• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.117-124
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• 2021

In this study, we perform a 3D CFD conjugate analysis according to the shape of the foil ramp of the air foil thrust bearing, analyze the flow characteristics inside the bearing, and compare the results corresponding to the two shapes. Air has a lower viscosity than lubricating oil. Therefore, the thrust runner of the bearing must rotate at high speed to support the load. The gap between thrust runner and foil is significantly smaller than that of the oil bearing. Hence, it is crucial to analyze the complex flow characteristics inside the bearing to predict the complex flow inside the bearing and performance of the bearing. In addition, flow characteristics may appear differently depending on the ramp shape of the bearing foil, which may affect bearing performance. In this study, we numerically analyze the main flow path of air flowing into the bearing and the secondary flow path used for cooling the bearing using the commercial CFD software ANSYS CFX and compare the flow characteristics for straight and curved foil ramp shapes. Notably, there is a difference in the speed of the flowing air according to the shape of the ramp, which affects the bearing performance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.107-114
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• 2018

This paper presents a computational model of a gas foil journal bearing with shim foils between the top foil and bumps, and predicts its static and dynamic performance. The analysis takes the previously developed simple elastic foundation model for the top foil-bump structure and advances it by adding foil models for the "shim foil" and "outer top foil." The outer top foil is installed between the (inner) top foil and bumps, and the shim foil is installed between the inner top foil and outer top foil. Both the inner and outer top foils have an arc length of $360^{\circ}$, but the arc length of the shim foil is shorter, which causes a ramp near its leading edge in the bearing clearance profile. The Reynolds equation for isothermal and isoviscous ideal gas solves the hydrodynamic pressure that develops within the bearing clearance with preloads due to the ramp. The centerline pressure and film thickness predictions show that the shim foil mitigates the peak pressure occurring at the loading direction, and broadens the positive pressure as well as minimum film thickness zones except for the shortest shim foil arc length of $180^{\circ}$. In general, the shim foil decreases the journal eccentricity, and increases the power loss, direct stiffness, and damping coefficients. As the shim foil arc length increases, the journal eccentricity decreases while the attitude angle, minimum film thickness, and direct stiffness/damping coefficients in the horizontal direction increase.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.453-458
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• 2002

The feasibility study on supporting a turbocharger rotor on air foil bearing is investigated. Based on finite difference method and Newton-Raphson method, the static equilibrium position of a turbocharger rotor is predicted. And using finite difference method and perturbation method, dynamic characteristics of air foil bearings are calculated. Rotordynamic analysis is performed by finite element method, with collaboration of calculated stiffness and damping of foil bearing. The effect of compliance and clearance of bump foil bearing on the oil-free turbocharger is investigated in terms of rotordynamics. And the critical speeds, eccentricity ratio, vibration amplitude, and stability are considered. It is demonstrated that foil bearings offer a rlausible replacement for oil-lubricated bearings in turbocharger.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.177-185
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• 2000

The characteristics of multi-leaf feil bearing are investigated. The Foil bearing is preloaded and has several leaf foils modeled by curved beams. An analysis of the air foil bearing was performed, considering effects of foil deflection and compressible lubrication equation simultaneously. A parametric study shows that the number of foils significantly affect the static characteristics of air foil bearings and describes what the minimum film thickness means. The results include pressure profile, load capacity, dimensionless torque and minimum film thickness in the foil bearing.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.252-259
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• 2006

Air foil bearing supports the rotating journal using hydrodynamic force generated at thin air film. The bearing performances, stiffness, damping coefficient and load capacity, depend on the rotating speed and the performance of the elastic foundation, bump foil. The main focus of this study is to decide the dynamic performance of corrugated bump foil, structural stiffness and Coulomb damping caused by friction between bump foil and top foil/bump foil and housing. Structural stiffness is determined by the bump shape (bump height, pitch and bump thickness), dry-friction, and interacting force filed up to fixed end. So, the change of the characteristics was considered as the parameters change. The air foil bearing specification for analysis follows the general size; diameter 38.1 mm and length 38.1 mm (L/D=1.0). The results show that the stiffness at the fixed end is more than the stiffness at the free end, Coulomb damping is more at the fixed end due to the small displacement, and two dynamic characteristics are dependent on each other.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.1135-1141
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• 2006

