Thermal failure optimization of foil thrust bearings

Abstract

The problems of wear and failure seriously endangers the operational quality and life of foil bearings. This work establishes a thermo-elastic-hydrodynamic foil thrust bearing model to investigate thermal failure performance and compare it with an elastic-hydrodynamic model. The study analysis the thermo-elastic mechanism and thermal seizure behavior of three different bump foil models. Alterations in foil parameters and structure to optimize the risk of bearing thermal failure. Findings indicate that the bump foil design has a significant impact on the risk of thermal failure, and the bump foil's fixed position determines the characteristic of the thermal seizure risk. The integrated bump foil design exhibits superior load performance and risk resistance compared to the separated type. The inner radius of the bump foil is greater than 13.5 mm and the thickness is less than 125 μm, which helps reduce the risk of thermal failure. Consequently, the proposed optimization is beneficial for the design and operation of foil bearings resist thermal failure.