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Results for “Hydrodynamic bearing”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Instability thresholds for flexible rotors in hydrodynamic bearings

Two types of fixed pad hydrodynamic bearings (multilobe and pressure dam) were considered. Optimum and nonoptimum geometric configurations were tested. The optimum geometric configurations were determined by using a theoretical analysis and then the bearings were constructed for a flexible rotor test rig. It was found that optimizing bearings using this technique produces a 100% or greater increase in rotor stability. It is shown that this increase in rotor stability is carried out in the absence of certain types of instability mechanisms such as aerodynamic crosscoupling. However, the increase in rotor stability should greatly improve rotating machinery performance in the presence of such forces as well.

Allaire, P. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Effect of Surface Roughness on Hydrodynamic Bearings

A theoretical analysis on the performance of hydrodynamic oil bearings is made considering surface roughness effect. The hydrodynamic as well as asperity contact load is found. The contact pressure was calculated with the assumption that the surface height distribution was Gaussian. The average Reynolds equation of partially lubricated surface was used to calculate hydrodynamic load. An analytical expression for average gap was found and was introduced to modify the average Reynolds equation. The resulting boundary value problem was then solved numerically by finite difference methods using the method of successive over relaxation. The pressure distribution and hydrodynamic load capacity of plane slider and journal bearings were calculated for various design data. The effects of attitude and roughness of surface on the bearing performance were shown. The results are compared with similar available solution of rough surface bearings. It is shown that: (1) the contribution of contact load is not significant; and (2) the hydrodynamic and contact load increase with surface roughness.

Majumdar, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Radial Loading of Hydrodynamic Bearings Due to Magnetic Variation

Anomalies during integration of a small-scale hydrodynamic pump motor prompted an investigation into all sources of radial loading on the bearings, and revealed that overall loads were insufficiently characterized. Experimental measurements demonstrated that magnetic forces in the pump motor contributed to significant amounts of radial loading on the bearings, potentially causing wear over long periods of operation and premature failures. The magnitude of these magnetic forces was determined for the rotor and stator separately, as well as for the rotor-stator assembly by designing various experimental setups able to recreate the pump motor without hydrodynamic bearings. Characterization of these magnetic forces led to changes in manufacturing processes and enabled selective choices of components, improving the pump motor hardware in order to meet NASA’s Europa Clipper project requirements.

Underhill, Micheal↗
DOE OSTI2021

Low friction bio-inspired polydopamine/polytetrafluoroethylene coating performance in hydrodynamic bearings

Purpose Low friction polymer coatings able to withstand high loadings and many years of continuous operation are difficult to formulate at low cost, but could find many applications in industry. This study aims to analyze and compare friction and wear performance of novel polydopamine/polytetrafluoroethylene (PDA/PTFE) and traditional tin Babbitt coatings applied to an industrial journal bearing. Design/methodology/approach This paper tested PTFE based coating, co-deposited with PDA, a biopolymer allowing sea mussels to adhere to ocean rocks. This coating was deposited on flat steel substrates and on a curved cast iron hydrodynamic journal bearing surface. The flat substrates were analyzed with a tribometer and an optical microscope, while the coated bearing liners were tested in an industrial laboratory setting at different speeds and different radial loads. Findings PDA/PTFE coating showed 2-3 times lower friction compared to traditional tin Babbitt for flat substrates, but higher friction in the bearing liners. PDA/PTFE also showed considerable wear through coating delamination and abrasion in the bearing liners. Research limitations/implications Five future modifications to mitigate coating flaws are provided, which include modifications to coating thickness and its surface finish. Originality/value While the novel coating showed excellent results on flat substrates, coating performance in a large scale bearing was found to be poor. This study shows that coating preparation needs to be improved to avoid frictional losses and unwanted damage to bearings. We provide several routes that could improve coating performance in industrial applications.

Engineering↗
NASA NTRS1982

Aspects of Coulomb damping in rotors supported on hydrodynamic bearings

The paper is concerned with the effect of friction in drive couplings on the non-sychronous whirling of a shaft. A simplified model is used to demonstrate the effect of large coupling misalignments on the stability of the system. It is concluded that provided these misalignments are large enough, the system becomes totally stable provided the shaft is supported on bearings exhibiting a viscous damping capacity.

Morton, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Backward whirl in a simple rotor supported on hydrodynamic bearings

The asymmetric nature of the fluid film stiffness and damping properties in rotors supported on fluid film bearings causes a forward or a backward whirl depending on the bearing parameters and the speed of the rotor. A rotor was designed to exhibit backward synchronous whirl. The rotor-bearing system exhibited split criticals, and a backward whirl was observed between the split criticals. The orbital diagrams show the whirl pattern.

Subbiah, R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

On the mixture flow problem in lubrication of hydrodynamic bearings - Small solid volume fraction

The lubrication problem of infinitely long slider bearings with a mixture of fluid and particulate solid at small volume fraction level is studied. Closed-form analytical solutions for pressure and shear stress are obtained for a class of solid aggregates. The results reduce to those of pure fluid in the limiting case. A parametric study of the bearing performance with particulate solid is presented.

