Analysis of Journal Bearing with Double-Layer Porous Lubricant Film: Influence of Surface Porous Layer Configuration

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of a long journal bearing with a double-layer porous lubricant film using couple stress and Newtonian fluids. The porous layer with infinite permeability analyzed in this study simulates the surface layer. The Brinkman model was utilized to model the flow in the porous region. The effects of couple stresses were analyzed based on Stokes microcontinuum theory. A double-layer porous lubricant film configuration, with a low-permeability porous layer on top of a high-permeability bearing adherent porous layer, improved the journal bearing performance characteristics. A surface porous layered lubricant film configuration increased the load-carrying capacity and reduced the coefficient of friction in a journal bearing.

KEY WORDS:

• Journal Bearing
• Porous Layer
• Surface Layer
• Couple Stress Fluid
• Newtonian Fluid
• Load Capacity
• Coefficient of Friction

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research work was funded by the Exploratory Research Grant Scheme of Ministry of Higher Education (ERGS-MOHE) Malaysia under grant ERGS/1/2011/TK/UTP/02/40. The authors thank the Associate Editor and reviewers for their suggestions. The authors greatly appreciate the support provided by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS for this research.

Review led by Ted Keith