Tilting-pad bearing and method of manufacturing thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319988-B2
Application number	US-201716345282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	Oct 27, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a bearing (100) for supporting a shaft (200) rotating around an axis A is provided. The bearing (100) comprises: a bearing housing (120); and a plurality of tilting pads (130), wherein each tilting pad is connected to the housing (120) via a flexible web support (135) and comprises a bearing surface (136) directed toward a shaft receiving space (125) configured for supporting a shaft. The bearing surface (136) of at least one tilting pad (130) of the plurality of tilting pads is provided with a plurality of lubricant feed openings (140). According to a further aspect, a method of operating a bearing (100) as well as a method of manufacturing a bearing (100) are provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing for supporting a shaft rotating around an axis, comprising:
a bearing housing; and
a plurality of tilting pads, wherein each tilting pad is connected to the bearing housing via a flexible web support and comprises a bearing surface directed toward a shaft receiving space,
wherein the bearing surface of at least one tilting pad of the plurality of tilting pads comprises a plurality of lubricant feed openings; the plurality of tilting pads are integrally formed with the respective flexible web supports and with the bearing housing; the plurality of lubricant feed openings are in fluid communication with a channel system extending through the interior of the at least one tilting pad and through the flexible web support of the at least one tilting pad; and one or more transversal channels of the channel system extend at least partially in a non-radial direction through the at least one tilting pad.

2. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the bearing is configured as a radial bearing and wherein the bearing housing surrounds the shaft receiving space in a circumferential direction.

3. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein (i) two or more openings of the plurality of lubricant feed openings are spaced apart in a circumferential direction and/or (ii) two or more openings of the plurality of lubricant feed openings are spaced apart in an axial direction.

4. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the bearing surface of the at least one tilting pad is provided with four or more lubricant feed openings.

5. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein two or more openings of the plurality of lubricant feed openings are provided in a leading circumferential portion of the bearing surface and/or are provided in a center circumferential portion of the bearing surface.

6. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the channel system extends through each of the plurality of tilting pads, and the bearing housing comprises an annular fluid reservoir fluidly connected to the channel system and configured to supply the channel system with a lubricant.

7. A rotary mechanical device comprising:
at least one bearing according to claim 1 ; and
the shaft rotatably supported in the shaft receiving space of the bearing,
wherein the rotary mechanical device is a high-speed rotary mechanical device.

8. The rotary mechanical device of claim 7 , wherein the rotary mechanical device is a compressor, a turbine, a steam turbine or a gas turbine.

9. A method of operating the bearing of claim 1 , comprising:
supporting the shaft in the shaft receiving space of the bearing; and
rotating the shaft while supplying a lubricant through the plurality of lubricant feed openings to provide a hydrodynamic lubrication wedge between the bearing surface and a shaft surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the shaft is rotated at a peripheral speed of 80 m/s or more.

11. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilting pad of the plurality of tilting pads is manufactured with the plurality of lubricant feed openings in the bearing surface by additive manufacturing.

12. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of tilting pads are integrally formed with the bearing housing by additive manufacturing, and wherein the channel system is formed in each of the plurality of tilting pads.

13. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the one or more transversal channels of the channel system extend at an angle of 45° or more with respect to a radial direction.

14. The bearing of claim 13 , wherein the one or more transversal channels of the channel system extend essentially perpendicularly with respect to the radial direction and/or an axial direction.

15. The bearing of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilting pad of the plurality of tilting pads is manufactured with the plurality of lubricant feed openings in the bearing surface by selective laser melting or laser sintering.

Assignees

• Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl

Inventors

• Innocenti Alice
• Naldi Lorenzo

Classifications

• F16C17/065

  the segments being integrally formed with, or rigidly fixed to, a support-element · CPC title

• F16C33/1085

  Channels or passages to recirculate the liquid in the bearing · CPC title

• F16C32/0648

  by sensors or pressure-responsive control devices in or near the bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/10

  Construction relative to lubrication {(lubrication in general F16N)} · CPC title

• F16C17/035 Primary

  the segments being integrally formed with, or rigidly fixed to, a support-element · CPC title