Hydrodynamic thrust bearings, used to carry axial loads in heavily loaded shafts of water power plants hydro turbines, can reach outer diameters even exceeding 5 m. In such large objects scale effect could be observed. According to this, allowable bearing specific load assuring safe operation of the bearings has to be decreased, which increases thrust bearing dimensions. This effect is caused by excessive thermal deflections of...

Large hydrodynamic thrust bearings are the bearings which, due to hydrodynamic lubrication, allow large axial load to be transferred from a moving part (shaft) to the stationary part via a thin layer of the lubricant (usually oil), thus providing extremely low friction and practically no wear. Hydrogenerators with vertical shafts are the most important application of large thrust bearings. Main design and scientific problems of...

In vertical shaft pump turbines operating in pumped storage power plants an important role is played by a thrust bearing. Due to the bidirectional character of operation, thrust bearing tilting pads have to be supported symmetrically, which is known to be unfavourable from the point of view of their performance. Large thrust bearings have to be carefully designed so as to minimise excessive thermo-elastic pad deformations. The...

In the present study, investigation of the effect of manufacturing errors on the performance of large tilting pad thrust bearings has been performed, following a CFD-based Thermohydrodynamic analysis of a single pad. A 3D model has been generated, including the pad, the lubricant film and the corresponding part of the collar. The pad has been assumed to be deformed about the pivot point, due to thrust loading. Manufacturing errors...