Effect of texture on hydrodynamic journal bearing performance under starvation lubrication


 The effect of texture on tribological properties of journal bearings operating under starvation lubrication conditions was studied in this paper. The P-θ model with mass conservation boundary conditions was used to accurately predict the oil film distribution in the full oil film/starvation region of the textured bearing; the model was solved numerically, using the finite volume method. Effects of various degrees of starvation lubrication on the tribological performance parameters, such as eccentricity, attitude angle, full film area, and friction coefficient, in textured bearings were discussed. The results have shown that the effect of texture on the bearing performance was affected by starvation lubrication conditions. Further, effect severity varied with starvation levels; however, the texturing still improved the working performance of the journal bearing in the case of weak starvation. Texturing increased the bearing load carrying capacity and reduced the friction coefficient, improving safety and preventing safety accidents due to oil supply problems.