Multi-layer composite tilting pad device and thrust bearing

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of bearings, and discloses a multi-layer composite tilting pad device and a thrust bearing. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device comprises a substrate layer, a buffer layer and a wear-resistant layer. The substrate layer is provided with a first side and a second side which are oppositely arranged along a first direction; the buffer layer is arranged on the substrate layer, the buffer layer comprises a plurality of buffer parts, the plurality of buffer parts are distributed along the first direction, the hardness of the plurality of buffer parts is gradually increased along the direction from the first side to the second side, and the elastic modulus of the plurality of buffer parts is gradually increased. The wear-resistant layer is arranged on the side, away from the substrate layer, of the buffer layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of bearing technology, and in particular to a multi-layer composite tilting pad device and a thrust bearing. Background Art

[0002] Tilt pad bearings can be divided into radial bearings and thrust bearings based on the load direction. When bearing high loads, the pads in thrust bearings are prone to insufficient cushioning and impact resistance, and are prone to fatigue cracking, resulting in a shorter service life and poor load-sharing and vibration-reducing performance of the thrust bearing. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above technical deficiencies and propose a multi-layer composite tilting pad device and thrust bearing to solve the technical problem of poor load-balancing and vibration-reducing performance of thrust bearings in the known technology.

[0004] In order to achieve the above technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the present application provides a multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly, comprising a substrate layer, a buffer layer, and a wear-resistant layer. The substrate layer has a first side and a second side disposed opposite each other along a first direction. The buffer layer is disposed on the substrate layer and includes a plurality of buffer portions, each of which is distributed along the first direction and has a gradually increasing hardness and a gradually increasing elastic modulus along the direction from the first side to the second side. The wear-resistant layer is disposed on the side of the buffer layer facing away from the substrate layer.

[0005] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the plurality of buffer portions can be gradually enhanced along a direction from the first side to the second side.

[0006] In some embodiments, the plurality of buffer portions include a first buffer portion, a second buffer portion, and a third buffer portion. The first buffer portion, the second buffer portion, and the third buffer portion are arranged in sequence along a direction pointing from the first side to the second side. The material of the first buffer portion includes silicone, the material of the second buffer portion includes polyurethane, and the material of the third buffer portion includes carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin.

[0007] In some embodiments, the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly further includes a pad seat, a rigid ball head, and an elastic portion. The substrate layer is disposed on the pad seat. One end of the rigid ball head is connected to a side of the pad seat facing away from the substrate layer. The elastic portion is disposed on a side of the rigid ball head facing away from the pad seat.

[0008] In some embodiments, the elastic portion has an abutting surface abutting against the rigid ball head, the abutting surface is formed with a groove, and a liquid storage gap is formed between the groove and the rigid ball head.

[0009] In some embodiments, the multi-layer composite tilting pad device further includes a reinforcement portion, the reinforcement portion protruding from the bottom surface of the groove, and the side of the reinforcement portion facing away from the bottom surface of the groove is located inside the opening of the groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the multi-layer composite tilting pad device further includes: a pad seat, the substrate layer is disposed on the pad seat; and a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors are disposed on the pad seat and are arranged around the wear-resistant layer.

[0011] In some embodiments, the multi-layer composite tilting pad device further includes a plurality of mounting portions, wherein the plurality of mounting portions are disposed on the pad seat portion, the number of the mounting portions is the same as the number of the sensors, and each of the sensors is disposed on a corresponding mounting portion; a mounting cavity is formed at one end of the mounting portion away from the pad seat portion, an opening is formed at one end of the mounting cavity away from the pad seat portion, the sensor is disposed in the mounting cavity, and a portion of the sensor is exposed from the opening, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the sensor.

[0012] In some embodiments, the mounting portion includes a first mounting post and a second mounting post. One end of the first mounting post is connected to the tile seat, and the other end of the first mounting post forms a receiving slot. The second mounting post is disposed at an end of the first mounting post facing away from the tile seat, and defines a mounting hole. The mounting hole communicates with the receiving slot to form the mounting cavity.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a thrust bearing comprising a support ring, a thrust plate, and the aforementioned multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly. The thrust plate is spaced apart from the support ring. The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly is disposed on the support ring, with the wear-resistant layer of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly forming a friction pair with the thrust plate.

