Studying the effect of load direction variation on the performance of three tilted pads journal bearing

Abstract EN

This research studied, theoretically, the performance of a tilted pad journal bearing.

This bearing consists three inclined pads.

These pads are distributed circumferentially around the journal.

These pads can be adjusted in two ways: by changing the tilt angle of each pad _and by changing the circumferential position of the pads around the journal, relative to the external load direction, in order to obtain the following goals: (1) Maximum external load, (2) Maximum oil flow rate in order to carry out as much heat as possible, (3) Minimum power consumption, and (4) Control the attitude angle magnitude in order to control the stiffness and damping coefficients then improve bearing stability.

The thickness of the oil film between the pads and the shaft surface had been obtained using an equation that was derived specially for this purpose.

Then the pressure of each point on the three pads surfaces were also calculated using Reynolds equation which solved numerically using a computer program.

The results showed that there is a certain direction for the external load (a specific value for ?), that gives a maximum value for the external load (W), and the attitude angle (Ф), while the oil flow rate (Q) reaches its minimum value at this angle.

And this value for ? increases as the pads tilt angle (α) increases.

Also there is another value for ?, that gives a maximum value for the oil flow rate (Q).

And also this value of ? increases as α increases