Optimization of Thermal Performance of Hybrid Journal Bearings for High Speed Machine Tool Spindle with Small Diameter

Abstract

Multi-array hole-entry hybrid journal bearings have been widely applied to support the high speed precision machine tool spindle with small diameter used in high efficient inner grinding, due to their prominent properties of high rotation accuracy, high dynamic stiffness, high vibration damping and long life. But the imperfection of the hybrid bearing is the significant temperature rising in the oil film on the condition of high speed operation, which brings about the sharp decreasing of load capacity and the larger thermal deformation of the bushing that cause the bearing failure immediately. In this paper, CFD analysis of the temperature fields of the multi-array hole-entry hybrid journal bearing with various bearing construction parameters and operation parameters are presented. According to the simulation results, the temperature rising in the oil film can be controlled efficiently by optimizing the matching of the bearing construction parameters and operation parameters and excellent characteristics of load capacity and static stiffness have been obtained simultaneously.