The Validity of the Reynolds Equation in Modeling Hydrostatic Effects in Gas Lubricated Textured Parallel Surfaces

Author(s):  
Yuri Feldman ◽  
Yuri Kligerman ◽  
Izhak Etsion ◽  
Shimon Haber

The pressure distribution and load carrying capacity for a single 3D dimple, representing laser surface texturing (LST) of gas-lubricated tribological components with parallel surfaces, were obtained via two different methods of analysis: 1) a numerical solution of the exact full Navier-Stokes equations; 2) an approximate solution of the much simpler Reynolds equation. Comparison between the two solutions illustrated that the differences in load carrying capacity were negligible for clearances that are 3% or less of the dimple diameter. At larger realistic clearances the error in the load carrying capacity may reach a maximum of 10%.

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Feldman ◽  
Y. Kligerman ◽  
I. Etsion ◽  
S. Haber

Microdimples generated by laser surface texturing (LST) can be used to enhance performance in hydrostatic gas-lubricated tribological components with parallel surfaces. The pressure distribution and load carrying capacity for a single three-dimensional dimple, representing the LST, were obtained via two different methods of analysis: a numerical solution of the exact full Navier-Stokes equations, and an approximate solution of the much simpler Reynolds equation. Comparison between the two solution methods illustrates that, despite potential large differences in local pressures, the differences in load carrying capacity, for realistic geometrical and physical parameters, are small. Even at large clearances of 5% of the dimple diameter and pressure ratios of 2.5 the error in the load carrying capacity is only about 15%. Thus, for a wide range of practical clearances and pressures, the simpler, approximate Reynolds equation can safely be applied to yield reasonable predictions for the load carrying capacity of dimpled surfaces.


1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Mitsuya ◽  
S. Fukui

A perturbation method for the Navier-Stokes equations is presented for analyzing Stokes roughness effects on hydrodynamic lubrication in both incompressible and compressible films. The solution is obtained from direct numerical calculation by using an actual rough spacing, without applying the currently accepted assumption that the roughness height should be small. The roughness wavelength and height influences on flow rate, load carrying capacity and frictional force are clarified. Secondary quantities induced by Stokes effects are found to be proportional to wavenumber n squared for sufficiently large n values, so that the amount of the Stokes effect can be determined by the spacing to wavelength squared ratio. A significant difference between incompressible and compressible films is that Stokes roughness increases the flow resistance of and then enhances the load carrying capacity of incompressible films, while it inversely affects compressible films. The compressibility with respect to secondary pressure induced by the Stokes effects can be neglected for any compressibility number, no matter how large, as long as the local compressibility number, defined by the wavelength, is small.


2015 ◽  
Vol 649 ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Te Yen Huang ◽  
Shao Yu Hsu ◽  
Song Chiang Shen ◽  
Sheam Chyun Lin ◽  
Ta Hsin Chou

The effects of the rotating speed of the spindle, the number of the porous medium inserted into the partially porous aerostatic journal bearing and the thickness of the bearing gap on the characteristics of the bearing such as the pressure distribution, the load carrying capacity and the stiffness of the bearing were studied. Based on the finite volume method and the pressure-velocity coupling scheme of the SIMPLE algorithm with the standard k-ε turbulent model, the CFD software was used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations to calculate the pressure field in the bearing gap. The computed results revealed the faster the spindle rotated, the higher the gap pressure. As the gap thickness increased, the gap pressure, the load carrying capacity and the stiffness of the bearing decreased. The more the porous inserts, the higher the gap pressure and the load carrying capacity, but the less the bearing stiffness would be.


