Keun Ryu

Measurements of Drag Torque, Lift-Off Journal Speed, and Temperature in a Metal Mesh Foil Bearing

Metal mesh foil bearings (MMFBs) are a promising low cost gas bearing technology for high performance oil-free microturbomachinery. Elimination of complex oil lubrication and sealing system by deploying MMFBs in rotorcraft gas turbine engines offers distinctive advantages such as reduced system weight, enhanced reliability at high rotational speeds and extreme temperatures, and extended maintenance intervals compared with mineral oil lubricated bearings. MMFBs for oil-free rotorcraft engines must demonstrate adequate load capacity, reliable rotordynamic performance, and low frictional losses in a high temperature environment. The paper presents the measurements of MMFB break-away torque, rotor lift-off and touchdown speeds, and temperature at increasing static load conditions. The tests, which were conducted in a test rig driven by an automotive turbocharger turbine, demonstrate the airborne operation (hydrodynamic gas film) of the floating test MMFB with little frictional loses at increasing loads. The measured drag torque peaks when the rotor starts and stops, and drops significantly once the bearing lifts off. The estimated rotor speed for lift-off increases linearly with the applied static load. During continuous operation, the MMFB temperature measured at the back surface of the top foil increases both with rotor speed and static load. Nonetheless, the temperature rise is mild, demonstrating reliable performance. Application of a sacrificial layer of solid lubricant on the top foil surface reduces the rotor break-away torque. The measurements give confidence on this simple bearing technology for ready application into oil-free turbomachinery.

Hybrid Gas Bearings With Controlled Supply Pressure to Eliminate Rotor Vibrations While Crossing System Critical Speeds

The continued support of the TAMU Turbomachinery Research Consortium is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks to KMC, Inc. for manufacturing the test bearings.

Rotordynamic characteristics of a micro turbo generator supported by air foil bearings

The rotordynamic characteristics of a micro power system supported by air foil bearings were investigated. Stability analysis was performed by a finite element method with the predicted dynamic coefficients of the foil bearings. A preliminary test rig was developed to simulate the operating characteristics of the micro power system. It consisted of a rotor supported by two air foil journal bearings and two air foil thrust bearings, and an impulse driven turbine. The foil journal bearings had a diameter of 7 mm and a length of 7 mm (L/D = 1). The test rig was operated stably under various situations and speeded up to 300 000 rpm. The main portion of the rotor response was synchronous and the amplitude of synchronous vibration was about 5–20 µm. Further, theoretical and experimental results for the unbalance response were compared. From this study, we showed the possibility of stable performance for the micro power system supported by air foil bearings.

Thermal Management and Rotordynamic Performance of a Hot Rotor-Gas Foil Bearings System—Part I: Measurements

Implementation of gas foil bearings (GFBs) into micro gas turbines requires careful thermal management with accurate measurements verifying model predictions. This two-part paper presents test data and analytical results for a test rotor and GFB system operating hot (157°C maximum rotor outer diameter (OD) temperature). Part I details the test rig and measurements of bearing temperatures and rotor dynamic motions obtained in a hollow rotor supported on a pair of second generation GFBs, each consisting of a single top foil (38.14 mm inner diameter) uncoated for high temperature operation and five bump strip support layers. An electric cartridge (maximum of 360°C) loosely installed inside the rotor (1.065 kg, 38.07 mm OD, and 4.8 mm thick) is a heat source warming the rotor-bearing system. While coasting down from 30 krpm to rest, large elapsed times (50―70 s) demonstrate rotor airborne operation, near friction free, and while traversing the system critical speed art ∼13 krpm, the rotor peak motion amplitude decreases as the system temperature increases. In tests conducted at a fixed rotor speed of 30 krpm, while the shaft heats, a cooling gas stream of increasing strength is set to manage the temperatures in the bearings and rotor. The effect of the cooling flow, if turbulent in character, is most distinctive at the highest heater temperature. For operation at a lower heater temperature condition, however, the cooling flow stream demonstrates a very limited effectiveness. The measurements demonstrate the reliable performance of the rotor-GFB system when operating hot. The test results, along with full disclosure on the materials and geometry of the test bearings and rotor, serve to benchmark a predictive tool. A companion paper (Part II) compares the measured bearing temperatures and the rotor response amplitudes to predictions.

