MCAELAB RESEARCH

ACTIVITY IN THE
LUBRICATION FIELD

Fabrizio Stefani
Introduction to hydrodynamic lubrication
 Research activities
• Development of mathematical models
aimed to TEHD lubrication analysis
• Implementation of FEMLub computer
program
• Applications to the analysis of bearings for
turbomachineries
• Applications to the analysis of automotive
bearings
Crankshaft bearings
 Bearings for turbomachineries
analysis examples
• Determination of journal bearings steady-state
characteristics, i.e. lubricant flow rates, power
dissipation, babbitt and lubricant temperatures,
film thickness for several working conditions in
bearing verification or design
• Simulation of bearing start-up taking into account
hydrostatic lift
• Evaluation of bearings characteristics as
centralized lubrication system components
• Determination of journal bearings dynamic
characteristics and stability analysis
• Assessment of the influence of manufacturing and
failure defects on bearing performance
Bearings for turbomachineries
Bearings for turbomachineries:
journal bearings
Bearings for turbomachineries:
thrust bearings
Thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic
analysis
Mathematical models and calculation
methods
 Lubricant film

Cylindrical journal bearing showing lubricant film with cavitation

 Cavitation

b) - View of a
a) - Fluid flow through cavitated region
gas cavitation
streamer
 Lubricant film mass-conserving model
The lubricant film is simulated by a fictitious biphase vapor-liquid
mixture, which viscosity  and density  are related by

  L liquid phase viscosity

 (1)
 L L L liquid phase density

  L
In the active film region Sa: 
p  ?

   r / h  ?
In the cavitated film region Sc: 

L

p  0
 Basic equations
In laminar and non-laminar flow regime, mass-conservation in the whole film
(cavitated region + active region) may be imposed by the equation
  h 3 p    h 3 p  U h h U  
        0 (2)
x  12L K x x  z  12L K z x  2 x t 2 x t

where   h 1   / L  (3)
is the “vapor”- thickness. Variable  ranges between – h (fully vaporized film) and 0
(complete film). In equation (2) Kx and Kz are functions of the local Reynolds
number. These functions depend on the flow regime, which may be laminar,
superlaminar and turbolent.
The simplest form (cross film averaged) of the energy equation is
T
   K h T    c h u   T  h f   c h  0 (4)
t
where hf is the heat dissipation (per unit area), u and T are the mean fluid
velocity and temperature, respectively. Adiabatic wall conditions are assumed.
Equations (2) e (4) are coupled by the viscosity-temperature relation typical of
the lubricant.
 Flow regimes
A bearing is expected to work in non-laminar flow regime when the global Reynolds
number is greater than 1000. Global Reynolds number and local Reynolds number are
defined respectively as
L U c L U h
Reg  Rel  (11)
 
When superlaminar regime is reached in the thicker part of
the film, Taylor vortices appear. Flow regime is determined
on the basis of the local stability theory.

 Kx  1  K x  1  0.00113Rel 0.9 
K x =1  
 Kz  1  K z  1  0.000367 Rel
0.96

K z =1   0.94 
  
C   L 1  0.0012 Rel 0.94  
 C   L 1  0.0012 Re l 
μ C =μ=  L 
L  (13) (14)

(12) Superlaminar Turbulent Taylor vortices in an

regime regime unloaded bearing
Laminar
regime
 Film thickness of a fixed pad
Let m be the ith pad preload factor,
such that
a
m (15)
cp

where cp is the pad clearance and a is

the distance between the bearing
center O and the pad center of
curvature Oi.
If the journal center Ojour position is
described by the eX, eY coordinates in
the bearing reference system O, X, Y,
then film thickness is given by
Reference system for a fixed pad
h  cp  (eX  mc p cos  i ) cos   (eY  mc p sin  i ) sin  (16)
 Film thickness of a tilting pad
The ith pad, which center of curvature
is initially in Oi, can spin around the
pivot Pi. Due to a rotation di the pad
center of curvature moves from Oi to
O’i which, if di is sufficiently slight,
is measured by O O'  (R  d) d (17)
i i i

Hence film thickness is easily

obtained from the equation 14, valid
for a fixed pad, subtracting from the
coordinates of Ojour in the pad
reference system (Oi, Xi, Yi) the
components of the pad center motion
as follows
Reference system for a tilting pad
h  cp  eX  mcp cos  i  (R  d)di sin  i  cos  
eY  mcp sin i  (R  d)di cos i  sin  (18)
 Film thickness with a misaligned journal
Denoting with ha the film thickness for
a fixed or a tilting pad, journal
misalignment may be accounted for
under the assumption of small journal
rotations with the following equation

h  h a  Y z cos  Y zsin  (19)

where X and Y are the journal-to-

bearing rotations respectively around
X and Y axes. If the journal position
is fixed, X and Y are known for a
fixed bearing, unknown if the bearing Reference system for a circular bearing
is self-aligning. with misaligned journal
 Journal and pads motion equations
If the journal center position coordinates eX, eY are unknown, the problem
requires two further equations
d 2eX 
FX   p cos  dx dz  M 2  0 
S dt 
2  (20)
FY   p sin  dx dz  M 2Y  0 
de
S dt 