[0014] Compared to known technologies, the multi-layer composite tilting pad device provided by the present application first transmits external loads through the wear-resistant layer to the buffer layer. The buffer layer can preferentially produce elastic deformation during the load transfer process to absorb and disperse local impact energy, thereby reducing stress concentration between the wear-resistant layer and the thrust plate. Specifically, the buffer portion with a lower elastic modulus can absorb the initial impact and deform appropriately locally to avoid stress concentration. The buffer portion with a medium elastic modulus can diffuse the load, distributing it over a larger area. The buffer portion with a higher elastic modulus can provide better rigid support for the tilting pad, thereby limiting the overall deformation of the tilting pad. In this way, the buffer layer can help improve the uniformity of stress distribution, delay the generation and expansion of fatigue cracks in the multi-layer composite tilting pad device, extend the service life of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device, and improve the load-sharing capacity of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device. At the same time, the buffer with a lower elastic modulus absorbs high-frequency vibrations, the buffer with a medium elastic modulus suppresses mid-frequency vibrations, and the buffer with a higher elastic modulus blocks the transmission of low-frequency vibrations. This allows the buffer layer to effectively damp vibrations across the entire frequency range, thereby improving the vibration and noise reduction performance of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly and, in turn, reducing the operating noise of the thrust bearing. Furthermore, the gradually increasing hardness of the multiple buffers further facilitates uniform stress distribution. The higher-hardness buffer, positioned radially outward from the support ring, prevents hard particles from invading the inner side of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly and reduces the wear rate of the lower-hardness buffer on the inner side, thereby protecting the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly and further extending its service life. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the thrust bearing provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A local enlarged schematic diagram of the V in the middle.

[0020] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the elastic portion provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 7It is a structural schematic diagram of the tile seat portion provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 8 It is a top view of the buffer layer, tile seat, mounting portion and sensor provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of the mounting portion and sensor provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 10 It is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion and the sensor provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the installation part provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Description of reference numerals: 10. Thrust bearing; 100. Multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly; 110. Backing layer; 111. First side; 112. Second side; 120. Buffer layer; 121. Buffer portion; 1211. First buffer portion; 1212. Second buffer portion; 1213. Third buffer portion; 130. Wear-resistant layer; 140. Shoe seat portion; 141. Shoe seat; 1411. Mounting surface; 142. Hollow layer; 143. Support layer; 144. First mounting groove; 145. Second mounting groove; 146. Hollow hole; 147. Connecting hole; 1 50. Rigid ball head; 160. Elastic portion; 161. Abutment surface; 162. Groove; 163. Liquid storage gap; 164. Reinforcement portion; 1641. Buffer groove; 1642. Polygonal wall; 170. Sensor; 180. Mounting portion; 181. Mounting cavity; 1811. Receiving groove; 1812. Mounting hole; 182. First mounting column; 183. Second mounting column; 184. Fixing member; 200. Support ring; 300. Thrust plate; 400. Fastener; X, first direction; Y, second direction; W, circumferential direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0028] When facing high loads, the tilting pads of some known tilting pad bearings are unable to effectively absorb and transform vibration energy, resulting in poor cushioning effect, prone to fatigue cracks, and a short service life.

[0029] In order to solve the technical problems of poor load-balancing and vibration-damping performance and short service life of thrust bearings in known technologies, the present application provides a multi-layer composite tilting pad device and a thrust bearing, which can improve the buffering and impact resistance of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device, reduce fatigue cracks, and extend the service life, thereby improving the load-balancing and vibration-damping performance of the thrust bearing.

[0030] It should be noted that the multi-layer composite tilting pad device of the present application is used for but not limited to thrust bearings, etc. For the sake of convenience, in this application, only the application of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device to thrust bearings is used as an example for explanation. The principle of applying the multi-layer composite tilting pad device to other types of equipment (such as radial bearings) is essentially the same as the principle of applying it to thrust bearings, and will not be repeated here.

[0031] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thrust bearing 10 in one embodiment of the present application. The thrust bearing 10 includes a multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, a support ring 200, and a thrust plate 300. The thrust plate 300 is spaced apart from the support ring 200. The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 is mounted on the support ring 200. There are multiple multi-layer composite tilting pad assemblies 100. These multiple multi-layer composite tilting pad assemblies 100 are sequentially spaced apart along the circumference W of the support ring 200.

[0032] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 includes a substrate layer 110, a buffer layer 120, and a wear-resistant layer 130. The substrate layer 110 has a first side 111 and a second side 112 that are arranged opposite each other along a first direction X. The first direction X is the radial direction of the support ring 200. The first side 111 is located radially inward of the support ring 200, and the second side 112 is located radially outward of the support ring 200. The buffer layer 120 is provided on the substrate layer 110 and includes a plurality of buffer portions 121. The plurality of buffer portions 121 are distributed along the first direction X. The hardness and elastic modulus of the plurality of buffer portions 121 gradually increase from the first side 111 to the second side 112. The wear-resistant layer 130 is provided on the side of the buffer layer 120 that faces away from the substrate layer 110. The wear-resistant layer 130 forms a friction pair with the thrust plate 300.

