Fluid Film Thrust Bearings
Fluid-film thrust bearings were invented by Australian engineer George Michell (pronounced Mitchell) who patented his invention in 1905. Michell bearings contain a number of sector-shaped pads, arranged in a circle around the shaft, and which are free to pivot. These create wedge-shaped regions of oil inside the bearing between the pads and a rotating disk, which support the applied thrust and eliminate metal-on-metal contact.
Michell's invention was notably applied to the thrust block in ships. The small size (one-tenth the size of old bearing designs), low friction and long life of Michell's invention made possible the development of more powerful engines and propellers. They were used extensively in ships built during World War I, and have become the standard bearing used on turbine shafts in ships and power plants worldwide. (See also Fluid_bearing#Michell/Kingsbury_tilting-pad_fluid_bearings)
Read more about this topic: Thrust Bearing
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