Study of Integral and Dynamic Characteristics of Hybrid Conical–Cylindrical Hydrodynamic Rotor Supports

Using conical bearings instead of a combination of thrust and radial bearings offers advantages, primarily in terms of improved weight and dimensional characteristics. On the other hand, conical fluid film bearings also present a number of limitations, largely related to stability issues related to their dynamic characteristics. Combining conical and cylindrical parts in a single bearing is considered in this article as a possible way to comprehensively improve fluid film bearings with conical component without requiring excessive complications in the machine design common to some other approaches. The numerical study discovers load capacity, lubricant flow rate, power losses due to viscous friction along with the dynamic characteristics of conical–cylindrical bearings to explore the prospects for their application in advanced rotary machines. The results, in particular, demonstrate the potential for such solutions to provide greater stability compared to pure conical hydrodynamic bearings. The results of a comprehensive comparison of conical and conical–cylindrical bearings with each other and with more conventional combination of journal and thrust hydrodynamic bearings also made it possible to highlight the features and nuances of each of these solutions that should be taken into account when designing rotary machines.