Analysis of Thermal Damage in the High-Speed Foil Bearing

Abstract

The article discusses experimental research and simulation testing on prototypical foil bearings. All experimental tests were conducted on a special test rig which makes it possible to operate in various conditions and within a wide range of speeds. As a result of the study, it turned out that adverse operating conditions caused almost instant bearing damage, accompanied by a significant rise in temperature. The main factors affecting the durability of foil bearings were material covering mating surfaces, bearing geometry, way of assembling the bearing, rotational speed and load. To better understand the physical phenomena occurring in foil bearings, a numerical model has been developed which allowed carrying out thermal analyses. The analysis of heat flow in the bearing's structure showed that, because of the system geometry, significant problems with proper removal of large amounts of heat continued to be experienced, which may have led to an accelerated rate of fatigue damage and shorter bearing life. This phenomenon can occur in bearings operating under tough conditions (e.g. at low speeds or under heavy loads). The research showed that the development of a new foil bearing is a very difficult task and requires many aspects to be taken into account, including the aspects directly related to the operation of the bearing itself, as well as those related to the rotor's operation and characteristics of the machine.