Analysis of Thrust Bearings Operating in Turbulent Regime

Abstract

This paper relates to the turbulent motion in the lubricant fluid film with centrifugal effects and the lubrication theory for thrust bearings operating in turbulent regime. Using Prandtl’s mixing-length theory, three-dimensional turbulent velocity distributions, including pressure gradients and centrifugal effects, are calculated, and the cross-coupling of nonplanar flow of the lubricant fluid film is discussed. From these results, turbulent lubrication equations with centrifugal effects are derived. Applying these lubrication equations to a sectorial inclined thrust bearing, the steady-state characteristics and the dynamic ones are calculated.