Applications

TURBINES

TURBINES

Gas and steam turbines typically make use of tilting pad journal and thrust bearings, either separately or in combined set, depending on their size. Directed lubrication is commonly applied to minimize power losses, regulate the oil flows, and reduce the temperatures of pad surface. For gas turbines, the requirement of high-speed and high-load often need to use of Cu/Cr backing materials and reliable pivoting mechanisms.


Why Use Tilting Pad Bearings in Turbines?


1. Superior Dynamic Stability at High Speed

Gas and steam turbines operate at speeds ranging from 3,000 to over 30,000 rpm. Traditional fixed-geometry bearings may experience oil whirl or instability at such speeds.
Tilting pad journal bearings eliminate this risk by allowing each pad to pivot freely, maintaining a stable hydrodynamic oil film regardless of speed or misalignment.


2. Reliable Axial Load Support

In many turbine systems, especially those with high axial thrust (e.g., condensing steam turbines), tilting pad thrust bearings are critical. They maintain rotor alignment under heavy axial forces, reducing wear on other mechanical components and ensuring smooth, vibration-free operation.


3. Adaptability to Thermal Expansion

Turbine systems are subject to extreme temperature changes during startup, operation, and shutdown. The tilting pad design allows for controlled thermal expansion and contraction, reducing the risk of binding or misalignment, and extending bearing service life.


4. Directed Lubrication for Thermal Efficiency

To manage the significant heat generated in turbine operation, our bearings are compatible with directed lubrication systems, which:

  • Deliver oil precisely to the leading edge of each pad

  • Reduce power losses and oil consumption

  • Keep bearing surface temperatures within safe limits


Typical Applications in Turbine Systems


Turbine TypeBearing FunctionRecommended Solution
Gas TurbinesHigh-speed rotor stabilityTilting Pad Journal Bearings with offset pivots
Steam TurbinesHeavy axial load & radial supportCombined Tilting Pad Journal + Thrust Bearings
Cogeneration / CHPCompact support for multi-direction loadsCustom integrated bearing units
Power GenerationLong duty cycles, minimal downtimeHigh-load Babbitt-faced thrust bearings
Turbine RetrofitsReplacement of legacy designsDrop-in compatible designs with upgraded materials


Custom Design Capabilities


At Journal Bearings, we offer complete OEM & retrofit solutions, including:

  • Center or offset pivot pad design

  • 4, 5, or 6 pad configurations

  • High-strength steel housings with babbitt-faced pads

  • Optional Cu/Cr or polymer backing for enhanced load and thermal performance

  • 3D modeling and hydrodynamic analysis reports within 3–5 working days


Performance Advantages


  • Reduced vibration and rotor instability

  • Increased load capacity under axial and radial stress

  • Enhanced heat dissipation with directed oil flow

  • Extended bearing life in severe-duty applications

  • Modular, maintainable design for quick inspection and service


Work With the Turbine Bearing Experts


With decades of experience and a focus on high-speed, high-performance bearing systems, Journal Bearings is your trusted partner in turbine bearing solutions. Whether you require separate or combined tilting pad journal and thrust bearings, we deliver products engineered for precision, reliability, and performance.


Request a technical proposal today. Let us help you increase turbine uptime, improve efficiency, and reduce total lifecycle cost—with bearings that are built to perform.


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FAQ

Q:How is the product packaged?

A:Standard export packing with plastic bag inside and plastic foam material to protect bearings, outside with plywooden case.

Q:Is there any quality inspection before delivery?

A:All parts before assembly will be measured. Only quality parts will be assembled into the bearings. When bearing is ready, we will do strict quality inspection before delivery.

Q:What are the usual loading port?

A:Usually we ship goods from Shanghai, and Ningbo port. We could also make shipment depend on your needs.

Q:Can you deliver the goods on time?

A:From raw material to machined parts, we produce by ourselves, so we could control the delivery time.

Q:Can I visit your factory?

A:Customers from all over the world are welcomed to our factory. We will show you our production in our factory.

Q:What’s the MOQ?

A:MOQ is one pcs.

Q:Can you customize the tilting pad bearing according to my requirement?

A:With a professional skilled and dedicated research team, we could produce special bearings designed precisely to customer’s need, whatever you supply us samples or drawings to us

Q:How can I contact with you by efficient way?

A:You could contact with us by email, wechat or whatsapp, we will reply you asap.

CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS

With a technical team of over 30 professionals

We can customize a wide variety of journal thrust plain bearings according to different requirements

Supply bearing design proposals and calculation reports within 3-5 working days

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