Abstract: A hydrostatic bearing support for a rotor includes a bearing, and a mounting for the bearing affording a clearance space between the rotor and the bearing. A hydrostatic feed pocket is carried by the mounting for receiving a fluid under pressure and supplying the fluid under pressure into the clearance space to provide a fluid film between the bearing and the mounting. A pump supplies fluid under pressure to the pocket. A pressure fluctuation damper is disposed between the pump and the pocket enabling the fluid to provide a bearing support having simultaneously a low dynamic stiffness for damping rotor vibration and a high static stiffness for locating the bearing relative to mounting.

Abstract: Pressure sensing ports opening through the fares of tapered land thrust bearing pads are sized and located to afford a pressure proportional to the average pressure of the load along such surfaces in the radial and circumferential directions. The pressure sensing ports are preferably located 5/8 the circumferential extent of the pad from its leading edge and approximately midway between the inner and outer diameters. The circumferential extent of the slot is sized to approximate 1/12 of the arc length of the pad while its radial extent approximates 1/4 the radial distance between the inner and outer diameters.

Abstract: An improved fluid film bearing having a squeeze film damper tailored to the dynamic vibration characteristics of a turbomachine. Compact cantilevered spring bars support the squeeze film damper and thin fluid film bearing surface against the rotor shaft. The spring bars fit compactly within the bearing. The squeeze film damper includes oil plenums that provide a reservoir of fluid and prevent air from entering the damper and thin fluid film.

Abstract: A hybrid bearing for a horizontal rotatable shaft includes an upper portion which is essentially a half section of a fixed arc journal bearing. The lower portion of the bearing is essentially the lower portion of a tilting pad bearing. Appropriate modifications are made to the oil film and drain lines and other peripheral elements to accommodate the hybrid nature of the bearing. The resultant bearing has the low power loss characteristics of the journal bearing, and additionally, the stability characteristics of a tilting pad bearing.

Abstract: A tilting pad journal bearing in which the bearing contributes to vibration damping of the supported rotating part without the necessity of substantially preloading the pads against the journal. In a preferred embodiment for a horizontally mounted shaft, the upper, lesser loaded pads are preloaded lightly against the journal by supplying lubricating oil at low pressure to a narrow interstitial space between each such preloaded pad and the bearing casing. In operation, the interstitial space acts as a flow restriction means to prevent a rapid outflow of oil, restricting the pad and shaft from sudden, vibratory movements.

Abstract: A spring-mounted thrust bearing having pads that are immersed in lubricant and provided with coolant-distributing grooves in the face of each thrust pad is combined with a high pressure pumping means connected to force a flow of coolant between the thrust pad bearing surfaces and an associated runner surface in a high volume that is between 1/3 and 1/2 the flow rate of lubricant that is swept between those surfaces by normal relative rotation of the surfaces.