Title: Effects of misalignment on the performance of finite journal bearings lubricated with couple stress fluids

Authors: Abdallah A. Elsharkawy

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat 13060, Kuwait

Abstract: A mathematical model for the hydrodynamic lubrication of misaligned journal bearings with couple stress lubricants is presented. A modified form for Reynolds equation in which the effects of couple stresses arising from the lubricant blended with various additives is used. The journal misalignment is allowed to vary in magnitudes as well as in direction with respect to the bearing boundaries. The flexibility of the bearing liner was incorporated into the analysis by using the thin liner model. A numerical solution for the mathematical model using a finite difference scheme is introduced. The predicted performance characteristics are compared with available theoretical and experimental results. The effects of the degree and angle of misalignment, the length-to-diameter ratio, and the couple stress parameter on static performance such as pressure distribution, load-carrying capacity, friction coefficient, and side leakage flow and misalignment moment are presented and discussed.

Keywords: hydrodynamic lubrication; journal bearings; finite difference method; bearing misalignment; bearing performance; couple stress lubricants; journal misalignment; static performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2004.005939

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2004 Vol.21 No.3, pp.137 - 146

Published online: 30 Dec 2004 *

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