Author(s):  
Christos I. Papadopoulos ◽  
Pantelis G. Nikolakopoulos ◽  
Lambros Kaiktsis

An optimization study of trapezoidal surface texturing in slider micro-bearings, via computational fluid dynamics (CFD), is presented. The bearings are modeled as micro-channels, consisting of a moving and a stationary wall. The moving wall (rotor) is assumed smooth, while part of the stationary wall (stator) exhibits periodic dimples of trapezoidal form. The extent of the textured part of the stator and the dimple geometry are defined parametrically; thus, a wide range of texturing configurations is considered. Flow simulations are based on the numerical solution of the Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible isothermal flow. To optimize the bearing performance, an optimization problem is formulated and solved by coupling the CFD code with an optimization tool based on genetic algorithms and local search methods. Here, the design variables define the bearing geometry, while load carrying capacity is the objective function to be maximized. Optimized texturing geometries are obtained for the case of parallel bearings for several numbers of dimples, illustrating significant load carrying capacity levels. Further, these optimized texturing patterns are applied to converging bearings for different convergence ratio values; the results demonstrate that, for small and moderate convergence ratios, a substantial increase in load carrying capacity, in comparison to smooth bearings, is obtained. Finally, an optimization study performed at a high convergence ratio shows that, in comparison to the parallel slider, the optimal texturing geometry is substantially different, and that performance improvement over smooth bearings is possible even for steep sliders.


2002 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. A. van Odyck ◽  
C. H. Venner

Present understanding of the mechanisms of lubrication and the load carrying capacity of lubricant films mainly relies on models in which the Reynolds equation is used to describe the flow. The narrow gap assumption is a key element in its derivation from the Navier Stokes equations. However, the tendency in applications is that lubricated contacts have to operate at smaller film thickness levels, and because engineering surfaces are never perfectly smooth, locally in the film this narrow gap assumption may violated. In addition to this geometric limitation of the validity of the Reynolds equation may come a piezoviscous and compressibility related limitation. In this paper the accuracy of the predictions of the Reynolds model in relation to the local geometry of the gap is investigated. A numerical solution algorithm for the flow in a narrow gap has been developed based on the Stokes equations. For a model problem the differences between the pressure and velocity fields according to the Stokes model and the Reynolds equation have been investigated. The configuration entails a lower flat surface together with an upper surface (flat or parabolic) in which a local defect (single asperity) of known geometry has been embedded. It is investigated how the magnitude of the differences develops as a function of the geometric parameters of the film and the feature. Finally, it is discussed to what extend for these problems a perturbation approach can provide accurate corrections to be applied to the Reynolds solution.


Author(s):  
Leonidas I. Paouris ◽  
Dimitrios A. Bompos ◽  
Pantelis G. Nikolakopoulos

The main objective of the current work is to determine a relationship between the top and bump foil's geometry and load-carrying capacity in a journal compliant generation I air foil bearing, as well as determining the effect of the thermohydrodynamic phenomena in the performance of the air foil bearing (AFB). Static and steady-state operation is assumed throughout the analysis. A finite element model is adopted in order to investigate the operational characteristics of the specific bearing. Bump foil's elastic behavior is modeled using two node linear link spring elements. During the hydrodynamic analysis, incompressible viscous steady state Navier–Stokes equations are numerically solved, due to the low bearing compressibility number. During the thermohydrodynamic analysis, compressible, viscous, steady-state Navier–Stokes equations were solved, coupled with the energy equation. The material used during the structural analysis is Inconel X750, and it is assumed that it has linear and elastic behavior. Constant ambient pressure is applied at the free faces of the fluid as well as no slip condition at the surface of the fluid that faces the top foil. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and structural models are solved separately. At the beginning of the analysis, the CFD problem is solved with the assumption that the top foil has not yet been deformed. After the solution of the CFD problem, the pressure distribution at the surface of the fluid that faces the top foil is applied at the top foil and then the structural problem is solved. Consequently, the deflections of the top foil are applied on the corresponding surface of the CFD model and the algorithm continues until convergence is obtained. As soon as the converged solution for the pressure distribution is obtained, numerical integration is performed along the surface of the bearing in order to calculate its load-carrying capacity. Static bearing performance characteristics, such as pressure distribution, bump foil deflection, and load capacity are calculated and presented. Furthermore, fluid film thickness, top foil deflection, and fluid pressure are investigated as functions of the bearing angle as well as load-carrying capacity as a function of the bump and top foil stiffness. The same procedure is repeated for the thermohydrodynamic analysis. Moreover, in order to estimate the heat flux from the top foil to the bump foil channel as a function of the top foil temperature, a simple finite element model of the bump foil–cooling channel is constructed.


