Air foil bearing static load test bench

Abstract

Disclosed is an air foil bearing static load test bench, comprising: a test bench base; a bearing fixing unit installed on the test bench base and configured to fix an air foil bearing to be tested; a pressure applying unit installed on the test bench base and configured to apply pressure to the air foil bearing to be tested; a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit; a displacement sensor installed on the test bench base and configured to sense the displacement of the air foil bearing to be tested under the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit; a data acquisition unit configured to acquire data of the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit and the displacement sensed by the displacement sensor; the pressure applying unit comprises a pressure controller and a linear cylinder installed on the test bench base, and the linear cylinder is configured to apply a continuous and controllable pressure to the air foil bearing to be tested in the radial direction or the axial direction of the air foil bearing to be tested under the control of the pressure controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the field of bearing technology, and more particularly to a static load test bench for air foil bearings. Background Technology

[0002] Air foil bearings are a new type of bearing that uses air as a lubricating medium. They feature oil-free operation (zero pollution), low maintenance / high reliability, high-speed stability, and low noise, and are widely used in high-speed motors, turbochargers, micro gas turbines, and fuel cell air compressors for automobiles. To ensure the reliability and performance of air foil bearings, comprehensive performance testing is necessary, with static load testing being a crucial method for evaluating bearing load-carrying capacity and deformation characteristics. However, existing air foil bearing static load test benches typically use manual control of the pressure loading unit to apply load to the bearing. This manual control method can lead to unstable loads, and the measurement accuracy of existing air foil bearing static load test benches is relatively poor. Utility Model Content

[0003] This disclosure is made in order to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned and other problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a static load test bench for air foil bearings is provided, the test bench comprising: a test bench base; a bearing fixing unit mounted on the test bench base and configured to fix the air foil bearing to be tested; a pressure applying unit mounted on the test bench base and configured to apply pressure to the air foil bearing to be tested; a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit; a displacement sensor mounted on the test bench base and configured to sense the displacement of the air foil bearing to be tested under the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit; and a data acquisition unit configured to acquire data of the pressure applied by the pressure applying unit and the displacement sensed by the displacement sensor; wherein the pressure applying unit includes a pressure controller and a linear cylinder mounted on the test bench base, the linear cylinder being configured to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the air foil bearing to be tested along the radial or axial direction under the control of the pressure controller.

[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the air foil bearing static load test bench further includes a guide mechanism located between the pressure application unit and the air foil bearing to be tested, the guide mechanism being configured to guide the pressure applied by the pressure application unit along the radial or axial direction of the air foil bearing to be tested.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the guiding mechanism includes a guide seat mounted on the test bench base and a guide shaft slidably connected to the guide seat, wherein the central axis of the guide shaft is aligned with the radial or axial direction of the air foil bearing to be tested.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the guiding mechanism further includes an adjustable link located on the side of the guide shaft near the pressure application unit and detachably connected to the guide shaft, wherein the central axis of the adjustable link is aligned with the central axis of the guide shaft.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the output end of the linear cylinder is in point contact with the adjustable connecting rod.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the air foil bearing to be tested is an air foil radial bearing, and the linear cylinder is configured to apply pressure to the air foil radial bearing in the radial direction of the air foil radial bearing.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the guide shaft and the air foil radial bearing are in point contact.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the air foil bearing to be tested is an air foil thrust bearing, and the linear cylinder is configured to apply pressure to the air foil thrust bearing along the axial direction of the air foil thrust bearing.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the displacement sensor is an eddy current displacement sensor.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the controller employs the LabVIEW-DQMH software architecture.

[0014] Other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air foil bearing static load test bench according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the static load test bench for air foil bearings.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of an air foil bearing static load test bench according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the static load test bench for air foil bearings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, identical or similar components are indicated by identical or similar reference numerals. The following description of various embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to illustrate the overall concept of this disclosure and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

[0020] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure for ease of explanation. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and elements are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0021] In the following detailed description, directional terms such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "upper part" and "lower part", "inner", and "outer" are defined according to the accompanying drawings, but the shape and position of the parts are not limited by these terms and can be adjusted according to the actual application.

