Journal Press India^®

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The paper presents the analytical study of the impact of clearance contact on hydrodynamic journal bearing system’s static performance. The governing model of hydrodynamic lubrication i.e. the non-dimensional Reynolds equation is solved with using Garlerkin’s FEM approach along with appropriate boundary conditions. A cavitation zone, which is unknown priori is established using Reynolds boundary condition through iteratively. A clearance parameter is described and its influence on fluid-film pressure and static performance parameters of hydrodynamic journal bearing is studied for a commonly used range of sommerfeld number. The static performance parameters include maximum pressure, load carrying capacity, attitude angle, and coefficient of fluid-film friction etc. The results of the study are useful to the bearing designer from the view point of static performance parameters as the effect of sommerfeld number has been used for commonly used clearance parameter.

Keywords

Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing; Static Characteristics; Finite Element Method

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