Combined Navier–Stokes and Bulk-Flow Analysis of Hybrid Bearings: Radial and Angled Injection

Abstract

The present work deals with the Navier–Stokes and bulk-flow analysis of hybrid bearings intended for use in aerospace applications. These bearings are expected to work at high rotational speeds and high feeding pressures. In such a case, the pressure in the shallow pockets of the bearing is no longer constant and is influenced by hydrostatic and hydrodynamic effects. It has been shown in the literature that the recess pressure pattern can have an important influence on the dynamic characteristics of the bearing. The present work investigates the pressure field in the recess of centered hybrid bearings with radial and angled injection by using a numerical Navier–Stokes analysis. The recess pressure pattern is then subsequently characterized by combining these results with some parametric descriptions. For calculating the dynamic characteristics of the bearing, the parametric pressure pattern is then injected into a bulk-flow model. The proposed model is an alternative analysis to the one advanced by San Andrés [ASME J. Tribole, 112, pp. 699–707; 119, 179–187] and in order to evaluate the validity of the bulk-flow code, the numerical predictions are compared with experimental data taken from the literature for radial and angled injection. The favourable effect of the counter-rotating angled injection is then explained by using the velocity field issued from the Navier–Stokes analysis and the pressure field given by the bulk-flow model.