High load capacity hybrid foil bearing

Abstract

A bearing includes a bearing sleeve with a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion. A bump foil extends along an inner face of the first portion of the bearing sleeve and a metal mesh extends along an inner face of the second portion of the bearing sleeve. A top foil extends along an inner face of the bump foil of the first portion and the metal mesh of the second portion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A bearing comprising:
 a bearing sleeve with a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion; 
 a bump foil extending along an inner face of the first portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 a metal mesh extending along an inner face of the second portion of the bearing sleeve; and 
 a top foil extending along an inner face of the bump foil of the first portion and the metal mesh of the second portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The bearing of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a third portion in the bearing sleeve adjacent to the second portion; and 
 a bump foil extending along an inner face of the third portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 wherein the top foil extends along an inner face of the bump foil of the third portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The bearing of  claim 2 , wherein the bearing sleeve has a first wall thickness at the first portion and the third portion that is greater than a second wall thickness at the second portion. 
     
     
       4. The bearing of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a third portion in the bearing sleeve adjacent to the first portion; and 
 a metal mesh extending along an inner face of the third portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 wherein the top foil extends along an inner face of the metal mesh of the third portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The bearing of  claim 4 , wherein the bearing sleeve has a first wall thickness at the first portion and the third portion that is lesser than a second wall thickness at the second portion. 
     
     
       6. The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein the bump foil has a first section having corrugations with a first size and a second section having corrugations with a second size, wherein the first size is larger than the second size. 
     
     
       7. The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein the bump foil is a first bump foil and further comprising:
 a second bump foil extending along an inner face of the first bump foil, wherein the first bump foil and the second bump foil have different sized corrugations. 
 
     
     
       8. A rotary machine comprising:
 a shaft that is configured to rotate in the rotary machine; 
 a stationary component positioned outward from the shaft; and 
 a hybrid foil bearing positioned between the shaft and the stationary component, wherein the hybrid foil bearing has a first bump foil portion and a first metal mesh portion adjacent to the first bump foil portion. 
 
     
     
       9. The rotary machine of  claim 8 , wherein the hybrid foil bearing further comprises:
 a bearing sleeve with the first bump foil portion and the first metal mesh portion; 
 a first bump foil positioned in the first bump foil portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 a first metal mesh positioned in the first metal mesh portion of the bearing sleeve; and 
 a top foil extending along an inner face of the first bump foil in the first bump foil portion and the first metal mesh in the first metal mesh portion. 
 
     
     
       10. The rotary machine of  claim 9 , wherein the hybrid foil bearing further comprises:
 a second bump foil portion in the bearing sleeve adjacent to the first metal mesh portion; and 
 a second bump foil extending along an inner face of the second bump foil portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 wherein the top foil extends along an inner face of the second bump foil of the second bump foil portion. 
 
     
     
       11. The rotary machine of  claim 9 , wherein the hybrid foil bearing further comprises:
 a second metal mesh portion in the bearing sleeve adjacent to the first bump foil portion; and 
 a second metal mesh extending along an inner face of the second metal mesh portion of the bearing sleeve; 
 wherein the top foil extends along an inner face of the second metal mesh of the second metal mesh portion. 
 
     
     
       12. The rotary machine of  claim 9 , wherein the first bump foil has a first section having corrugations with a first size and a second section having corrugations with a second size, wherein the first size is larger than the second size. 
     
     
       13. The rotary machine of  claim 9 , wherein the hybrid foil bearing further comprises:
 a second bump foil extending along an inner face of the first bump foil, wherein the first bump foil and the second bump foil have different sized corrugations. 
 
     
     
       14. The rotary machine of  claim 8 , and further comprising:
 a tie rod extending along a central axis of the rotary machine, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate with the tie rod; 
 a compressor section including a compressor inlet, a compressor outlet, and a compressor rotor, wherein the compressor rotor is configured to rotate with the tie rod; and 
 a motor including a motor housing, a motor stator, and a motor rotor. 
 
     
     
       15. The rotary machine of  claim 8 , and further comprising:
 a tie rod extending along a central axis of the rotary machine, wherein the shaft is configured to rotate with the tie rod; 
 a fan section with a fan inlet, a fan outlet, and a fan rotor, wherein the fan rotor is configured to rotate with the tie rod; 
 a compressor section including a compressor inlet, a compressor outlet, and a compressor rotor, wherein the compressor rotor is configured to rotate with the tie rod; 
 a first turbine section including a first turbine inlet, a first turbine outlet, and a first turbine rotor, wherein the first turbine rotor is configured to rotate with the tie rod; and 
 a second turbine section including a second turbine inlet, a second turbine outlet, and a second turbine rotor, wherein the second turbine rotor is configured to rotate with the tie rod.