Test of a Fluid-Film Wave Bearing at 350°C with Liquid Lubricants

A novel fluid-film wave bearing has been run at a higher temperature (350°C) than ever before with a perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-K liquid lubricant. Additionally, the wave journal bearing (45 mm diameter and 24 mm long) completed an 8-h endurance test at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The lubricant was PFPE-K XHT 500. After being maintained at 350° C for 8 h, the bearing temperature was raised to 356°C for the last 30 min of the run. The speed was 29,000 rpm and the load ranged from 2670 to 3560 N. The bearing was perfectly stable both dynamically and thermally. The observed temperature was more than 150°C above that run with current turbine engine lubricants. The use of high-temperature bearings as tested here would allow efficiency increases of more than 5% in aero or terrestrial turbine engines.

Presented at the STLE Annual Meeting in New York, New York April 27-May 1, 2003

Review led by Gita Talmage

KEY WORDS:

• Fluid-Film Bearing
• Wave Bearing
• High Temperature
• PFPE-K Fluids

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was performed under the NASA SBIR NAS 399107 awarded to NASTEC, Inc. in 1999. Gregory A. Bell and Jon L. Howell from DuPont Corporation kindly supported this work and provided additional PFPE-K lubricant and cleaner for the work to be completed. William R. Jones and Stephen V. Pepper from NASA Glenn Research Center kindly provided PFPE-K properties and test support.

Notes

Presented at the STLE Annual Meeting in New York, New York April 27-May 1, 2003

Review led by Gita Talmage

*The maximum temperature was recorded in the middle of test bearing sleeve in a location in direction to the load.

^†No acid released.

^‡Acid present in vapors.

*No acid was found at any tested temperature. The maximum temperature was recorded in the middle of test bearing sleeve in a location in direction of the load.