Modeling of Gas Thermal Effect Based on Energy Equipartition Principle

Abstract

In the present article, a gas thermal effect is modeled based on the energy equipartition principle. Two new independent state equations for an ideal gas are developed that provide a new way to analyze thermal effects in gas lubrication. Furthermore, the energy equation is derived for gas lubrication and the analysis of thermal effects is carried out on a gas spiral thrust bearing and a gas hydrostatic journal bearing. The results show that gas temperature increases significantly in the lubricated region at high speed for both the thrust and hydrostatic journal bearings, and the thermal effect positively influences the load capacity of the thrust bearing. The gas expansion effect makes the gas temperature decrease in the hydrostatic journal bearing, and the gas temperature decreases with an increase in the inlet pressure.

KEY WORDS:

• Thermal Effects in Hydrodynamics
• Air Bearing
• Density

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was financially supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 50805130); the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program; No. 2003CB716205); the Nonprofit Technology Research Projects of Zhejiang Province, China (No. 2011C21010); and the Nature Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (Nos. R1090833 and Y1090620).