Abstract: The bearing assembly is intended for application with rotor shafts in turbomachinery. The bearing assembly includes an annular bearing in which the shaft is disposed and a support structure for supporting the bearing. The bearing support is mounted about and radially supports the bearing. The bearing support at least in part defines a squeeze film annulus of the bearing assembly. A plurality of centering elements is associated with the bearing and bearing support and act to center the bearing within the squeeze film annulus. The centering elements are provided at radially spaced locations around the bearing. The centering elements may also be cylinder springs provided at uniformly spaced locations around the bearing. The centering elements may additionally be load cell springs provided at uniformly spaced locations around the bearing. In an alternative embodiment, a singular annular wave spring may be provided in place of the plurality of centering elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for restricting axial leakage flow along a rotating shaft comprises an abradable labyrinth seal and an adjacent damper seal. Normally, the abradable labyrinth is upstream of the damper seal and there is a plurality of labyrinth and damper seal segments adjacent and interleaved along the shaft.