Influence of geometric parameters and operating conditions on the thermohydrodynamic behaviour of plain journal bearings

2000 ◽  
Vol 214 (5) ◽  
pp. 445-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Pierre ◽  
M Fillon
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Thermal Dissipation ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Geometric Factors ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Mass Flowrate

Hydrodynamic journal bearings are essential components of high-speed machinery. In severe operating conditions, the thermal dissipation is not a negligible phenomenon. Therefore, a three-dimensional thermohydrodynamic (THD) analysis has been developed that includes lubricant rupture and re-formation phenomena by conserving the mass flowrate. Then, the predictions obtained with the proposed numerical model are validated by comparison with the measurements reported in the literature. The effects of various geometric factors (length, diameter and radial clearance) and operating conditions (rotational speed, applied load and lubricant) on the journal bearing behaviour are analysed and discussed in order to inform bearing designers. Thus, it can be predicted that the bearing performance obtained highly depends on operating conditions and geometric configuration.

HIGH SPEED JOURNAL BEARINGS LUBRICATED WITH ELECTRO-RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (23n24) ◽  
pp. 3045-3055 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G. NIKOLAKOPOULOS ◽  
C.A. PAPADOPOULOS
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Relative Viscosity ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Shear Strain Rate ◽  
Er Fluid

It is well known that the imposition of an electric field on an Electro-Rheological (ER) fluid alters the viscosity and as a consequence the f flow properties of the f fluid. If such a fluid is used to lubricate a journal bearing system, it is expected that the imposition of an electric field between the rotor and the stator will cause the alteration of the dynamic properties of the journal bearing. For the present, it has been proved that this is valid only for low speeds and high radial clearances of Couette type viscometers. In this paper an experiment in a high speeds (16000 to 65000 s −1) journal bearing with small radial clearance is presented. The experiment performed has showed the phenomenon and has proved that the ER FLUID at high shear rates under constant temperature, follows the Bingham model in realistic bearings. Properties such as wall shear stress, dynamic yield stress relative viscosity are experimentally determined as functions of the electric field, for different particle concentrations and the shear strain rate under constant or free to vary temperature (due to operating conditions, angular velocity, friction). Concluding the ER fluids can be used to create “smart” journal bearings. Vibration controllers can be constructed to control the stability of the ER fluid lubricated bearings.

Dynamic Properties of Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Frequency Effects due to Pivot Flexibility

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 865-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waldemar Dmochowski
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Damping Properties ◽  
Frequency Effects ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
Stiffness And Damping ◽  
Tilting Pad Journal Bearings

Tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJBs) dominate as rotor supports in high-speed rotating machinery. The paper analyzes frequency effects on the TPJB’s stiffness and damping characteristics based on experimental and theoretical investigations. The experimental investigation has been carried out on a five pad tilting-pad journal bearing of 98mm in diameter. Time domain and multifrequency excitation has been used to evaluate the dynamic coefficients. The calculated results have been obtained from a three-dimensional computer model of TPJB, which accounts for thermal effects, turbulent oil flow, and elastic effects, including that of pad flexibility. The analyzes of the TPJB’s stiffness and damping properties showed that the frequency effects on the bearing dynamic properties depend on the operating conditions and bearing design. It has been concluded that the pad inertia and pivot flexibility are behind the variations of the stiffness and damping properties with frequency of excitation.

Jumping Phenomenon in Journal Bearing

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystof Kryniski
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Standard Procedure ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Fluid Film ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Rotor Systems ◽  
Rotating Machine

Abstract Due to their reliability and low maintenance costs over an extended service time, the journal bearings, also known as fluid-film bearings, are commonly incorporated in the super-critical rotor systems. Together with proven balancing methods, they allow rotating machine to pass smoothly through the various of critical speeds, both during start-ups and shut-downs. However, journal bearings need to be designed very carefully, as at some operating conditions (speed and load), they may introduce the undesired effects, such as unstable operations or sub-harmonic resonances. The standard procedure leading to the optimum fluid-film bearing design is based on the bearing capacity, defined by the Sommerfield number [1][2]. When Sommerfield number is determined, all design parameters, such as viscosity, radial clearance, diameter and rotation speed, etc. are matched to satisfy the engineering requirements specified. The procedure is considered to be completely reliable and is commonly used in turbo-machinery and high-speed compressor design. However, the significant divergences between theory and practice were observed with the increase of a bearing radial clearance [3].

