A bearing assembly for stabilizing rotation of a rotatable element includes a gas bearing acting as a bearing for the rotatable element. An ultrasonic vibration pump is coupled to the gas bearing for providing pressurized gas to the gas bearing, and a sealed housing encloses the gas bearing and the ultrasonic vibration pump. Also described is a reaction wheel assembly for a spacecraft. The reaction wheel assembly includes a reaction wheel and the bearing assembly for stabilizing rotation of the reaction wheel.

A circumferential seal assembly suitable for forming a thin film between a rotatable runner and a sealing ring is presented. The assembly includes an annular seal housing, a rotatable runner, an annular seal ring, and a plurality of groove structures. Each groove structure includes a groove and an optional feed groove. The groove includes at least two adjoining steps defined by base walls arranged to decrease depthwise. Two adjoining base walls are disposed about a base shoulder. Each base shoulder locally redirects a longitudinal flow to form an outward radial flow in the direction of the annular seal ring. The base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls. A side wall includes at least one side shoulder which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects the longitudinal flow to form a lateral flow in the direction of the other side wall. Outward and lateral flows separately or in combination enhance stiffness of a thin-film layer between the annular seal ring and the rotatable runner.

A circumferential seal assembly suitable for forming a thin film between a rotatable runner and a sealing ring is presented. The assembly includes an annular seal housing, a rotatable runner, an annular seal ring, and a plurality of groove structures. Each groove structure includes a groove and an optional feed groove. The groove includes at least two adjoining steps defined by base walls arranged to decrease depthwise. Two adjoining base walls are disposed about a base shoulder. Each base shoulder locally redirects a longitudinal flow to form an outward radial flow in the direction of the annular seal ring. The base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls. A side wall includes side shoulders which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects the longitudinal flow to form a lateral flow in the direction of the other side wall. Outward and lateral flows separately or in combination enhance stiffness of a thin-film layer between the annular seal ring and the rotatable runner.

An electric motor or driven machine including a structure; a stator device fixed at the structure; a rotor device including an outer circumference; and a rotor shaft coupled or couplable to the rotor device for torque transmission and supported rotatable about an axis of rotation and substantially axially fixed in or on the structure, wherein the rotor device is axially supported proximal to its outer circumference in an axis-parallel direction by an aerostatic bearing including a stator-side bearing surface formed on the stator device and a rotor-side bearing surface formed on the rotor device and a bearing gap formed between the stator side bearing surface and the rotor side bearing surface, wherein the rotor device is formed by a rotor disc, wherein circumferentially spaced and radially extending permanent magnets of an electromagnetic operating device are provided at the rotor disk, radially inside from the aerostatic bearing.

In one aspect, an improved electric transmission assembly is provided that includes a hydrodynamic bearing. The electric transmission assembly includes a stator arranged inside of an outer housing. A rotor is configured to be rotatably driven by the stator. The rotor can include a rotor shaft having a first gear configured to driveably engage with a differential. A hydrodynamic bearing is arranged between the rotor shaft and the outer housing. The hydrodynamic bearing is formed from a non-conductive material. Specifically, the hydrodynamic bearing can be formed from a polymeric or plastic material. In one aspect, the hydrodynamic bearing is formed from a non-metallic material.

The present invention provides a magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing experiment table. In the experiment table, four blind holes are uniformly processed on left and right side surfaces of the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing; four countersunk through holes are uniformly processed on left side surfaces of the left supporting part of the fixed bracket and the right supporting part of the fixed bracket, and the radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are fixedly connected to the upper end of the left supporting part of the fixed bracket by countersunk screws. In addition, the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are processed with stops to ensure that the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are concentric with the left supporting part of the fixed bracket and the right supporting part of the fixed bracket.

The present invention provides a magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing experiment table. In the experiment table, four blind holes are uniformly processed on left and right side surfaces of the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing; four countersunk through holes are uniformly processed on left side surfaces of the left supporting part of the fixed bracket and the right supporting part of the fixed bracket, and the radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are fixedly connected to the upper end of the left supporting part of the fixed bracket by countersunk screws. In addition, the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are processed with stops to ensure that the two radial stators for magnetic-hydraulic double-suspension bearing are concentric with the left supporting part of the fixed bracket and the right supporting part of the fixed bracket.

A bearing assembly may include a first bearing ring, a second bearing ring, and at least one row of rolling elements having a plurality of rolling elements that are disposed so as to be capable of rolling on a first raceway of the first bearing ring and on a second raceway of the second bearing ring. At least one hydrostatically supported first sliding bearing segment may be disposed on the first bearing ring. Further, the hydrostatically supported first sliding bearing segment may interact with a first bearing face that is disposed on the second bearing ring. The hydrostatically supported first sliding bearing segment may be mounted so as to be movable in a movement direction that is perpendicular to the first bearing face.

An intershaft seal assembly for maintaining separation between a piston ring and a pair of mating rings is presented. The assembly includes a piston ring interposed between forward and aft mating rings and a plurality of hydrodynamic grooves disposed along a sealing face of each mating ring. Each hydrodynamic groove further includes at least two adjoining steps wherein each step is defined by a base wall arranged to decrease depthwise in the direction opposite to rotation of an inner shaft. Two adjoining base walls define a base shoulder which locally redirects potion of a longitudinal flow within the groove to form an outward flow in the direction of the piston ring. Base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls with at least one side shoulder thereon which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects portion of the longitudinal flow to form a lateral flow from one side wall toward another side wall. Outward and lateral flows cooperate, with or without the longitudinal flow, to increase fluid pressure and maintain separation between the piston ring and the mating rings.

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a compressor with a gas bearing supplied with compressed gas and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the gas bearing, determine a maximum speed limit based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and prevent the compressor from operating at a speed that is greater than the maximum speed limit. A method of controlling a compressor includes calculating a maximum speed limit based on an inlet pressure and an outlet pressure of the gas bearing. The method also includes in response to determining that a speed setting is greater than the maximum speed limit, adjusting operation of the compressor such that a speed of the compressor is at or below the maximum speed limit.