[0022] Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe a variety of different elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and a second element may be referred to as a first element. The term “and / or” includes a combination of multiple related items or any one of multiple related items.

[0023] Figure 1 and Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of an air foil bearing static load test bench according to this disclosure is shown, which is used to test an air foil radial bearing 10a. Figures 1 to 2As shown, the static load test bench for air foil bearings provided according to embodiments of this disclosure includes a test bench base 90, a bearing fixing unit 20, a pressure application unit 30, a displacement sensor 50, a pressure sensor 60, and a data acquisition unit (not shown). The test bench base 90 provides a stable support platform for the entire test bench and may be made of, for example, a high-strength material to ensure sufficient rigidity and stability during testing. The bearing fixing unit 20 is mounted on the test bench base 90 and configured to fix the air foil radial bearing 10a to be tested. Specifically, the air foil radial bearing 10a is sleeved on a shaft 21 fixed by the bearing fixing unit 20, wherein the axis of the shaft 21 is horizontally arranged. The pressure application unit 30 is mounted on the test bench base 90 and configured to apply pressure to the air foil radial bearing 10a to be tested along its radial direction. A displacement sensor 50 is mounted on the test bench base 20 via a sensor bracket 51 and is configured to sense the displacement of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test under the pressure applied by the pressure application unit 30. A pressure sensor 60 is configured to sense the pressure applied by the pressure application unit 30. A data acquisition unit is connected to both the displacement sensor 50 and the pressure sensor 60 and is configured to acquire data on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor 60 and the displacement sensed by the displacement sensor 50. The pressure application unit 30 includes a pressure controller (not shown) and a linear cylinder 31 mounted on the test bench base 20 via a mounting bracket 33. The linear cylinder 31 is configured to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test along the radial direction under the control of the pressure controller. Specifically, the installation direction of the linear cylinder 31 is consistent with the radial direction of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test, that is, perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft 21. In the specific test, the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test is first mounted on the shaft 21 fixed by the bearing fixing unit 20. Then, the pressure application unit 30 is activated to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test via the linear cylinder 31. Simultaneously, the displacement sensor 50 senses the displacement change of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test in real time, and the pressure sensor 60 senses the pressure change applied by the pressure application unit 30 in real time. The data acquisition unit synchronously collects the pressure data sensed by the pressure sensor 60 and the displacement data sensed by the displacement sensor unit 50. Then, the structural stiffness and damping coefficient of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test under static load are verified by analyzing these data.The test bench disclosed herein uses a pressure controller to control a linear cylinder 31 to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the radial bearing 10a of the air foil bearing under test along the radial direction. The pressure controller precisely controls the magnitude of the pressure applied by the linear cylinder 31, thereby achieving automatic and precise loading of the bearing. Furthermore, the test bench is compact, easy to operate, and capable of accurately testing the load-bearing capacity and deformation characteristics of air foil radial bearings, providing reliable test data for performance evaluation of air foil radial bearings.

