US 5,827,040 A · Hydrostatic augmentation of a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing

Abstract

A system to hydrostatically augment the thrust load capacity of a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing for a turbomachine is disclosed. A plurality of channels and fixed orifices are provided in the bearing thrust plate to deliver and regulate compressor bleed air flow to the compressor side of the bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing which includes additional channels and orifices to direct the bleed air against the bearing rotor thrust disk. After impinging on the rotor thrust disk, the bleed air flow exits the thrust bearing through a plurality of variable orifices comprised of the hydrodynamic thrust bearing elements which are controlled in their flow conductance by the axial position of the rotor thrust disk. The bleed air may then pass through the adjacent journal bearing which functions as a fixed orifice. The interaction of the fixed orifices and variable orifices establishes a pressure differential across and a net force applied to the bearing rotor thrust disk that varies as a function of the axial position of the bearing rotor thrust disk. Further, the bleed air from the bearing rotor thrust disk being delivered to the compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing of the turbomachine serves to cool the journal bearing.

Claims53

Dependent claims

A hydrostatic augmentation system for a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing used in a turbomachine, said turbomachine having a compressor and a turbine on a common bearing rotor rotatably supported by a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing and a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing acting upon a bearing rotor thrust disk, said hydrostatic augmentation system comprising:

means to deliver bleed air from said compressor to the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing, said bearing having a fluid foil member and a spring foil member;
and
orifice means in said fluid foil member of said compressor side bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing to deliver bleed air against the bearing rotor thrust disk to augment the thrust force applied by the hydrodynamic thrust bearing to the compressor side of said bearing rotor thrust disk.

A hydrostatic augmentation system for a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing used in a turbomachine having a compressor and a turbine on a common bearing rotor rotatably supported by a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing and a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing with said augmentation system acting upon a bearing rotor thrust disk, said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing having a fluid foil member and a spring foil member, said system comprising:

a thrust plate on the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing including a plurality of connected radially and axially extending orifices in said thrust plate and a plurality of connected circumferential and arcuate open channels on the thrust disk side of said thrust plate to deliver bleed air from said compressor to the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing;
and
orifice means in said fluid foil member on the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing to deliver bleed air against the bearing rotor thrust disk to establish a pressure differential across said bearing rotor thrust disk as a function of the axial position of said bearing rotor thrust disk with respect to said fluid foil member and said thrust plate.

A turbomachine, comprising:

a compressor and a turbine on a common bearing rotor rotatably supported by a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film journal bearing and a bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing acting upon a bearing rotor thrust disk, said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing having a fluid foil member and a spring foil member on each side of said bearing rotor thrust disk;
a thrust plate supporting the bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing on the compressor side of said bearing rotor thrust disk;
channels and fixed orifices in said thrust plate to deliver bleed air from said compressor to the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing;
fixed orifice means in said fluid foil member on the compressor side of said bilateral compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing to deliver bleed air against the bearing rotor thrust disk to generate hydrostatic bearing forces on the compressor side of said bearing rotor thrust disk and to generate hydrostatic spring forces on the compressor side fluid foil member;
fixed orifice means around and/or through said journal bearing cartridge and/or through said journal bearing rotor;
and
variable orifice means within said complaint foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing that are controlled in conductance as a function of the axial position of said bearing rotor thrust disk;
said variable orifice means, owing to the variable axial air gaps between said compressor side fluid foil member and said bearing rotor thrust disk and between said fluid foil member and the thrust surfaces of said non-rotating thrust plate at both the outer diameter and the bore of said fluid foil member, cooperating with said fixed orifice means to control the generated hydrostatic bearing forces and the generated hydrostatic air spring forces.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hydrostatic augmentation of a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing

Life of this patent

Hydrostatic augmentation of a compliant foil hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims53