Abstract
A modern thrust bearing tool is used to estimate the behavior of tilting pad thrust bearings not only in the oil film between pad and rotating collar, but also in the space between the pads. The oil flow in the space significantly influences the oil film inlet temperature and the heating of pad and collar. For that reason, it is necessary to define an oil mixing model for the space between the pads. In the bearing tool, the solutions of the Reynolds equation including a cavitation model, the energy equation and the heat transfer equation are done iteratively with the finite volume method by considering a constant flow rate. Both effects—laminar/turbulent flow and centrifugal force—are considered. The calculation results are compared with measurements done for a flooded thrust bearing with nominal eight tilting pads with an outer diameter of 180 mm. The heat convection coefficients for the pad surfaces mainly influence the pad temperature field and are adjusted to the measurement results. In the following paper, the calculation results for variable space distances, influence of different parameters on the bearing behavior and operating condition at high load are presented.
Highlights
The thrust bearing tool used in GE Renewable Energy Hydro for vertically-aligned hydro machines considered the distance between the pads in a range near 20% of the pad length.GE Renewable Energy Hydro started an investigation to study the distance influence for a higher range.Measurements on a test rig at Gdansk University of Technology were done for a flooded tilting pad thrust bearing
As this load value is outside the range of the test rig, only calculation results are shown by using the fresh oil replacing factor which measured range of the test rig, only calculation results are shown by using the fresh oil replacing is independent from operating condition
Recalculation of measurements was carried out for a fully flooded tilting pad thrust bearing by Recalculation of measurements was carried out for a fully flooded tilting pad thrust bearing by using Combros-A calculation tool, which solves the Reynolds, energy and heating equations using Combros-A calculation tool, which solves the Reynolds, energy and heating equations iteratively
Summary
The thrust bearing tool used in GE Renewable Energy Hydro for vertically-aligned hydro machines considered the distance between the pads in a range near 20% of the pad length. The oil flow in the space has a major influence on the oil film inlet temperature TA and the heating of pad and collar. The temperatures TA and TC are constant average values and only a small variation of the distance between the pads is investigated. The difference between the oil film outlet and inlet temperature, TE and TA, is estimated by power loss and flow. The bearing tool [6] uses the warm oil mixing factor in the range heat transport, is used. A modern thrust bearing tool is described which estimates the heating of modern thrust bearing tool is described which estimates the heating of the oil in the space between the the oil in the space between the pads using the energy and heating equation.
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