Title: The role of lubricant feed temperature on the performance of twin groove journal bearings: an experimental study

Authors: Francisco P. Brito; António Sousa Miranda; José Carlos Pimenta Claro; Michel Fillon

Addresses: Centro de Tecnologias Mecânicas e de Materiais (CT2M), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal. ' Centro de Tecnologias Mecânicas e de Materiais (CT2M), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal. ' Centro de Tecnologias Mecânicas e de Materiais (CT2M), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal. ' Institut Pprime, CNRS – Université de Poitiers – ENSMA, Département Génie Mécanique et Systèmes Complexes, UPR 3346, SP2MI – Téléport 2 – 11, Boulevard Marie et Pierre Curie, BP 30179, F86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France

Abstract: An experimental assessment of the influence of lubricant feed temperature (Tf) on the behaviour of twin groove hydrodynamic journal bearings has been undertaken. Several loads, shaft speeds and bearing geometries were tested under constant lubricant feed pressure (pf), while Tf took four different values between 29°C and 58°C. It was found that the increase of Tf has an effect in bearing performance which is analogous in many ways to the effect of the increase in eccentricity: increase in lubricant flow rate (especially in the low eccentricity range), in outlet temperature (Tout) and in maximum bush temperature (Tmax). Nevertheless, the latter increase was lower than the corresponding increase in Tf. Also, in the high eccentricity range the increase in flow rate due to the increase of Tf could be deceiving in the sense that the additional flow was supplied mainly to the inactive region of the bearing (the unloaded land of the bearing).

Keywords: hydrodynamic lubrication; journal bearings; supply conditions; feed conditions; thermal behaviour; lubricant feed temperature; Tf; supply temperature.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2011.044278

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2011 Vol.5 No.4, pp.286 - 299

Published online: 14 Oct 2014 *

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