Fluid Film Lubrication of Parallel Thrust Surfaces

Abstract

During the course of an investigation into the general characteristics of various types of thrust bearing, it has been shown that opposed parallel surfaces, under certain conditions of operation, have a load carrying capacity approaching that of tilting pad bearings of the Michell type and of the same bearing area. Considerable evidence has been obtained, such as the low friction losses, the dependence of coefficient of friction on viscosity, speed and load, and the apparent absence of metallic contact, which strongly indicates that these bearings operate under fluid film conditions. Their performance does not seem to depend on a rounded inlet edge, and the apparent establishment of fluid film conditions without the usually accepted requirement of convergence of the bearing surfaces is regarded as a new phenomenon in lubrication. A tentative theory on broad lines is suggested as an explanation of the behaviour.