Abstract
The load capacity improvement of gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) is crucial in high-speed turbomachinery, which relies on the advanced design of foil structures and urgently requires a deep understanding based on comprehensive models. This paper presents an exhaustive model of GFTB combining isoparametric elements with contact mechanics, which enables the analysis of arbitrarily shaped foils. The proposed model considers bump interactions and frictional forces as well as the exact geometry of foils and bump height errors. Its accuracy is verified by comparison with commercial software simulations, experimental data and literature results. The impact of the bump foil arrangement along the radial and circumferential directions has been thoroughly analyzed based on the developed model. This work also fills a gap in the literature by obtaining the effects of bump height errors on bearing load-carrying performance. A drastic reduction of load capacity is observed when considering the bump height errors, and the reasons are explained in detail through analyzing the aero-elastic characteristics of fluid field. The results in this study can be instructive for bearing designers.
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