The tilting pad bearing has been responsible for increasing the maximum operating speed of turbo-machinery by eliminating instabilities such as oil whirl. Since each loaded pad has strongly converging oil film so the shaft remain at the center of the bearing.

 

As a result, the destabilizing forces are greatly reduced or eliminated and the bearings are no longer a potential source of rotor dynamic instability. By improving operating efficiency and reliability, the operators benefit from lower operating costs, extended operating life, and fewer unplanned outages.

These features have made tilting pad bearings the standard fluid-film bearing for most high-speed applications.

In tilting pad thrust bearings also use the “leveling plate” sets, distributing concentrated axial pressure from one point of thrust bearings to the surface of them, and this will result in preventing bearing damages and more desirable operation of the equipment.