect of employing a full bearing model versus a reduced bearing model (where only journal degrees of freedom are retained) in a stability calculation for a realistic rotor-bearing system is assessed. For the bearing tested, the bearing coefficients reduced at the frequency of the unstable eigenvalue (subsynchronously reduced) predicted a destabilizing cross-coupled stiffness coefficient at the onset of instability within 1% of the full model, while synchronously reduced coefficients for the lightly loaded bearing required 25% more destabilizing cross-coupled stiffness than the full model to cause system instability. The same stability calculation was performed using measured stiffness and damping coefficients at synchronous and subsynchronous frequencies. These predictions showed that both the synchronously measured stiffness and damping and predictions using the full bearing model were more conservative than the model using subsynchronously measured stiffness and damping, an outcome that is completely opposite from conclusions reached by comparing different prediction models. This contrasting outcome results from a predicted increase in damping with increasing excitation frequency at all speeds and loads; however, this increase in damping with increasing excitation frequency was only measured at the most heavily loaded conditions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 254 ◽  
pp. 08005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Ferfecki ◽  
Jaroslav Zapoměl ◽  
Marek Gebauer ◽  
Václav Polreich ◽  
Jiří Křenek

Rotor vibration attenuation is achieved with damping devices which work on different, often mutually coupled, physical principles. Squeeze film dampers are damping devices that have been widely used in rotordynamic applications. A new concept of a 5-segmented integral squeeze film damper, in which a flexure pivot tilting pad journal bearing is integrated, was investigated. The damper is studied for the eccentric position between the outer and inner ring of the squeeze film land. The ANSYS CFX software was used for solving the pressure and velocity distribution. The development of the complex three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model of the squeeze film damper, learning more about the effect of the forces in the damper, and the knowledge about the behaviour of the flow are the principal contributions of this article.


2010 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Yan ◽  
Yi Lu ◽  
Tiesheng Zheng

Considering the freedom of pad tilting and pad translation along preload orientation, an analytical complete model, as well as mathematical method, which contains 2n+2 degrees of freedom, is presented for calculating the dynamical characteristics of tilting-pad journal bearing. Based on the motion relationship of shaft and pad, the local coordinate system, the generalized displacement, and the generalized force vector are chosen. The concise transformation of generalized displacement, generalized force, and its Jacobian matrix between the local and global coordinate systems are built up in matrix form. A fast algorithm using the Newton–Raphson method for calculating the equilibrium position of journal and pads is proposed. The eight reduced stiffness and damping coefficients can be obtained assuming that the journal and all pads are subject to harmonic vibration. Numerical results show that the reduced damping coefficients and the threshold speed can be effectively enhanced by giving suitable pad pivot stiffness and damping simultaneously, and this analytical method can be applied to analyze dynamical behavior of the tilting-pad journal bearing rotor system.


1968 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 793-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Lund

The dynamic characteristics of a gas bearing can be represented by a set of spring and damping coefficients (impedances) which are functions of the static load on the bearing, the rotating speed and the whirl frequency of the journal. For a rotor supported in gas bearings, these coefficients can be used directly in a critical speed calculation or an unbalance response calculation. In addition, the coefficients can be employed in a stability investigation. The paper gives the computational method for obtaining the spring and damping coefficients and, also, describes how they are used in rotor calculations and stability studies. Numerical results are given in graphical and tabular form for a tilting pad journal bearing and a three-lobe journal bearing.