If the tilt angles of N pads d1, d2,… dN are also unknown, the problem requires
N additional equations. Neglecting the torque due to the pad weight, they are
d 2 di
(R  d)  psin    i  dx dz  I Pi 2  0 i  1, 2,...N (21)
S dt
Finally if the journal-to-bearing rotations X, Y are unknown, the problem
also requires the following 2 equations
 L d 2X  M journal mass
  psin   z   dx dz  IO'X 2  0 
S  2 dt  IPi moment of inertia with respect to pivot Pi
 (22)
IO’X moment of inertia with respect to X’ axis
 L d 2Y 
 p cos  

z 
2


dx dz  I O'Y
dt 2
 0
 IO’Y moment of inertia with respect to Y’ axis
S
 Perturbation of thin film mechanics equation and
dynamic coefficients
A first order perturbation of the thin film mechanics equation (2) or (3) with
respect to the variable d is
  h 3  d    h 3  d   U h h 
       
 2 x t 
x  12 L K x x  z  12 L K z z 
 3 h h   2 h h h  p 1   2 h h h  p 1  p
    h   h     0 (23) d 
d h d 4  dx d x  x K x  dz d z  z K z  d

Solving equation (23) with d = eX = X and d = eY = Y, stiffness and damping

coefficients, respectively a and b, may be found
a XX  FX / X  L/ 2  cos   
      L / 2 12  X   R d dz 
 aYX   FY / X   sen   
a XY  FX / Y  cos   
L / 2 2
      L / 2 1  Y   R d dz  1,, 2 active film region
 YY  
a FY / Y   sen   

bXX  FX / X  L / 2 2 cos    boundaries circumferential
      L / 2 1  X   R d dz 
 bYX   FY / X   sen    coordinates
bXY  FX / Y  L / 2 2 cos   
 
     
 L / 2 1 Y   R d  dz 
 bYY   FY / Y   sen   
Steady-state characteristics
Analysis of the steady-state of
steadily loaded bearings
 Indirect problem solution
example (1)
Assumptions:
1. constant journal load (FX = 10000 N, FY =0 N)
2. end-fed bearing
Pressure and fractional film
content evolutions
Flows
 Indirect problem solution
example (2)
Assumptions:
1. constant journal load (FX = 10000 N, FY =0 N)
2. center-fed bearing
Pressure and fractional film
content evolutions

Journal center
motion
 2D thermal model of the lubricant film
Comparison between the lubricant temperature (averaged in the film thickness)
calculated in the bearing center plane and the corresponding temperature measured
in the white metal.
Main hypotheses: adiabatic walls, groove film temperature equal to the oil
supply temperature.
Ferron, Frene, Boncompain bearing Tonnesen, Hansen, Lund bearing
 Quasi-3D thermal model of the bearing
Comparison between the bearing wall temperature calculated in the bearing center
plane and the corresponding temperature measured in the white metal.
Main hypothesis: oil temperature variation in the film thickness can be fitted
by a forth order polynomial
Tonnesen, Hansen, Lund bearing
The method is based on:
• The solution of heat conduction
equations in the journal and in the
bearing
• Thermal balance in the groove
regions in order to take into
account hot oil carry-over
• Assessment of the heat exchange
at the bearing walls by means of
the calculation of temperature
gradients
Modello termico quasi-3D

Ferron, Frene, Boncompain bearing

TEHD analysis
Tonnesen, Hansen, Lund bearing
 Film and white metal temperature assessment
a) b)
Tonnesen, Hansen,
Lund bearing

a) Bearing temperature
b) White metal temperature
c) Cross film averaged oil temperature

c)
 Two-lobe journal bearing hydraulic
characteristics
1000

900

800

700

600
q [l/min]

500

400

300 experiment 1000 rpm

experiment 2000 rpm
200 experiment 3000 rpm
theory 1000 rpm
100 theory 2000 rpm
theory 3000 rpm
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
p [bar]

Comparison with the experimental data published in [1]

[1] Michau B., Caractéristiques de fonctionnement des coussinets de grands diamètres – comparaison de résultats théoriques et
expérimentaux, Mecanique, materiaux, electricite, n° 354-355, Juin-Juillet, 1979.
Steady-state results (elliptical bearing with hydrostatic lifting)

Safety
parameters

Pressure Pressure
distribution distribution
Hydrostatic 600 rpm 1500 rpm
lifting pressure
Bearings geometry
 Steady state characteristics of thrust bearings

[1] Glavatskikh, S.B., 2001,“Steady State Performance Characteristics of a Tilting Pad Thrust Bearing,” ASME J. Trib., 123, pp. 608-
615.
 Combined journal-thrust bearings

Design values of total axial clearance ct : 0.3-0.4 mm

Dynamic characteristics of steadily
loaded bearings
Half frequency whirl instability
 Dynamic coefficients: validation
Hypotheses:
1. L/D = 1;
2. m = 0.5;
3. axial grooves spanning 20° in circumferential direction;
4. laminar regime.

