Optimization Numerically for Five-Pad Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings Design Based on Particle Swarm

Abstract

The design of five-pad tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJB) is complicated because of the uncertainty of design parameters that greatly affects the performance of TPJB. In this study, the numerical lubrication model is established to predict the performance of TPJB. Furthermore, a new optimal method combining the lubrication model and particle swarm method with a comprehensive target is brought out, which can obtain the optimal design parameters correctly and rapidly compared with the enumeration method. The performance of TPJB is better after optimization, especially the when the temperature and frictional coefficient decreased by about 31.1% and 35.8%, respectively. Moreover, different application scenarios of TPJB need different weight factor combinations in the comprehensive target, which is valuable for different design requirements.

Keywords:

• Tilting-pad journal bearings
• numerical lubrication model
• particle swarm
• comprehensive target

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).