Part 16 - Air Foil Bearing - Part A: Overview 

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Excellent question! Numerous efforts have been made to substitute oil lubricated bearings with gas foil bearings, particularly in applications such as HVAC compressors. However, it's crucial to understand that a direct replacement is not feasible. This is primarily due to the fact that gas bearings generally offer lower stiffness compared to oil bearings, as the working fluid is gas instead of oil. Consequently, in order to accommodate the same weight of the shaft and other forces that need to be counteracted, the gas bearing typically needs to be larger in both diameter and length.

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Great question! In the video, it's explained that the shafts are elevated by hydrodynamic effects from gas foil bearings. As the shaft spins, these effects generate increased force. At lower speeds, there's less of this hydrodynamic effect, which can lead to wear on the gas foil bearings. To address this wear issue in certain applications, external compressed air is sometimes employed to lift the shaft.

@@RotorDynamics Thanks for the excellent explanation.... Keep us educating.... Thanks...

Excellent question! While Part 17 video delves into clearance details, it may not cover the specific information you're seeking. If you could provide more details on your inquiry, I'll be happy to create a customized video offering an in-depth design guide tailored to your needs. :)