[0024] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air foil bearing static load test bench also includes a guide mechanism 40 located between the pressure application unit 30 and the air foil radial bearing 10a under test. The guide mechanism 40 is configured to precisely guide the pressure applied by the pressure application unit 30 along the radial direction of the air foil radial bearing 10a under test, ensuring that the pressure is applied to the bearing 10a in a predetermined direction. This avoids potential deviations during pressure application, ensures the accuracy of the pressure application direction, and thus improves the accuracy and repeatability of the test results.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the guiding mechanism 40 includes a guide seat 44 mounted on the test bench base 90 and a guide shaft 41 slidably connected to the guide seat 44. The central axis of the guide shaft 41 is aligned with the radial direction of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test. The guiding mechanism 40 also includes an adjustable connecting rod 42 located on the side of the guide shaft 41 near the linear cylinder 31 and detachably connected to the guide shaft 41. The central axis of the adjustable connecting rod 42 is aligned with the central axis of the guide shaft 41. A pressure sensor 60 is mounted on the guide shaft 41. During pressure application, the force output by the linear cylinder 31 is first transmitted to the adjustable connecting rod 42, then transmitted to the guide shaft 41 through the adjustable connecting rod 42, and finally acts on the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test. Because the central axes of the adjustable connecting rod 42 and the guide shaft 41 are aligned with the radial direction of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test, the entire load transfer process maintains good linearity, avoiding directional deviation during load transfer and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the test. In this embodiment, the adjustable link 42 and the guide shaft 41 can be connected by a detachable connection, such as a threaded connection. This allows for quick disassembly and replacement of the adjustable link when needed, so as to adapt to radial bearings 10a of air foil of different thicknesses or sizes by using adjustable links 42 of different lengths, thereby improving the versatility and adaptability of the test bench.

[0026] It should be noted that in some other embodiments of this disclosure, the adjustable connecting rod 42 may be omitted. In this case, the output end 32 of the linear cylinder 31 acts directly on the guide shaft 41, and then acts on the radial bearing 10a of the air foil to be tested through the guide shaft 41.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the output end 32 of the linear cylinder 31 is in point contact with the adjustable connecting rod 42. Specifically, the output end 32 of the linear cylinder 31 can be designed with a spherical head or a conical head to form a point contact with the adjustable connecting rod 42. This can automatically compensate for the relative error in the flatness between parts, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of force transmission.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the guide shaft 41 and the air foil radial bearing 10a are also in point contact. Specifically, the end 43 of the guide shaft 41 that is in contact with the air foil radial bearing 10a is also designed with a spherical or conical head to form a point contact with the outer surface of the air foil radial bearing 10a, so as to reduce the relative error of the flatness between the parts and thus improve the accuracy and stability of force transmission.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the displacement sensor 50 is an eddy current displacement sensor. Eddy current displacement sensors feature fast response, high accuracy, and high stability, enabling real-time monitoring of the displacement changes of the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under load, with measurement accuracy down to the micrometer level. Furthermore, the eddy current displacement sensor employs a non-contact measurement principle, avoiding interference to the bearing that might occur with contact measurements, thus ensuring the authenticity and reliability of the measurement results. It should be noted that in other embodiments of this disclosure, the eddy current displacement sensor can be replaced by other types of displacement sensors.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the pressure controller can be, for example, a precision pressure controller (GE PACE series), which employs the LabVIEW-DQMH software architecture. The LabVIEW-DQMH software architecture can precisely control the output pressure of the linear cylinder 31 to output a continuous and stable loading force to the radial bearing 10a of the air foil under test, demonstrating excellent stability in the displacement results of the radial bearing 10a under test under static load and different pressures. Furthermore, the LabVIEW-DQMH software architecture enables modular design of each functional component, effectively addressing the requirements for high scalability and asynchronous communication. Additionally, the data acquisition unit of the test bench according to this disclosure can employ the Gantner Q.bloxx data acquisition system. The Gantner Q.bloxx data acquisition system possesses powerful real-time processing capabilities and excellent integration, enabling high-frequency acquisition and storage of sensor data while reducing usage and maintenance costs.

[0031] Figure 3 and Figure 4 An air foil bearing static load test bench according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The illustrated embodiments and Figure 1 and Figure 2 The embodiments shown are basically the same. For the sake of brevity, the same technical features as in Embodiment 1 will not be described in the description of this embodiment. Only the differences between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 will be explained. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The static load test bench for air foil bearings shown in the embodiment is mainly used for air foil thrust bearings 10b.

