Measurements of the steady state operating characteristics of the five shoe tilting pad journal bearing

An experimental investigation of the 76 mm diameter, five shoe tilting pad journal bearing, with L/D ratios of 0.46 and 0.75 was conducted on a new bearing test facility. Individual shoes were of the center pivot type, with zero preload. Bearing temperature data from an array of twenty one thermo-couples mounted in the bearing shoes have been measured for a wide range of speeds and loads, and different directions of the load line. Also carried out were tests to measure the position of the shaft in the bearing clearance space, and the bearing friction force. Data has also been obtained which demonstrates the relative effect of oil flow and oil inlet temperature on bearing temperature and oil discharge temperature. Results in this paper are presented for specific loads that ranged from 0.52 MPa (75 lb/in2) to 3.45 MPa (500 lb/in2) and shaft speedy up to 150 Hz (9000 rev/min). Presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio May 9–12, 1988