An Exploratory Study of Oil Grooves in Plain Bearings

A preliminary investigation has been made of the influence of oil holes and grooves on journal bearing performance to provide, in addition to fundamental information on fluid films in bearings, preliminary data for an ultimate analysis of the behaviour of internal combustion engine bearings. In the first part of the paper the effects of supplying oil to holes and grooves in the unloaded part of the bearing are investigated, the quantity of oil flowing through the bearing, the running temperature and the coefficient of friction being recorded. Amongst the results are shown the important part the clearance space at the point of supply plays in the quantity delivered; the surprising drop of feed as a 90 deg. circumferential groove is extended to 360 deg.; the marked effect of quantity of oil on bearing temperature for small flows and the rapid drop in efficiency of oil cooling as the quantity rises; and the absence of a groove arrangement giving more efficient cooling than the others. Change of supply temper...