1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Cheon Ha ◽  
Seong Heon Yang

An experimental study is performed to investigate the frequency effects of the excitation force on the linear stiffness and damping coefficients of a LOP (load on pad) type five-pad tilting pad journal bearing with the diameter of 300.91 mm and the length of 149.80 mm. The main parameter of interest in the present work is excitation frequency to shake the test hearing. The excitation frequency is controlled independently, using orthogonally mounted hydraulic exciters, as follows: 1) excitation frequency ratio in the x-axis direction νx = 0.5, 2) excitation frequency ratio in the y-axis direction νy = 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9. The magnitude of the excitation force is controlled to make sure that the test hearing has a linear behavior during the test. The relative movement between the bearing and shaft, and the acceleration of the bearing casing are measured as a function of excitation frequency using the different values of bearing load and shaft speed. Measurements show that the variation of excitation, frequency has quite a little effect on both stiffness and damping coefficients. The stiffness coefficients of the five-pad tilting pad journal bearing slightly decrease as the excitation frequency ratio increases, while the damping coefficients slightly increase with excitation frequency ratio, especially in the case of lower speed and higher load. Both direct stiffness and damping coefficients in the direction of bearing load decrease with an increase of shaft speed, but increase with the bearing load.


Author(s):  
Dara Childs ◽  
Joel Harris

Static performance characteristics and rotordynamic coefficients were experimentally determined for a four-pad, ball-in-socket, tilting-pad journal bearing in load-between-pad configuration. Measured static characteristics include journal static equilibrium position, estimated power loss, and trailing-edge pad temperatures. Rotordynamic coefficients were determined from curve-fits of measured complex dynamic-stiffness coefficients as a function of the excitation frequency. Aside from the cross-coupled damping coefficients, a frequency-independent [M]-[C]-[K] model did a good job of fitting the measurements. The added-mass coefficient was frequently dropped, leaving only a frequency-independent stiffness and damping coefficient. Test conditions included speeds from 4000 rpm to 12,000 rpm and unit loads from 0 kPa to 1896 kPa (0–275 psi). The bearing uses cool inlet oil to decrease the pad operating temperatures and increase the bearing’s load and speed capacity. The bearing has a nominal radial clearance of 95.3 μm (3.75 mils). However, measurements indicated significant bearing crush with a radial bearing clearance of 99.6 μm (3.92 mils) in the axis 45 deg counterclockwise from the loaded axis and 54.6 μm (2.15 mils) in the axis 45 deg clockwise from the loaded axis (assuming counterclockwise rotation). The pad length is 101.60 mm (4.00 in.), giving L/D=1.00. The pad arc angle is 73 deg, and the pivot offset ratio is 65%. Testing was performed using a test rig described by Kaul (1999, “Design and Development of a Test Setup for the Experimental Determination of the Rotordynamic and Leakage Characteristics of Annular Bushing Oil Seals,” MS thesis, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX), and rotordynamic coefficients were extracted using a procedure adapted from the work of Childs and Hale (1994, “A Test Apparatus and Facility to Identify the Rotordynamic Coefficients of High-Speed Hydrostatic Bearings,” ASME J. Tribol., 116, pp. 337–344). A bulk-flow Navier–Stokes model was used for predictions, using adiabatic conditions for the fluid in the bearing. However, the model assumes constant nominal clearances at all pads, and an average clearance was used based on measured clearances. Measured static eccentricities and attitude angles were significantly higher than predicted. Attitude angles varied from 6 deg to 39 deg and decreased with load. Power loss was underpredicted at low speeds and very well predicted at high speeds, with a maximum value of 25 kW (34 hp). The maximum detected pad temperature was 71°C(160°F) while the temperature increase from inlet to maximum pad temperature location was overpredicted by 10–40%. Direct stiffness and damping coefficients were significantly overpredicted, but the addition of a stiffness-in-series correction vastly improved the agreement between theory and experiment. Direct added masses were zero or negative at low speeds and increased with speed up to a maximum of about 50 kg; they were normally greater in the x (unloaded) direction. Although significant cross-coupled stiffness terms were present, they always had the same sign, and the bearing had a whirl frequency ratio of zero netting unconditional stability over all test conditions.


