Tapered land bearings

Types of thrust bearings (Tapered land, nonequalizing tilting pad and Kingsbury) Thrust float... 

A thrust bearing that physically resembles the flat land bearing is the tapered land bearing. The modification is the construction of the land. The land is grooved radially, dividing the land into segments that are individu-... 

Compressors built to the API standard are required to have equal thrust capability in both directions that is, the bearing is to be symmetrically constructed. However, the thrust bearings can be combined using various numbers of pads on each side, or a tapered land can be combined with the multiple-segment design. Other combinations of the four thrust bear ings discussed are found in certain isolated applications. 

The parametric study was conducted for tapered land bearings of the shape shown in Figure la, with b = 0.8. Three L/R2 ratios and three pad angles were evaluated as follows ... 

Tests were performed on a tapered land thrust bearing with dimensions of R] = 74.9 mm (2.95 in.), R2 = 119 mm (4.7 in.), 6 = 0.0381 mm (1.5 X 10 in.), and B = 27° with a 20X flat at Che end. The bearing was instrumented with proper flowmeters, thermocouples, and distance probes Co measure film thickness. The tests were conducted under severe starvation conditions Chat gave a range of Qg values from 0.125 to 0.25. The test results are compared with Che theoretical values in Figure 15. 

For thrust bearings, particularly in horizontal machines with a single rotation direction, fixed taper-land bearings are most appropriate. The alignment between collar and bearing is assisted by resiliently mounting the latter component. 

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