Identification of Structural Stiffness and Energy Dissipation Parameters in a Second Generation Foil Bearing: Effect of Shaft Temperature

Established high temperature operation of gas foil bearings (GFB) is of great interest for gas turbine applications. The effects of (high) shaft temperature on the structural stiffness and mechanical energy dissipation parameters of a foil bearing (FB) must be assessed experimentally. Presently, a hollow shaft warmed by an electric heater holds a floating second generation FB that is loaded dynamically by an electromagnetic shaker. In tests with the shaft temperature up to 184°C, the measurements of dynamic load and ensuing FB deflection render the bearing structural parameters, stiffness and damping, as a function of excitation frequency and amplitude of motion. The identified FB stiffness and viscous damping coefficients increase with shaft temperature due to an increase in the FB assembly interference or preload. The bearing material structural loss factor best representing mechanical energy dissipation decreases slightly with shaft temperature while increasing with excitation frequency. Separate static load measurements on the bearing also make evident the preload of the test bearing-shaft system at room temperature. The loss factor obtained from the area inside the hysteresis loop of the static load versus the deflection curve agrees remarkably with the loss factor obtained from the dynamic load measurements. The static procedure offers substantial savings in cost and time to determine the energy dissipation characteristics of foil bearings. Post-test inspection of the FB reveals sustained wear at the locations, where the bumps contact the top foil and the bearing sleeve inner surface, thus, evidences the bearing energy dissipation by dry friction.

On the Failure of a Gas Foil Bearing: High Temperature Operation Without Cooling Flow

Implementing gas foil bearings (GFBs) in micro gas turbine engines is a proven approach to improve system efficiency and reliability. Adequate thermal management for operation at high temperatures, such as in a gas turbine or a turbocharger, is important to control thermal growth of components and to remove efficiently mechanical energy from the rotor mainly. The paper presents a test rotor supported on GFBs operating with a heated shaft and reports components temperatures and shaft motions at an operating speed of 37 krpm. An electric cartridge heater loosely inserted in the hollow rotor warms the test system. Thermocouples and non-contact infrared thermometers record temperatures on the bearing sleeve and rotor OD, respectively. No forced cooling air flow streams were supplied to the bearings and rotor, in spite of the high temperature induced by the heater on the shaft outer surface.With the rotor spinning, the tests consisted in heating the rotor to a set temperature, recording the system component temperatures until reaching thermal equilibrium in ∼60 minutes, and stepping the heater set temperature by 200 °C. The experiments proceeded without incident, the heater set temperature equaled 600 °C and 10 minutes into the test, noise became apparent and the rotor stopped abruptly. The unusual operating condition, without cooling flow and a too large increment in rotor temperature, reaching 250 °C, led to the incident which destroyed one of the foil bearings. Post-test inspection evidenced seizure of the hottest bearing (closest to the heater) with melting of the top foil at the locations where it rests on the underspring crests (bumps). Analysis reveals a notable reduction in bearing clearance as the rotor temperature increases until seizure occurs. Upon contact between the rotor and top foil, dry-friction quickly generated vast amounts of energy that melted the protective coating and metal top foil.Rather than a reliability issue with the foil bearings the experimental results show poor operating procedure and ignorance on the system behavior (predictions). A cautionary tale and a lesson in humility follow.© 2013 ASME

Gas Bearing Technology for Oil-Free Microturbomachinery: Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program at Texas A&M University

The education of undergraduate mechanical engineering students (UGME) in state of the art technology development for microturbomachinery (MTM) is of importance to ensure the availability of qualified labor satisfying MTM manufacturer and end used needs, as well as to encourage the students towards pursing advanced degrees in science and engineering. National Science Foundation (NSF) funds a three-year summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program (#0552885) to conduct hands-on training and research in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, or materials engineering topics related to technological advances in microturbomachinery. The paper details the progress in research achieved by four UG students during 10 weeks in the summer of 2008. The students, assisted by seasoned graduate students and expert faculty, conducted work in aspects of gas bearing technology from manufacturing bearing components, to conducting rotordynamic performance tests, and to predicting rotordynamics performance. During the program, the students attended to a number of technical seminars including vocational and counseling presentations and preparation for admission to graduate school. The paper showcases the students’ technical posters produced upon completion of their 10 week research program: (1) Precision Tooling for Manufacturing an Underspring of a Generation II Foil Bearing, (2) Measurements of Imbalance Response of a Rotor Supported on Gas Foil Bearings, (3) Predictions of Nonlinear Rotordynamics of Rotor-Foil Bearing Systems, and (4) Measurements of Rotor Lift-Off and Break Up Torque in a Metal Mesh Foil Bearing. NASA GRC and Honeywell Turbocharging Technologies also provided support that enabled the success of the NSF REU program. URL http://reumicro.tamu.edu provides full descriptions on the program, topics of study, faculty involved and participating students.Copyright

Prediction of Axial and Circumferential Flow Conditions in a High Temperature Foil Bearing With Axial Cooling Flow

