5-Axis AMB Suspension Design for 300 HP Industrial Compressor

This paper provides the design methodology, bearing geometries, and specifications for both the radial and axial AMBs as designed for an industrial 300 HP motor-blower unit. For each bearing design, the design principles and corresponding 1D circuit models are methodically presented and discussed. Next, the optimized bearing geometries and bearing properties are presented. The algorithms used by the design software, based on the 1D circuit model bearing analyses, refine the design process and verify the results using 2D finite element analysis (FEA). Based on calculated loads for the radial bearing and estimated loads for the thrust bearing, the radial AMB is designed for a load capacity of 2,000 N while the thrust bearing is designed for a load capacity of 3,000 N. The maximum rotational speed of the 200 KW unit is considered to be 21,000 rpm.