Journal Bearing Demonstration
Model Number: TM25
Study journal bearing pressure distribution, oil film behavior, and critical whirl under varying speeds and loads.
Overview
This floor-standing apparatus allows students to study the performance of a journal bearing during different test conditions. It is a plain steel shaft encased in a clear acrylic shell and directly driven by an electric motor. The bearing is freely supported on the motor shaft and sealed with a rubber diaphragm. The clearance is especially large to clearly show the oil in the bearing. Supplied with the equipment is a container of suitable oil. A control unit adjusts the motor speed, which can run in both directions. A display shows the motor speed. An adjustable reservoir supplies oil to a low pressure region at both ends of the bearing. The bearing contains 12 equal-spaced pressure tappings around its circumference and four additional ones along its topside and on a vertical radial plane. All are connected by light and flexible plastic tubes to the rear manometer panel, to clearly show the pressure head of oil at all 16 points at all times. Students load the bearing by attaching weights (included) to arms connected to the bearing. A strong steel frame with a worktop holds the bearing, the motor, the manometer panel and the control unit.
Features
- Floor-standing journal bearing demonstration apparatus
- Plain steel shaft encased in a clear acrylic shell
- Direct-drive electric motor with adjustable speed control
- Motor runs in both directions with speed display
- Adjustable oil reservoir feeds both ends of the bearing
- 12 equal-spaced circumferential pressure tappings plus 4 additional tappings
- Rear manometer panel shows oil pressure head at all 16 points
- Weights and loading arms allow bearing loading
- Strong steel frame with integrated worktop
Specifications
- Configuration: floor-standing apparatus
- Shaft: plain steel shaft
- Bearing enclosure: clear acrylic shell
- Drive: directly driven electric motor
- Motor control: adjustable speed, reversible rotation
- Speed indication: motor speed display
- Oil supply: adjustable reservoir supplying oil to a low pressure region at both ends of the bearing
- Pressure measurement points: 16 total
- Circumferential pressure tappings: 12 equal-spaced
- Additional pressure tappings: 4 along the topside and on a vertical radial plane
- Pressure display: rear manometer panel connected by light, flexible plastic tubes
- Loading method: weights attached to arms connected to the bearing
- Frame: strong steel frame with worktop
Learning Outcomes
- Measuring pressure profiles for chosen conditions and plotting cartesian and polar pressure curves
- Measuring pressure profiles for chosen conditions and plotting the theoretical Sommerfeld curve
- Measurement of shaft speed and journal speed at the critical whirl
- Observation of oil wedge (film thickness) and eccentricity variations for different speeds and loads
- Observation of pressure profiles at different conditions
- Observation of critical bearing whirl
Add On Products
Items Included
- Journal bearing demonstration apparatus
- Plain steel shaft and clear acrylic bearing shell assembly
- Electric motor and control unit
- Motor speed display
- Rear manometer panel with connecting plastic tubes
- Adjustable oil reservoir
- Loading arms and weights
- Strong steel frame with worktop
- Container of suitable oil