Abstract
The solution of the energy equation of thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic analysis for bearings by the finite element method usually leads to convergence difficulties due to the presence of convection terms inherited from the Navier–Stokes equations. In this work, the numerical analysis is performed with finite element method universally by adopting the characteristic-based split method to solve the energy equation. Five case studies of fixed pad thrust bearings have been set up with different geometries, loads, and lubricants. The two-dimensional film pressure is obtained by solving the Reynolds equation with pre-defined axial load on the pad. The energy equation of the lubricant film and the heat transfer equation of the bearing pad are handled by characteristic-based split method and conventional finite element method in three-dimensional space, respectively. Hot oil carry-over effect and variable lubricant viscosity are considered in the simulations. The results of the temperature distributions in the lubricant film and the bearing pad are presented. The possible usability of characteristic-based split method for future thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic analysis is discussed.
Highlights
Thrust bearings are the key factor for the pumps to achieve stable performance and long-term service
The coarser mesh was used in the analysis done by Wodtke et al.,[27] in which the simulation was performed with finite difference method (FDM)
This means that the characteristic-based split (CBS) method could obtain steady-state solution of the energy equation with the same mesh density
Summary
Thrust bearings are the key factor for the pumps to achieve stable performance and long-term service. When solving energy equations, FDM or similar methods are dominant in the numerical study of lubrication.[10,11,12] A novel method with the name of characteristic-based split (CBS) method has been developed in the past decades. Zienkiewicz et al.[9] continued to explore the CBS method in order to solve fluid dynamics problems in different flow regimes including incompressible and compressible flow, turbulent flow, flow through porous media, and so on According to their theory, if the computational mesh updates its position in an incremental Lagrangian manner along the dominant velocity or ‘‘characteristic,’’ the firstorder convective terms in the Navier–Stokes (N-S) equations would disappear. The CBS method is applied to solve the energy equation in hydrodynamic lubricated thrust bearing. The third term on the right-hand side of equation (11) will be
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
