Feasibility Study of Hydrodynamic Lubrication in Supporting of Rotating Elements of Galvanizing Hardware Submerged in Molten Zinc

Severe wear of sink roll supports in continuous galvanizing lines has been a cause for concern for some years. This wear, which affects the quality of the coating and downtime costs, is a result of a corrosive environment and highly loaded surface contact.

This paper presents results from a feasibility study to use journal bearings lubricated with molten zinc to separate the interacting surfaces. Analytical and experimental investigations were aimed at identifying the load capacity of sink roll bearings when operating in the hydrodynamic regime, as well as the effect of the molten zinc bath environment on bearing performance. This environment includes chemical zinc attack and the presence of inter-metallic particles in the bath.

The study indicates that it is difficult to achieve hydrodynamic bearing operation for the entire range of operating conditions. It also shows that, when selecting materials for journal bearings support to the rotating elements submerged in molten zinc baths, possible contact of the bearing surfaces as well as chemical inertness and resistance to the hard intermetallic particles do need to be addressed.     

Load Capacity Estimation of Foil Air Journal Bearings for Oil-Free Turbomachinery Applications

This paper introduces a simple “Rule of Thumb” (ROT) method to estimate the load capacity of foil air journal bearings, which are self-acting compliant-surface hydrodynamic bearings being considered for Oil-Free turbomachinery applications such as gas turbine engines. The ROT is based on first principles and data available in the literature and it relates bearing load capacity to the bearing size and speed through an empirically based load capacity coefficient, D. It is shown that load capacity is a linear function of bearing surface velocity and bearing projected area. Furthermore, it was found that the load capacity coefficient, D, is related to the design features of the bearing compliant members and operating conditions (speed and ambient temperature). Early bearing designs with basic or “first generation” compliant support elements have relatively low load capacity. More advanced bearings, in which the compliance of the support structure is tailored, have load capacities up to five times those of simpler designs. The ROT enables simplified load capacity estimation for foil air journal bearings and can guide development of new Oil-Free turbomachinery systems.     

Influence of Journal Speed and Load on the Static Operating Characteristics of a Tilting-Pad Journal Bearing with Ball-and-Socket Pivots

Results are described for experiments aimed at determining the effects of increased speed and load on ball-and-socket pivots in tilting-pad journal bearings. Experimental measurements of journal static operating position were made for a 70-mm (2.75-in.), five-pad tilting-pad journal bearing with ball-and-socket pivots. Testing consisted of journal rotational speeds from 1650 to 7840 rpm and bearing static loads as high as 4.45 kN (1000 lbs). These speeds and loads were sufficient to attain a range of heat generation and pivot thermal growths. Results showed that at low speeds substantial cross-coupling effects were present. However, with increased heat generation at elevated speeds and loads, these cross-coupling effects were significantly reduced.     

Cage Speed of Hydrodynamic Rolling Hybrid Bearings

Hydrodynamic bearings are subjected to wear during starts and stops due to the absence of sufficient film pressure to effect complete separation of the sliding surfaces. In an earlier publication, our group reported the development of a new hydrodynamic rolling hybrid bearing (HRHB) to overcome the wear problem in hydrodynamic bearings. In the configuration, the transition of operation modes between the rolling bearing supporting state and the hydrodynamic bearing supporting state was realized by the clearance of the rolling bearing. Here we report on the development of a method to identify the operation modes for HRHBs based on monitoring the cage speed of the rolling bearing. The variation of cage speed with the shaft speed is measured. The effects of external load and starting time on the cage speed are also investigated experimentally. The results show that variation in the cage speed reflects changes in the load on the rolling bearing, as well as the operation modes of the HRHBs. With increases in the shaft speed, the variation in the cage speed presents three stages: the increasing stage, the decreasing stage, and the stationary stage. In the first two stages, the HRHB works at the rolling bearing supporting state while in stationary stage, the HRHB works at the hydrodynamic bearing supporting state. In additions to its property of no wear sufferance during starts and stops, compared to hydrodynamic bearings there is little risk of catastrophic failure with HRHBs during any interruption to the lubricant supply and compared to rolling bearings there is no fatigue failure. Therefore this hybrid design is useful at very high speeds.     