Author(s):  
Jason C. Wilkes ◽  
Dara W. Childs

For several years, researchers have presented predictions showing that using a full tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB) model (retaining all of the pad degrees of freedom) is necessary to accurately perform stability calculations for a shaft operating on TPJBs. This paper will discuss this issue, discuss the importance of pad and pivot flexibility in predicting impedance coefficients for the tilting-pad journal bearing, present measured changes in bearing clearance with operating temperature, and summarize the differences between measured and predicted frequency dependence of dynamic impedance coefficients. The current work presents recent test data for a 100 mm (4 in.) five-pad TPJB tested in load on pad (LOP) configuration. Measured results include bearing clearance as a function of operating temperature, pad clearance and radial displacement of the loaded pad (the pad having the static load vector directed through its pivot), and frequency-dependent stiffness and damping. Measured hot-bearing clearances are approximately 30% smaller than measured cold-bearing clearances and are inversely proportional to pad surface temperature; predicting bearing impedances with a rigid pad and pivot model using these reduced clearances results in overpredicted stiffness and damping coefficients that are several times larger than previous comparisons. The effect of employing a full bearing model versus a reduced bearing model (where only journal degrees of freedom are retained) in a stability calculation for a realistic rotor-bearing system is assessed. For the bearing tested, the bearing coefficients reduced at the frequency of the unstable eigenvalue (subsynchronously reduced) predicted a destabilizing cross-coupled stiffness coefficient at the onset of instability within 1% of the full model, while synchronously reduced coefficients for the lightly loaded bearing required 25% more destabilizing cross-coupled stiffness than the full model to cause system instability. The same stability calculation was performed using measured stiffness and damping coefficients at synchronous and subsynchronous frequencies. These predictions showed that both the synchronously measured stiffness and damping and predictions using the full bearing model were more conservative than the model using subsynchronously measured stiffness and damping, an outcome that is completely opposite from conclusions reached by comparing different prediction models. This contrasting outcome results from a predicted increase in damping with increasing excitation frequency at all speeds and loads; however, this increase in damping with increasing excitation frequency was only measured at the most heavily loaded conditions.


Author(s):  
Kyung-Bo Bang ◽  
Jeong-Hun Kim ◽  
Cheol-Hong Kim

In the present paper, we suggest a new type of tilting pad journal bearing to decrease oil film temperature and eliminate pad fluttering during operation. This bearing consists of tilting pad journal bearing at low casing and fixed arc type journal bearing at upper casing. Namely we changed a tilting pad bearing with a fixed arc type bearing at upper casing. To investigate the effects of changing the bearing shape, the static and dynamic characteristics were compared experimentally with conventional tilting pad journal bearing. For the static characteristics, oil film temperature, hydrodynamic pressure and oil film thickness were measured with the variation of rotating speed, bearing load and oil flow rate. The stiffness and damping coefficients of oil film were also obtained using the response subjected to harmonic external force to evaluating the dynamic characteristics. The results show that the suggested type of bearing has effect on reducing oil film temperature and increasing stiffness and damping coefficients of oil film.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junho Suh ◽  
Alan Palazzolo

This paper is focused on a new modeling method of three-dimensional (3D) thermo-elasto-hydro-dynamic (TEHD) cylindrical pivot tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB). Varying viscosity Reynolds equation and 3D energy equation are coupled via lubricant temperature and viscosity relationship. Three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) is adopted for the analysis of: (1) heat conduction in shaft and bearing pad, (2) thermal deformation of shaft and pad, (3) flexible bearing pad dynamic behavior, and (4) heat conduction, convection, and viscous shearing in thin lubricant film. For the computational efficiency, modal coordinate transformation is utilized in the flexible pad dynamic model, and pad dynamic behavior is represented only by means of modal coordinate. Fluid film thickness is calculated by a newly developed node based method, where pad arbitrary thermal and elastic deformation and journal thermal expansion are taken into account simultaneously. The main goal of this research is to provide more accurate numerical TPJB model than developed before so that the designers of rotating machinery are able to understand the bearing dynamic behavior and avoid unpredicted problem by selection of physical parameters.


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