Identifying thermal characteristics of gas foil bearings (GFBs) provides an insight for successful implementation into high speed oil-free turbomachinery. The paper presents temperature measurements of a bump type GFB floating on a hollow shaft for various operating conditions. Two angular ball bearings support the hollow shaft at one end (right), and the other end (left) is free. Test GFB has the outer diameter of 100 mm and the axial length of 45 mm, and the hollow shaft has the outer and inner diameters of 60 mm and 40 mm, respectively. An electric motor drives the hollow shaft using a spline coupling connection. A mechanical loading device provides static loads on test GFB upward via a metal wire, and a strain gauge type load cell placed in the middle of the wire indicates the applied loads. During experiments for shaft speeds of 5 krpm, 10 krpm, and 15 krpm and with static loads of 58.9 N (6 kgf), 78.5 N (8 kgf), and 98.1 N (10 kgf), twelve thermocouples measure the outer surface temperatures of test GFB at four angular locations of 45 deg, 135 deg, 215 deg, and 315 deg, with an origin at the top foil free end, and three axial locations of bearing centerline and both side edges at each angle. Two infrared thermometers measure the outer surface temperature of the hollow shaft at free and supported ends close to test GFB. Test results show that GFB temperatures increase as the shaft speed increases and as the static load increases, with higher temperatures in the loaded zone (135 deg and 215 deg) than those in the unloaded zone (45 deg and 315 deg). In general, the recorded temperatures are highest at 225 deg where a highest hydrodynamic pressure is expected to build up. Measured temperatures at the bearing centerline are higher than those at the side edges, as expected. In addition, large thermal gradients are recorded in the hollow shaft along the axial direction with higher temperatures at the supported end. The axial thermal gradient of the shaft is thought to cause higher temperatures at the bearing right edge facing the ball bearing support than those at the left edge. The paper presents test data along with detailed test GFB/shaft geometries and material properties.
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February 2012
Technical Briefs
Thermal Performance Measurement of a Bump Type Gas Foil Bearing Floating on a Hollow Shaft for Increasing Rotating Speed and Static Load
Tae Ho Kim,
e-mail: thk@kist.re.kr
Tae Ho Kim
Senior Research Scientist
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
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Jin Woo Song,
e-mail: powerfulguy@kist.re.kr
Jin Woo Song
Research Assistant
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
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Yong-Bok Lee,
e-mail: lyb@kist.re.kr
Yong-Bok Lee
Principal Research Scientist
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
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Kyuho Sim
e-mail: khsim@kist.re.kr
Kyuho Sim
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
Search for other works by this author on:
Tae Ho Kim
Senior Research Scientist
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
e-mail: thk@kist.re.kr
Jin Woo Song
Research Assistant
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
e-mail: powerfulguy@kist.re.kr
Yong-Bok Lee
Principal Research Scientist
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
e-mail: lyb@kist.re.kr
Kyuho Sim
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Energy Mechanics Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Songbuk-gu, 136-791 Seoul, South Korea
e-mail: khsim@kist.re.kr
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Feb 2012, 134(2): 024501 (5 pages)
Published Online: December 8, 2011
Article history
Received:
March 31, 2011
Revised:
May 16, 2011
Online:
December 8, 2011
Published:
December 8, 2011
Citation
Kim, T. H., Song, J. W., Lee, Y., and Sim, K. (December 8, 2011). "Thermal Performance Measurement of a Bump Type Gas Foil Bearing Floating on a Hollow Shaft for Increasing Rotating Speed and Static Load." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. February 2012; 134(2): 024501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004401
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