Simulation of an Air–Oil Mixture Flowing in the Internal Cavities of a High-Speed Rolling Bearing

Abstract

A mathematical model of the flow of a lubricant in the internal cavities of a rolling bearing under the conditions of forced lubrication with the use of an oil–air mixture is considered. The computational domain contains movable boundaries that make it possible to take into account the motion of the rolling elements and the retainer. By using the methods of computational flow dynamics, the turbulent flow parameters for an oil–air mixture are calculated, and the frictional power loss in the bearing are estimated. The hydrodynamic forces and moments that act on the bearing parts are calculated based on the distribution of pressure and friction stress at the boundaries thereof.