[0033] According to the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 of this embodiment, the load from the thrust plate 300 is first transmitted to the buffer layer 120 through the wear-resistant layer 130. The buffer layer 120 preferentially undergoes elastic deformation during the load transfer process to absorb and disperse localized impact energy, reducing stress concentration between the wear-resistant layer 130 and the thrust plate 300. Specifically, the buffer portion 121 with a relatively low elastic modulus absorbs the initial impact and deforms appropriately locally to avoid stress concentration. The buffer portion 121 with a medium elastic modulus diffuses the load, distributing it over a larger area. The buffer portion 121 with a relatively high elastic modulus provides strong rigid support for the tilting pad, thereby limiting its overall deformation. Thus, the buffer layer 120 can improve stress distribution uniformity, delay the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks in the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, extend the service life of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, and enhance its load-sharing capability. At the same time, the buffer portion 121 with a lower elastic modulus can absorb high-frequency vibrations, the buffer portion 121 with a medium elastic modulus can suppress medium-frequency vibrations, and the buffer portion 121 with a higher elastic modulus can block the transmission of low-frequency vibrations. In this way, the buffer layer 120 can effectively reduce vibrations across the entire frequency range, thereby improving the vibration and noise reduction performance of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 and reducing the operating noise of the thrust bearing 10. Furthermore, the gradually increasing hardness of the multiple buffer portions 121 can further facilitate uniform stress distribution. The higher-hardness buffer portion 121, located radially outward from the support ring 200, can prevent hard particles from invading the inner side of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 and reduce the wear rate of the lower-hardness buffer portion 121 on the inner side, thereby protecting the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 and further extending its service life.

[0034] Furthermore, the buffer portion 121, having a relatively low elastic modulus, can undergo slight elastic deformation when subjected to load, quickly adapting to the deflection of the thrust plate 300, thereby achieving adaptive fine-tuning of the tilt angle. This improves the adaptive tilting capability of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, enabling the thrust bearing 10 to maintain stable contact under dynamic conditions and extending the service life of the thrust bearing 10. The buffer portion 121, having a relatively high elastic modulus, can limit the swing amplitude of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, thereby reducing the possibility of excessive tilt.

[0035] Therefore, the buffer layer 120 of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 of this embodiment can effectively buffer and disperse the pressure and impact force transmitted to the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100, enhance the dynamic load-balancing capacity and impact resistance; and greatly reduce the risk of interface delamination between the substrate layer 110 and the wear-resistant layer 130, thereby ensuring the connection reliability between the substrate layer 110, the buffer layer 120, and the wear-resistant layer 130.

[0036] Among them, the multi-layer composite in the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 of this embodiment refers to a multi-layer composite structure formed by stacking the substrate layer 110, the buffer layer 120, and the wear-resistant layer 130, and a multi-layer composite structure formed by stacking multiple buffer portions 121 in the buffer layer 120 along the first direction X.

[0037] In one embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the plurality of buffer portions 121 gradually increases along the direction from the first side 111 to the second side 112 .

[0038] Thus, during the operation of the thrust bearing 10, the thermal conductivity of the buffer portion 121 located radially inwardly of the support ring 200 is lower than that of the buffer portion 121 located radially outwardly of the support ring 200. This allows the inner buffer portion 121 to delay the transfer of frictional heat to the support ring 200, while the outer buffer portion 121 can quickly dissipate the heat. Together with the coolant used during the operation of the thrust bearing 10, this synergistically dissipates heat, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the thrust bearing 10. The coolant used during the operation of the thrust bearing 10 may be cooling water.

[0039] In one embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the plurality of buffer portions 121 gradually increases along the direction from the first side 111 to the second side 112. This reduces the interfacial thermal stress of the buffer layer 120 caused by the temperature gradient, thereby reducing the structural warping deformation of the buffer layer 120 under temperature, improving the thermal stability of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100, and extending the service life of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100.

[0040] It is understood that the thermal expansion coefficient of a general material is positively correlated with its thermal conductivity. Therefore, the material of the buffer portion 121 that can achieve a change in thermal conductivity can generally achieve a corresponding change in the thermal expansion coefficient.