[0032] like Figure 3 Zhihe Figure 4As shown, the linear cylinder 31 of the pressure application unit 30 is configured to apply pressure to the air foil thrust bearing 10b under test along the axial direction of the air foil thrust bearing 10b under test. In this embodiment, the bearing fixing unit 20 includes a fixed base mounted on the test bench base 20, and a shaft 21 supported by the fixed base. A fixing disk 22 is fixed on the shaft 21. The air foil thrust bearing 10b under test is mounted on a loading disk 23, which is connected to a guide shaft 41. The installation direction of the linear cylinder 31 is consistent with the axial direction of the air foil thrust bearing 10b under test, that is, along the direction of the central axis of the shaft 21. During testing, the air foil thrust bearing 10b to be tested is first installed on the loading plate 23, ensuring that the thrust surface of the air foil thrust bearing 10b is perpendicular to the direction of pressure application. Then, pressure is gradually applied along the axial direction of the air foil thrust bearing 10b by the linear cylinder 31, so that the air foil thrust bearing 10b is squeezed between the loading plate 23 and the fixed plate 22. At the same time, the axial displacement change of the air foil thrust bearing 10b is monitored. The data acquisition unit simultaneously collects the pressure data sensed by the pressure sensor 60 and the displacement data sensed by the displacement sensor unit 50. Then, the data is analyzed to verify the structural stiffness and damping coefficient of the air foil thrust bearing 10b under static load.

[0033] The static load test bench for air foil bearings described in the various embodiments of this disclosure employs a pressure controller to control a linear cylinder to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the air foil bearing under test along its radial or axial direction. The pressure controller precisely controls the magnitude of the pressure applied by the linear cylinder, thereby achieving automatic and precise loading of the bearing. Furthermore, this test bench has a compact structure, is easy to operate, and can accurately test the load-bearing capacity and deformation characteristics of air foil bearings, providing reliable test data for performance evaluation of air foil bearings.

[0034] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” as used herein do not exclude other elements or steps. Additionally, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A static load test bench for air foil bearings, characterized in that, The air foil bearing static load test bench includes: Test bench base; A bearing fixing unit is mounted on the test bench base and configured to fix the air foil bearing to be tested. A pressure application unit is mounted on the test bench base and configured to apply pressure to the air foil bearing under test; A pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure applied by the pressure application unit; A displacement sensor is mounted on the test bench base and configured to sense the displacement of the air foil bearing under test under the pressure applied by the pressure application unit. A data acquisition unit is configured to acquire data on the pressure applied by the pressure application unit and the displacement sensed by the displacement sensor; The pressure application unit includes a pressure controller and a linear cylinder mounted on the test bench base. The linear cylinder is configured to apply continuous and controllable pressure to the air foil bearing under test along the radial or axial direction under the control of the pressure controller.

2. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The static load test bench for air foil bearings also includes a guide mechanism located between the pressure application unit and the air foil bearing under test, the guide mechanism being configured to guide the pressure applied by the pressure application unit along the radial or axial direction of the air foil bearing under test.

3. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism includes a guide seat mounted on the test bench base and a guide shaft slidably connected to the guide seat. The central axis of the guide shaft is aligned with the radial or axial direction of the air foil bearing to be tested.

4. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to claim 3, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism also includes an adjustable link located on the side of the guide shaft near the pressure application unit and detachably connected to the guide shaft, wherein the central axis of the adjustable link is aligned with the central axis of the guide shaft.

5. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to claim 4, characterized in that, The output end of the linear cylinder is in point contact with the adjustable connecting rod.

6. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, The air foil bearing to be tested is an air foil radial bearing, and the linear cylinder is configured to apply pressure to the air foil radial bearing along the radial direction of the air foil radial bearing.

7. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to claim 6, characterized in that, The guide shaft and the radial bearing of the air foil are in point contact.

8. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The air foil bearing to be tested is an air foil thrust bearing, and the linear cylinder is configured to apply pressure to the air foil thrust bearing along the axial direction of the air foil thrust bearing.

9. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The displacement sensor is an eddy current displacement sensor.

10. The static load test bench for air foil bearings according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The controller adopts the LabVIEW-DQMH software architecture.

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