Research on the cavitation characteristics and structural optimisation of spiral grooved thrust bearing lubricated by liquid hydrogen

In liquid hydrogen (LH₂) delivery, submersible centrifugal pump is an important device. Its reliability and efficiency rely on the stability of the bearings. In a high-speed range, cavitation occurs due to the hydrodynamic effect induced pressure undulation. Compared with other cryogenic fluids, cavitation in LH₂ is prone to happen due to its special properties. In this paper, a cavitation model considering thermal properties of LH₂ is proposed based on Rayleigh–Plesset equation. Cavitation characteristics are studied in spiral grooved thrust bearing (SGTB) lubricated by LH₂. The effect of cavitation on load capacity and friction torque are investigated. The most severely-eroded location is predicted by the distribution of mass transfer rate. The influence of bearing structure parameters is studied in respect of cavitation, load capacity and friction torque. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and range analysis results may provide a reference for optimising LH₂ lubricated SGTB.