Khonsari, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

ISS Ammonia Pump Failure, Recovery, and Lesson Learned A Hydrodynamic Bearing Perspective

The design, development, and operation of long duration spaceflight hardware has become an evolutionary process in which meticulous attention to details and lessons learned from previous experiences play a critical role. Invaluable to this process is the ability to retrieve and examine spaceflight hardware that has experienced a premature failure. While these situations are rare and unfortunate, the failure investigation and recovery from the event serve a valuable purpose in advancing future space mechanism development. Such a scenario began on July 31, 2010 with the premature failure of an ammonia pump on the external active thermal control system of the International Space Station. The ground-based inspections of the returned pump and ensuing failure investigation revealed five potential bearing forces that were un-accounted for in the design phase and qualification testing of the pump. These forces could combine in a number of random orientations to overload the pump bearings leading to solid-surface contact, wear, and premature failure. The recovery plan identified one of these five forces as being related to the square of the operating speed of the pump and this fact was used to recover design life through a change in flight rules for the operation of the pump module. Through the course of the failure investigation, recovery, and follow-on assessment of pump wear life, design guidance has been developed to improve the life of future mechanically pumped thermal control systems for both human and robotic exploration missions.

Bruckner, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Experiments on the stability of various water-lubricated fixed geometry hydrodynamic journal bearings at zero load

Hydrodynamic journal bearing stability tests were conducted with 1.5 in. diameter, 1.5 in. long fixed geometry bearings in water at 80 F with zero load. Five fixed geometry bearings were rated in order of diminishing stability as follows: (1) three-tilted-lobe bearing (offset factor of 1.0), (2) herringbone-groove bearing, (3) one-segment, three-pod, shrouded Rayleigh-step bearing, (4) three-tilted-lobe journal with axial grooves (offset factor of 1.0) mated with a plain bearing, and (5) three-centrally-lobed bearing with axial grooves (offset factor of 0.5). The various parameters that affect the stability of each bearing configuration were investigated.

Schuller, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Design optimization and probabilistic analysis of a hydrodynamic journal bearing

A nonlinear constrained optimization of a hydrodynamic bearing was performed yielding three main variables: radial clearance, bearing length to diameter ratio, and lubricating oil viscosity. As an objective function a combined model of temperature rise and oil supply has been adopted. The optimized model of the bearing has been simulated for population of 1000 cases using Monte Carlo statistical method. It appeared that the so called 'optimal solution' generated more than 50 percent of failed bearings, because their minimum oil film thickness violated stipulated minimum constraint value. As a remedy change of oil viscosity is suggested after several sensitivities of variables have been investigated.

Liniecki, Alexander G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Rolling-element bearings

In contrast to hydrodynamic bearings, which depend for low-friction characteristics on a fluid film between the journal and the bearing surfaces, roller-element bearings employ a number of balls or rollers that roll in an annular space. The paper briefly outlines the advantages and disadvantages of roller-element bearings as compared to hydrodynamic bearings. The discussion covers bearing types, rolling friction, friction losses in rolling bearings, contact stresses, deformations, kinematics (normal and high speeds), bearing dynamics including elastohydrodynamics, load distribution, lubrication (grease, solid oil, oil-air mist), specific dynamic capacity and life, specific static capacity, and fatigue or wearout (elastohydrodynamics, wear). Rolling bearing wear factor as a function of operating environment is plotted and discussed.

Anderson, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effect of number of lobes and length-diameter ratio on stability of tilted-lobe hydrodynamic journal bearings at zero load

Hydrodynamic journal stability tests were conducted with tilted-lobe bearings. The bearings had three, five, and seven lobes and length to diameter (L/D) ratios from 0.2 to 1.0. They were tested in water and MIL-L-7808G oil at 294 K (70 F) at speeds to 5400 rpm with zero load. Stability was not appreciably affected by the number of lobes and decreased with a decrease in L/D ratio. However, a three-tilted-lobe bearing with an offset factor of 0.76 and an L/D of 0.5 was more stable than a three centrally lobed bearing with an offset factor of 0.50 and an L/D of 1.0.

Schuller, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Limit cycles of a flexible shaft with hydrodynamic journal bearings in unstable regimes

A symmetric 3 mass rotor supported on hydrodynamic bearings is described. An approximate method of representing finite bearings is used to calculate bearing forces. As the method sums forces from a number of independent circular lobes lemon 3 and 4 lobe bearings are taken into account. The calculations are based on an axial groove bearing. Linear analysis precedes nonlinear simulation of some unstable conditions. The demonstration of small limit cycles suggests that necessarily flexible rotors e.g., helicopter tail rotors, may be practical without either tilt pad bearings or external dampers.

Brown, R. D.↗