• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2022, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (21): 92-113.doi: 10.3901/JME.2022.21.092

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Review of Research Status and Development of Foil Air Bearings

XIONG Wanli1,2, WANG Jian1, CHEN Zhenyu2, SUN Wenbiao1, XUE Hainan1, TANG Xiuqing2   

  1. 1. National Engineering Research Center for High Efficiency Grinding, Hunan University, Changsha 410082;
    2. Guangzhou Haozhi Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 511356
  • Received:2022-01-14 Revised:2022-07-01 Online:2022-11-05 Published:2022-12-23

Abstract: The foil air bearings (FABs) have been widely used in aerospace fields such as aircraft ventilation systems and civil fields such as aeration blowers due to high speed, low frictional power consumption, completely oil-free lubrication and good impact resistance. with the implementation of global emission peak and carbon neutrality, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) have become a hot spot for research. The application of FABs in the field of fuel cell air compressors also enters a blowout situation. Nevertheless, the performance of FABs in terms of long life, high vibration resistance and high reliability under the complex HFCV operating conditions till needs to be improved, so HFCV compressor FABs are in the road test and technical iteration stage. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically review the existing research results of FABs under the new operating conditions and performance requirements. The structure of FABs and their application in fuel cell air compressor are introduced. The key performance indicators such as high-speed characteristics, specific load capacity, dynamic stability and start-stop life of FABs and the current research progress are reviewed. The key technologies of FABs such as theoretical structure modelling, simulation algorithms of fluid-structure coupling, film thermal characteristics and temperature control, dynamic stability of rotor system, vibration resistance and fatigue life, coating technology and start-stop life, dynamic performance testing and experimental technology are systematically analysed and reviewed. Finally, according to the performance requirements of HFCV high-speed centrifugal compressors, the key technology development trend of FABs is predicted and prospected.

Key words: foil air bearings, high-speed centrifugal compressor, oil-free lubrication, fuel cell, dynamics of bearing-rotor system

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