Thermohydrodynamic Lubrication Analysis Method of Slider Bearings with Steps on Bearing Surface

Abstract

This paper shows a thermohydrodynamic lubrication (THL) analysis method to simulate slider bearings with steps on the bearing surface such as Rayleigh step bearing. To satisfy the flow continuity on the step region, virtual clearance and its derivatives are defined on the edges. This method allows the finite differential equations (Reynolds equation and energy equation) to be solved at both continuous and dicontinuous clearance region. The simulation result is in good agreement with the CFD calculation result. This paper also shows a simulation result of a finite width Rayleigh step bearing with side dams.