Transient thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic analysis of a bidirectional thrust bearing in start-up and shutdown processes
ISSN: 0264-4401
Article publication date: 18 November 2021
Issue publication date: 24 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the transient thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication mechanism of a bidirectional thrust bearing in a pumped-storage unit, and to propose the transient simulation method of two-way fluid-solid-thermal interaction of thrust bearing.
Design/methodology/approach
The transient fluid-solid-thermal interaction method is used to simulate the three-dimensional lubrication of the thrust bearing, during the start-up and shutdown process of a pumped storage unit. A pad including an oil hole is modelled to analyze the temporal variation of lubrication characteristics, such as the film pressure, thickness and temperature, during the transient operation process.
Findings
The injection of the high-pressure oil sufficiently affects the lubrication characteristics on film, in which the hysteresis phenomena were found between the start-up and shutdown possess.
Originality/value
This paper reveals the transient lubrication mechanism of tilting pad in a thrust bearing, by means of transient fluid-solid-thermal interaction method. Lubrication characteristics are simulated without assuming the temperature relationship between the oil film inlet and the outlet and the heat transfer on the pad free surface. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the safe design and stable operation of thrust bearings.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51876099 and 51779122) for supporting the present work.
Citation
Cao, J., Zhai, L., Luo, Y., Ahn, S.-H., Wang, Z. and Liu, Y. (2022), "Transient thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic analysis of a bidirectional thrust bearing in start-up and shutdown processes", Engineering Computations, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 1511-1533. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-03-2021-0128
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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