Innovative Bearing Concepts For High Speed Rotating Machines

Based on the successful analytical and experimental Phase I effort, the MiTi Phase II effort will establish the detailed design of a high damping, high load capacity and robust debris tolerant compliant foil bearing technology for application to high speed rotating machinery including air cycle machines for use in modern military aircraft. The novel sealed, high capacity thrust and journal foil bearings are intended as direct replacements for the existing bearings, thereby minimizing and/or eliminating system redesign to accommodate the new bearings. Specifically, under Phase II, the preliminary MiTi sealed bearing designs will be updated and fabricated; a dynamic simulator and an actual advanced military fight class ACM will be tested with baseline and newly designed bearings under contamination and vibration shock environments to demonstrate improvements achieved with the novel MiTi bearings. A Phase II Option has been included to expand the vibration environment testing and to include endurance testing in support of more rapid use of the bearing technology in the field.