A Modified Discrete Scheme in the Ausas Cavitation Algorithm

Abstract

In order to reduce the dependence of accuracy on the number of grids in the Ausas cavitation algorithm, a modified Ausas algorithm was presented. By modifying the mass-conservative Reynolds equation with the concept of linear complementarity problems (LCPs), the coupling of film thickness h and density ratio θ disappeared. The modified equation achieved a new discrete scheme that ensured a complete second-order-accurate central difference scheme for the full film region, avoiding a hybrid-order-accurate discrete scheme. A journal-bearing case was studied to show the degree of accuracy improvement and the calculation time compared to a standard LCP solver. The results showed that the modified Ausas algorithm made the asymptotic and convergent behavior with the increase of nodes disappear and allowed for the use of coarse meshes to obtain sufficient accuracy. The calculation time of the modified Ausas algorithm is shorter than that of the LCP solver (Lemke’s pivoting algorithm) for middle- and large-scale problems.