Abstract
Abstract
This paper reports the improvement in the performance behaviors of non-Newtonian fluid lubricated journal bearings employing a rectangular pocket. Coefficient of friction and load carrying capacity of pocketed and non-pocketed bearings are reported and discussed. In the numerical approach, non-Newtonian behavior of lubricant is simulated employing the power law model. Various cases of bearings having different axial length to diameter ratios [(L/D) in the range 0.5–2.0] are considered. Lubricants of different rheology viz. pseudoplastic, Newtonian and shear thickening were employed for lubricating the bearings. Rheology of lubricant is controlled by varying the power law index n in the range 0.9–1.1. Based on the investigation, it is found that the pocketed bearing yields significantly reduced coefficient of friction and higher load carrying capacity in comparison to the non-pocketed bearing. Also, the performance of pocketed bearing improves with the increase in the power law index. Best performance of the pocketed bearing is observed for the bearing having L/D value of 0.5 at high eccentricity ratio when lubricated with the shear thickening fluid (n=1.1).