High Temperature Foil Thrust Bearing

Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc.

Albany, NY

A totally oil-free, high-temperature and high-speed test rig for developing advanced foil thrust bearings

• Performance of MiTi^® oil-free compliant foil thrust bearings measured at greater than 1000F and 1800 ft/sec
• A development test rig has been delivered to NASA
• Totally oil-free operation at 80,000 rpm speeds under thrust loads to 700 lbs and elevated temperatures exceeds any existing thrust bearing development rig

• MiTi^®compliant Foil Thrust Bearing has sales to date; $794,637 including both a development test rig and compliant foil thrust bearings
• MiTi^® holds a total of eight compliant foil bearing patents
• $3.4M in Phase III contracts with NASA GRC for fabrication and delivery of a thrust bearing rig and aircraft engine test bearings

• Supports NASA’s General Aviation Revitalization Initiative and Oil-Free Turbomachinery Program
• Interest by US Army and Air Force for helicopter,UAV and Expendable Turbine Engine Concepts 
• SBIR technology will support reduced fuel consumption and maintenance costs through reduced parts counts and elimination of oillubrication system in aviation gas turbine engines  

Return to NASA SBIR Success Listings

Curator: SBIR/STTR Support