Hydrodynamic lubrication of short porous bearings

Abstract A theoretical analysis is presented for the hydrodynamic lubrication of short porous metal bearings that are press-fitted into a solid housing. It is customary with such bearings to neglect the circumferential flow of the lubricant compared to the axial flow and consequently the modified Reynolds equation has a simpler form. However, this device is not resorted to while considering the flow of the lubricant within the bearing material, and consequently the three dimensional Laplace equation describing such flow is solved. The pressure continuity at the bearing-film interface is maintained and the modified Reynolds equation is solved by the Galerkin method. Numerical results obtained on a digital computer indicate a progressive reduction in the load capacity and increment in the friction parameter and attitude angle as the permeability parameter is increased. These results significantly aid the rational design of short porous bearings.