The analysis of the operability conditions and diagnostic development for the new generation ceramic bearings

Аuthors

Zubko A. I.^*, Doncov S. N.^**

Lyulka Experimental Design Bureau, branch of the United Engine Corporation – Ufa Engine Industrial Association, 13, Kasatkina str., Moscow, 129301, Russia

*e-mail: zbk2@yandex.ru
**e-mail: sergenij@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective
The analysis of the nanostructured high strength materials for sliding bearings of the rotor support in aero — gas turbine engines with the help of the vibro-diagnostic methods.
Methodology
To estimate the opportunity of implementing rotor support ceramic bearings in gas turbine engines, different versions of smooth hydrodynamic ceramic sliding bearings with similar to the roll bearings geometry in the series production were developed and tested.
The impact of the couple materials friction on the bearing operability was analyzed.
During testing the complex approach to the diagnostic estimation of the tested bearing conditions was optimized. The work was fulfilled in real time scale including spectral analysis of the bearing oil, evaluation of the thermal component conditions of bearing parts and its oil, vibration analysis of the experimental part on the test rig.
The Results
The efficient design of the smooth hydrodynamic ceramic sliding bearing for the rotor support in gas turbine engine was developed.
The complex method of evaluating technical conditions of the ceramic sliding bearing was designed what allows the timely estimation of the experimental part conditions during testing and instantly change the designed outer loading.
The sliding ceramic bearing design of a new generation confirmed its operability with lower oil consumption to 0,1 l/min.
The best operability factors were achieved with new generation ceramic couple used (composite on the basis of silicon carbide with the composite on the basis of titanium carbo-nitrid).
The area of implementation
The achieved results allow starting testing ceramic sliding bearings in the gas turbine engines. The defined features of the working processes would be used for further improvement of the bearing support design.
The achieved results may be implemented in the diagnostic system and used by the gas turbine operators for making decisions on the conformity of the tested bearing with the specification.
Conclusions
The advantages and shortcomings of the new generation ceramic bearings and means of diagnostics versus conventional roll bearings were analyzed.
The implementation of the nanostructured high strength ceramic composite materials for design and manufacture of the gas turbine engine bearing supports is acknowledged superior in comparison with the existing ones.
The implementation of the diagnostic accompaniment of the bearing analysis including real time scale decreased the number of stops and test rig partitioning for visual and instrumentation estimate of the tested part, thus reduced the total cost of work and duration of the experiment.

Keywords:

gas turbine engines, bearings, vibrodiagnostics

References

1. Chernavskii S.A. Podshipniki skol'zheniya (Sliding bearings), Мoscow, Mashgiz, 1963, 245 p.

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