scholarly journals Multiphase CFD Modeling of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Berthold ◽  
Hervé Morvan ◽  
Richard Jefferson-Loveday ◽  
Benjamin C. Rothwell ◽  
Colin Young
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Interface ◽  
Numerical Schemes ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Reconstruction Scheme ◽  
Geometric Reconstruction ◽  
Oil Flow

High loads and bearing life requirements make journal bearings a potential choice for use in high power, epicyclic gearboxes in jet engines. Particularly in a planetary configuration the kinematic conditions are complex. With the planet gears rotating about their own axis and orbiting around the sun gear, centrifugal forces generated by both motions interact with each other and affect the external flow behavior of the oil exiting the journal bearing. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using the Volume of Fluid (VoF) method are carried out in ANSYS Fluent [1] to numerically model the two-phase flow behavior of the oil exiting the bearing and merging into the air surrounding the bearing. This paper presents an investigation of two numerical schemes that are available in ANSYS Fluent to track or capture the air-oil phase interface: the geometric reconstruction scheme and the compressive scheme. Both numerical schemes are used to model the oil outflow behavior in the most simplistic approximation of a journal bearing: a representation, rotating about its own axis, with a circumferentially constant, i.e. concentric, lubricating gap. Based on these simplifications, a three dimensional (3D) CFD sector model with rotationally periodic boundaries is considered. A comparison of the geometric reconstruction scheme and the compressive scheme is presented with regards to the accuracy of the phase interface reconstruction and the time required to reach steady state flow field conditions. The CFD predictions are validated against existing literature data with respect to the flow regime, the direction of the predicted oil flow path and the oil film thickness. Based on the findings and considerations of industrial requirements, a recommendation is made for the most suitable scheme to be used. With a robust and partially validated CFD model in place, the model fidelity can be enhanced to include journal bearing eccentricity. Due to the convergent-divergent gap and the resultant pressure field within the lubricating oil film, the outflow behavior can be expected to be very different compared to that of a concentric journal bearing. Naturally, the inlet boundary conditions for the oil emerging from the journal bearing into the external environment must be consistent with the outlet conditions from the bearing. The second part of this paper therefore focuses on providing a method to generate appropriate inlet boundary conditions for external oil flow from an eccentric journal bearing.

Multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Berthold ◽  
Hervé Morvan ◽  
Richard Jefferson-Loveday ◽  
Colin Young ◽  
Benjamin C. Rothwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Interface ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Reconstruction Scheme ◽  
Geometric Reconstruction ◽  
Oil Flow

High loads and bearing life requirements make journal bearings a potential choice for use in high power, epicyclic gearboxes in jet engines. Particularly, in a planetary configuration, the kinematic conditions are complex. With the planet gears rotating about their own axes and orbiting around the sun gear, centrifugal forces generated by both motions interact with each other and affect the external flow behavior of the oil exiting the journal bearing. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using the volume of fluid (VoF) method are carried out in ANSYS fluent (ANSYS, 2013, “ANSYS Fluent User's Guide,” ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA) to numerically model the two-phase flow behavior of the oil exiting the bearing and merging into the air surrounding the bearing. This paper presents an investigation of two numerical schemes that are available in ansysfluent to track or capture the air–oil phase interface: the geometric reconstruction scheme and the compressive scheme. Both numerical schemes are used to model the oil outflow behavior in the most simplistic approximation of a journal bearing: a representation, rotating about its own axis, with a circumferentially constant, i.e., concentric, lubricating gap. Based on these simplifications, a three-dimensional (3D) CFD sector model with rotationally periodic boundaries is considered. A comparison of the geometric reconstruction scheme and the compressive scheme is presented with regard to the accuracy of the phase interface reconstruction and the time required to reach steady-state flow-field conditions. The CFD predictions are validated against existing literature data with respect to the flow regime, the direction of the predicted oil flow path, and the oil film thickness. Based on the findings and considerations of industrial requirements, a recommendation is made for the most suitable scheme to be used. With a robust and partially validated CFD model in place, the model fidelity can be enhanced to include journal bearing eccentricity. Due to the convergent-divergent gap and the resultant pressure field within the lubricating oil film, the outflow behavior can be expected to be very different compared to that of a concentric journal bearing. Naturally, the inlet boundary conditions for the oil emerging from the journal bearing into the external environment must be consistent with the outlet conditions from the bearing. The second part of this paper therefore focuses on providing a method to generate appropriate inlet boundary conditions for external oil flow from an eccentric journal bearing.

