Bearing Application Requirements
Hydraulic fuel pumps are responsible for delivering fuel at a proper pressure during engine operation in aircraft. In gear-type pumps, two meshed gears revolve in an external housing, pumping fuel through. These pumps are designed to be rigid enough to pump vicious fluid, in aircraft applications, at high pressures.
In external gear-type pumps, a bushing block provides structural support for two bearings. The two gears responsible for displacing fuel are then mounted on these bearings. Ultimately, the bushing block also serves as a wear surface for the gear faces as well.
For the aerospace industry, the bushing blocks used in hydraulic pumps must be lightweight and wear resistant to promote fuel efficiency and to assure performance remains consistent over time. Similarly, the bearings used in this system must also be light weight, wear resistant, and able to operate for extended periods of time without maintenance.
GGB Aircraft Fuel Pump Bearings
GGB DP31 is a hydrodynamic metal-polymer composite bearing solution for lubricated conditions in industrial pump applications. DP31 plain bearing features low friction and great wear resistance in lubricated applications. Additionally, it has excellent flow erosion and cavitation resistance to assure a long service life.
High Performance Aircraft Bearing Solution
GGB DTS10® metal-polymer hydrodynamic composite bearings offer similar performance to DP31 composite plain bearings with the additional benefit of being machinable after installation for tight tolerances.
GGB Aerospace Bearings - Benefits
Utilizing DP31 composite bearings in your fuel pump applications provides the following benefits:
- Proprietary formulation of PTFE layer of DP31 bearings provides enhanced bearing performance under lubricated conditions
- DP31 bearings are corrosion resistant to various common lubricant media, including paraffin, gasoline, kerosene, mineral oil and water
- 25% higher load capacity compared to conventional metal-polymer products allowing reduced bearing width for lighter and more compact pump design without impacting pump performance.