[0041] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The plurality of buffer portions 121 include a first buffer portion 1211, a second buffer portion 1212, and a third buffer portion 1213. The first buffer portion 1211, the second buffer portion 1212, and the third buffer portion 1213 are sequentially arranged along a direction from the first side 111 to the second side 112. The first buffer portion 1211 is made of silicone, the second buffer portion 1212 is made of polyurethane, and the third buffer portion 1213 is made of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin.

[0042] Among them, silicone has the function of absorbing high-frequency impact and adapting to local deformation, polyurethane can disperse the stress of elastic deformation to a larger area to reduce the risk of sudden interface stress changes, and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin can provide stable compressive support to suppress the overall instability problem of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100.

[0043] This allows for a step-by-step optimization of the mechanical and thermal properties of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 in the radial direction of the support ring 200. Furthermore, all three materials are lightweight, reducing the moment of inertia of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 and, in turn, the thrust bearing 10, thereby improving its dynamic response speed.

[0044] In one embodiment, the elastic modulus of the first buffer portion 1211 ranges from 0.1 MPa to 1 MPa. The elastic modulus of the first buffer portion 1211 ranges from 1 MPa to 100 MPa. The elastic modulus of the first buffer portion 1211 ranges from 1 GPa to 10 GPa.

[0045] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the thrust disk 300 and the support ring 200 are spaced apart along the second direction Y. The second direction Y is parallel to the axial direction of the thrust bearing 10. The wear-resistant layer 130, the buffer layer 120 and the substrate layer 110 are stacked along the second direction Y. The orthographic projection of the wear-resistant layer 130 along the second direction Y, the orthographic projection of the buffer layer 120 along the second direction Y and the orthographic projection of the substrate layer 110 along the second direction Y roughly coincide, and all three can be constructed in a fan-shaped ring shape. Among them, the orthographic projection of the buffer portion 121 along the second direction Y can also be constructed in a fan-shaped ring shape, and multiple buffer portions 121 are distributed along the radial direction of the support ring 200, forming an overall fan-shaped ring shape of the buffer layer 120.

[0046] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The number of the first buffering portions 1211 is two, the number of the second buffering portions 1212 is two, and the number of the third buffering portions 1213 is two. In other embodiments, the number of the first buffering portions 1211, the second buffering portions 1212, and the third buffering portions 1213 can be the same or different.

[0047] In one embodiment, the thickness of the buffer layer 120 is 2 mm to 3 mm, so as to ensure that the buffer layer 120 provides good buffering and heat dissipation performance.

[0048] For example, the thickness of the buffer layer 120 may be any one of 2 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.4 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.6 mm, 2.7 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.9 mm, or 3 mm.

[0049] In this embodiment, see Figure 3 and Figure 4The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 further includes a shoe seat 140. A substrate layer 110 is disposed on the shoe seat 140. The substrate layer 110 can be fixed to the shoe seat 140 by bonding. Subsequently, the buffer layer 120 is bonded to the side of the substrate layer 110 facing away from the shoe seat 140. Finally, the wear-resistant layer 130 is bonded to the side of the buffer layer 120 facing away from the substrate layer 110.

[0050] Optionally, the plurality of buffer portions 121 may be formed into an integral buffer layer 120 by 3D printing or layered injection molding.

[0051] Optionally, the substrate layer 110 includes a plurality of substrate portions. A plurality of buffer portions 121 are disposed on the plurality of substrate portions in an array-distributed manner to ensure that the thickness of the buffer layer 120 is uniform across the entire surface, thereby ensuring that the parallelism error between the surface of the wear-resistant layer 130 facing away from the substrate layer 110 and the surface of the thrust plate 300 is within a predetermined range.

[0052] In this embodiment, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 further includes a rigid ball head 150 and an elastic portion 160. One end of the rigid ball head 150 is connected to the side of the shoe seat 140 facing away from the substrate layer 110. The elastic portion 160 is provided on the side of the rigid ball head 150 facing away from the shoe seat 140.

[0053] In this way, the elasticity of the elastic portion 160 allows the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 to flexibly deform along the radial and axial directions of the support ring 200, thereby adapting to the dynamic deflection of the thrust disk 300. At the same time, the elastic portion 160 can effectively reduce the hard contact between the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200, disperse the contact stress between the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200, and alleviate the impact of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 on the support ring 200, thereby reducing the surface wear rate of the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200, delaying the generation and expansion of fatigue cracks, extending the service life of the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200, and extending the fatigue resistance of the thrust bearing 10. At the same time, since the collision between the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200 is reduced, the vibration reduction and noise reduction capabilities and fatigue resistance of the thrust bearing 10 can be further improved. In one embodiment, the side of the elastic portion 160 facing away from the rigid ball head 150 is connected to the support ring 200. Specifically, the elastic portion 160 can be fixedly connected to the support ring 200 by a high-bonding epoxy resin to ensure the bonding strength between the elastic portion 160 and the support ring 200.

