Hydrostatic Bearing System for AN/FPS-24 Radar.
Abstract
This report describes a program which sought to increase azimuth bearing life in antennas used with AN/FPS-24 radars. The approach used was to design and fabricate a hydrostatic bearing which would be directly interchangeable with the existing rolling element bearing to the greatest possible extent. The hydrostatic bearing had a major diameter of 12-1/2 feet and provided the sole support for a rotating antenna which was 120 feet wide, had a total rotating weight of 87 tons, and operated while exposed to the elements, i.e., unprotected by a radome. After extensive testing at the factory, the hydrostatic bearing was installed in an operational antenna at Oakdale, Pennsylvania, for further test and evaluation. The test was terminated after 7821 hours of operation when the bearing was severely damaged as the result of a power failure. Protective devices incorporated in the equipment had been rendered inoperative by human error of undetermined origin prior to the failure. The general conclusion reached as a result of this program is the it is feasible to achieve long life and a high degree of reliability with a minimum amount of maintenance downtime for this type of application with this type of bearing. Additional specific conclusions and recommendations concerning details of the design are contained in this report. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0870724
Entities
People
- Robert M. Brown
Organizations
- Goodyear Aerospace