A fluid bearing uses a thin film of fluid, such as oil or air, to support the load placed on it, without any actual contact between parts. It is simpler and more durable than a mechanical bearing, but may consume more energy and be less efficient under shock conditions.
A fluid bearing is a type of bearing that has no parts that actually contact each other. A thin film of fluid, sometimes under pressure, instead serves to support the entire load placed on the bearing. A fluid bearing can use a number of different fluids, oil being the most common, although water and even air are used in some types of fluid bearing. Inherently simpler than other bearings, a fluid bearing has many advantages over a standard ball bearing, which relies on a series of round steel balls or rollers to support the load on the bearing.
Most bearings of all types are designed to allow a part to move within a housing part, usually by rotating or sliding in some way, such as a spindle rotating within a collar on a high speed lathe. high speed. Mechanical bearings, the most common of which is the ball bearing, rely on real moving parts to facilitate this movement. A fluid bearing, on the other hand, has no moving parts that make up the bearing itself, so movement between the two components is supported instead by a thin layer of liquid. A fluid bearing may be a sealed system or may require a pump to maintain fluid pressure within the bearing.
A fluid-powered bearing uses a pump to dispense liquid, and a fluid-powered bearing uses the movement of the parts themselves to draw liquid into the bearing. Some fluid dynamic bearings may also use an additional pump to deliver fluid during start or stop operations to eliminate wear. Fluid bearings are often pressurized as a function of the operation of the fluid delivery pump system. Some types of fluid bearings can even use air or gas as the fluid.
Standard mechanical bearings have many disadvantages compared to fluid bearings and few disadvantages. Fluid bearings are generally much quieter, show much less wear and tear, and can run for extremely long periods with little or no maintenance, provided the fluid film is maintained. Standard bearings tend to wear and fail, especially under high-speed conditions. A fluid film bearing at a hydroelectric turbine plant in Pennsylvania is a well-known example. The original bearing, itself weighing over two tons, has supported a total load of nearly 200 tons in continuous use since its installation in 1912.
Fluid bearings, however, often consume more energy due to the need for pumps to dispense the fluid, and do not perform well under conditions where shock can be delivered to the bearing. A severe shock to the bearing can cause fluid film breakdown and contact of surfaces which, under extreme conditions, can lead to catastrophic failure. A fluid bearing may also be slightly less efficient than a standard bearing under similar operating conditions due to the viscosity of the fluid used.
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