This study focuses on the significant effect that a pressure difference across the orbiting thrust plate of a thrust-slide bearing has on the improved lubrication of the bearing in scroll compressor applications. A thrust slide-bearing model submerged in a refrigerant oil VG-56 was operated under pressurized conditions using R-22 as the pressurizing gas, where the pressure difference across the friction surface of the thrust bearing was adjusted from 0 to 1.0 MPa and the friction force and friction coefficient at the thrust slide-bearing were measured over a range of orbiting speeds. As a result, a significant improvement in lubrication at the thrust slide-bearing due to the pressure difference was addressed. Furthermore, a careful observation of wear state at the thrust slide-bearing addressed a significant formation of fluid wedge between the sliding surfaces due to axial loadings, which will definitely induce the addressed significant improvement in lubrication. In addition, the wedge formation was quantitatively addressed with FEM analysis of elastic deformation of the thrust plate, which was verified for its validity with measured strains on the thrust plate.
