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Oil-Free Turbomachinery Technology for Rotorcraft Propulsion and Advanced Aerospace Propulsion and Power
Date: November 4, 2008, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Presented by: Dr. Chris DellaCorte, materials research engineer, NASA's Glenn Research Center
High-speed rotating shafts form the foundation of turbomachinery systems used for many aerospace power and propulsion applications.
Image to right: Cutaway of the world's first oil-free turbocharger.
Conventional oil-lubricated bearings limit speed, temperature and life
of aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and space-based power
generation turbines. Oil breaks down or burns at high temperatures, and
oil-lubricated ball bearings are inefficient at the high speeds desired
for new engines with enhanced capabilities. Rotorcraft engines are among
the most demanding applications for bearings because they must operate
with extreme reliability and the highest possible power density. The
lighter the engine for a given horsepower rating, the higher the power
density and the better the acceleration and fuel economy.
Recent breakthroughs in gas-lubricated foil bearings, high temperature
solid lubricants and computer based modeling enable the deployment of
revolutionary oil-free turbomachinery systems that weigh less and cost
less to operate and maintain.
This seminar describes the development path and supporting research to
apply oil-free bearing technology to future rotorcraft engines. In
addition, the benefits these technologies offer for supersonic,
hypersonic and long-life space nuclear power generation turbines will be
discussed.
+ See Full Technical Seminar Series Schedule
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