A gas dynamic pressure bearing includes a shaft centered on a central axis extending in an up-down direction, and a sleeve that faces at least a portion of the shaft in a radial direction. The portion in which the sleeve and the shaft face each other in the radial direction includes a first dynamic pressure portion at each of both ends in the axial direction, and a second dynamic pressure portion between the first dynamic pressure portions. In the first dynamic pressure portion, one of the sleeve and the shaft includes dynamic pressure grooves arranged in a circumferential direction. A sum of center angles of groove widths of the dynamic pressure grooves in a cross-section cut along a plane orthogonal to the central axis is about 144 or more and about 216 or less.

A turbine and a turbine-generator device for use in electricity generation. The turbine has a universal design and so may be relatively easily modified for use in connection with generators having a rated power output in the range of 50 KW to 5 MW. Such modifications are achieved, in part, through use of a modular turbine cartridge built up of discrete rotor and stator plates sized for the desired application with turbine brush seals chosen to accommodate radial rotor movements from the supported generator. The cartridge may be installed and removed from the turbine relatively easily for maintenance or rebuilding. The rotor housing is designed to be relatively easily machined to dimensions that meet desired operating parameters.

The present invention provides a protective structure for a magnetic bearing and a magnetic bearing assembly. The protective structure for a magnetic bearing comprises: a first radial bearing protective component, sleeved on a shaft and in a position corresponding to a magnetic bearing, a first gap being radially formed between the first radial bearing protective component and the shaft; and a second radial bearing protective component, sleeved on the shaft and in a position corresponding to the magnetic bearing, a second gap being radially formed between the second radial bearing protective component and the shaft; the height of a working gap being greater than the height of the second gap, the height of the second gap being greater than the height of the first gap. The protective structure for the magnetic bearing and the magnetic bearing assembly effectively solve the problem of lower security between a magnetic bearing and a shaft, since a protective structure for the magnetic bearing is prone to failure in the prior art.

A turbine and a turbine-generator device for use in electricity generation. The turbine has a universal design and so may be relatively easily modified for use in connection with generators having a rated power output in the range of 50 KW to 5 MW. Such modifications are achieved, in part, through use of a modular turbine cartridge built up of discrete rotor and stator plates sized for the desired application with turbine brush seals chosen to accommodate radial rotor movements from the supported generator. The cartridge may be installed and removed from the turbine relatively easily for maintenance or rebuilding. The rotor housing is designed to be relatively easily machined to dimensions that meet desired operating parameters.

Disclosed herein is a motor including a bearing in which a rolling member is disposed between an inner ring and an outer ring, a spring connected to the outer ring, and a pusher connected to the spring to be retracted to a first position spaced apart from the inner ring by the spring, and to be advanced to a second position at which friction with the inner ring is caused by a pressure of air acting on a pressure surface when the pressure surface on which the pressure of air flowing by the impeller acts is formed, wherein the inner ring is spaced apart from the rotating shaft by a gap formed between the inner ring and the rotating shaft when the pusher is at the second position.

A centrifugal compressor includes a casing, an impeller, a motor, a diffuser, a magnetic bearing, and a magnetic bearing backup system including at least one dynamic gas bearing and at least one hydrostatic gas bearing. The impeller is attached to a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis. The motor is configured and arranged to rotate the shaft in order to rotate the impeller. The magnetic bearing rotatably supports the shaft. The magnetic bearing backup system is configured and arranged to support the shaft when the magnetic bearing stops operating. The at least one dynamic gas bearing and the at least one hydrostatic gas bearing of the magnetic bearing backup system are disposed radially inwardly relative to the magnetic bearing.

A downhole-type system includes a rotatable rotor, a magnetic thrust bearing coupled to the rotor, and a mechanical thrust bearing coupled to the rotor. The magnetic thrust bearing is configured to support a first portion of an axial load of the rotor during rotor rotation, and the mechanical thrust bearing is configured to support a second portion of the axial load of the rotor during rotor rotation.

A hydrodynamic or liquid metal or bearing structure for an x-ray tube and associated process for operating the bearing structure is provided that includes a bearing shaft rotatably disposed in a bearing housing or sleeve. Adjacent but separated by a gap from the portion of the sleeve enclosing the thrust flange is located an electromagnet. The electromagnet can be selectively operated in order to exert a magnetic force upon a permanent magnet disposed within the sleeve on the opposite side of the gap. The force exerted on the permanent magnet in the sleeve causes the sleeve to move axially along the shaft, such that the sleeve can engage one side of the thrust flange, landing the sleeve against the thrust bearing/surface to greatly reduce the wear on the sleeve as the sleeve rotation slows.

An integrated journal bearing (IJB) includes a shaft extending in an axial direction, a housing through which the shaft extends in the axial direction, the housing surrounding the shaft in a radial direction, an active magnetic bearing (AMB) arranged within the housing and surrounding the shaft in the radial direction, and at least a first fluid film journal bearing (JB) arranged within the housing and surrounding the shaft in the radial direction. The first JB is axially adjacent to the AMB such that first JB and the AMB do not share a common radial clearance, while both are commonly flooded with oil. A controller in signal communication with the AMB can be variously configured to supply current thereto to operate the AMB by controlling a magnetic force generated thereby.

A magnetic bearing may include an inner ring and an outer ring arranged concentrically. The inner ring and the outer ring may be mounted rotatably relative to each other by way of axial and radial magnets. The magnetic bearing may also include a back-up bearing, which is integrated into at least one of the outer ring or the inner ring both in an axial direction and in a radial direction. The outer ring may be multipiece and may include a recess that opens inwards and receives the inner ring. Further, the back-up bearing may be made of aluminum, austenitic steel, bronze, or ceramic, and the back-up bearing may operate as a shielding device that shields magnetic fields emitted by the axial and radial magnets from one another.