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New Way® Gas Tilting Pad Bearings Offer Oil-Free Solution to Turbomachinery Market

 

Non-Contact, Oil-Free Solution for Turbomachinery

For years, hydrodynamic fluid film sleeve and tilting pad oil bearings have been the technology of choice for many types of turbomachinery. The turbomachinery industry requires oil-free bearing solutions for its higher-efficiency systems. Externally Pressurized Porous (EPP) Gas Tilting Pad Bearings from New Way provide non-contact, oil-free operation, offering all the benefits of Frictionless Motion®️ for high energy, rotating equipment applications.

Unlike conventional tilting pad bearing designs that use oil, the New Way EPP Gas Tilting Pad Bearings combine proven Bently BearingTM Technology with its own proprietary Porous Media™ Technology that utilizes gas instead of oil lubrication to eliminate contact on the bearing surface. The result is a bearing that operates with:

  • No wear (frictionless)
  • No dry running at start-up
  • Higher speeds without heat
  • Low air flow
  • Extremely high-temperature capability
  • Lower maintenance
  • Process gas in the bearing gap

New Way EPP Gas Tilt Pad Bearings also continue to run hydrodynamically even if air supply stops. Employing the same mounts as most hydrodynamic oil-based bearings, New Way EPP Gas Tilting Pad Bearings allow for adjustable stiffness and damping through the use of external gas pressure, and support easy retrofits of existing equipment. A variety of input gases can be used including air and process gas. While typically constructed of porous carbon graphite, carbon, or silicon carbide materials, New Way EPP Gas Tilting Pad Bearings are optionally manufactured in ceramic matrix composites as well as custom materials to accommodate higher temperatures and more extreme conditions.

Below is a comparison of performance characteristics of traditional tilting pad oil journal and pressurized gas bearings:

Performance Characteristic

Tilting Pad Oil Journal Bearings

Pressurized Gas

Friction at Start Yes No
Heat Generation High Low or non- existing
Process Compatibility Fair Excellent
Shear/Loss and Speed Fair Excellent
Load Capacity Excellent Excellent
Damping Good Excellent

New Way EPP Gas Tilting Pad Bearings, are ideal for pumps, compressors, generators, motors, turboexpanders, test rigs, and other types of turbomachinery. Taking the same space as hydrodynamic oil bearings and less complex than magnetic bearings while not requiring back-up units, EPP Tilting Pad Bearings are ideal substitutes for retrofit applications. These air bearings also serve as replacements to sleeve bearings and roller bearings.

Check out the New Way EPP Gas Tilting Pad Bearings in action at https://bentlybearings.com/media/. For more information on tilting pad bearing theory, visit the New Way website.

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