An experimental study of the pressure effect of a translating high aspect ratio particle in a plane slider bearing

Abstract

An experimental apparatus is used to measure the transient pressure in a slider bearing as a high aspect ratio two-dimensional particle of rectangular profile passes through the fluid film. The apparatus measures pressure at a particular location in the bearing and simultaneously measures the particle's displacement with respect to its initial location. Results are presented to demonstrate the effect of particle location on the pressure in the bearing. The measurements show a disturbance which develops in the pressure field in the region of the particle location. The data are compared with theoretical and experimental results which have been previously presented. Theoretical restrictions are that the particle is long relative to the gap size and the bearing is long relative to the particle thickness. Unless these restrictions are adhered to, the theory over-predicts the magnitude of the disturbance.