A successful implementation of gas foil bearings (GFBs) into high temperature turbomachinery requires adequate thermal management to maintain system reliability and stability. The most common approach for thermal management in a GFB-rotor system is to supply pressurized air at one end of the bearing to remove hot spots in the bearings and control thermal growth of components. This technical brief presents test data for a laboratory rotor-GFB system operating hot to identify the flow characteristics of axial cooling streams flowing through the thin film region and underneath the top foil. A bulk flow model is used for description of the fluid motion and includes the Hirs’ friction factor formulation for smooth surfaces. Laminar flow prevails through the thin film gas region; while for the cooling flow between the top foil and bearing housing, a transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow occurs as the cooling flow rate increases. Large cooling flow rate and the ensuing turbulent flow conditions render limited effectiveness in controlling temperatures in a test rotor-GFB system.

Dynamic Response of a Rotor-Hybrid Gas Bearing System Due to Base Induced Periodic Motions

Rotating machinery in transportation systems experiences intermittent excitation from road conditions. Internal combustion (IC) engines exert (multiple) periodic load excitations into passenger vehicle turbochargers, for example. Too large base motions can produce severe rotor-bearing system damage, even failure. The paper shows the reliability of a rotor-hybrid gas bearing system to withstand intermittent base foundation motions induced by a shaker. The test rig consists of a rigid rotor, 190mm in length, 0.825 kg in mass, and 28.6 mm in diameter, supported on two hybrid, flexure pivot tilting pad type, gas bearings. The whole system, weighing 48 kg, is supported on two soft coil springs and its lowest natural frequency is just ∼5 Hz. The rod connecting the shaker to the base plate is not affixed rigidly to the test rig base. The rod merely pushes on the base plate and hence the induced based motions are intermittent with multiple impacts and frequencies. The base induced motions are at a low main frequency (5–12 Hz) relative to the operating speed of the rotor-bearing system (max. 35 krpm). The recorded rotor responses, relative to the bearing housings, also contain the main excitation frequency and its super harmonics; and because of the intermittency of the base motions, it also excites the rotor-bearing system natural frequency, in particular when the gas bearings are supplied with a low feed pressure. Predicted rotor dynamic displacements induced by the base excitations show reasonable agreement with the test data.© 2010 ASME

Dynamic Forced Response of a Rotor-Hybrid Gas Bearing System Due to Intermittent Shocks

Gas bearings in microturbomachinery (MTM) offer significant system level benefits, such as improved fuel efficiency, reduction in weight and number of components, extending life cycle and maintenance intervals, and reducing NOX emissions with a lower CO2 footprint. Emerging opportunities for gas bearings applications range from automotive turbochargers to engines for business jet aircraft, for example. Gas bearings, because of the inherently low gas viscosity, have low damping relative to oil-lubricated bearings and are prone to wear during rotor start-up and shut down procedures. The lack of damping brings concerns about rotor-gas bearing system robustness and endurance to tolerate shock induced loads, sudden while landing in jet engines, or intermittent in vehicles while moving across a rough terrain, for example. The paper demonstrates the reliability of a hybrid gas bearing system from rotor vibration measurements induced by sporadic shock loads acting on the base of a test rig and while the rotor is coasting down from a top speed of 60 krpm (1000 Hz). In the tests, (1) an electromagnetic pusher delivers impacts to the rig base, or (2) the whole rig is manually tilted and dropped. The test rig consists of a rigid rotor, 0.825 kg and 28.6 mm in diameter, supported on two flexure pivot tilting pad type, hybrid gas bearings, each with four pads and 60% pivot offset and 0.6 mm feeding holes. The bearings are supplied with feed pressures of 2.36, 3.72, and 5.08 bar (ab). Intermittent shocks, up to 30 g pk-pk and exciting a broad frequency range to 400 Hz, produce a remarkable momentary increase of the overall rotor response amplitude, up to 50 μm (pk-pk). The shocks readily excite the fundamental natural frequency of the rotor-bearing system (150–200 Hz), and on occasion the natural frequency (40 Hz) of the whole test rig. For operation at rotor speeds above the system critical speed, the rotor synchronous response is isolated; with transient motions induced by a shock, subsynchronous in whirl frequency, quickly disappearing. Full recovery takes place in ∼0.10 second. The measurements demonstrate that the hybrid gas bearings have enough damping to rapidly attenuate rotor transient motions and to dissipate the energy induced from intermittent shocks. Note that the shocks acted while the rotor traversed its critical speeds. The reliability of engineered gas bearings to forced transient events is no longer in question.Copyright