Vertical axial plain bearing test bench

In the vertical thrust bearing test rig at the ITR, different thrust bearings can be tested using hydrostatic load application. Different loads are applied at varying speeds for investigations. The test rig is instrumented to record basic bearing parameters. The tilting of the shaft is recorded by three displacement sensors mounted on the stator side.

The investigations on the thrust bearing test rig are used on the one hand to validate and verify calculations for bearing models and on the other hand to investigate special bearings close to the application. In addition to measuring the lubrication conditions of the test bearing, temperatures are recorded at predefined points on the segments and the test force is recorded by three piezo sensors offset by 120°. The torque loss at the test bearing is recorded using a torque scale. In addition to sensors in the test bearing, the shaft can be instrumented to determine the lubrication gap height and pressure as well as the temperature in the thrust washer.

Essential test bench data: