ISO/TR 21784:2018

Directed lubrication is an advanced technology that is capable of reducing the power loss and improving the performance of tilting pad type bearings. Unlike flooded lubrication, where the bearing components remain permanently submerged in an oil filled housing, with directed lubrication the components are not submerged and the oil is delivered from an external source directly to the working surfaces of the tilting pads after which it falls freely away to be drained from the bottom of the housing. There are several alternative methods of realising the benefits of directed lubrication in tilting pad bearing designs. As an example, this document specifies a spray nozzle type directed lubrication system where lubricant is supplied to each pad through nozzles mounted between the pads in tilting pad thrust and journal bearings. The design concept of this type of lubrication is described.