A thrust foil bearing 40 having a thrust bearing surface S formed by arranging a plurality of leaves 42 side by side in a circumferential direction, in which each of the leaves 42 has a top foil portion Tf that forms the thrust bearing surface S, and a ratio of a circumferential length A of the top foil portion Tf of one of the leaves 42 at a radially central position of the top foil portion Tf, to a radial length B from an inner diameter-side edge 423 to an outer diameter-side edge 424 of the top foil portion Tf is 0.66 or less.

A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a shaft configured to rotate during operation of the gas turbine engine, and a squeeze film damper radially outside the shaft. The squeeze film damper includes a cavity including a film of lubricant axially between first and second cavity seals, and further includes a reservoir fluidly coupled to the cavity. A method is also disclosed.

A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a shaft configured to rotate during operation of the gas turbine engine, and a squeeze film damper radially outside the shaft. The squeeze film damper includes a cavity including a film of lubricant axially between first and second cavity seals, and further includes a reservoir fluidly coupled to the cavity. A method is also disclosed.

The combined radial-axial turboexpander (1) comprises a casing (3) and a shaft (5) arranged in the casing (3) for rotation therein. A radial impeller (25) and an axial expansion wheel (43) are mounted on the shaft (5). The axial expansion wheel (43) is arranged downstream of the radial impeller (25). A working fluid expands sequentially in the radial impeller and in the axial expansion wheel.

The combined radial-axial turboexpander (1) comprises a casing (3) and a shaft (5) arranged in the casing (3) for rotation therein. A radial impeller (25) and an axial expansion wheel (43) are mounted on the shaft (5). The axial expansion wheel (43) is arranged downstream of the radial impeller (25). A working fluid expands sequentially in the radial impeller and in the axial expansion wheel.

A system and modular compressor for raising the pressure in production gas is disclosed, wherein in a set of compressor modules each second module is a rotor module carrying an impeller driven in rotation relative to an adjacent stationary module, a rotor module and a stationary module in combination providing a compressor stage in which production gas is accelerated through a flow duct that passes an interface between the rotor module and the stationary module, wherein at the interface at least one bearing for axial and/or radial load is provided for journaling the rotor module on the stationary module. The at least one bearing is a gas bearing, wherein a passage is arranged in the stationary module to lead an extracted portion of production gas at raised pressure from the compressor to the gas bearing(s).

A system and modular compressor for raising the pressure in production gas is disclosed, wherein in a set of compressor modules each second module is a rotor module carrying an impeller driven in rotation relative to an adjacent stationary module, a rotor module and a stationary module in combination providing a compressor stage in which production gas is accelerated through a flow duct that passes an interface between the rotor module and the stationary module, wherein at the interface at least one bearing for axial and/or radial load is provided for journaling the rotor module on the stationary module. The at least one bearing is a gas bearing, wherein a passage is arranged in the stationary module to lead an extracted portion of production gas at raised pressure from the compressor to the gas bearing(s).

An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. Primary and starter seal teeth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on seal teeth carrier on rotatable member. Non-rotatable face surface is mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region. Biasing means may include coil springs within spring chambers of circumferentially spaced cartridges. Tongues extend inwardly from spring chambers into grooves in slider.

The invention relates to a compressor machine (10; 10a), in particular a generator or a compressor unit for compressing a gas, comprising a shaft (12) which is arranged in a housing (18) so as to be able to rotate about a longitudinal axis (11) and which is mounted in at least two radial bearings (20, 22) and a thrust bearing (24), the radial bearings (20, 22) and/or the thrust bearing (24) being in the form of an aerodynamic or aerostatic bearing, the shaft (12) being at least indirectly connected to a compressor stage (15) or driving stage comprising an impeller wheel (13).

A bearing includes a thrust gas bearing attached to a journal bearing and two or more converging-diverging orifices defined in a surface of at least one of the thrust gas bearing and the journal bearing. The converging-diverging orifices supply at least one pressurized gas to an interior of the bearing. Hydrodynamic lifting grooves are provided on the faces of the thrust gas bearing and the journal bearing and provide improved load capacity and sealing capabilities. Control over the ratios of the pressurized gases provides for additional sealing capabilities and reduced leakage. A metal mesh damper provides increased damping of the gas bearing.