A Theory of Self-Acting, Gas-Lubricated Bearings With Heat Transfer Through Surfaces

Abstract

Use is made of the continuity, Navier-Stokes, energy, and state equations to develop the differential equations for gas-lubrication problems. Heat transfer through the surfaces is allowed. The first approximation, not surprisingly, gives the Harrison equation which is usually obtained by assuming the isothermal process. The error introduced by this assumption is shown up in the second approximation, when the isothermal condition is dropped. Under normal operational condition, this error is small enough to be neglected. However, the main purpose of developing the second approximation is to allow heat transfer through the surfaces such that the load capacity can be increased. Two curves of the pressure distribution for the infinitely long inclined plane slider bearing at various bearing numbers are plotted to show the effect of a temperature difference compared with the isothermal case given by Harrison’s equation. These results suggest that merely by increasing the temperature difference between the surfaces, the load capacity of a self-acting, gas-lubricated bearing can be considerably increased.