Compliant foil fluid film thrust bearing with a tilting pad underspring

Abstract

A compliant foil fluid film thrust bearing including a thrust disk (24) rotor, fluid foils (40), spring foils (42), a thrust plate (28), and a housing (22) thrust surface. The non-rotating but compliant fluid foils (42), mounted on the thrust plate (28) and / or housing (22) thrust surface and positioned adjacent to the thrust disk (24), have open faced channels that induce regenerative vortex flow patterns in the process fluid. The multiple spring foils together provide a tilting pad support for the fluid folds but allow them to follow the axial and overturning motion of the thrust disk. The interaction of the tilting pad underspring supports and the circumferential fluid pressure gradients in the process fluid between the fluid foils and the thrust disk rotor assure that the fluid foils will assume hydrodynamically efficient convex shapes on the surfaces adjacent to the rotor regardless of the load applied to the thrust bearing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates to the general field of compliant foil fluid film bearings and more particularly to an improved thrust bearing employing fluid foils and multiple spring foils to support, position, damp and accommodate movements or excursions of the rotating portion of the bearing.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCompliant foil fluid film thrust bearings are currently being utilized in a variety of high speed rotor applications. These bearings are generally comprised of a two sided thrust disk rotating element, non-rotating compliant fluid foil members that axially enclose the rotating element, non-rotating compliant spring foil members that axially enclose the fluid foil members and a non-rotating thrust plate element and a non-rotating housing element that axially enclose and provide attachments for the foil members. The space between the rotating element and the thrust plate element on one side of the bearing and the space between the rotating element and the thrus...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The bearing has no preload force and has zero starting torque when the rotor's axis of rotation is oriented ninety degrees to the force of gravity. Owing to the vortex flow pattern of the process fluid, the bearing running clearances and load capacities are improved while lift-off speeds are reduced. In addition, good damping, low running torque and small sway space are achieved. This is all accomplished at a low manufacturing cost with a low parts count.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a bearing with fluid foil elements, spacer ring element, thrust disk element and thrust plate element that can be installed in the thrust bearing quickly and easily.

Problems solved by technology

In addition, good damping, low running torque and small sway space are achieved.

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