非道路两缸柴油机轴承热弹性流体动力润滑特性研究

基于热弹性流体动力润滑理论和多体动力学理论,针对自主研发的非道路2D25卧式两缸柴油机,采用AVL Excite Power Unit软件建立曲轴轴承的多体动力学模型,探讨柔性整机体模型下轴瓦与轴承座的弹性变形、润滑油的黏温及黏压特性、轴瓦及轴颈的表面粗糙度及热效应等因素,建立轴承的润滑模型并计算不同工况下各轴承的载荷、油膜厚度、油膜压力和摩擦功耗。研究结果表明:随着转速的升高,主轴承的总摩擦功耗增加,轴瓦的热负荷增大;高转速下,第一主轴承(MB1)和第三主轴承(MB3)存在轴颈倾斜不对中,出现偏磨现象,导致第二缸爆发时主轴颈振动加剧;连杆轴承油膜压力分布均匀性较好,轴瓦热负荷低,在高转速下润滑效果更佳。     

Wall slip and hydrodynamics of two-dimensional journal bearing

In the present paper, based on the limiting shear stress model, a multi-linearity finite element algorithm and quadratic programming technique are used to study the influence of wall slip on the hydrodynamic lubrication performance of a two-dimensional journal bearing (finite length journal bearing). It is found that if the lubricated surfaces are designed as homogeneous slip surfaces, the hydrodynamic force will be decreased. If the shaft surface (rotation) is a slippery surface with very low limiting shear stress, almost no fluid load support can be generated. If the sleeve surface is designed as the homogeneous slip surface, a low fluid load support together with a small friction drag can be obtained. However, if the sleeve surface is designed as an optimized slip surface with a slip zone in the inlet region, a high load support and low friction coefficient can be obtained. Optimization of the shape and the size of the slip zone can give the journal bearing many advanced properties.     

Thermal Structural Effects in a Gas-Lubricated Foil Journal Bearing

A theoretical model for gas-lubricated foil journal bearings that incorporates thermal structural effects is presented. Bending and membrane effects in the top foil resulting from temperature are included along with thermal expansion of the journal, subfoil, and bearing housing. The model includes thermal transport through the journal, foils, and bearing housing. Pressure in the gas film is predicted using the Reynolds equation, and a thermal bulk flow model is used to predict temperature. The results demonstrate that models will overpredict film thickness along the side edge of a bearing if thermal strain in the top foil is not included. In addition, the results show the need for a three-dimensional thermal flow model at the trailing edge of a bearing when backflow occurs.     

Wave Journal Bearing with Compressible Lubricant—Part I: The Wave Bearing Concept and a Comparison to the Plain Circular Bearing

To improve hydrodynamic journal bearing steady-stale and dynamic performance, a new bearing concept, the wave journal bearing, was developed at the author's lab. This concept features a waved inner bearing diameter. Compared to other alternative bearing geometries used to improve bearing performance such as spiral or herringbone grooves, steps, etc., the wave bearing's design is relatively simple and allows the shaft to rotate in either direction. A three-wave bearing operating with a compressible lubricant; i.e., gas, is analyzed using a numerical code. Its performance is compared to a plain (truly) circular bearing over a broad range of bearing working parameters, e.g., bearing numbers from 0.01 to 100. The geometry of the wave bearing gives the bearing its high load; i.e., stiffness, and stability characteristics. The wave bearing's performance is dependent upon the amplitude of the wave and the position of the waves relative to the applied load. To maximize wave bearing performance, the waves' position relative to the applied load should be carefully selected. The wave journal bearing offers better stability than the plain circular bearing' under all operating conditions and all wave-load orientations. Specifically, an unloaded journal bearing can be made to run stably in any operating regime by incorporating the wave geometry.     

