Multi-orifice active tilting-pad journal bearings—Harnessing of synergetic coupling effects

The dynamic performance of tilting-pad journal bearings with controllable radial oil injection is theoretically investigated, exploring the synergetic effect between passive elastohydrodynamics and active radial lubricant injection.The flexible tilting-pads are modelled as linearly elastic using finite elements. To reduce computational work, a pseudo-modal reduction is applied.Curves of dynamic bearing coefficients as well as the corresponding phase-magnitude plots are presented.Strong synergy between elastohydrodynamics and active control is observed, in particular for bearings with injection orifices far from the pivot line.