WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

DESIGN OF MACHINE ELEMENTS
ME-3320, C2005
Lecture 20-22-23
February 22, 2005
C. Furlong

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Bearings and lubrication

Journal bearings(short/long) -- sliding type
Short journal bearings

Journal bearings (short/long)

and bushings

Thick-wall journal bearing

(Typically used in low-speed applications)

Hard material

Soft material
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Bearings and lubrication: friction

Journal bearings(short/long) -- sliding type
Friction as a function of velocity

Friction

Relative velocity

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Bearings and lubrication: materials

Journal bearings(short/long) -- sliding type
Note hardness difference between
shaft and bearing material

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Bearings and lubrication: shear stresses in lubricant

Journal bearings(short/long) -- sliding type
du
Shear stresses: xy =
dy

and for constant thickness, h, xy = U

where,

- is absolute viscosity
U - is linear (tangential) velocity
h - is film (lubricant) thickness

Linear (tangential) velocity:

(Analogy)

Film (lubricant)
thickness
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Bearings and lubrication: viscosity

Absolute/Relative
Absolute viscosity:

Units of absolute viscosity in English system: lb-sec/in2 (reyn)

Units of absolute viscosity in SI system: Pa-sec
Typical values are expressed in reyn and mPa-sec (1 centipoise (cP) = 1mPa-sec)
Kinematic viscosity () and absolute viscosity are related as: =
Units of kinematic viscosity are: in2/sec (English) and cm2/sec (stoke - SI)
The term
viscosity without
modifiers refers to
absolute viscosity

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Bearings and lubrication: shear stresses in lubricant

Reynolds equation for eccentric journal bearings
Definitions

Diametral clearance: Cd
Radial clearance: Cr = Cd / 2
Eccentricity: e (Maximum value of eccentricity is: Cr )

e
Eccentricity ratio: =

Cr

Film thickness as a function of angular position (): h Cr (1 + cos )

Minimum and maximum film thickness: hmin = Cr (1 ) , hmax = Cr (1 + )

(Analogy: used to derive

mathematical models)

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Bearings and lubrication: shear stresses in lubricant

Reynolds equation for eccentric journal bearings
Reynolds equation:

1 h 3 p + h 3 p = U h
6 x x z z
x

Close-form solutions for Reynolds equation do not exist, however, it can

be solved numerically (e.g., with finite element methods).
Particular close-form solutions for simplified Reynolds equation do exist

Neglecting pressure gradient in the axial direction (assumption): p = 0

Involves solution of simplified Reynolds equation:

h 3 p = 6U h
x
x x

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Bearings and lubrication: Reynolds equation

Long bearing assumption: Sommerfeld solution
No-leakage of lubricant at both ends of journal

Pressure distribution, p, is: p =

Ur 6 (sin )( 2 + cos )
+ po
2
2
2
Cr ( 2 + )(1 + cos )

Ulr 2
12
Total load, P,is: P =
2
2
Cr ( 2 + )(1 + cos )1 / 2
Average pressure, Pavg,is:

Pavg = P
ld

Important dimensionless quantity: Sommerfeld number, S

2
( 2 + 2 )(1 + 2 )1 / 2
n ' d
S=
=
C
12
p
avg
d

( n is rotational speed in revolutions per second)

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Bearings and lubrication: Reynolds equation

Short bearing assumption: Ocvirk solution
Incorporates leakage of lubricant at both ends of journal

U l 2
2
3 sin

z
Pressure distribution, p, is: p =

rCr2 4
(1 + cos )3
Ul 3
4dn ' l 3
Total load, P,is: P = K
= K
2
Cr
Cd2
Coefficient, K (dimensionless), is:

2
2
2 1/ 2
[
(1 ) + 16 ]
K =

4(1 2 )2

Important dimensionless quantity: Ocvrick number, ON

()

2
pavg d 2 Cd 2 (1 2 ) + 16 2
ON = 4K =
l d =

n
'

(1 2 )2

1/ 2

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Bearings and lubrication: Reynolds equation

Short bearing assumption: Ocvirk solution
Incorporates leakage of lubricant at both ends of journal

Correcting eccentricity ratio (correction based on experimental observations):

x ( corrected ) = 0.21394 + 0.38517 log(ON ) 0.0008(ON 60)

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Bearings and lubrication

Pressure distribution in journal bearings
Power loss:

= 2Tr ( n2' n1' )

with

Tr = Ts + Pe sin

d 3l (n2' n1' )
2
Ts =
Cd
(1 2 )1/ 2

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Bearings and lubrication

Pressure distribution in short journal bearings
%P- distributions (approximations) in short and long bearings:

(Short-bearing solution)

%Pressure

(Long-bearing solution)

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Bearings and lubrication: design considerations

Journal bearings(short/long) -- sliding type
If shaft has been designed
(for stress and/or deflection)
Chose ratio l/d of bearing
(based on packaging
considerations)

Larger l/d ratios give

lower film pressures

Clearance ratio (Cd/d) are
typically in the range of
0.001 to 0.002
Larger clearance ratios
increase load number ON
Higher ON numbers give
larger eccentricity,
pressure, and torque
Larger clearance ratios
used for better lubricant
flow (increasing cooling
conditions)
An Ocvirk number is
chosen and lubricant is
then selected

If shaft has not been designed

Diameter and length of

bearing can be found

from iteration of bearing
equations with and
assumed Ocvirk number

A trial lubricant must be
chosen and its viscosity
defined

After bearing has been

designed, heat and

momentum (flow) analysis
can be done not in this
course...

Note:
ON 30 ( =0.82) moderate loading
(recommended)

ON 60 ( =0.90) heavy loading

ON 90 ( =0.93) severe loading
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Examples

Review and Master: Example 10-1

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Reading

Chapters 10 of textbook: Sections 10.0 to 10.13

Review notes and text: ES2501, ES2502, ES2503

Homework assignment

Authors: 10-2

Solve: 10-9, 10-13, 10-19e

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