Author(s):  
C. I. Papadopoulos ◽  
P. G. Nikolakopoulos ◽  
L. Kaiktsis

An optimization study of trapezoidal surface texturing in slider micro-bearings, via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), is presented. The bearings are modeled as microchannels, consisting of a moving and a stationary wall. The moving wall (rotor) is assumed smooth, while part of the stationary wall (stator) exhibits periodic dimples of trapezoidal form. The extent of the textured part of the stator, and the dimple geometry are defined parametrically; thus, a wide range of texturing configurations is considered. Flow simulations are based on the numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible isothermal flow. To optimize the bearing performance, an optimization problem is formulated, and solved by coupling the CFD code with an optimization tool based on genetic algorithms and local search methods. Here, the design variables define the bearing geometry, while load carrying capacity is the objective function to be maximized. Optimized texturing geometries are obtained for the case of parallel bearings, for several numbers of dimples, illustrating significant load carrying capacity levels. Further, these optimized texturing patterns are applied to converging bearings, for different convergence ratio values; the results demonstrate that, for small and moderate convergence ratios, substantial increase in the load carrying capacity, in comparison to smooth bearings, is obtained. Finally, an optimization study performed at a high convergence ratio shows that, in comparison to the parallel slider, the optimal texturing geometry is substantially different, and that performance improvement over smooth bearings is possible even for steep sliders.


Author(s):  
Felix Fischer ◽  
Andreas Rhein ◽  
Katharina Schmitz

Abstract Hydraulic pumps, which reach pressures up to 3000 bar, are often realized as plunger-piston type pumps. In the case of a common-rail pump for diesel injection systems, the plunger is driven by a cam-tappet construction and the contact during suction stroke is maintained by a helical spring. Many hydraulic piston-based high pressure pumps include gap seals, which are formed by small clearances between the two surfaces of the piston and the bushing. Usually the gap height is in the magnitude of several micrometers. Typical radial gaps are between 0.5 and 1 per mil of the nominal diameter. These gap seals are used to allow and maintain pressure build up in the piston chamber. When the gap is pressurized, a special flow regime is reached. For the description of this particular flow the Reynolds equation, which is a simplification of the Navier-Stokes equations, can be used as done in the state of the art. Furthermore, if the pressure in the gap is high enough — 500 bar and above — fluid-structure interactions must be taken into account. Pressure levels above 1500 or 2000 bar indicate the necessity for solving the energy equation of the fluid phase and the rigid bodies surrounding it. In any case, the fluid properties such as density and viscosity, have to be modelled in a pressure dependent manner. This means, a compressible flow is described in the sealing gap. Viscosity changes in magnitudes while density remains in the same magnitude, but nevertheless changes about 30 %. These facts must be taken into account when solving the Reynolds equation. In this paper the authors work out that the Reynolds equation is not suitable for every piston-bushing gap seal in hydraulic applications. It will be shown that remarkable errors are made, when the inertia terms in the Navier-Stokes equations are neglected, especially in high pressure applications. To work out the influence of the inertia terms in these flows, two simulation models are built up and calculated for the physical problem. One calculates the compressible Reynolds equation neglecting the fluid inertia. The other model, taking the fluid inertia into account, calculates the coupled Navier-Stokes equations on the same geometrical boundaries. Here, the so called SIMPLE (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations) algorithm is used. The discretization is realized with the Finite Volume Method. Afterwards, the solutions of both models are compared to investigate the influence of the inertia terms on the flow in these specific high pressure applications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (24) ◽  
pp. 1950282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Qiang Fan ◽  
M. Miyatake ◽  
S. Kawada ◽  
Bin Wei ◽  
S. Yoshimoto

In order to investigate the gas inertial effect on bearing capacity of acoustic levitation on condition of complex exciting shapes, a new kind of numerical model including inertial effect in cylindrical coordinates was proposed. The inertial terms in Navier–Stokes equations are packaged to derive modified Reynolds equations. The amplitudes of standing waves were tested by distance probe in experiment and film thickness equation were reconstructed by sum of the sinusoidal functions. The theoretical and experimental results implied that the inertial effect is strongly related to the exciting modal shapes. It is concluded that the proposal of modified Reynolds equation can provide more optimized numerical solutions to solve the problems about the deviation between theoretical and experimental data.


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