Improving performance of large thrust bearings through modeling and experimentation

Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland

^a Corresponding author: mwasilcz@pg.gda.pl

Received: 18 April 2013
Accepted: 30 May 2013

Abstract

Large thrust bearings are highly loaded machine elements and their failures cause serious losses. Start ups and stoppages of the bearing under load are specially critical regimes of operation. Load carrying capacity depends on the profile of the oil gap. In transient states this profile is also changing. In the design of large thrust bearings minimizing thermo-elastic deformations is an important goal, which can be accomplished due to application of advanced models of the bearing. Modeling of transient states becomes even more complex since there is a dynamic development of temperature distribution and deformations. Often hydrostatic jacking systems are also used. It seems to the authors that advanced bearing models are applied only in research and development of the bearings while very simple modeling is applied in on-line analysis of data from monitoring systems. Analysis of the measurement data with the use of more sophisticated models may be helpful in assessment of current bearing status – especially in early warning. Material issues create a separate problem for modeling, being more important nowadays as polymer lined bearings come into use. The models used for polymer lined bearings require realistic treatment of heat exchange and resilience of the bearing surface layer.