The Multiphase Flow CFD Analysis in Journal Bearings Considering Surface Tension and Oil-Filler Port Flow

This chapter presents the multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis on oil-lubricated high-speed journal bearings considering the oil-filler port. Journal bearings are widely used for high-speed rotating machinery such as tur-bines, compressors, pumps, automobiles, and so on. They can support the rotating shaft utilizing the oil lubrication film wedge effects used in the bearing clearance. Previously, in the analysis of journal bearings, which clearance is very narrow compared with shaft diameter, the Reynolds equation has been used on journal bearing analysis because of its applicability on the narrow space calculation and its low calculation cost. However, the gaseous-phase area generated in the journal bearing and the effect of oil-filler port cannot be reproduced accurately using the method. Under these backgrounds, some researchers use the CFD analysis to calculate the journal bearing characteristics in recent years. In this chapter, the authors describe the multiphase flow CFD analysis on journal bearing based on our previous studies . At first, the multiphase CFD calculation model on journal bearing and the experimental method are explained. Then, four types of calculation results under flooded and starved lubrication conditions are compared to the experimental ones. Additionally, the effect of surface tension on journal bearing characteristics is discussed. Finally, the CFD thermal analysis results under two types of supply oil conditions are shown.