[0054] In one embodiment, a receiving groove (not shown in the figure) is formed on the surface of the support ring 200. The end of the elastic portion 160 facing away from the rigid ball head 150 extends into the receiving groove and is connected to the bottom surface of the groove. The outer peripheral surface of the elastic portion 160 is located on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving groove. The outer peripheral surface of the rigid ball head 150 is located on the inner side of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic portion 160. In this way, good contact can be achieved between the rigid ball head 150 and the elastic portion 160 to avoid uneven force and facilitate full-area buffering of impacts from the rigid ball head 150, so that the elastic portion 160 can facilitate the elastic portion 160 to fully buffer the impact transmitted from the rigid ball head 150 to the support ring 200.

[0055] In one embodiment, the elastic portion 160 is cylindrical, the rigid ball head 150 is cylindrical, and the cross-section of the receiving groove is circular. The cross-sectional outer diameter of the elastic portion 160 is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional inner diameter of the receiving groove. The cross-sectional outer diameter of the elastic portion 160 is larger than the cross-sectional outer diameter of the rigid ball head 150.

[0056] In one embodiment, the elastic portion 160 is made of polyurethane. Polyurethane exhibits excellent viscoelasticity, and its hysteresis effect dissipates vibration energy, reducing the vibration amplitude transmitted to the support ring 200. Furthermore, polyurethane has a low coefficient of friction and self-lubricating properties, which can reduce wear on the contact surface with the rigid ball head 150 or the support ring 200, thereby extending the service life of the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200.

[0057] In one embodiment, the thickness of the elastic portion 160 is between 2 mm and 3 mm. Specifically, the thickness of the elastic portion 160 can be any one of 2 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.4 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.6 mm, 2.7 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.9 mm, or 3 mm.

[0058] In one embodiment, see Figure 5 Elastic portion 160 has an abutting surface 161 that abuts rigid ball head 150. A groove 162 is formed on abutting surface 161, forming a liquid storage gap 163 between groove 162 and rigid ball head 150. In this way, liquid storage gap 163 forms a micro-water storage unit, maintaining a continuous water film in the water-lubricated environment during the operation of thrust bearing 10, enhancing surface wettability, improving water film distribution, and reducing the friction coefficient, thereby reducing the friction factor between rigid ball head 150 and elastic portion 160 and extending the service life of rigid ball head 150 and support ring 200. Furthermore, due to the elasticity of elastic portion 160, groove 162 can also disrupt the fluid boundary layer during the operation of thrust bearing 10, thereby enhancing the flow of lubricating and cooling water and reducing or preventing wear on the bearing caused by dry friction.

[0059] Furthermore, the distribution of the grooves 162 on the abutment surface 161 allows the abutment surface 161 of the elastic portion 160 to be formed into a bionic feline foot pad structure, which can provide a good cushioning effect, effectively dispersing the contact stress and impact stress with the rigid ball head 150 and the support ring 200, reducing the edge wear rate of the elastic pad and the rigid ball head 150, improving the cushioning and vibration reduction capabilities of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100, and increasing the stability and service life of the thrust bearing 10 under high-speed and heavy-load conditions. Furthermore, the uneven shape of the abutment surface 161 can also enhance surface wettability. Optionally, the groove 162 is hemispherical, and the radius of the hemispherical shape is between 1 mm and 1.5 mm. For example, the hemispherical radius can be any one of 1 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.4 mm, or 1.5 mm.

[0060] In one embodiment, see Figure 6 The number of the grooves 162 is multiple. The multiple grooves 162 are arranged at intervals on the abutting surface 161.

[0061] Optionally, the plurality of grooves 162 may be distributed in various forms such as a cross, a dot matrix, a three-division cross, or a multi-division cross.

[0062] In one embodiment, see Figure 5 and Figure 6 The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 further includes a reinforcement portion 164. The reinforcement portion 164 is protruding from the bottom surface of the groove 162. The side of the reinforcement portion 164 facing away from the bottom surface of the groove 162 is located inside the opening of the groove 162. In this way, the reinforcement portion 164 can improve the shear resistance of the elastic portion 160.

