Free Webinar: Gas Bearings – Analysis, Testing, and Integration into Machinery
Join us Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. (U.S. Central Time)
Hosts: Aaron Rimpel and Jason Wilkes, Ph.D.
This webinar will introduce the fundamentals of lubrication theory as they apply to fluid-film bearings, highlighting the similarities and differences between liquid and gas-lubricated bearings. Gas bearings will also be compared to competing bearing technologies like rolling element and active magnetic bearings. General use cases for gas bearings will be covered, including applicable surface speeds and load ranges, working fluids, and common applications. The webinar will present design methodologies and discuss various methods to test gas bearings (component-level) and gas bearing machinery (system-level), including detailed descriptions of several test facilities developed at SwRI that were used to classify radial and thrust bearing power loss, bearing and shaft rotordynamics, influence of gas type and pressure, and load capabilities for various bearing geometries. The webinar will conclude with a brief discussion on common integration practices for gas bearings into various machine architectures, including manufacturing and precision, mounting and alignment, and cooling.
For more information, please contact Dorothea Martinez.