An efficient three-dimensional foil structure model for bump-type gas foil bearings considering friction

Abstract

AbstractThis paper presents an efficient three-dimensional (3D) structural model for bump-type gas foil bearings (GFBs) developed by considering friction. The foil structures are modeled with a 3D shell finite element model. Using the bump foil mechanical characteristics, the Guyan reduction and component mode synthesis methods are adopted to improve computational efficiency while guaranteeing accurate static responses. A contact model that includes friction and separation behaviors is presented to model the interactions of the bump foil with the top foil and bearing sleeve. The proposed structural model was validated with published analytical and experimental results. The coupled elastohydrodynamics model of GFBs was established by integration of the proposed structural model with data on hydrodynamic films, and it was validated by comparisons with existing experimental results. The performance of a bearing with an angular misalignment was studied numerically, revealing that the reaction torques of the misaligned bearing predicted by GFB models with 2D and 3D foil structure models are quite different. The 3D foil structure model should be used to study GFB misalignment.