Low-Cost Ball/Air/Magnetic Hybrid Bearing System for Extended-Life Micro Gas Turbine Engines

The Team of M-DOT Aerospace and University of Texas, Arlington propose to analyze, construct and test a 40 mm foil thrust bearing featuring a unique bump foil concept and top-foil profile designed by Dr. Daejong Kim. The design is simple, affording low production cost in high quantity. The design can be adapted for use on small gas turbines, small turbochargers and any small rotating machine that requires extreme speed, long life and suitable axial load capacity. The Phase I Base effort involves analyzing, building and testing a foil thrust bearing with 200N axial thrust capacity in either direction with estimated life exceeding 1000 hours at 100,000 rpm. A Phase II test engine will be selected and Phase II program planned. The Option effort involves preliminary modeling and analysis of an 8mm bore, hybrid bearing system suitable for use on the Phase II test engine. The Option effort will help alleviate potential Phase II hardware lead time issues. M-DOT is fully capable of mass producing the bearing in high quantity and has numerous products that will benefit from the development of this bearing including: microturbojets, turboalternators, micro turbochargers and small high-speed electric blowers for SOFC use.