Thermally-Induced Failures in Railroad Tapered Roller Bearings

An Association of American Railroads (AAR) class F (6 1/2 × 12) tapered-roller bearing assembly is modeled, using finite elements, to examine thermally-induced failures observed in the laboratory when the bearing is operating at relatively high speeds. It is hypothesized that this failure is caused by an unstable thermal expansion/internal bearing load feedback process. Sequentially-coupled, transient thermal and static structural models are used to obtain the thermal-mechanical transient time response as a function of speed, seal type, and lubricant starvation at the rib contact. The model assumes no external loads and zero initial preload (zero end-play). Therefore, the loads developed in the bearing are thermally-induced and self-equilibrated. Two train speeds, viz. 80 and 100 mph, are considered. Simulation results indicate that at axle rotational speeds equivalent to a train speed of 100 mph, a combination of grease starvation and heat flux from the contact seals cause high rib temperature and subsequent unstable load growth which will lead to failure. At rotational speeds equivalent to train speeds of 80 mph or for bearing assemblies that utilize special design seals, the rib temperature is relatively low and no operational instabilities were observed for the model used.     

Lubrication Analysis of a Connecting-Rod Bearing in a High-Speed Engine. Part II: Lubrication Performance Evaluation for Non-Circular Bearings

In this article a numerical investigation of a connecting rod bearing operating at 6,500 rpm is performed. This is a companion to an earlier article that took into account the effects of the inertial force and the variable bolt tension force, which are considered to be the principal factors that affect the connecting rod bearing lubrication characteristics of an engine running at high speed. It was found that a thinner minimum oil film and a larger peak hydrodynamic pressure are predicted in a deformed connecting rod bearing than in a rigid connecting rod bearing. Multi-peaked hydrodynamic pressure was found to appear as well because of two or more converging-diverging film regions.     

Wave Journal Bearing with Compressible Lubricant—Part II: A Comparison of the Wave Bearing with a Wave-Groove Bearing and a Lobe Bearing

To identify the potential advantages of the wave journal bearing, a three-wave journal bearing was compared to both a three-wave-groove bearing (a wave bearing with axial grooves that isolate each wave) and a three-lobe bearing. The lobe bearing's profile was selected to approximate the wave journal bearing's profile. The lubricant was assumed to be compressible (gas). The bearing number, A, was parameterized from 0.01 to 100, and the eccentricity ratio, ε, was varied from 0 to 0.4. Data at bearing numbers 0.1, 1, and 50, and eccentricity ratios of 0.1 and 0.4, were selected as representative of the bearing performance. The calculated load capacity and the critical mass are presented for the three bearings. The wave bearing shows a better load capacity than the other bearings at any applied load and running regime. However, at high bearing numbers the lubricant compressibility effect is predominant and all three analyzed bearings show similar load capacity. The critical masses of the wave-groove and lobe bearing are greater than the critical mass of the wave bearing if the applied load is small. For low and intermediate bearing numbers the wave-groove bearing is more stable than the other bearings especially at low wave's amplitude ratio. The lobe bearing is more stable than the other analyzed bearings at high bearing numbers or at large preload ratios. If the applied load increases, the wave bearing dynamic performance is competitive with both wave-groove and lobe bearings. In addition, at high bearing numbers, the wave bearing could run stably for any allocated rotor mass over a wide range of wave position angle. Three wave bearings are more sensitive to the direction of the applied load than the other bearings especially at low and intermediate bearing numbers. Therefore, a careful selection of the waves position angle has to be done to maximize the wave bearing performance.     

On the Fluid Flow and Thermal Analysis of a Compliant Surface Foil Bearing and Seal

Foil gas bearings have been applied successfully to a wide range of high-speed rotating machinery such as air cycle machines (ACMs) and auxiliary power units (APUs). The performance of these bearings are based on the high pressure gas in a very thin layer between the journal and the bearing governed by the Reynolds equations. Generation of heat in these bearings especially at high journal rotating speed and high loads or at high ambient temperature directly affect their performance. Thermal and fluid flow analysis of an advanced compliant foil journal bearing/seal are presented. The side flow (known as leakage) and the approximate temperatures are the results of this analysis. The result of preliminary analysis shows that the major portion of the heat is carried through conduction and using the modified Couette flow approximation for the present working fluid, air, helped in analysis of the temperature magnitude, which can be related to the gas viscosity behavior and thin gas film thicknesses.     

