Design and Development of a High-Speed Bearing Test Apparatus

Abstract A bearing test apparatus was developed to test high-speed rolling element bearings such as the main-shaft bearings of gas turbine engines. The apparatus design was focused on the evaluation of the lubrication characteristics of bearings in an environment similar to that of gas turbine engines, such as the same bearing support structure, the lubrication method, the squeeze film damper, and the operating conditions. Using the module design of the system, both ball and roller bearings can be tested, and the bearings can be tested up to 42 000 rpm and 19 600 N axial and 1960 N radial load. The testing was successively carried out with the bearings up to 30 000 rpm.