In this paper, the dynamics of tilting pad journal bearings with four and eight pads are studied and compared experimentally and numerically. The experiments are performed on a rigid vertical rotor supported by two identical bearings. Two sets of experiments are carried out under similar test setup. One set is performed on a rigid rotor with two four-pad bearings, while the other is on a rigid rotor with two eight-pad bearings. The dynamic properties of the two bearing types are compared with each other by studying the unbalance response of the system at different rotor speeds. Numerically, the test rig is modeled as a rigid rotor and the bearing coefficients are calculated based on Navier-Stokes equation. A nonlinear bearing model is developed and used in the steady state response simulation. The measured and simulated displacement and force orbits show similar patterns for both bearing types. Compared to the measurement, the simulated mean value and range (peak-to-peak amplitude) of the bearing force deviate with a maximum of 16 % and 38 %, respectively. It is concluded that, unlike the eight-pad TPJB, the four-pad TPJB excite the system at the third and fifth-order frequencies, which are due to the number of pads, and the amplitudes of these frequencies increase with the rotor speed.

No abstract

It has been documented that stiffness and damping for a four-pad bearing are dependent not only the magnitude of the load but also on the position of the rotor in the bearing. However, 8-pad bearings are not commonly employed on horizontal turbines, and the presence of several pads in the bearing will decisively affect the dynamics of the system. This paper evaluates the stiffness and damping coefficients of tilting-pad bearings with eight pads and explore the main frequencies acting on the forced response of a vertical rotor. The bearing properties were modeled as a function of eccentricity and position in the stationary coordinate system by Navier-Stokes equations whose results are taken from commercial software. The simulated unbalanced response is compared to experimental results; the changing position of the shaft produces a periodic stiffness and damping, which is dependent on the number of pads. Cross-coupled coefficients influence is discussed, showing that their absence makes an accurate model for the mean values. The results indicate that simulation of vertical rotors with 8-pad bearings can be simplified which allow more effective simulations and dynamic analysis.

In this work, the authors propose the use of technological resources to develop computational thinking following the steps or phases of problem-solving for first-year students. During the development of the activities using technological resources (Arduino board, sensors, electronic devices, and mBlock) the students carried out activities, such as algorithm development and programming of the Arduino board and sensors from a friendly and playful interface such as the mBlock, as well as the debugging of programs until obtaining the expected results. These activities had an impact on the cognitive processes, practices, and technological perspectives of the students. Causality has been shown to exist between computational thinking skills and problem-solving phases in an environment of engineering students entering college. For the analysis of the relationship between computational thinking skills and problem-solving, Pearson’s statistical correlation test was used through SPSS software.

No abstract