Modeling and simulation of the multiscale hydrodynamic wedge-platform thrust bearing

• Published in: Meccanica (Milan) Vol. 57; no. 11; pp. 2749 - 2761
• Main Authors: Shao, Xiaoying, Zhang, Yongbin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.11.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Automotive Engineering; Boundary layers; Civil Engineering; Classical Mechanics; Clearances; Engineering; Exact solutions; Mathematical models; Mechanical Engineering; Thickness; Thrust bearings; Hydrodynamics; Load; Adsorbed boundary layer; Multiscale; Bearing
• ISSN: 0025-6455; 1572-9648
• DOI: 10.1007/s11012-022-01595-5

When a hydrodynamic thrust bearing works in the condition of heavy loads or low sliding speeds, the bearing clearance will be so small that it is comparable with the thickness of the boundary layer physically adsorbed to the bearing surface; while between the two boundary layers exists the continuum fluid film. This is the new model of hydrodynamic thrust bearing not addressed before, which involves the multiscale hydrodynamic effect. Here, numerical calculations were made for the multiscale hydrodynamic wedge-platform thrust bearing to verify the approximate analytical solutions formerly derived. The numerically solved pressure distributions were compared with the analytically calculated pressure distributions for different fluid-bearing surface interactions. It was found that for the weak and medium fluid-bearing surface interactions the analytical solution (with k  = 1) is valid when the bearing clearance in the outlet zone ( h t , o ) is no less than 10 nm, while for the strong fluid-bearing surface interaction it is valid when h t , o ≥ 13 nm .