[0063] Optionally, a buffer groove 1641 is formed on one side of the reinforcement portion 164 near the shoe seat portion 140 along the second direction Y. When the thrust bearing 10 is in operation, the buffer groove 1641 allows the reinforcement portion 164 to elastically flex, thereby dissipating impact energy, improving vibration attenuation efficiency, and further enhancing the performance of the elastic portion 160 in absorbing impact energy.

[0064] In one embodiment, see Figure 5 and Figure 6 The reinforcement portion 164 is formed as a polygonal wall 1642. A buffer groove 1641 is formed inside the polygonal wall 1642. The side length of the polygonal wall 1642 is about 0.5 mm, and the wall thickness of the polygonal wall 1642 is about 0.1 mm.

[0065] Specifically, the polygonal surrounding wall 1642 may be a hexagonal honeycomb surrounding wall. The honeycomb structure can further improve the overall shear resistance of the elastic portion 160 .

[0066] Optionally, the distance between the surface of the reinforcement portion 164 close to the rigid ball head 150 and the abutting surface 161 is about 0.2 mm.

[0067] In one embodiment, see Figure 4 and Figure 7 The tile seat portion 140 includes a tile seat 141, a hollow layer 142, and a support layer 143. The tile seat 141 is connected to the substrate layer 110 on one side along the second direction Y. The hollow layer 142 is connected to the other side of the tile seat 141 along the second direction Y. The support layer 143 is connected to the side of the hollow layer 142 facing away from the hollow layer 142 along the second direction Y. The support layer 143 is connected to the rigid ball head 150.

[0068] Specifically, a first mounting groove 144 is formed on the side of the tile seat 141 facing away from the hollow layer 142. The substrate layer 110 is mounted in the first mounting groove 144, with a portion of the substrate layer 110 extending from the first mounting groove 144. A second mounting groove 145 is formed on the side of the support layer 143 facing away from the hollow layer 142. One end of the rigid ball head 150 extends into the second mounting groove 145 and connects to the support layer 143.

[0069] Optionally, the shoe seat 141 defines a connection hole 147 radially outward from the support ring 200. The thrust bearing 10 further includes a fastener 400. The fastener 400 extends through the support ring 200 and into the connection hole 147 to secure the shoe seat 141 to the support ring 200. Specifically, a gap exists between the connection hole 147 and the outer surface of the fastener 400 to allow the shoe seat 141 to oscillate flexibly within a certain range relative to the support ring 200 and to prevent the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 from falling off the support ring 200.

[0070] Optionally, the hollow layer 142 is provided with a plurality of hollow holes 146. The plurality of hollow holes 146 penetrate the hollow layer 142 along the radial direction of the support ring 200. The hollow holes 146 make the hollow layer 142 elastic.

[0071] In one embodiment, see Figure 8 The multi-layer composite tilting pad device 100 further includes a plurality of sensors 170 . The plurality of sensors 170 are disposed on the pad seat 140 and surround the wear-resistant layer 130 .

[0072] In this way, the multiple sensors 170 form a dense monitoring grid, enabling real-time multi-directional monitoring. They can obtain real-time distances from the edge of the wear-resistant layer 130 to detect localized wear or deformation at the edges of the wear-resistant layer 130, the buffer layer 120, the substrate layer 110, and other locations. Specifically, the multiple sensors 170 can establish a three-dimensional coordinate system for the surface of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 based on parameters such as the spacing and angle of their array. This allows the wear depth and distribution of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 to be calculated based on distance variations, accurately identifying the initiation and expansion of localized spalling and cracks.

[0073] In one embodiment, the sensor 170 may be configured as an eddy current sensor 170 .

[0074] In one embodiment, there are eight sensors 170. One is positioned at each of the four corners of the tile base 140. Another is positioned at the midpoint of each of the four edges of the tile base 140. This arrangement creates a staggered array of sensors 170, expanding the monitoring area. Furthermore, this symmetrical arrangement allows multiple sensors 170 to sense eddy current changes in a 360-degree angle.

[0075] In other embodiments, a plurality of sensors 170 may be spaced apart and disposed on the four edges of the tile seat 140 .

[0076] In one embodiment, see Figure 8 The multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100 further includes a plurality of mounting portions 180. The plurality of mounting portions 180 are disposed on the shoe base 140. The number of mounting portions 180 is equal to the number of sensors 170, and each sensor 170 is disposed on a corresponding mounting portion 180. A mounting cavity 181 is formed at one end of the mounting portion 180 facing away from the shoe base 140. The mounting cavity 181 has an opening at the end facing away from the shoe base 140. The sensor 170 is disposed within the mounting cavity 181, with a portion of the sensor 170 exposed through the opening. The cross-sectional area of ​​the opening is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the sensor 170.

