Computer-Aided Study of Journal Bearings With Undulating Surfaces

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an analytical study of the performance of a cylindrical journal bearing of finite length as influenced by undulations intentionally produced on the surface. With the aid of a digital computer, the analysis has been applied to some common cases to obtain relevant numerical solutions. Compared with journal bearings having perfectly smooth surfaces, wavy bearings may well run at lower values of journal eccentricities and attitude angles. Wavy bearings may thus operate with higher safety. It is herein also established that, with load criterion as parameter, the higher the wave amplitude ac and the number of waves along the bearing circumference nc, the lower would be the eccentricity ratio. Moreover, when running at same eccentricity, higher values of ac and nc show a tendency of the journal center to move closer to the load line, thus leading to lower attitude angles.