Analysis and comparative study of ferrofluid lubricated circular porous squeeze film-bearings

Abstract

Based on ferrohydrodynamic theory by R. E. Rosensweig and continuity equation for film as well as upper and lower porous regions, a general modified Reynolds equation for ferrofluid (FF) lubricated circular discs porous squeeze film-bearings is derived by assuming the validity of the Darcy’s law in the porous regions. The effects of porosity, slip velocity, anisotropic permeability and rotation at both the discs are also included for the study. Here, the FF is controlled by oblique and radially variable magnetic field. The effect of porosity is included because of its advantageous property of self-lubrication, and oblique variable magnetic field is important because of its advantage of generating maximum field at the required active contact zone of the bearing design systems. Using Reynolds equation, different circular porous squeeze film-bearing design systems (e.g. exponential, secant and parallel (flat)) are studied and compared for load-carrying capacity. During the course of investigation, it is observed that uniform magnetic field does not affect on the performances of the bearing systems.