AN INTEGRATED MAGNETIC/FOIL BEARING AND METHODS FOR SUPPORTING A SHAFT JOURNAL USING THE SAME

摘要

An integrated bearing system (10) for supporting a rotatable shaft journal (58). The system (10) comprises a foil bearing (40) in combination with a magnetic field generating device (50) that produces a magnetic bearing capability to the rotatable shaft journal (58). The foil bearing (40) is integrated into the magnetic field generating device (50), leaving an air gap between the shaft journal (58) and the foil bearing (10). Under normal operating conditions, the magnetic field generating device (50) and the foil bearing (10) each provide a portion of the support to the shaft journal (58).