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This paper aim to take the ship shaft stern bearing as the research object, and studies the influence of journal axial vibration on bearing dynamic characteristics under different misaligned angles and rotation speeds.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and harmonic excitation method were used to build bearing unstable lubrication model, and the dynamic mesh technology was used in calculation.

The results indicate that journal axial vibration has a significant effect on bearing dynamic characteristics, like maximum oil film pressure, bearing stiffness and damping coefficients, and the effect is positively correlated with journal misaligned angle. The effect of shaft rotation speed and journal axial vibration on bearing dynamics characteristics are independent; they have no coupling. Bearing axial stiffness is mainly affected by the journal axial displacement, bearing axial damping is mainly affected by journal axial velocity and they are positively correlated with the misaligned angle. The influence of rotational speed on bearing axial stiffness and axial damping is not obvious.

This paper establishes the bearing dynamic model by CFD and harmonic excitation method with consideration of cavitation effect and analyzing the influence of journal axial vibration on the dynamic characteristics. The results are benefit to the design of ship propulsion shaft and the selection of stern bearing. Also, they are of great significance to improve the operation stability of the shaft bearing system and the vitality of the ship.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2022-0337/

Where combined radial and axial loads act on the bearing, the conical journal bearing is best suited. Large turbines, generators, compressors and other machinery perform better while using conical hydrodynamic journal bearings (CHJBs). The bearings worn out and the performance suffered because of regular use and numerous start and stop operations.

The performance of CHJB is evaluated using both analytical and experimental methods in this paper. The analytical method for resolving Reynolds equation uses spherical coordinate system and finite element analysis. On the CHJB test rig, data is collected for different radial loads with 10°, 20° and 30° semi-cone angles using hydraulic oil of viscosity grade ISO VG46.

The findings of this paper demonstrate that at various semi-cone angles for worn-out bearings, the maximum pressure developed increases with increasing radial load.

This paper provides analytical and experimental performance of CHJBs considering the effect of abrasive wear that is caused because of frequent start and stop operations of machine. The results of wear impact on CHJBs will be helpful for researchers and design engineers.

In the present scenario of high-speed machines, the use of non-circular hole-entry bearing configuration, i.e. two-lobe, multi-lobe, lemon bore, etc., has becomes unavoidable, as the journal bearings with non-circular configurations provide better stability at high operating speed and heavy dynamic loading. Further, this research aims to show that the presence of micro particles in the lubricants greatly affects performance of the bearings, as their presence leads to non-Newtonian behaviors of the lubricant. Therefore, to consider the effect of these micro particles, the lubricant is modeled as a micropolar lubricant. The present work analyzes the effect of these micropolar lubricants on the performance of hole-entry circular and non-circular (two-lobe) hybrid journal bearings compensated with constant flow valve restrictor and compares with that of Newtonian lubricants.

The modified Reynolds equation governing the laminar flow of iso-viscous, incompressible micropolar lubricant in the clearance space of a journal bearing system has been solved using finite element method and appropriate boundary conditions. Further, a comparative analysis between circular and non-circular (two-lobe) hybrid journal bearing compensated with constant flow valve restrictor operating with Newtonian and micropolar lubricant has been presented.

The numerically simulated results reveal that the non-circular bearing configuration provides better performance vis-à-vis the circular bearing configuration. Further, the increase in the micropolar effect of the lubricant enhances the performance of circular and the non-circular bearing configurations compared with the Newtonian lubricant. Also, in the case of the non-circular bearing configuration with an offset factor (δ = 1.5), the bearing performance improved compared with (δ = 1.25).

Many research studies have been done in the area of non-circular hybrid journal bearing with Newtonian lubricants with different types of restrictors, but the non-circular hole-entry constant flow valve-compensated hybrid journal bearing operating with the micropolar lubricant has not been analyzed. Therefore, in the present work, an effort has been made to fill this research gap.

This paper’s aim is modeling and simulation of an advanced controller design for a novel mechatronics system that consists of a hydrostatic journal bearing with servo control. The proposed mechatronic system has more worth in tribology applications as compared to the traditional hydrostatic bearing which has limited efficiency and poor performance because of lower stiffness and load-carrying capacity. The proposed mechatronic system takes advantage of active lubrication to improve stiffness, rotor’s stability and load-carrying capacity.

