Performance investigation and feasibility study of novel gas foil thrust bearing for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Centrifugal air compressors are promising due to their zero emissions, long driving range, and wide fuel sources. The gas foil thrust bearing (GFTB) is considered as one of the key components in the centrifugal air compressor to guarantee the system is oil‐free and reliable due to there is self‐acting and high speed. However, the gas foil thrust bearings were all of lower capacity in previous research. In this study, the effects of each foil and nominal clearance on the static performance are developed experimentally. The optimal GFTB with higher capacity is obtained. The feasibility study of the proposed GFTB is carried out, which is installed on the ultra‐high‐speed centrifugal air compressor. The result shows that the proposed GFTB can run stably and efficiently in the full speed ring, and the high‐pressure ratio and large flow rate of the air compressor also can be ensured. The results play an important role in guiding the stable operation of centrifugal air compressors applied in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs).