Bearing Outside Ring Drainage Orifice Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary shaft bearings in turbomachines face challenges in effectively draining lubricant, leading to accumulation of waste, which reduces service life and interferes with vibration absorption and temperature management, making it difficult to simplify the lubricant removal process without disturbing the dynamic absorption of vibrations.
Innovation Solution
An outside ring design with through-holes acting as lubricant drainage orifices, positioned between the inside and outside surfaces of the guiding edge, allowing for independent lubricant drainage without affecting the squeeze film and vibration absorption, with optional multiple orifices and varying orientations to adapt to different operating speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If drainage orifices are arranged in the outside ring to drain lubricant, then waste accumulation is reduced, but the lubricant removal circuit becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage function is segmented from the main outside ring body and integrated into the guiding edge structure. The guiding edge is divided into a first portion (protruding from the inner surface) and a second portion (forming the drainage orifice), allowing lubricant to drain through the guiding edge itself rather than requiring separate drainage paths through the entire outside ring.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage function is merged with the guiding edge structure. The guiding edge serves dual purposes: guiding the rolling elements and providing a pathway for lubricant drainage. This integration eliminates the need for separate drainage circuits while maintaining effective waste removal.
2Reliability
If the outside ring is firmly fixed to the casing with an annular clearance for vibration absorption, then dynamic vibration absorption is improved, but lubricant drainage becomes disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage path is relocated from the radial dimension (through the outside ring body) to the axial dimension (through the guiding edge protrusion). The drainage orifice is formed in the first guiding edge that protrudes from the inner surface, creating a three-dimensional drainage pathway that does not interfere with the annular clearance and squeeze film formation between the outside ring outer surface and the casing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables effective lubricant drainage, reducing waste accumulation, improving vibration absorption, and simplifying the cooling system, while maintaining the dynamic absorption of vibrations and reducing temperature differences between the inside and outside rings.
Implementation Method 1
A film of lubricant, present on the outer surface and in the annular clearance, can make it possible in this case to dynamically absorb the vibrations of the outside ring in the radial direction relative to the axis of the turbomachine rotary shaft which is generally the main longitudinal axis of the turbomachine. This film of lubricant is also known as 'squeeze film'.
Implementation Method 2
the through-hole defining a lubricant drainage orifice
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an outside ring of a rotary shaft bearing of a turbomachine, comprising a first guiding edge of at least one rolling element, the first guiding edge comprising an inside surface of the first guiding edge, an outside surface of the first guiding edge opposite the inside surface and at least one through-hole passing through the inside surface and the outside surface.Moreover, the inside surface of the first guiding edge forms a shoulder for guiding the rolling element, the through-hole defining a lubricant drainage orifice.