High Temperature Solid Lubricant Coatings for Air Foil Bearings

ABSTRACT: Under Phase I MiTi selected the foil bearing/coating system for application to advanced gas turbine engines and prepared the preliminary Phase II engine simulator design to demonstrate the robustness of the bearing and coating system. The objective of Phase II is to continue development of a robust foil bearing/coating system for application to the LibertyWorks high mach engine missile engine. The selected foil bearing/coating system will demonstrate stable operation at realistic radial loads and surface speeds both at startup and in operation. The specific objectives of this Phase II program are therefore to: 1) Conduct additional tribological testing to further demonstrate bearing system robustness; 2) Design a foil bearing and coating to accommodate the advanced gas turbine engine environment; 3) Design and fabricate a dynamic simulator of the LibertyWorks engine to validate the foil bearing/coating system; 4) Test the foil bearing/coating system to demonstrate its ability to successfully meet LibertyWorks engine requirements; 5) Review the test data and refine the bearing/coating system for use in the LibertyWorks engine demonstrator rig; 6) Fabricate and deliver a foil bearing to LibertyWorks and 7) prepare the final report. BENEFIT: This effort will directly support the US Air Force VAATE initiative for propulsion systems and components to enhance advanced gas turbine engine performance normalized to cost and specifically the LibertyWorks RATTLRS engine. Research performed during this SBIR will result in new design capabilities and methodologies for wide ranging applications such as Integrated Power Units (IPU), gas turbine engines for use in UAVs, missiles, drones and both General and Regional Aviation aircraft. Key markets for the foreseeable future that will be served by foil bearings will include energy and environmental areas, including turbine powered generators as well as waste heat recovery systems and compressors for transportation and delivery of natural or/or hydrogen gas. This technology will also support MiTi"s current oil-free compressors, blowers for wastewater treatment and high speed drive motors.