Tech Lic. Me 42, Acta Polytechnica Scandinavica. Stockholm 196

Abstract:

Hydrodynamic lubrication of the journal bearing with a circumferential oil groove is studied. Sub-cavity pressures are neglected and the viscosity is assumed to be constant. For 28 cases comprising variations of the width-to-diameter ratio, relative eccentricity, and oil groove pressure, the locations of the cavitation regions and the bearing characteristics have been determined. These bearing characteristics are load capacity oil flow, power loss, stiffness and damping coefficients, and the maximum allowed mass per bearing unit width which makes it possible to maintain a stable bearing operation. The maximum mass of the rotating member is found by applying Routh's stability criterion to bearing cases. Design charts are presented from which an optimum bearing can be designed.

Tests have been made for load capacities, attitude angles, shapes of the cavitation regions, and the critical masses when the bearing operation changes from stable to unstable. The agreement between theory and test is good.