Bump-type foil bearing, 2D finite element model

Gas foil bearing technology has made significant progress during the last 30 years. Foil bearings fulfill most of the requirements of novel oil-free turbomachinery. Numerical calculations were conducted to determine the structural stiffness of commercially available bump-type foil bearings. A 2D FE model of foil bearing was prepared. The top foil deflections versus applied force were calculated numerically. The numerical results were compared with experimental results.