scholarly journals Towards Investigation of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing in an Epicyclic Gearbox

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Berthold ◽  
Hervé Morvan ◽  
Colin Young ◽  
Richard Jefferson-Loveday
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Interface ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Field Behavior ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Near Wall

High loads and bearing life requirements make journal bearings the preferred choice for use in high power, epicyclic gearboxes in jet engines. In contrast to conventional, non-orbiting journal bearings in epicyclic star gearboxes, the kinematic conditions in epicyclic planetary arrangements are much more complex. With the planet gears rotating about their own axis and orbiting around the sun gear, centrifugal forces generated by both motions interact with each other and affect the external flow behavior of the oil exiting the journal bearing. This paper presents a literature and state-of-the-art knowledge review to identify existing work performed on cases similar to external journal bearing oil flow. In order to numerically investigate external journal bearing oil flow, an approach to decompose an actual journal bearing into simplified models is proposed. Later, these can be extended in a step-wise manner to allow key underlying physical phenomena to be identified. Preliminary modeling considerations will also be presented. This includes assessing different geometrical inlet conditions with the aim of minimizing computational requirements and different numerical models for near-wall treatment. The correct choice of near-wall treatment models is particularly crucial as it determines the bearing’s internal and external thermal behavior and properties. The findings and conclusions are used to create a three dimensional (3D), two-component computational fluid dynamic (CFD) sector model with rotationally periodic boundaries of the most simplistic approximation of an actual journal bearing: a non-orbiting representation, rotating about its own axis, with a circumferentially constant, i.e. concentric, lubricating gap. The inlet boundary conditions for simulating the external oil flow are generated by partly simulating the internal oil flow within the lubricating gap. In order to track the phase interface between the oil and the air surrounding the bearing, the Volume of Fluid (VoF) method is used. The quality of the CFD simulations of the domain of interest is not only dependent on the accuracy of the inlet conditions, but is also dependent on the computational mesh type, cell count, cell shape and numerical methods used. External journal bearing oil flow was simulated with a number of different mesh densities and the effect on the flow field behavior will be discussed. Two different operating temperatures, representing low and high viscosity oil, were used and their effect on the flow field behavior will also be assessed. In order to achieve the future objective of creating a design tool for routine use, key areas will be identified in which further progress is required. This includes the need to progressively increase the model fidelity to eventually simulate an orbiting journal bearing in planetary configuration with an eccentric, i.e. convergent-divergent, lubricating gap.

scholarly journals The beneficial effect of oxidation on the lubricating properties of oil

1933 ◽  
Vol 139 (838) ◽  
pp. 447-459 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Lubricating Oil ◽  
Engine Fuel ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Mineral Oils ◽  
Continuous Rotation ◽  
Made In ◽  
Lubricating Properties