Dynamic Properties of Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Frequency Effects Due to Pivot Flexibility

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waldemar Dmochowski
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Damping Properties ◽  
Frequency Effects ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
Stiffness And Damping ◽  
Tilting Pad Journal Bearings

Tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJB) dominate as rotor supports in high speed rotating machinery. The paper analyzes frequency effects on the TPJB’s stiffness and damping characteristics based on experimental and theoretical investigations. The experimental investigation has been carried out on a five pad tilting-pad journal bearing of 98 mm in diameter. Time domain and multifrequency excitation has been used to evaluate the dynamic coefficients. The calculated results have been obtained from a three-dimensional computer model of TPJB, which accounts for thermal effects, turbulent oil flow, and elastic effects, including that of pad flexibility. The analyzes of the TPJB’s stiffness and damping properties showed that the frequency effects on the bearing dynamic properties depend on the operating conditions and bearing design. It has been concluded that the pad inertia and pivot flexibility are behind the variations of the stiffness and damping properties with frequency of excitation.

Performance of the Partially Porous and the Fully Porous Aerostatic Journal Bearings with Incompressible Air Flow

2014 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. 384-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Te Yen Huang ◽  
Shao Yu Hsu ◽  
Bo Zhi Wang ◽  
Sheam Chyun Lin
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Volume Flow Rate ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Simple Algorithm ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Coupling Scheme ◽  
Output Pressure

This report presents a study on the performance of the fully porous and the partially porous aerostatic journal bearings. Based on the finite volume method and the pressure-velocity coupling scheme of the SIMPLE algorithm with the standard k-ε turbulent model, this study utilized the CFD software to solve the incompressible three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations to calculate the pressure of the flow field in the bearings. The effects of the size of the porous medium, the bearing gap, the eccentric ratio and the rotational speed of the spindle on the characteristics of the bearing such as the pressure distribution, the load carrying capacity and the stiffness were investigated. The computed results revealed that, when the spindle rotated at high speed, the effect of the dynamic pressure became dominant, while the effect of the static pressure became insignificant. Among the three types of journal bearings under investigation, the partially porous aerostatic journal bearing exhibited the highest ratio of output pressure to air volume flow rate. It indicated that, in terms of operational efficiency, the partially porous aerostatic journal bearing is superior to the fully porous aerostatic journal bearing.

Journal Bearing Lubrication and Design

1948 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 250-254
Author(s):  
A. S. T. Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Applied Load ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Point Contact ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Loaded Side

The paper summarizes the results of an experimental investigation on the effects of variation in bearing width and radial clearance on the operating conditions of centrally loaded clearance journal bearings, the bearing arc being kept constant at 120 deg. The investigation, which was carried out prior to 1940, is complementary to an earlier paper by the author in which the effects of variations in bearing width and arc of embrace were investigated. The experimental results are compared with theoretical values modified by the relevant leakage coefficients. The measure of agreement obtained indicates that theoretical values so modified may be used with confidence in design. A short series of experiments is described; in these, high-point contact at starting and stopping is eliminated by supplying oil to a groove in the loaded side of the bearing at a pressure sufficiently great to overcome the applied load. The effect of a groove on the loaded side of the brass under various conditions of lubrication is investigated.

Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic analysis of high-speed water-lubricated hydrodynamic journal bearing with groove texture considering turbulence

2021 ◽  
pp. 135065012199851
Author(s):  
Huihui Feng ◽  
Shuyun Jiang ◽  
Yanqin Shang-Guan
Keyword(s):  
Computational Fluid Dynamic ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis ◽  
Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing ◽  
Groove Texture

Water-lubricated bearings have attracted increasing attention in the field of high-speed machine tools for their low friction due to low viscosity. However, new problems, in particular, insufficient load capacity, are on the way. To the point, groove-textured journal bearing is adopted in this study. Aiming at investigating the effects of groove texture on high speed, water-lubricated, hydrodynamic journal bearing precisely, and thoroughly, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic analyses considering cavitation and turbulence are undertaken to assess the tribological performances of the bearing. To reduce the amount of three-dimensional modeling and meshing work, mesh deformation is presented. The numerical results are compared with experiments to verify the validity of the present models and calculation procedures. Pressure distribution, load capacity, and friction of groove-textured water-lubricated journal bearing are analyzed with respect to operating conditions and geometric parameters. Comparisons between groove-textured water-lubricated journal bearing and smooth bearing are carried out to find out the influence of groove texture. It is found that the groove texture can achieve a remarkable improvement of load capacity at a smaller eccentricity ratio and higher rotary speed. The load capacity is affected by the combined effects of groove depth, width, and length. However, generally, the friction force of water-lubricated journal bearing is slightly influenced by groove texture. Results can provide theoretical guidance for the optimal design of groove-textured water-lubricated journal bearing under different operating parameters.

