UNIVERSAL STAND FOR STUDYING SEALING AND BEARING UNITS OF COMPRESSOR MACHINES

The proposed stand is designed to test sealing and bearing units of various types, because these units, regardless of their type, require almost the same auxiliary stand systems, as well as practically the same measurement system. The stand allows carrying out in-situ tests of contact, non-contact and combined sealing, supporting and thrust hydrodynamic and hydrostatic bearings. Problem. The analysis of materials associated with the bench tests of sealing and bearing units revealed that practically no work is being conducted in this direction. Therefore, the need has arisen to create a universal stand that allows carrying out full-scale tests of sealing and bearing units of various types. This will also allow solving the problems of studying these objects when designing the prototypes. Goal. The goal is creation of new technological equipment that makes possible to carry out research and development of sealing and bearing units of compressor machines at the stage of working design for the purpose of verifying structural solutions, and also the analysis of their operability in the so-called parametric tests (after planned mainte-nance). Methodology. During operation irreversible changes occur in the design of compressors and tur-bo-compressors associated with the deterioration of the technical state of their structures, which cause permanent or sudden failures. Therefore, timely adjustment of the functional parameters of these units will make possible to obtain a significant fuel economy and ensure the operation of the units at the level of the calculated parameters. Results. A stand for full-scale inspection of sealing and bearing units of compressor machines was developed, a model stand was created, and a complex of studies of the dynamic sealing performance was carried out. The stand equipment and the monitoring equipment were chosen. Practical value. The proposed stand will allow investigating and bringing sealing and bearing units both at the stage of working design for the purpose of testing structural solutions and at the post-repair maintenance stage (checking the operability of the assemblies to be repaired and, if necessary, adjusting them).