Transient Thermoelastohydrodynamic Study of Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings Under Dynamic Loading

Abstract

Nowadays, tilting-pad journal bearings are submitted to more and more severe operating conditions. The aim of this work is to study the thermal and mechanical behavior of the bearing during the transient period from an initial steady state to a final steady state (periodic). In order to study the behavior of this kind of bearing under dynamic loading (Fdyn) due to a blade loss, a nonlinear analysis, including local thermal effects, realistic boundary conditions, and bearing solid deformations (TEHD analysis) is realized. After a comparison between theoretical results obtained with four models (ISO, ADI, THD, and TEHD) and experimental data under steady-state operating conditions (static load Ws), the evolution of the main characteristics for three different cases of the dynamic load (Fdyn/Ws < 1, Fdyn/Ws = 1 and Fdyn//Ws > 1) is discussed. The influence of the transient period on the minimum film thickness, the maximum pressure, the maximum temperature, and the shaft orbit is presented. The final steady state is obtained a long time after the appearance of a dynamic load.