Numerical Simulation of 3D Heat Flow Coupling Model of Aerodynamic Foil Bearing

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.02.330

Abstract

Abstract: A three-dimensional heat flow coupling model of aerodynamic foil bearing is established and the validation of this model has been confirmed through the comparisons between the numerical simulation results and experimental results from literature under the same conditions. The comparisons between isothermal model and heat flow coupling model of aerodynamic foil bearing have been conducted and analyzed, it is found that the load capacity of isothermal model is always lower than that of heat flow coupling model for the given rotor speeds. The influence of rotor extension length, rotor speed, the minimum film thickness and radial clearance on the load capacity and gas film average temperature are simulated and comprehensively analyzed based on the heat flow coupling model. The results show that the forced heat transfer between the outer surface of rotor extension length and the ambient air has a significant effect on the gas film temperature, and it plays an important role for the temperature distribution of the assemble of aerodynamic foil bearing and rotor. The sensitivity analysis of performance for aerodynamic foil bearing show that the rotor speed is the key factor to influence the gas film temperature, the minimum film thickness has the least influence on the gas film temperature, and the three parameters of radial clearance, the minimum film thickness and rotor speed have almost the same influence on the load capacity of aerodynamic foil bearing. The heat flow coupling model of aerodynamic foil bearing is recommended in the real industrial applications, and it is necessary to take into account the heat transfer between the outer surface of rotor extension length and the ambient air.

Key words: aerodynamic foil bearing, heat flow coupling model, load capacity, gas film average temperature

CLC Number:

TH133

GAN Junyi, LIAO Quan, LI Longjian, HU Yumei, GAN Lu. Numerical Simulation of 3D Heat Flow Coupling Model of Aerodynamic Foil Bearing[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(2): 330-337.

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