Solution for the Pressure and Temperature in Thrust Bearings Operating in the Thermohydrodynamic Turbulent Regime

Abstract

A numerical solution is developed for the equations governing the turbulent thermohydrodynamic flow in a sector shaped thrust bearing. The lubricant viscosity is taken as a function of the three-dimensional temperature distribution in the fluid-film. Three-dimensional heat transfer between the lubricant and both the moving and stationary solids is included in the analysis. Isotropy of the turbulent mixing process is assumed. The “law of the wall” for turbulent shear flows is used to define an eddy viscosity based on the local wall shear stress and the viscosity within the film. A modified Reynolds analogy is assumed to relate the turbulent transport of heat and momentum. According to the Ng-Pan theory the momentum transport equations are linearized by assuming the nonplanar flow is a small perturbation of turbulent Couette flow. Thermal effects are shown to be less pronounced in turbulent flow than in laminar flow.