Paper 16: Tilting Pad Thrust Bearings: Rapid Design Aids

Abstract

Two slide chart design aids are developed for tilting pad thrust bearings in order ( a) to give guidance on load-carrying capacity, considering such limits as allowable oil film thickness and maximum pad temperature, and ( b) to enable the designer to estimate directly the total power loss in double thrust bearing assemblies. These slide charts (each consisting of two sheets) enable variables such as pad size, number of pads, oil specification, specific load, and collar speed to be considered individually. Thus the designer has a tool from which he can obtain a ‘feel’ for bearing performance and see at a glance the interplay between all the variables.