PTFE-faced centre pivot thrust pad bearings: Factors affecting TEHD performance

The paper presents a thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) analysis of thrust bearings with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) faced pads. The influence of pad active surface geometry on main characteristics such as temperature profile, film thickness and pressure field are investigated. Due to the high compliance of the PTFE layer, deformations of the active surface due to pressure are quite large and have to be taken into account. The initial geometry of the pad is also of great importance; a parametric study on the pad geometry permits clarification of both geometry and deformation effects. The geometry of the pad, particularly for centrally pivoted pads, has to be considered in order to accurately predict performance of PTFE-faced tilting-pad thrust bearings.