Investigations of the three-dimensional temperature field of journal bearings considering conjugate heat transfer and cavitation

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Li ◽  
Shuo Zhang ◽  
Yujun Wang ◽  
Wei-Wei Xu ◽  
Zhenbo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Distribution ◽  
Conjugate Heat Transfer ◽  
Radial Direction ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Temperature Zone ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Temperature

Purpose The growing demand of efficiency and economy has led to a dramatic increase of the operating speed of the journal bearing, with a higher temperature distribution. This paper aims to investigate the three-dimensional temperature distribution of journal bearings. Design/methodology/approach A thermo-hydrodynamic lubrication model of a journal bearing was established based on the full 3D CFD method. A two-sided wall was used to include the conjugate heat transfer effect. The temperature-dependent characteristics of lubrication and cavitation impact were also included. The simulation results well agreed with the experimental results. Based on this method, the three-dimensional temperature distribution was analyzed under different operating conditions. Findings The temperature distribution in the radial direction had a difference. An increase of speed and de-crease of inlet temperature promoted temperature differences in the higher temperature zone and the increasing temperature zone, respectively. However, the inlet pressure had less influence on these differences. The temperature distribution was basically the same at a lower bearing conductivity. As the conductivity increased, the radial temperature difference was increased. Originality/value The temperature distribution in the radial direction was found under different operating conditions, and the present research provides references to understand the three-dimensional temperature distribution of journal bearings.

scholarly journals Experimental and Numerical Investigation about Small Clearance Journal Bearings under Static Load Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Carlo Alberto Niccolini Marmont Du Haut Champ ◽  
Fabrizio Stefani ◽  
Paolo Silvestri
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Small Clearance ◽  
Dimensional Simulation ◽  
Dynamic Loading Conditions ◽  
Static And Dynamic Loading ◽  
Good Agreement

The aim of the present research is to characterize both experimentally and numerically journal bearings with low radial clearances for rotors in small-scale applications (e.g., microgas turbines); their diameter is in the order of ten millimetres, leading to very small dimensional clearances when the typical relative ones (order of 1/1000) are employed; investigating this particular class of journal bearings under static and dynamic loading conditions represents something unexplored. To this goal, a suitable test rig was designed and the performance of its bearings was investigated under steady load. For the sake of comparison, numerical simulations of the lubrication were also performed by means of a simplified model. The original test rig adopted is a commercial rotor kit (RK), but substantial modifications were carried out in order to allow significant measurements. Indeed, the relative radial clearance of RK4 RK bearings is about 2/100, while it is around 1/1000 in industrial bearings. Therefore, the same original RK bearings are employed in this new test rig, but a new shaft was designed to reduce their original clearance. The new custom shaft allows to study bearing behaviour for different clearances, since it is equipped with interchangeable journals. Experimental data obtained by this test rig are then compared with further results of more sophisticated simulations. They were carried out by means of an in-house developed finite element (FEM) code, suitable for thermoelasto-hydrodynamic (TEHD) analysis of journal bearings both in static and dynamic conditions. In this paper, bearing static performances are studied to assess the reliability of the experimental journal location predictions by comparing them with the ones coming from already validated numerical codes. Such comparisons are presented both for large and small clearance bearings of original and modified RKs, respectively. Good agreement is found only for the modified RK equipped with small clearance bearings (relative radial clearance 8/1000), as expected. In comparison with two-dimensional lubrication analysis, three-dimensional simulation improves prediction of journal location and correlation with experimental results.

Development and Validation of a Three-Dimensional Multiphase Flow CFD Analysis for Journal Bearings in Steam and Heavy Duty Gas Turbines

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Uhkoetter ◽  
Stefan aus der Wiesche ◽  
Michael Kursch ◽  
Christian Beck
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Multiphase Flow ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Journal Bearings ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Two Phase

The traditional method for hydrodynamic journal bearing analysis usually applies the lubrication theory based on the Reynolds equation and suitable empirical modifications to cover turbulence, heat transfer, and cavitation. In cases of complex bearing geometries for steam and heavy-duty gas turbines this approach has its obvious restrictions in regard to detail flow recirculation, mixing, mass balance, and filling level phenomena. These limitations could be circumvented by applying a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach resting closer to the fundamental physical laws. The present contribution reports about the state of the art of such a fully three-dimensional multiphase-flow CFD approach including cavitation and air entrainment for high-speed turbo-machinery journal bearings. It has been developed and validated using experimental data. Due to the high ambient shear rates in bearings, the multiphase-flow model for journal bearings requires substantial modifications in comparison to common two-phase flow simulations. Based on experimental data, it is found, that particular cavitation phenomena are essential for the understanding of steam and heavy-duty type gas turbine journal bearings.

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