Theoretical and experimental analysis of the centrifugal micro hydrodynamic axial-thrust bearing.

The novel centrifugal micro hydrodynamic axial-thrust bearing has been demonstrated to substantially mitigate the wear in hydrodynamic suspension micropumps. To further elevate the bearing performance, the flow mechanism is systematically analyzed via numerical simulations and experiments in this work. The effects of various properties of bearing on the performance are explored and explained. Results indicate that the load capacity augments with the growth of inlet-suction flow rate and with the reduction of rotational speed. Meanwhile, it initially decreases and then increases as fluid film thickness expands. Further, the bearing exhibits proper stiffness and adaptable anti-abrasion when thickness maintains 0.3 mm. This study provides a profound understanding of centrifugal micro hydrodynamic axial-Thrust bearing, and identifies its optimization measures. • The mechanism of bearing involves a combination of centrifugation and inlet-suction. • The effects of various properties of bearing on the performance are explored and explained. • The parameters are identified to optimize the bearing performance. • A novel measurement rig to assess the load capacity is proposed. • This bearing structure and its mechanism can also be extended to other mechanical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]