Journal bearing friction experiments have been made generally at relatively low temperatures and otherwise in conditions tending to prevent oxidation of the lubricating oil. Thus Beauchamp Tower’s experiments led Reynolds to the conclusion that fluid friction alone prevails in an oil film maintained by continuous rotation of the journal and that boundary conditions do not become sensible. The more recent experiments by Stanton, undertaken after the Physical Society discussion of 1919, were made to verify the conclusion, and confirmed that especially for mineral oils, “the conditions were in all cases those of perfect lubrication ( i. e ., complete fluid lubrication), no approximation to the hypothetical ones of boundary lubrication being observed,” “the conditions of lubrication of a cylindrical journal being of the Reynolds’ type right up to the seizing pressure. Stanton’s experimental conditions were such that oxidation effects were not obtained. The feed to the journal bearing was always by fresh, not circulated, oil and the temperature of the oil film was maintained at 51·6° C., i. e ., at least 50° lower than required to induce oxidation in a mineral oil particularly susceptible to the effect. The possibility that oxidation might lead to boundary conditions becoming a factor in the measurements was not considered. Oxidation of the oil used to lubricate internalcombustion engines cannot be avoided in the usual conditions of operation, and an investigation of the effect on lubricating value was begun, in connection with experiments made in association with Professor Callendar, on the oxidation of the lighter oils used as engine fuel. The results of lubrication experiments made directly on engines were difficult to interpret. The friction measured is mainly that due to the reciprocating motion of the pistons in the cylinders and oxidation being uncontrolled, the resulting accumulation of semisolid products leads to secondary friction effects greater in magnitude than the primary effect attributable to the fluid alone. The conditions of journal bearing lubrication, on the other hand, can be controlled and friction measured with fair accuracy and it appeared therefore that the investigation could be continued most effectively by using journal bearing testing machines. Machines adapted to be run at the relatively high temperature required for the oxidation of mineral oils had been designed at the N. P. L. by Mr. C. Jakeman in association with whom the experiments were continued, by permission of the authorities concerned.

Oil Flow in a Full Journal Bearing

1961 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 312-314
Author(s):  
Donald F. Hays
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Hydrodynamic Pressure ◽  
Leakage Rate ◽  
Positive Pressure ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Pressure Area ◽  
Side Flow

An analysis was made of the oil flows occurring in a full journal bearing with a continuous oil film. The flow rate into the bearing was determined at the section of greatest clearance and the rate of outflow was determined at the section of least clearance. The rate of side flow or leakage rate was determined by considering the flow across the boundary of the positive pressure area only and is the flow resulting from the hydrodynamic pressure gradients. It does not include the effects of any specific oil feed mechanism.

Stability of Jeffcott Rotor Operating in Tilting 3-Pad Journal Bearings with Turbulent Oil Film

2009 ◽  
Vol 147-149 ◽  
pp. 450-455
Author(s):  
Stanislaw Strzelecki ◽  
Sobhy M. Ghoneam
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Investigation ◽  
Dynamic Characteristics ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Temperature Distributions ◽  
Jeffcott Rotor ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Oil Film Pressure

This paper introduces the results of theoretical investigation on the dynamic characteristics of tilting 3-pad journal bearing that operates with turbulent oil film. The Reynolds, energy, viscosity and geometry equations determine the oil film pressure, temperature distributions, and oil film resultant force that are the grounds for the dynamic characteristics of bearing. These equations were solved simultaneously on the assumption of adiabatic laminar or adiabatic turbulent oil flow in the bearing gap. The stability and system damping of Jeffcott rotor operating in tilting 3-pad journal bearing was determined.

Study on Subsynchronous Vibration With Tilting Pad Journal Bearing Under Starved Lubrication

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimpei Kawashita ◽  
Tadasuke Nishioka ◽  
Shimpei Yokoyama ◽  
Makoto Iwasaki ◽  
Shuichi Isayama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Damping Ratio ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Rotor System ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Starved Lubrication

