Analyzing the Shear Heating Effects in Modeling the Hydrodynamic Lubrication of High Torque Low Speed Diesel Engine by Considering Different Viscosity-Grade Lubricants

Abstract

Journal bearings of high torque diesel engines are used to cater for high combustion loads which are applied intermittently. A lubrication layer is provided between journal (crankshaft) and bearing to avoid contact between them. The relative velocity between crankshaft and journal bearing results in viscous shear heating among the different layers of lubricating oil. The shear heating reduces the viscosity of the lubricant that ultimately reduces the load carrying ability of the journal bearing. It offers a physical contact and reduces the designed life of crankshaft. In this study the 2-D transient numerical lubrication model is developed by employing the Reynolds equation to calculate the pressure and film thickness profiles as a function of crankshaft speed. The shear heating effects are determined by coupling the energy equation with lubrication model. The finite difference method is used and an appropriate numerical scheme is employed to simulate the conduction and convection based thermal energy transfer in transient and steady state journal bearing lubrication model. The lateral displacement of crankshaft is incorporated in the thermal model to analyze the effect of secondary dynamics of crankshaft. The viscosity and temperature relationship are used to ascertain its variation with temperature. The characteristic of three different viscosity-grade lubricates are incorporated separately in the model to carry out the comprehensive comparative analysis. The results are simulated for particular application where low operating speed and length to width ratio of journal bearing is fixed and analyzed the results for complete 720 degrees of crankshaft in its two revolutions. The results show that the oil with high viscosity produces high hydrodynamic pressures as compared to the oil that have low viscosity. The viscous shearing temperature reduces the hydrodynamic pressures but still the high viscosity lubricating oil have enough pressures to uplift the shaft after incorporating the shear heating effects. This study determines the hydrodynamic pressure, and variation of density, viscosity and thermal-conductivity with temperature for three different lubricating oils. These analyses will facilities towards the selection of appropriate lubricant for high torque low speed diesel engine in order to enhance the life of crankshaft.