Lubrication of a Porous Bearing With Surface Corrugations

Abstract

The paper considers the surface roughness effects in hydrodynamic porous bearings. On the basis of stochastic theory of hydrodynamic lubrication of rough surfaces developed by Christensen, different forms of Reynolds type equations, as applicable to a general porous bearings are derived for various types of surface roughness pattern. To illustrate the functional effects of surface roughness on the operating characteristics of a porous bearing, the case of nonrotating circular plates in normal approach is analyzed. It is shown that surface roughness may considerably influence the operating characteristics of porous bearings. The direction of the influence, however, depends upon the type of roughness assumed.