Hybrid journal bearings with particular reference to hole-entry configurations

There is a spectrum of pressure-fed journal bearings ranging from the purely hydrostatic bearing characteristics, ie zero speed operation, to the purely hydrodynamic bearing characteristics which depend completely on speed. Between these two extremes, hybrid bearing characteristics rely on mixed modes of external pressurisation and speed-dependent pressurisation. Large high speed hydrodynamic bearings require the lubricant to be pumped under pressure for temperature control. It is therefore attractive to use this external source of pressure to enhance the start-up performance by reducing wear and improving stability. Hybrid bearings offer the possibility of improving on both the zero-speed characteristics of hydrostatic bearings and on the whole range of speed characteristics of hydrodynamic bearings. It is concluded that hole-entry bearings may be particularly effective when compared with other bearing configurations for good load support and low energy consumption, when used in any of the four modes of operation including: zero-speed hydrostatic mode; high-speed hydrodynamic mode; zero and high-speed hybrid mode; and jacking mode where areas are pressurised for start-up. A modification to the procedure for solving the Reynolds equation is introduced to cope with cavitated regions. The technique presented for solving the bearing pressures and cavitation boundaries is efficient and has relevance to any type of liquid film bearing     

Thermohydrodynamic analysis of a worn plain journal bearing

Hydrodynamic journal bearings are widely used in industry because of their simplicity, efficiency and low cost. They support rotating shafts over a number of years and are often subjected to many stops and starts. During these transient periods, friction is high and the bushes become progressively worn, thus inducing certain disabilities. This paper seeks to present the thermohydrodynamic performance of a worn plain journal bearing. The study deals with a 100 mm diameter bearing, submitted to a static load varying from 5000 to 30,000 N with a rotational speed varying from 1000 to 10,000 rpm. The defects caused by wear are centered on the load line and range from 10% to 50% of the bearing radial clearance. Our main focus was on hydrodynamic pressure, temperature distributions at the film/bush interface, oil flow rate, power losses and film thickness. Defects caused by wear of up to 20% have little influence on bearing performance whereas above this value (30 to 50%) they can display an interesting advantage: a significant fall in temperatures, due to the tendency of the bearing to go into the footprint created by the wear. Thus, the worn bearing presents not only some disadvantages but also advantages, such as lower temperature, since in certain cases of significant defects due to wear the geometry approaches that of a lobe bearing.     

Analysis of Foil Journal Bearings with Backing Springs

Gas-lubricated foil journal bearings are simple, in construction, lightweight and well suited for high-temperature applications in turbomachinery. Hearing stiffness is governed primarily by the foil flexural stiffness. The bearing consists essentially of thin overlapping circular metal foils, one end of which is cantilevered to the bearing housing and. the other end rests on an adjacent foil.

An analysis of gas-lubricated foil bearings is presented with a specific type of backing spring used under the foils to control bearing preload, and stiffness. The backing spring acts like, an elastic foundation tinder the foil and radically changes the hydrodynamic pressure distribution generated in the gas film. The pressure distribution is obtained by simultaneously solving the compressible Reynolds equation and. the elasticity equations governing the compliant bearing surface, consisting of foils and backing springs. An iterative scheme is used, to obtain pressure distributions for heavily loaded cases, involving extensive computation, because of the sensitivity of pressure solution to small changes in film thickness distributions attributable to the compliant bearing surface. Pressure distribution, film thickness, bearing load capacity, iterative solution convergence characteristics and bearing power dissipation are presented as a function of journal eccentricity.     

Pressure Distributions along Vertical Hydrodynamic Herringbone-Grooved Journal Bearings

The pressure distributions generated along vertical hydrodynamic herringbone-grooved journal bearings were experimentally and numerically investigated at rotational speeds ranging from 203 to 2110 rpm. A test rig was designed and constructed for this purpose and four journals (shafts) with different herringbone-grooved patterns and radial gaps were tested: Journal 1 (with symmetrical and discontinuous grooves and 0.25-mm clearance gap), Journal 2 (with symmetrical and discontinuous grooves and 0.35-mm clearance gap), Journal 3 (with symmetrical and four continuous grooves), and Journal 4 (with asymmetrical and three continuous grooves). The journals were made of aluminum with diameters of 46.00 mm, and the sleeve was made of a transparent Plexiglas pipe for visual observation of the lubricant in the gap between the journal and the sleeve. Pressure taps were installed along the sleeve to obtain the pressure distributions using a pressure transducer. Numerical simulations were performed for these four herringbone-grooved journal bearings using commercially available computational fluid dynamic software. The computational simulations agree in trends with the experimental results and theoretical expectations.     

