Optimization of Hydrostatic Thrust Bearing Using Enhanced Grey Wolf Optimizer

Abstract

The need for precise mechanical and tribological properties of the hydrostatic bearings has made them an interesting study topic for optimisation studies. In this paper, power-loss minimization problems of hydrostatic thrust bearings were solved through Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO). Grey Wolf Optimizer is a meta-heuristic optimization method standing out with its successful applications in engineering design problems. Power-loss minimization problem of hydrostatic thrust bearings was applied on Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) for the first time.  The results obtained were evaluated together with the previous studies conducted and a detailed comparison was made. The most significant innovation of the study is the innovation made in the mathematical model of the GWO.  A new model (Enhanced GWO, EGWO) that increases the variety of valid solutions is proposed. The comparisons made both with GWO and other studies in the literature show that EGWO got the known best fitness value with the highest success rate. The consistency and statistical performance of the EGWO show that this method can be used in the optimization of machine elements.