[0077] The mounting portion 180 can protect and limit the sensor 170. The exposed portion of the sensor 170 has a wide monitoring range, which can achieve wide-area and high-reliability wear monitoring.

[0078] In one embodiment, the portion of sensor 170 exposed from the opening is coated with a transparent silicon carbide ceramic layer. This transparent silicon carbide ceramic does not affect the detection function of sensor 170 and also offers high hardness, wear resistance, high temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, and oxidation resistance, making it suitable for use in lubricating water environments with high sediment content and strong corrosion. This improves the wear resistance of the sensing surface of sensor 170, ensuring that sensor 170 maintains a long service life even under extreme operating conditions, such as the harsh water lubrication conditions encountered during operation of thrust bearing 10.

[0079] In one embodiment, see Figure 9 and Figure 10 The shape of the sensor 170 is spherical, and the shape of the installation cavity 181 is spherical. In this way, after the sensor 170 is installed in the installation cavity 181, a part of it can be exposed from the opening. In addition, the spherical sensor 170 has a wider sensing area, which can quickly capture dynamic wear or vibration signals and is suitable for high-speed variable load conditions. The spherical surface has a better protection effect against environmental water and particulate matter, and is suitable for the harsh water environment with a lot of mud and strong corrosion where the water-lubricated thrust bearing 10 is located. In addition, the symmetry of the sphere can make the installation angle of the sensor 170 more tolerant, reducing the complexity and calibration time of on-site proofreading during installation.

[0080] In one embodiment, along a radial cross-section of the mounting cavity 181, the angle of the chord formed by the opening of the mounting cavity 181 is 120°. The inner diameter of the opening of the mounting cavity 181 is 0.87 times the inner diameter of the sphere in which the mounting cavity 181 is located. The solid angle of the portion of the sensor 170 exposed in the opening is π steradians. This dimensional design enables the sensor 170 to achieve a 120° monitoring coverage, thereby capturing the three-dimensional wear distribution on the surface of the multi-layer composite tilting pad assembly 100.

[0081] Optionally, conductive glue can be used to fix the sensor 170 to the surface of the mounting cavity 181, thereby reducing the possibility of the sensor 170 loosening under the vibration of the thrust bearing 10, improving the installation stability of the sensor 170, and also ensuring electrical insulation between the sensor 170 and the mounting portion 180.

[0082] In one embodiment, the highest point of the sensor 170 along the second direction Y away from the mounting surface 1411 does not exceed the surface of the wear-resistant layer 130 .

[0083] In one embodiment, see Figure 10 and Figure 11 The mounting portion 180 includes a first mounting post 182 and a second mounting post 183. One end of the first mounting post 182 is connected to the tile seat 140, and the other end of the first mounting post 182 forms a receiving groove 1811. The second mounting post 183 is provided at the end of the first mounting post 182 away from the tile seat 140. The second mounting post 183 defines a mounting hole 1812, which is connected to the receiving groove 1811 to form a mounting cavity 181. In this way, the first mounting post 182 and the second mounting post 183 cooperate to protect and limit the sensor 170. At the same time, after the second mounting post 183 is removed, the sensor 170 can be quickly replaced, thereby improving the convenience of replacing the sensor 170.

[0084] Optionally, the first mounting post 182 may be fixedly connected to the shoe seat 140 by brazing.

[0085] In one embodiment, see Figure 10 and Figure 11 Mounting portion 180 also includes a fixing member 184. Fixing member 184 detachably connects first mounting post 182 and second mounting post 183 to secure sensor 170 within mounting cavity 181. Thus, fixing member 184 reliably secures sensor 170. Furthermore, if sensor 170 fails, sensor 170 can be replaced by simply opening thrust plate 300 and removing fixing member 184 and second mounting post 183, without disassembling the entire thrust bearing 10, thus improving maintenance convenience.

[0086] Optionally, there are multiple fixing members 184. The multiple fixing members 184 are arranged around the receiving groove 1811 to improve the fixing reliability.

[0087] Optionally, the fixing member 184 may be configured as a fastening structure such as a bolt or a pin.

[0088] Optionally, the material of the mounting portion 180 may be stainless steel, which can provide better support and protection.