Industrial machines such as gas and steam turbines require high efficiency and reliability. Direct lubricated bearings have been developed and installed to reduce mechanical losses. In recent years, it has been reported in the literature that subsynchronous vibration can occur to rotor shafts with direct lubricated tilting pad journal bearings under reduced oil flow rate conditions. In this study, a test rig with a 200 mm diameter and 3.5 meter long rotor supported by a direct lubricated tilting two pad journal bearing was constructed. The primary critical speed is 2100rpm and rotational speed is 3600rpm. The oil-starved area, the non-oil film layer region at the leading edge of the bearing pads, was measured by observing oil film pressure in the bearing clearance with pressure transducers on the rotor surface. A sine sweep excitation test was carried out by using an inertial shaker installed on the bearing housing and the damping ratio of the rotor system was measured. Measured data showed that a larger starved area at the leading edge of the bearing pads due to reduced oil feeding results in a smaller damping ratio, and an increase in the natural frequency of the rotor. Experimental results of two types of oil feeding nozzles were compared with respect to the correlation between starved area and damping ratio of the rotor system, and a relationship between oil flow rate and starved area was discussed. A method for modeling bearing coefficients under starved lubrication has been proposed based on thermo-hydrodynamic lubrication (THL) analysis. A numerical analysis of a finite element-transfer matrix model of the test rotor with the bearing coefficients calculated by the proposed method is carried out, and it is found that the analytical results are in broad agreement with the experimental results.

Pad attitude adjusting moment in large multi-pocket pivoted pad used in static oil journal bearing

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-611
Author(s):  
Xizhi Ma ◽  
Miaomiao Li
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Ball Mill ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Hydrostatic Bearing ◽  
Attitude Adjustment ◽  
Oil Flow

Purpose Large scale is a trend of the ball mill, so the loads on their bearings become very large, bearing operating conditions turn into more severe. The moment of inertia to their pivot of the pad increase significantly, so it leads to the difficult of the pad attitude adjustment and makes the pad tilting angles time response slow, the key factor to effects attitude adjustment is the oil film moment to the pad pivot at unbalance position. the oil film moment and its effect factors must be studied in the design of the bearing used in ball mill. Design/methodology/approach Models about the lubrication of multi-pocket pivoted pad hydrostatic bearing is established, the complicated relationship of the oil flow rate between the oil pockets are taken into account. Finite differential method is used to solv the model, and theroy of finite element method is use to calculate the oil flow rate out of the pocket edges. Newton’s methods are used to determine the pressure of pockets.The pad tilting moment to its pivot is numerically analyzed. Findings The tilting moment to its pivot is set as an indicator of the ability for a pad to adjust its attitude. The effects of the diameter of throttling capillary and the pocket area on the attitude adjusting capacity is studied. Relations between the attitude adjustment capacity for a pad and there effects factors are presented. Practical implications The methods and results have the special reference to the design and operation of multiple pockets tilted pad hydrostatic journal bearing. Originality/value Methods to studied the pad attitude adjustment are given in the article for the multi-pocket pivot pad hydrostatic beairng.The influence factors on pad attitude adjusting capacity are discussed for a this specail kind hydrostatic bearing, the how the factors influence the pad tilting angle adjustment are presented.

A Numerical Study of Entrainment Mechanism in Axisymmetric Annular Gas-Liquid Flow

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huawei Han ◽  
Kamiel Gabriel
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Phase Interface ◽  
Treatment Method ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Reconstruction Scheme ◽  
Liquid Entrainment ◽  
Disturbance Waves ◽  
Geometric Reconstruction ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Gas Liquid Flow

The main purpose of this study is to investigate liquid entrainment mechanisms of annular flow by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. In the modeling, a transient renormalization group (RNG) k-ε model in conjunction with an enhanced wall treatment method was employed. In order to reconstruct the two-phase interface, the volume of fluid (VOF) geometric reconstruction scheme was adopted. Simulation results indicated that disturbance waves were generated first on the two-phase interface and that their evolution eventually resulted in the liquid entrainment phenomena. The most significant accomplishment of this work is that details of the entrainment mechanism are well described by the numerical simulation work. In addition, two new entrainment phenomena were presented. One entrainment phenomenon demonstrated that the evolution of individual waves caused the onset of liquid entrainment; the other one showed that the “coalescence” of two adjacent waves (during the course of their evolution) played an important role in the progression of liquid entrainment. Further analysis indicated that the two entrainment phenomena are inherently the same entrainment mechanism. The newly developed entrainment mechanism is based on conservation laws.