The current work proposes extended state observer-based controller to control the active lubrication for hydrostatic journal bearing. The advantage of using observer is to estimate unknown state variables and lumped effects because of unmodeled dynamics, model uncertainties, and unknown external disturbances. The effectiveness of the proposed mechatronic system is checked against the traditional hydrostatic bearing.

Proposed mechatronics active hydrostatic journal bearing system is checked against traditional hydrostatic journal bearing. It is found that novel active hydrostatic journal bearing with servo control has good tribology performance factors such as stiffness, less rotor vibration, no wear and friction under starting conditions and high load-carrying capacity under different conditions of spindle speed, temperature, initial oil pressure and external disturbance. The result shows that proposed mechatronics system has more worth in rotary tribology applications.

The current manuscript designs a novel active hydrostatic journal bearing system with servo control. The mathematical model has advantages in term of estimating unknown state variables and lumped effects because of unmodeled dynamics, model uncertainties and unknown external disturbances. The result shows improvement in dynamic characteristics of a hydrostatic journal bearing under different dynamic conditions.

The non-circular journal bearings may be used over circular journal bearings because of their superior thermal stability. The paper aims at experimental study of thermal performance of two different true elliptical and orthogonally displaced non-circular journal bearing profiles.

The experiments have been conducted on a specially designed test rig which simultaneously evaluates oil film pressure and temperature along the circumference of non-circular journal bearing. The tests are conducted for the designed true elliptical and orthogonally displaced journal bearing at three different rotational speeds of 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 rpm under the influence of steadily applied load varied from 0.5 to 2.0 kN. The data collected during experimentation have been used to evaluate thermal performance parameters such as maximum pressure, flow rate and effective temperature of the bearings under study.

It has been observed experimentally that two lobes of pressure and temperature have been obtained for both the elliptical and orthogonally displaced journal bearing. The negative pressure zone (cavitation area) has been observed to be reduced along the circumference for both the journal bearings which results in less thermal degradation of an oil as compared to circular journal bearing. The oil film pressure and temperature increases with the increase in radial load of both the bearings. The maximum temperature rise of oil film is more in case of elliptical bearing as compared to the orthogonally displaced bearing.

The experimental data presented in this paper will help the designers to select such kind of non-circular journal bearing for various applications. The designed bearings have resulted in reduced cavitation zone and two positive pressure lobes have been observed which may result in application of such bearings as an alternate for circular journal bearing.

This paper aims to present stability of a three-layered journal bearing considering magnitude of the layers’ thicknesses and viscosities with slip/partial slip on the bearing surface.

Modified Reynolds equation based on one-dimensional analysis is derived for a three-layered journal bearing with slip/partial slip. Dynamic coefficients are derived based on infinitesimal perturbation method. Linearized stability analysis is presented taking into account slip/partial slip on bearing surface; thicknesses and viscosities of bearing surface layer; and core layer and journal surface layer.

Results of threshold speed and critical whirl frequency ratio coefficients (C_ω, C_Ω), stiffness (K_ij for i = x,y) and damping (B_ij for i = x, y) coefficients and threshold speed (ω_s) and critical whirl frequency ratio (Ω_s) are presented. The bearing surface is analyzed for slip (total surface with slip) and partial slip (partial surface with slip). The slip-on bearing surface reduces stability, while partial slip improves bearing stability. The threshold speed coefficient (C_ω) decreases with slip on bearing surface. The threshold speed (ω_s) and critical whirl frequency ratio (Ω_s) are influenced by the variation of threshold speed coefficient (C_ω) and critical whirl frequency ratio coefficient (C_Ω), respectively. A three-layered journal bearing with partial slip and thick high viscosity bearing surface layer results in higher threshold speed coefficient and has a potential to improve stability of journal bearing. The analyses indicate that optimal angular extent of partial slip region (θ_s) enhances the stability of journal bearing.

The paper presents parametric study of stability coefficients (C_ω and C_Ω) and evaluation of threshold speed (ω_s) and critical whirl frequency ratio (Ω_s) of a three-layered journal bearing with slip/partial slip.

