FLUID FILM BEARINGS FUNDAMENTALS

TutorialBearings constitute one of the most critical components in turbo and rotating machinery today. Their influence on the rotordynamic performance, life, and reliability of the machine cannot be ignored. Many of the problems we face with machinery today can be attributed to the design and application of the bearings. An understanding of how bearings work and some knowledge of the basic principles that underline their operation is therefore essential for making the proper choice for the particular design that best matches the service requirements of the machine in question. Even after the machine is designed and placed in operation, changes or modifications to the bearings constitute one of the most effective, direct, and economical means to alter and improve the machine’s dynamic performance