A Determination of Cavitation Interfaces in Fluid Film Bearings Using Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

The location of both rupture and reformation boundaries in liquid film bearings is important in determining overall performance characteristics. Finite difference approximations have been most widely used in the numerical analysis of hydrodynamic bearings, and the problem of determining cavitation interfaces may be trivial or extremely complex depending upon the physical model adopted. For some situations finite element analysis may offer an advantage and this possibility is investigated here.