• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제17권4호
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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.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.153-159
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• 2002

This paper describes a durability characteristics of an air-lubricated bump foil journal bearing for high speed turbomachinerys at room temperature. At first, lift-off test and load capacity test were performed to understand the general characteristics of an air-lubricated bump foil Journal bearing. A 52 N weighted bump foil bearing sleeve was lilted off from a rotating Journal at about 3,000 rpm, and produced a load capacity of 500 N at an operating speed of 15,000 rpm. The next was 500 cycles lift-off test with an air-lubricated bump foil journal bearing that had a molybdenum disulfide(MoS$_2$) solid lubricant coated top foil. Data from measuring bearing torque and temperature and the observation of rubbing surfAce were included in results. Therefore the results of this work will aid in proving durability of air-lubricated bump foil journal bearings.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2001년도 제34회 추계학술대회 개최
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• pp.212-219
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• 2001

This paper describes a durability characteristics of an air-lubricated bump foil journal bearing for high speed turbomachinerys at room temperature. At first, lift-off test and load capacity test were performed to understand the general characteristics of an air-lubricated bump foil journal bearing. A 52N weighted bump foil bearing sleeve was lifted off from a rotating journal at about 3,000rpm, and produced a load capacity of 500N at an operating speed of 15,000rpm. The next was 500 cycles lift-off test with an air-lubricated bump foil journal bearing that had a molybdenum disulfide(MoS$_2$) solid lubricant coated top foil. Data from measuring bearing torque and temperature and the observation of rubbing surface were included in results. Therefore the results of this work will aid in proving durability of air-lubricated bump foil journal bearings.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.108-113
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• 2009

This paper presents a experimental results for the performance evaluation of a double-bumped air foil bearing. The test results of a double-bumped AFB is compared with a single-bumped AFB at a heavily-loaded condition. The diameter of the test bearing is 50 mm, and the axial length is 50 mm. Nominal clearance of the single-bumped AFB is evaluated as $105{\mu}m$, and that of the double-bumped AFB is as $95{\mu}m$. The test of the AFBs are demonstrated at 3 test mode; the load variation mode, the speed variation mode, and start-stop mode. The single-bumped AFB demonstrated a upward load-carrying capacity of 95 N and a downward load-carrying capacity of 130 N at 20,000 rpm. The double-bumped AFB demonstrated a upward load-carrying capacity of 170 N and a downward load-carrying capacity of 170 N at 20,000 rpm. The single-bumped AFB demonstrated a downward lift-off speed of 16,300 rpm at 105 N. The double-bumped AFB demonstrated a downward lift-off speed of 15,400 rpm at 105 N. The start-stop test of the AFBs assure 5,000 cycle endurance life. The test results are compared with the theoretical calculation results. The test and theorectical results show thata double-bump air foil bearing provides a higher load-carrying capacity, stiffness and damping than a single-bump air foil bearing in a heavily-loaded condition.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.141-147
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• 2015

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) have attractive advantages over rolling element bearings and oil film thrust bearings, such as oil-free operation, high speed stability, and high-temperature operation. However, GFTBs have lower load carrying capacity than the other two types of bearings owing to the inherent low gas viscosity. The load carrying capacity of GFTBs depends mainly on the compliance of the foil structure and the formed hydrodynamic wedge, where the gas pressure field is generated between the top foil and the thrust runner. The load carrying capacity of the GFTBs is very important for the suitable design of oil-free turbomachinery with high performance. The aim of the present study is to identify the characteristics of the load carrying performance of GFTBs. A new test rig for the experimental measurements is designed to provide static loads up to 800 N using a pneumatic cylinder. The maximum operating speed of the driving motor is 30,000 rpm. A series of experimental tests—lift-off test, static load performance test, and maximum load capacity test—estimate the performance of a six-pad GFTB, in terms of the static load, driving torque, and temperature. The maximum load capacity is determined by increasing the static load until the driving torque rises suddenly with a sharp peak. The test results show that the torque and temperature increase linearly with the static load. The estimated maximum load capacity per unit area is approximately 80.5 kPa at a rotor speed of 25,000 rpm. The test results can be used as a design guideline for GFTBs for realizing oil-free turbomachinery.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 유체기계공업학회 2002년도 유체기계 연구개발 발표회 논문집
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• pp.199-206
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• 2002

