Analysis of Hydrodynamic Plain Journal Bearing

Ravindra Mane[1], Sandeep soni[1]
[1]Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India
Published in 2013

This paper presents the 3D model of hydrodynamic plain journal bearing using COMSOL Multiphysics®. Using 3D Model, pressure distribution in plain journal bearing is obtained by steady state analysis of plain journal bearing. Generalized Reynolds equation is used for analyzing hydrodynamic journal bearing by COMSOL Multiphysics® as well as by analytical method by applying Sommerfeld boundary conditions. This Reynolds equation is solved for two theories of hydrodynamic journal bearing called infinitely short journal bearing and infinitely long journal bearing. Results obtained for pressure distribution by simulation are compared with analytical results and shows that the solutions are approximately similar to the analytical solutions. The comparison is quite decent for both version of the plain journal bearing, because the analytical and simulation results correspond to each other. Only the magnitude of the pressure build-up/drop differs, but this can be caused by the analytical assumptions and the software approximation.