Hydrodynamic Load Support of a Slip Wedge

Abstract

This paper studies the hydrodynamic load support generated by a slip wedge of a slider bearing. The surface slip property is optimized to obtain a maximum hydrodynamic load support. A multi-linearity method was used to approach the slip control equation of two-dimensional (2-D) wall slip. It is found that the hydrodynamic pressure generated in the slip wedge is greater than that of the traditional geometrical convergent-wedge. Even though the geometrical gap is a parallel or divergent sliding gap, the slip wedge still gives rise to a very big hydrodynamic pressure. The optimized slip wedge gives rise to a maximum hydrodynamic load support as large as 2.5 times of what the Classical Reynolds theory predicts for the geometrical convergent-wedge. Wall slip usually gives a small surface friction drag.