This paper describes a reliability characteristics of an air foil journal bearing for high speed turbomachinery at room temperature. To verify the reliability of air foil journal bearing, lift-off characteristics, load carrying capacity, and 10,000 cycle start-stop test were performed with motor driven test rig. Lift-off test shows the relationship between the rotating speed of the shaft and the frictional torque with bearing surface. About load carrying capacity, the tested air foil journal bearing produced a load capacity of 500N at an operating speed of 15,000rpm, which is compared with results of numerical analysis and empirical coefficients. Finally, The trends in change of start torque, stop torque, and bearing temperature were shown during 10,000 cycle start-stop test of an air foil journal bearing. from the results of this work, an air foil bearing will be done well, as a supported bearing for high speed turbo-compressor.

• 한국유체기계학회 논문집
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.7-14
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• 2003

This paper describes reliability characteristics of an air foil journal bearing for high-speed turbomachinery at a room temperature. To verify the reliability of air foil journal bearing, lift-off characteristics, load carrying capacity, and 10,000 cycle start-stop test were performed with a motor-driven test rig. A lift-off test shows the relationship between the rotating speed of the shaft and the frictional torque with bearing surface. About a load-carrying capacity, the tested air foil journal bearing produced a load capacity of 500N at an operating speed of 15,000rpm, which is compared with results of numerical analysis and empirical coefficients. Finally, the trends in change of start torque, stop torque, and bearing temperature were shown during a 10,000-cycle start-stop test of an air foil journal bearing. We found that an air foil bearing performs well, as a supported bearing for the high-speed turbocompressor.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.81-85
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• 2023

This study presents an experimental investigation of the effects of surface roughness on gas foil thrust bearing (GFTB) performance. A high-speed motor with the maximum speed of 80 krpm rotates a thrust runner and a pneumatic cylinder applies static loads to the test GFTB. When the motor speed increases and reaches a specific speed at which a hydrodynamic film pressure generated within the gap between the thrust runner and test GFTB is enough to support the applied static load, the thrust runner lifts off from the test GFTB and the friction mechanism changes from the boundary lubrication to the hydrodynamic lubrication. The experiment shows a series of lift-off test and load-carrying capacity test for two thrust runners with different surface roughnesses. For a constant static load of 15 N, thrust runner A with its lower surface roughness exhibits a higher start-up torque but lower lift-off torque than thrust runner B with a higher surface roughness. The load capacity test at a rotor speed of 60 krpm reveals that runner A results in a higher maximum load capacity than runner B. Runner A also shows a lower drag torque, friction coefficient, and bearing temperature than runner B at constant static loads. The results imply that maintaining a consistent surface roughness for a thrust runner may improve its static GFTB performance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.103-110
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• 2024

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) are oil-free self-acting hydrodynamic bearings that support axial loads with a low friction during airborne operation. They need solid lubricants to reduce dry-friction between the runner and top foil and minimize local wears on their surfaces during start-up and shutdown processes. In this study, we evaluate the lift-off speeds and load capacity performance of a GFTB with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface coating by measuring drag torques during a series of experimental tests at increasing ambient temperatures of 25, 75 and 110℃. An electric heat gun provides hot air to the test GFTB operating in the closed booth to increase the ambient temperature. Test results show that the increasing ambient temperature delays the lift-off speed and decreases the load capacity of the test GFTB. An early developed prediction tool well predicts the measured drag torques at 60 krpm. After all tests, post inspections of the surface coating of the top foil are conducted. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images imply that abrasive wear and oxidation wear are dominant during the tests at 25℃ and 110℃, respectively. A quantitative energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis reveals that the weight percentages of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen decrease, while that of fluorine increases significantly during the highest-temperature tests. The study demonstrates that the increasing ambient temperature noticeably deteriorates the static performances and degrades the surface coating of the test GFTB.

• 한국소음진동공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국소음진동공학회 2003년도 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.94-99
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• 2003

As the rotating speed of rotors is increased, the instability and power loss become serious problems. Gas bearings are introduced as a good solution to those problems. But in the development of gas bearings, high load capacity and high damping force to vibrations are required. In this study a new air bearing using leaf spring pad is introduced to improve load capacity and damping force. The experimental results of the leaf spring pad air bearings show high load capacity and high damping forces. And the results show that leaf spring pad air bearings can be simultaneously acted as radial and thrust bearings