Dynamic Characteristics of Swing Pad Journal Bearings

Abstract

Swing pad journal bearings consist of several segmented pads supported by curved laminates of rubber and metal. The pads swing and tilt because of the radial and circumferential deformation of rubber layer due to the hydrodynamic pressure in the oil film and also the frictional force. The swing pad journal bearing to study is assumed to have a single layer rubber. This simple design, different from the conventional one, leads to the reduction of production cost. The dynamic performance of multi-pad swing pad journal bearing, such as the stiffness and the damping of the oil film, the oil whip stability and the unbalance response characteristics have been studied. Compared to a 4 lobed bearing of the same size under the same operating conditions, the multi-pad swing pad journal bearing is found to have lower cross-coupling stiffness terms, leading to higher oil whip stability.