Effect of Silicon Nitride Balls and Rollers on Rolling Bearing Life

Three decades have passed since the introduction of silicon nitride rollers and balls into conventional rolling-element bearings. For a given applied load, the contact (Hertz) stress in a hybrid bearing will be higher than that of an all-steel rolling element bearing. The silicon nitride rolling-element life as well as the lives of the steel races were used to determine the resultant bearing life of both hybrid and all-steel bearings. Life factors were determined and reported for hybrid bearings. Under nominal operating speeds, the resultant calculated lives of the deep-groove, angular-contact, and cylindrical roller hybrid bearings with races made of post-1960 bearing steel increased by factors of 3.7, 3.2, and 5.5, respectively, from those calculated using the Lundberg-Palmgren equations. An all-steel bearing under the same load will have a longer life than the equivalent hybrid bearing under the same conditions. Under these conditions, hybrid bearings are predicted to have a lower fatigue life than all-steel bearings by 58% for deep-groove bearings, 41% for angular contact bearings, and 28% for cylindrical roller bearings.     

A Three-Dimensional Foil Bearing Performance Map Applied to Oil-Free Turbomachinery

To effectively apply compliant foil gas bearings to increasingly larger and more challenging turbomachinery, a comprehensive method that compares a foil bearing's capabilities with the application's operating requirements is needed. Extensive laboratory and field experience suggests that foil bearing failure is generally due to thermal stress brought on by excessive viscous power loss; therefore, a map that graphically relates component- and system-level parameters (bearing size, applied loads, and shaft rotational speeds) directly to bearing power loss is more elucidating than a map based on a lumped speed/load parameter like the Sommerfeld number. In this article we describe a performance map featuring a three-dimensional contour plot that illustrates the expected power loss in a foil bearing as a function of applied load and shaft speed. Using this performance map, bearing capabilities can be examined at the anticipated system operating conditions and safety margins between an operating point and incipient bearing failure can be ascertained. To demonstrate the concept's features and usefulness, we present a performance map generated from foil bearing power loss test data. We expect that these maps, combined with other predictive tools, will help evaluate a foil bearing's general suitability for a candidate rotor system and will lead to more robust and successful oil-free turbomachinery designs.     

Journal Design Considerations for Turbomachine Shafts Supported on Foil Air Bearings

Foil air bearings can offer substantial improvements over traditional rolling element bearings in many applications and are attractive as a replacement to enable the development of advanced oil-free turbomachinery. In the course of rigorous testing of foil journal bearings at NASA Glenn Research Center, shaft failure was repeatedly encountered at high ambient temperature and rotational speed, with moderate radial load. The cause of failure is determined to be excessive non-uniform shaft growth, which increases localized viscous heating in the gas film and eventually leads to a high-speed rub and destruction of the bearing and journal. Centrifugal loading of imbalance correction weights and axial temperature gradients within the journal due to the hydrodynamic nature of the foil bearings, determined by experiment and finite element analysis, are shown to be responsible for the non-uniform growth. Qualitative journal design guidance is given to aid in failure prevention.     

考虑不同加速工况的滑动轴承的启停性能分析*

滑动轴承的摩擦磨损主要发生在启停阶段。为了研究启停工况下的滑动轴承的摩擦学性能,建立一种面向径向滑动轴承的混合润滑数值分析模型。采用质量守恒边界条件的雷诺方程求解流体压力,采用Greenwood和Tripp接触模型预测固体表面接触,而通过Johnson载荷分配概念将润滑模型和接触模型联系起来,从而实现对滑动轴承在启停工况下从混合润滑过渡到动压润滑的摩擦学行为分析。利用该模型,研究轴承系统在启停阶段从边界润滑、混合润滑到动压润滑演化过程中的摩擦学性能;以径向滑动轴承系统为例,结合不同的轴承转速变化函数,分析轴承加速对轴承启停性能的影响;同时研究工作工况、润滑油温度、轴承的结构参数对轴承启停性能的影响。结果表明：轴承启动加速度在合理范围内越大越好,能使轴承更快进入动压润滑;较高的转速、较低的润滑油温度和较大的径向轴承间隙能使轴承拥有更好的启停性能。