Giving bearings a lift
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-9-2011
Abstract
Hydraulic lift with pockets that provide oil-film lubrication by lifting a slow-turning shaft off its bearing surface help in minimizing frictional drag and wear with metal-to-metal contact between the bearing and rotating shaft. Designers need to carefully calculate oil-feed rates, oil pressures, and bearing lift height to use additional hydraulic lift. Applications with high loads or large bearing areas, such as large steam-turbine bearings require special pocket geometries. Small flared-edge, elliptical pockets arranged axially along the bottom centerline help in high-pressure oil penetrating between bearing and shaft surfaces. These geometries allow lift-off action start at lower pressures, extend the pressurized zone to an area of lower elastic contact pressure between the bearing surface and journal, and minimize the axial length of the journal surface that can be scored by any dirt that collects in the pockets.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Machine Design
First Page
48
Last Page
51
Recommended Citation
Booser, E., & Khonsari, M. (2011). Giving bearings a lift. Machine Design, 83 (10), 48-51. Retrieved from https://repository.lsu.edu/mechanical_engineering_pubs/1313
