PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF GAS-EXPANDED LUBRICANTS IN HYBRID BEARINGS USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS

摘要

Lubricants are vital to the efficient and reliable operation of turbomachinery as they reduce friction between rotating metal surfaces and remove heat from the bearing environment. Fluid films separating bearing and rotor surfaces provide support for the rotor and reduce wear. While more viscous lubricants tend to provide greater load capacity for bearings, the viscous shear of the fluid also increases bearing power losses and operating temperatures, resulting in lower bearing efficiency and higher rates of wear. Lubricant selection is often performed assuming worst-case operating conditions, often resulting in unnecessary parasitic losses, higher operating temperatures, and higher bearing stiffness.