Dynamic coefficients Dynamic coefficients

from FEMLub from [1]
[1] Frene, J., Nicolas, D., Deguerce, B., Berthe, D., and Godet, M.,“Hydrodynamic Lubrication – Bearings and Thrust Bearings”, Tribology
Series, editor: D. Dowson, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1990.
 Stability charts

 RL  R 
2

S  
W0  C 

MC 2 MC
Mc   *s  M c  
W0 s
W0 s

1 1
 QA  QB  LR  g  e   LR  g  e   2 RL e
s  2 2
 s

1
S RL  R 
2
W0 ReC 
RC   
 *     2
 s W0  C  MC
Stability maps of an elliptic bearing
Stability maps of an elliptic bearing: example of use
Usually W = M g, hence there is a linear relationship between S and M in a two-log plot, when all
other parameters are fixed. In this case from the maps it is also possible to find the dimensional
critical mass Ms as a function of S. The intersection gives the rotor mass for which operation
becomes unstable. In the case below (V943A2 nominal conditions) Ms=2500 kg
Stability maps of elliptic bearings with different length
Dynamic characteristics of bearings
Analysis of dynamically loaded
bearings
Dynamic analysis: assessment of
the journal loads
EHD analysis: evaluation of
tribological parameters
 EHD analysis: FEM simulation of
the bearing structure
Connecting rod CAD model 20-node isoparametric element mesh
 Structural model
8-node isoparametric element mesh Bolts model
EHD analysis: FEM simulation of
bolt preload

Displacement due to bolt preload

 Structural point of view
Stress distribution at 0° crank angle
Elastic with bolts model Elastic model

x stress [Pa]

Tensile stress
at the junction
Elastohydrodynamic lubrication
Elastohydrodynamic lubrication: non-linear structure
 Experimental device
Crank mechanism Araldit connecting rod
 Experimental-numerical stress
comparison: static load
Interferometry 2D non-linear model 3D linear model

600 N bolt preload

Experimental-numerical stress comparison: dynamic load
Interferometry

360° crank angle

600 N bolt preload

0° crank angle

FEM
 TEHD analysis: temperature predictions
Steady rod temperature Dynamic film temperature

Steady sleeve temperature The sleeve surface is heated by the lubricant

film especially near the bearing centerline.
Maximum sleeve temperature is reached near
 = 0 deg. Maximum film temperature in the
cycle is 134 °C reached roughly at 250 degs
crank angle where absolute minimum film
thickness occurs.
Influence of bearing defects on
steady-state characteristics
Study of the influence of a journal manufacturing
defect
Hypothesis:
1. The defect is a 360° circumferential groove
with rectangular section (W=2.3 mm x T=0.5
mm)
2. The axial position of the unwanted groove is z
= 95 mm (measured from the bearing
atmospheric side)
3. The bearing is assumed to be perfectly auto-
aligning
4. The defect faces the lifting groove
The journal bearing behavior is analyzed:
1. In steady-state nominal conditions (3000 rpm)
for different width W of the defect
2. During start-up (i.e. 600 rpm, with hydrostatic
lifting)
 Nominal conditions, several widths of the defect
W=0 W = 2.3 mm W = 23 mm W = 50 mm

Peak pressure=113 bar Peak pressure=138 bar Peak pressure=161 bar Peak pressure=269 bar

Magn.factor.= Magn.factor.= Magn.factor.= Magn.factor.=

500 500 500 500

X=0.000; Y=0.000° X=0.007°; Y=0.001° X=0.005°; Y=0.012° X=0.014°; Y=0.017°

 Nominal conditions, several widths of the defect
W=0 W = 2.3 mm W = 23 mm W = 50 mm

min. film thickness=75m min. film thickness=46m min. film thickness=24m min. film thickness=10m

Max temperature =119°C Max temperature=109°C Max. tempearture=134°C Max.temperature=150°C

 Influence of the defect on hydrostatic lift
Tasca 3 – 0.5
mm

Tasca 1 – 1 bar

Tasche 4 –
0.14 l/s

Tasca 2 – 1 bar
Boundary
conditions
All of the lifting oil
Pressure distribution – flows here Pressure distribution
600rpm with defect – 600rpm
Effect of a groove-shaped defect on the collar of a thrust bearing