Experimental and theoretical investigations on transition of lubrication conditions for a five-pad tilting-pad journal bearing with eccentric pivot up to highest surface speeds

摘要

Lubrication conditions of tilting-pad journal bearings strongly depend on the combination of bearing design, lubricant flow rate, and operating boundary conditions. A five-pad tilting-pad journal bearing is investigated experimentally for surface speeds ranging from 25 to 140 m/s and specific bearing loads between 1.0 and 4.0 MPa at different fresh oil flow rates. Comparisons to theoretical analyses indicate speed-dependent transition from fully flooded to partially filled conditions in certain space between pad regions. These conditions are discussed in detail and a semi-empirical model to approximate this behavior is proposed and validated with the test data.