Air foil bearing supports the rotating journal using hydrodynamic force generated at thin air film. The bearing performance, stiffness, damping coefficient and load capacity, depends on the rotating speed and the performance of the elastic foundation, bump foil. The main focus of this study is to decide the dynamic performance of corrugated bump foil, structural stiffness and Coulomb damping caused by friction between bump foil and top foil/bump foil and housing. Structural stiffness is determined by the bump shape (bump height, pitch and bump thickness), dry-friction, and interacting force filed up to fixed end. So, the change of the characteristics was considered as the parameters change. The air foil bearing specification for analysis follows the general size; diameter 38.1 mm and length 38.1mm (L/D=1.0). The results show that the stiffness at the fixed end is more than the stiffness at the free end, Coulomb damping is more at the fixed end due to the small displacement, and two dynamic characteristics are dependent on each other.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.482-487
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• 2001

Leaf type foil bearings have been used successfully in many aerospace applications such as air cycle machines, turbocompressors and turboexpander. These applications are characterized by light loads, constant speeds and low to moderate temperatures. But, as system on start-up or shutdown, sliding contact between the shaft and foil surfaces cause wear. So, in present study, to understand pressure-flow characteristics and deformation of foil bearing, flow/structure interaction analysis was used. and using this method, 2D and 3D calculation was peformed for shape of foil bearing to know circumferential direction flow and leakage flow characteristics of axial direction.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.300-306
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• 2018

In this study, the performance of foil thrust bearings was investigated by performing bearing take-off and load capacity tests, using an in-house designed and manufactured vertical bearing test rig. The mean take-off rotational speed and maximum load capacity of the bearing specimen were ~18,000 rpm and ~80 kPa, respectively. The vertical bearing test rig was observed to yield higher coefficients of friction and frictional torques than a horizontal bearing test rig under identical test conditions. This was a result of its structural characteristics, in that the bearing specimen is placed atop the thrust runner, which keeps it from being separated from the runner after the bearing take-off. In addition, bearing take-off was observed at a higher runner rotational speed as this structure keeps air from flowing between the top foil and runner surfaces, which requires a higher runner speed. The parallel alignment between the bearing specimen and runner surfaces can be maintained within a certain range more easily in a vertical test rig than in a horizontal test rig. Because of these advantages, Korean Industrial Standard, KS B 2060, recommends a vertical bearing test rig as the standard test device for foil thrust bearings.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.290-296
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• 2001

Lift-off means that the rotating journal surface separates from the leaf surface in an air-lubricated multi-leaf foil journal bearing. Lift-off builds up minimum film thickness which will provide load capacity between leaves and journal. In this paper an analysis of air-lubricated multi-leaf foil journal bearing was performed with effects of multi-leaf foil deflection and compressible lubrication equation simultaneously. Minimum film thickness built up versus journal speed predicts the lift off characteristics and these results will be useful in designing and selecting the proper speed of the air-lubricated multi-leaf foil journal bearing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.261-266
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• 2003

Foil air bearing, which is a noncontact bearing utilizing viscosity of operating fluid and elastic deformation of foil structure, has several advantages over rolling element bearings in terms of oilless environment, long life, high speed operation, and high temperature application over $500^{\circ}C$ . Recently advanced researches are actively being performed for the application to the extreme temperature such as gas turbines, as well as conventional small turbo machinery. In this paper, the principle of foil air bearing is introduced and a feasibility study to adopt a foil bearing as the turbine bearing of 65 HP turbo shaft engine, which is under development for UAV, is presented.