Development of a Fluid-Structure Model for Gas-Lubricated Bump-Type Foil Thrust Bearings

In the present study, a computational model for the coupled fluid-structure simulation of bump-type foil thrust bearings is developed. A three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes solver is extended to model the fluid flow within the thin gap. In addition, a new solver is developed to model the bump and top foils within the foil thrust bearings. These two solvers are linked with a coupling algorithm that maps pressure and deflection at the fluid-structure interface. The theory and verification of this coupling algorithm are detailed as the focus of this paper. Finally, this coupled fluid-structure simulation for the foil thrust bearings is validated with experiment results from the literature. The resulting fluid-structure model can be used to assist the design of bump-type foil thrust bearings for various applications.