[0089] Optionally, the mounting portion 180 can be fabricated and the sensor 170 installed as follows. A stainless steel support cylinder of appropriate dimensions is cut, ensuring that the total height of the support cylinder after embedding the sensor 170 is equal to the total height of the wear-resistant layer 130, the buffer layer 120, and the substrate layer 110 along the second direction Y. A cylinder half the radius of the sensor 170 is cut from the upper end of the support cylinder to form the second mounting column 183. The remaining portion of the support cylinder forms the first mounting column 182. A receiving groove 1811 is machined into the first mounting column 182. A mounting hole 1812 is machined into the second mounting column 183. Mounting hole 1812 is spherically segmented. The opening of mounting hole 1812 near first mounting post 182 has the same shape as the opening of receiving groove 1811. The inner diameter of the opening of mounting hole 1812 facing away from first mounting post 182 is 0.87 times the inner diameter of the opening of receiving groove 1811. This ensures that after installing spherical sensor 170, first mounting post 182 and second mounting post 183 can be perfectly closed. A fastening groove is machined along the circumference of the surface of second mounting post 183 facing away from the first mounting post 182, extending through the first mounting post 182 to ensure that the first and second mounting posts 182, 183 are secured when the mounting hardware is tightened.

[0090] After the tile seat 140 is secured, the mounting portion 180 is welded to the four corners and the midpoints of the four edges of the mounting surface 1411. Conductive adhesive is applied to the surface of the receiving groove 1811, and the sensor 170 is bonded to the conductive adhesive in the receiving groove 1811, and the conductive adhesive is allowed to cool and secure. Next, conductive adhesive is applied to the surface of the mounting hole 1812, and the second mounting post 183 is attached to the first mounting post 182 and the sensor 170. After the conductive adhesive in the mounting hole 1812 cools and secures, the fixing member 184 is installed to secure the first mounting post 182 and the second mounting post 183. Finally, a transparent silicon carbide coating is applied to the portion of the sensor 170 that extends out of the opening of the mounting cavity 181 to ensure the waterproof and corrosion-resistant properties of the sensor 170.

[0091] The specific implementation methods of the present application described above do not limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-layer composite tilting pad device, characterized in that: include: a substrate layer having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other along a first direction; a buffer layer, the buffer layer being disposed on the substrate layer, the buffer layer comprising a plurality of buffer portions, the plurality of buffer portions being distributed along the first direction and gradually increasing in hardness and elastic modulus from the first side to the second side; and A wear-resistant layer is provided on a side of the buffer layer away from the substrate layer.

2. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the direction from the first side to the second side, the thermal conductivity of the plurality of buffer portions gradually increases.

3. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The multiple buffer parts include a first buffer part, a second buffer part and a third buffer part. The first buffer part, the second buffer part and the third buffer part are arranged in sequence along the direction pointing from the first side to the second side. The material of the first buffer part includes silicone, the material of the second buffer part includes polyurethane, and the material of the third buffer part includes carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin.

4. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-layer composite tilting pad device further comprises: a tile seat portion, wherein the substrate layer is provided on the tile seat portion; a rigid ball head, one end of which is connected to a side of the tile seat facing away from the substrate layer; The elastic portion is arranged on a side of the rigid ball head away from the tile seat portion.

5. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic portion has an abutting surface abutting against the rigid ball head. A groove is formed on the abutting surface. A liquid storage gap is formed between the groove and the rigid ball head.

6. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The multi-layer composite tilting pad device further includes a reinforcement portion, which is protruding from the bottom surface of the groove, and a side of the reinforcement portion facing away from the bottom surface of the groove is located inside the opening of the groove.

7. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-layer composite tilting pad device further comprises: a tile seat portion, wherein the substrate layer is provided on the tile seat portion; A plurality of sensors are provided on the shoe seat and surround the wear-resistant layer.

8. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The multi-layer composite tilting pad device also includes a plurality of mounting parts, and the plurality of mounting parts are arranged on the pad seat, the number of the mounting parts is the same as the number of the sensors, and each of the sensors is arranged on a corresponding mounting part; a mounting cavity is formed at one end of the mounting part away from the pad seat, and an opening is formed at one end of the mounting cavity away from the pad seat, the sensor is arranged in the mounting cavity, and a portion of the sensor is exposed from the opening, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the sensor.

9. The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The mounting portion includes: a first mounting post, one end of which is connected to the tile seat, and the other end of which forms a receiving groove; The second mounting post is arranged at one end of the first mounting post away from the tile seat portion, and the second mounting post is provided with a mounting hole, which is connected to the receiving groove to form the mounting cavity.

10. A thrust bearing, characterized in that: include: Support ring; a thrust plate, the thrust plate and the support ring being spaced apart; The multi-layer composite tilting pad device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the multi-layer composite tilting pad device is provided on the support ring, and the wear-resistant layer of the multi-layer composite tilting pad device forms a friction pair with the thrust plate.

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