Heat Conduction Analysis and Optimization of the Thrust Bearing Cooling System in Hydraulic Turbines

With the increasing application of large-scale hydraulic generating units, their stability and safety have become more crucial to the operation of power grids. The performance of generator bearing systems directly affects the reliable operation of equipment. However, in actual operations, bearing systems often experience poor heat dissipation, resulting in excessive bearing pad temperatures and even damage, due to issues like eccentricity, improper cooling system oil path design, and oil degradation. These problems negatively impact the bearing's lifespan and pose safety risks. This paper addresses the heat dissipation problem of the thrust bearing cooling system in hydraulic turbine generators and utilizes CFD tools to numerically simulate the oil flow and temperature distribution. By establishing a 3D oil flow model, the cooling effect under different temperature conditions is analyzed. The results show that optimizing the cooling oil flow speed and passage structure can effectively reduce the bearing pad temperature and extend the cooling system's lifespan, providing technical support for the design and maintenance of thrust bearing cooling systems.