Test results of key and spherical pivot five-shoe tilt pad journal bearings - Part I: Performance measurements

Tests were conducted to measure the operating characteristics for two types of five-shoe tilt pad journal bearings, having a load-between-pads configuration. The bearings differed with respect to the pad are length, the pad thickness and the pivot type. Each bearing had a diameter of 126.9 mm, a L/D ratio of 0.3, an assembled diametral bearing clearance of 0.19 mm, and a bearing preload of 0.35. Performance measurements ave presented at 5000, 7000 and 12,000 rpm. The unit loading range was from 126 kPa to 1724 kPa. Comparisons are made between the measured and the theory. Test data included pad temperatures, power loss and operating position. The measured characteristics show that the bearings differ with respect to pad temperature profiles, power loss, eccentricity ratio and attitude angle. Finite attitude angles indicate cross-coupling in the dynamic coefficients.