Numerical Analysis of a Self-Acting Gas Bearing Lubricated with a Low-Boiling-Point Medium Using an Advanced Model Based on the Finite Difference Methods and Universal Computational Fluid Dynamics Software

Methods for determining the characteristics of self-acting (aerodynamic) gas bearings have been developed for many years, but many researchers and engineers still question how sophisticated a model of such bearings should be to obtain reliable results. This is the subject of this article, which presents a numerical analysis of aerodynamic gas bearings using two alternative methods: a specialized program based on the finite difference method, and a universal CFD program using the finite volume method. Gas bearings with a nominal diameter of 49 mm, designed for a 10 kW turbogenerator operating at a rotational speed of 40,000 rpm, are analyzed. The vapor of the low-boiling medium, designated HFE-7100, is used as the bearing lubricant. The calculations focus on determining the position of the bearing journal where the bearing achieved the required load capacity and checking the bearing characteristics beyond the nominal operating point. The most important results obtained by the two independent methods are compared, and recommendations are made for those interested in the numerical analysis of self-acting gas bearings.