scholarly journals Toward Investigation of External Oil Flow From a Journal Bearing in an Epicyclic Gearbox

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Berthold ◽  
Hervé Morvan ◽  
Colin Young ◽  
Richard Jefferson-Loveday
Keyword(s):  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Phase Interface ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Jet Engines ◽  
Sector Model ◽  
Bearing Life ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
High Viscosity Oil

High loads and bearing life requirements make journal bearings the preferred choice for use in high-power, planetary gearboxes in jet engines. With the planet gears rotating about their own axis and orbiting around the sun gear, centrifugal forces generated by both motions interact with each other and create complex kinematic conditions. This paper presents a literature and state-of-the-art knowledge review to identify existing work performed on cases similar to external journal bearing oil flow. In order to numerically investigate external journal bearing oil flow, an approach to decompose an actual journal bearing into simplified models is proposed. Preliminary modeling considerations are discussed. The findings and conclusions are used to create a three-dimensional (3D), two-component computational fluid dynamics (CFD) sector model with rotationally periodic boundaries of the most simplistic approximation of an actual journal bearing: a nonorbiting representation, rotating about its own axis, with a circumferentially constant, i.e., concentric, lubricating gap. In order to track the phase interface between the oil and the air, the volume of fluid (VoF) method is used. External journal bearing oil flow is simulated with a number of different mesh densities. Two different operating temperatures, representing low and high viscosity oil, are used to assess the effect on the external flow field behavior. In order to achieve the future objective of creating a design tool for routine use, key areas are identified in which further progress is required.

Numerical Investigation of Two Phase Flow in a Dual Drive Booster (DDB)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Prabhakar ◽  
Stephen Ambrose ◽  
Herve Morvan
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Multiphase Model ◽  
Computational Domain ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Gear Box ◽  
Polyhedral Grid

Abstract Recent efforts have been devoted in developing cutting edge methods and technologies to overcome the complications involved in extracting power from the spools in turbofan engines to drive the power systems in aircraft. In a contemporary turbofan engine design, a Dual Drive Booster turbofan (DDBTF) summation gear box is employed to derive power from the low pressure (LP) and high pressure (HP) spools. This paper aims to investigate the scavenging of lubrication oil from the Dual Drive Booster gearbox. It is essential that that the scavenging of oil from the gearbox is efficient to eradicate risks that may arise when oil resides in the gear box for prolonged durations. Longer residence times of oil in the gearbox can lead to rapid oil degradation. Simulations were conducted on a previously optimized geometry and the work in this paper will focus on investigating the effect of different operating conditions on the scavenging performance of the scavenge chamber. The effect of attitude, altitude and the inlet flow rate of oil have been simulated to understand their influence on the oil flow behavior. Emphasis is given on the predicting potential oil churning, recirculation and pooling behaviors in the scavenge chamber that encloses the gear box. Numerical Investigations are carried out using ANSYS Fluent. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) multiphase model is employed to model the multiphase flow arising between air and oil in the system and the effects of turbulence are modelled using the standard k-ϵ model. The computational domain is discretized using a polyhedral grid comprising of 4 million cells which was adopted based on grid independency tests that were conducted prior to the main simulations. Validation against published experimental data for similar flow regimes was also carried out. Results indicate that the scavenging performance is not affected significantly under the various operating conditions and scenarios that were investigated. This is because the effects of the windage outweigh the effects caused by the different operating conditions that are imposed to the scavenge chamber. The windage in the system drives the oil efficiently out from the chamber with the aid of the tangential sump (shown in Figure 4). Oil is distributed in an axially central section of the chamber and the total residence mass of oil is compared and under 0.5 kg for all the cases presented in this paper.

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