Entry Flow and Pressure Jump in Submerged Multi-Pad Bearings and Grooved Bearings

Abstract

Numerical studies are conducted to investigate the flow and pressure fields along the runner surface in submerged multi-pad and/or multi-grooved bearings under high Reynolds number. The cavity region between the pads and/or the oil feed groove is modified into rectangular shape. The bearing gap region is modified into linearly tapered one. The two-dimensional full Navier-Stokes equations are solved consistently for both regions by means of the penalty function formulation and the Galerkin finite element method incorporated with the Newton-Raphson linearization. General feature of the inertia effects on the entry flow and pressure jump is illustrated under various conditions. The results are used to improve the former simplified approach, which is based on the quasi-fully developed gap flow linked to the cavity flow of boundary layer type by using conservation equations of mass and mechanical energy.