Different groove angles are used to study performance characteristics of two-axial groove journal bearing. In this study two grooves are located at ±90º to the load line. The various angles of grooves have been taken as 10° to 40° in the interval of 5°. Different equations such as Reynolds equation, three-dimensional energy equation and heat conduction equation have been solved using finite element method and finite difference method. Pressure distribution in fluid is found by using Reynolds equation. The three-dimensional energy equation is used for temperature distribution in the fluid film and bush. One-dimensional heat conduction equation is used for finding temperature in axial direction for journal. There is a very small effect of groove angle on film thickness, eccentricity ratio and pressure. There is a drastic change in attitude angle and side flow. Result shows that there is maximum power loss at large groove angle. So the smaller groove angle is recommended for two-axial groove journal bearing.

The finite element method is used for solving Reynolds equation for pressure distribution in fluid. The finite difference method is adopted for finding temperature distribution in bush, fluid and journal.

Pressure distribution in fluid is found out. Temperature distribution in bush, fluid and journal is found out. There is a very small effect of groove angle on film thickness, eccentricity ratio and pressure.

The groove angle used is from 10 to 40 degree. The power loss is more when angle of groove increases, so smaller groove angle is recommended for this study.

The location of groove angle predicts the distribution of pressure and temperature in journal bearing. It will show the performance characteristics. ±90° angle we will prefer that will get before manufacturing of bearing.

Due to this study, we will get predict how the pressure and temperature distribute in the journal. It will give the running condition of bearing as to at what speed and load we will get the maximum temperature and pressure in the bearing.

The finite element method is used for solving the Reynolds equation. Three-dimensional energy equation is solved using the finite difference method. Heat conduction equation is also solved for journal. The C language is used. The code is developed in C language. There are different equations which depend on each other. The temperature is dependent on pressure viscosity of fluid, etc. so C code is preferred.

This paper aims to elucidate the effects of lubricant groove shape, vertical load, swing angle and grease injection cycle on the friction and wear performances of journal bearings under the grease lubrication condition.

Three different types of lubricant grooves, namely, numeral eight-shaped, axial straight line-shaped and circular blind hole-shaped, were designed and machined in the bearing bush of journal bearings. The tribological behaviors of these journal bearings were investigated on the self-developed reciprocating swing friction and wear tester. Experimental data including the friction coefficient, the friction temperature, the wear loss and wear time were analyzed in detail. The wear morphologies of friction pairs were observed by scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope.

The load carrying capacity and service life of the journal bearing with circular blind hole-shaped lubricant grooves are not affected. However, the load carrying capacities of journal bearings with numeral eight-shaped and axial straight line-shaped lubricant grooves are declined. The coverage areas of lubricating grease in the bearing bush are associated with the swing angle. The smaller the swing angle is, the more limited the coverage areas of lubricating grease get. Among these journal bearings, the maintenance-free time of journal bearing with circular blind hole-shaped lubricant grooves is the longest because of its large grease storage capacity.

The journal bearing with circular blind hole-shaped lubricant grooves exhibits the excellent antifriction and wear-resistant properties, making it suitable for the application in the low-speed and heavy-load engineering conditions.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of journal bearings in a high-speed and heavy-load press system by considering thermal influence and cavitation.

A proper and effectual computational method is presented for steady-state analysis of fluid interaction in a rotor-bearing press system by combining computational fluid dynamics techniques.

The influences of eccentricity ratio, rotational speed and oil-film thickness on the hydrodynamic behavior of the journal bearing are studied.

The computational method can be used for creating a precise lubrication design for a journal bearing of a lubrication system.

The present work aimed to study analytically the influence of wear on the performance of a capillary-compensated hole-entry hybrid misaligned journal bearing system operating in a turbulent regime. The numerically simulated results are presented for the chosen values of restrictor design parameter, Reynolds numbers, wear depth and misalignment parameters.

The wear caused on the bearing surface due to start/stop operations is modeled using the Dufrane’s abrasive wear model. The modified Reynolds equation based on Constantinescu’s lubrication theory is solved using finite element method together with capillary restrictor flow equation.

It is found that the value of minimum fluid-film thickness increases significantly for a constant value of restrictor design parameter when unworn aligned bearing operates in turbulent regime vis-à-vis laminar regime. Further, it has also been observed that when a worn bearing operates in laminar/turbulent regimes, the reduction in the value of minimum fluid-film thickness is more due to journal misalignment as compared to the aligned bearing operates in laminar regime.

The present work is original concerning the performance of worn hole-entry hybrid misaligned journal bearing system operating in turbulent regime. The results are expected to be quite useful for the bearing designer.