Flexure Pivot Thrust Bearings
Flexure Pivot tilt pad thrust bearings eliminate high contact stresses and pivot wear to extend bearing life over a wide range of speeds, loads and temperatures.
Tilt Pad Thrust Bearings
Tilt pad thrust bearings offer many parameters that can be tuned for optimum bearing performance.
Bearings Plus designs and manufactures self-equalizing bearings, where pads are connected by a system of leveling links, as well as non-equalizing thrust bearings, where each pad tilts independently.
For equipment susceptible to misalignment, the leveling links in a self-equalizing design can ensure equal distribution of the load across all pads.
Optimization
As with tilt pad journal bearings, tilt pad thrust bearing performance is optimized through the tilt pad style, number of pads, pad size, pivot offset, pad material, and lubrication type. Pad retainers hold the pads to the retainer for ease of installation.
Specialized Flexure Pivot® thrust bearings are also available as a compact tilt pad design – able to fit into the space of a thrust plate but with the ability to accommodate misalignment and increase load capacity. Flexure Pivot tilt pad technology also extends bearing life by eliminating the contact stresses of conventional pivots.
Technical Data
- Sizes to more than 910 mm (36″)
- Surface speeds up to 240 m/sec (800 ft/sec) at OD
- Unit loads up to 5.5 MPa (800 psi)
- Self equalizing and non-self equalizing designs
- Hydrostatic lift option
- Rocker back (dome/line contact), button back, ball and socket pivot designs
- Babbitt, copper, aluminum tin, or polymer material
- Instrumentation, such as temperature sensors and load cell system
Downloads
Ball and Socket Thrust Bearings
The full surface contact of the ball and socket pivot reduces stresses while providing stiffness and misalignment capability. Part of a self-equalizing design, the pads distribute loading evenly across the thrust assembly.
Polymer Thrust Bearings
Polymer-lined thrust bearings can expand bearing operating limits and increase reliability compared to babbitt bearings, allowing operation with high loads and temperatures or in low-viscosity fluids.
Bearing Repairs
Bearings Plus provides complete replacements, repair and rebabbitting for tilt pad and fixed profile bearings, all backed by robust quality inspections.
