A New Analytic Approximation for the Hydrodynamic Forces in Finite-Length Journal Bearings

A new method for determining a closed form expression for the hydrodynamic forces in finite-length plain journal bearings is introduced. The method is based on applying correction functions to the force models of the infinitely long (IL) or infinitely short (IS) bearing approximation. The correction functions are derived by modeling the ratio between the forces from the numerical integration of the two-dimensional Reynolds equation and the forces from either the IL or IS bearing approximation. Low-order polynomial models, dependent on the eccentricity ratio and aspect ratio, are used for the correction functions. A comparative computational study is presented for the steady-state behavior of the bearing system under static and unbalance loads. The results show the proposed models outperforming the standard limiting approximations as well as a model based on the finite-length impedance method.