Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2013
Large thrust bearings are highly loaded machine elements and their failures cause seriouslosses. Start ups and stoppages of the bearing under load are specially critical regimesof operation. Load carrying capacity depends on the profile of the oil gap. In transientstates this profile is also changing. In the design of large thrust bearings minimizingthermo-elastic deformations is an important goal, which can be accomplished due toapplication of advanced models of the bearing. Modeling of transient states becomes evenmore complex since there is a dynamic development of temperature distribution anddeformations. Often hydrostatic jacking systems are also used. It seems to the authorsthat advanced bearing models are applied only in research and development of the bearingswhile very simple modeling is applied in on-line analysis of data from monitoring systems.Analysis of the measurement data with the use of more sophisticated models may be helpfulin assessment of current bearing status – especially in early warning. Material issuescreate a separate problem for modeling, being more important nowadays as polymer linedbearings come into use. The models used for polymer lined bearings require realistictreatment of heat exchange and resilience of the bearing surface layer.