Developing smart materials
When you put your arm and hand outside the window of a car running very fast, the levitation force acting on your hand and arm due to the aerodynamic effect will be strongly dependent on the profile/angle of your hand relatively to the air flow. In order to enhance such a levitation force, the profile/angle of your hand can be controlled by your muscles (actuator) which is controlled by the impulses sent by your brain (signal processing and control system).
In aerodynamic and hydrodynamic bearings, such a levitation force acts also on the surface of the rotating shafts and strongly depends on two parameters: a) the relative velocity between shaft and bearing surfaces and b) the profile between the two surfaces. Such a force leads to the shaft levitation (load capacity) but can also generate energy loss and instability problems, when angular velocity is increased aiming at enhancing production. In order to achieve significant improvements in load capacity, energy dissipation and system stability, small profile changes are needed, normally in the range of microns. Nevertheless, efficient profile changes have to occur linked to and dependent on to the machine angular velocity, i.e. the profile changes should be dynamically adapted according to the shaft angular velocity.
Smart materials will reduce energy consumption
Smart materials have the capability of changing form, similar to your muscles (actuator), dependent on the electric voltage, magnetic field and induced temperature changes (signal processing and control inputs). Smart materials are though not used in connection to bearing technology, but their application is promising. The main research goal is to investigate, theoretically as well as experimentally, the feasibility of applying smart materials to gas bearings (clean, environment-friendly and sustainable technology) with the aim of improving the bearing characteristics, i.e. higher load capacity, less energy losses, capability of running faster (increase in production) without vibration instabilities. Smart gas bearing technology, it means gas bearings with the capability of controlling and adjusting themselves, can be directly applied to small turbines, turbochargers, compressors (air conditioning), heat pumping systems in their compact forms. It will for sure lead to more efficient machinery which would reduce energy consumption in production processes, now-a-days a highly critical issue.