Sleeve bearing with bypass cooling

A bearing assembly for a rotating member, comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a circumferential bearing surface, which rotatably supports the rotating member, and a circumferential outer surface spaced from the bearing surface;
• a passage having a first inlet open into the outer surface and a first outlet opened into the bearing surface to deliver a pressurized liquid lubricant between the bearing surface and rotating member;
• a second inlet receiving the pressurized liquid lubricant and formed on the outer surface and spaced from the first inlet;
• a second outlet provided on the outer surface and spaced circumferentially from the second inlet to discharge the pressurized liquid lubricant;
• and
• a plurality of circumferential heat transfer chambers between the second inlet and outlet and traversed by the pressurized liquid lubricant, which picks up the heat conducted away from the bearing surface, the circumferential heat transfer chambers being spaced from the bearing surface and in flow isolation from the passage, so that the pressurized liquid lubricant delivered to the bearing surface does not mix up with the pressurized liquid lubricant flowing along the heat-transfer chambers.

A bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a rotating member, comprising:

• a housing extending along an axis and provided with a first and second group of spaced apart delivery conduits traversed by a pressurized liquid lubricant;
• a plurality of pads tiltably mounted to the housing and spaced circumferentially from one another, the pads having bearing surfaces, which rotatably support the rotating member, and outer surfaces spaced from the bearing surfaces;
• at least one passage in flow communication with the first group of delivery conduits for providing a first flow path of the pressurized liquid lubricant toward the bearing surface of the pads;
• and
• a plurality of circumferentially extending heat transfer chambers provided in the pads at a distance from the bearing surfaces and spaced from the one passage, the heat transfer chambers being in flow communication with the second group of delivery conduits to provide a second flow path for the pressurized liquid lubricant picking up the heat from the bearing surfaces, so that the pressurized liquid lubricant flowing along the first flow path does not interfere with the pressurized liquid lubricant allowing along the second flow path.

A bypass cooling assembly for a non-flooded bearing selected from the group consisting of tilting pad journal bearings, tilting pad thrust bearings and sleeve bearings, the bearing having a circumferential bearing surface rotatably supporting a rotating member and a circumferential outer surface spaced from the bearing surface, the bypass cooling assembly comprising:

• an inlet provided in the outer surface and receiving a pressurized cool liquid medium;
• an outlet provided open into the outer surface and spaced circumferentially from the inlet to discharge the cool liquid medium;
• and
• a plurality of circumferential heat transfer chambers between the inlet and outlet and in flow communication therewith, the circumferential heat transfer chambers being provided in the bearing at a distance from the bearing surface to and traversed by the cool liquid medium which picks up the heat conducted away from the bearing surface.

A method for carrying the heat away from a non-flooded housing of a bearing which is selected from the group consisting of tilting pad journal, thrust and sleeve bearings, the bearing having a babbitted bearing surface rotatably supporting a rotatable member and an outer surface, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of spaced apart circumferential passages extending in a plane between the bearing and outer surfaces;
• delivering a pressurized liquid lubricant to the circumferential passages;
• providing at least one passage in the bearing extending between the bearing and outer surfaces, the one passage and circumferential passage being in flow isolation;
• delivering the pressurized liquid lubricant along the one passage to lubricate the bearing surface, thereby preventing-the pressurized liquid lubricant flowing along the circumferential passage and the one passage from mixing up;
• and
• evacuating the pressurized liquid lubricant from the bearing.