The prediction of liquid film journal bearing performance with a consideration of lubricant film reformation: part 2: experimental resuIts

Abstract

Analyses and design data for plainjournal bearings rarely take into account the phenomenon of film reformation. The consideration of the re-establishment of the lubricantfilm after the cavitation region is difficult in a number of ways. The importance of allowingfor reformation is, however, being increasingly recognized. Tht.J is particularly true as regards the satisfactory predlction of lubricant ftowrate...and the thermal operating characteristics of a bearing. The authors have previously implemented a cavitation algorithm to enable the cavitation region in a plain journal bearing to be Iocated automatically and efficiently in a computer analysis. In Part I of the present paper theoretical results have been presentedfor the case of a plain bearing with a square-ended, axial groove located at the position of maximumfilm thickness. The second part of the paper gives detai/s of an experimental investigation designed to establish the validity of the analysis.