CASE STUDY
High-Speed Thermal Research at Embry-Riddle University Achieves Micron-Level Vibration Control
Embry-Riddle’s Gas Turbine Laboratory integrated OAV Roller Air Bearings into a high-speed experimental system to reduce friction and vibration while enabling precise, reliable thermal research.
CUSTOMER
ERAU
INDUSTRY
Research & Academics
APPLICATION
High-Speed
Thermal Research
PRODUCT USED
Roller Air Bearings
BENEFIT
Low-Vibration
High-Speed Rotation
THE CHALLENGE
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Gas Turbine Laboratory conducts advanced research in energy and propulsion systems, with a focus on thermal management, turbomachinery, and high-speed system performance. This research requires experimental equipment capable of maintaining precise, stable rotation under demanding thermal and mechanical conditions.
Before adopting OAV Roller Air Bearings, the GTL team relied on traditional ball bearings and mechanical wear surfaces for their high-speed experimental apparatus. These components introduced excessive vibration, friction, and torque requirements, leading to issues such as bearing seizure and friction effects disrupting tight tolerances, temperature limitations during extended testing, vibration-induced errors that compromised data accuracy, and restricted rotational speeds due to high torque loads. The lab’s objective was to create a high-precision rotating shaft system capable of reaching up to 10,000 RPM with minimal vibration and consistent thermal control — conditions critical to the accuracy of their thermal and aerodynamic studies.
THE SOLUTION
The GTL team integrated two OAV Roller Air Bearings into their experimental apparatus supporting a magnetically-coupled high-speed rotor. OAV’s proprietary air bearing technology provided frictionless rotation with micron-level air gaps, extremely low vibration propagation (less than 10 microns), reduced torque demand allowing for higher operational speeds, and improved system reliability for long-duration testing.
These performance gains enabled the ERAU researchers to collect valuable heat-transfer and aerodynamic performance data during extended experiments, supporting ongoing studies in pin-fin cooling, turbine efficiency, and supercritical fluid dynamics.
Figure 1. 0.500 inch OAV Roller Air Bearings provided frictionless motion for thermal high-speed research.
THE RESULTS
Since implementing the OAV Roller Air Bearings, Embry-Riddle’s Gas Turbine Lab has experienced an elimination of mechanical seizure and friction-induced failures, a significant reduction in vibration amplitude, improved data precision, increased operational stability at high rotational speeds, extended test durations with consistent temperature management, and enhanced research productivity through reliable and repeatable experiments.
Reduced friction and mechanical wear in high-speed rotation
Minimized vibration for more precise experimental measurements
Supported rotational speeds up to 10,000 RPM
Improved reliability during extended thermal testing
These improvements enabled the Gas Turbine Laboratory to conduct longer, more reliable experiments while maintaining the low-vibration conditions required for accurate thermal and aerodynamic measurements. The OAV Roller Air Bearings support ongoing research into heat transfer, turbine efficiency, cooling methods, and high-speed propulsion technologies.
SOURCE
Case study material based on information provided by the Gas Turbine Laboratory at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
“The roller air bearings we purchased have exceeded our expectations and the active communication has been very appreciated. These factors have allowed for the university and OAV to establish a reliable relationship, allowing us to ask questions or gather more information for certain applications.”— Graduate Research Team, Gas Turbine Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
