Hydrodynamic analysis of different textured profile thrust bearing

Abstract

Surface texture in the surface of the thrust bearing reduces the friction coefficient and wear rate of the matting surface. Significant improvement in load carrying capacity, wear resistance and friction coefficient of the tribiological mechanical component can be achieved by forming regular micro structure in form of micro dimple on the thrust pad bearing surface. In the present work numerical analysis is carried out to investigate the effect of spherical, cylindrical, elliptical, rectangular and square texture on the thrust pad hydrodynamic bearing and a comparison is done with the plain thrust bearing. The above texture profile was chosen in the view to easy fabrication of such texture using laser technology or etching process. These textured pads are tested on the various type of operating condition. The Reynolds equations are solved numerically by the finite difference method and an analysis is done on the effect of texture height, aspect ratio, and number of textures both in radial and circumferential directions on thrust pad bearing. It is observed that the load carrying capacity increases with increase of texture height ratio. This is because as texture height is increased it restricts the flow of lubricants which increases pressure and load carrying capacity. The analysis shows as aspect ratio is increased the roughness of surface is increased so pressure is increased, which result is increasing load carrying capacity. However with very larger value of aspect ratio the roughness of surface decreases, which decreases the load carrying capacity. Similar studies the done for behavior of coefficient of friction on variation of aspect ratio, texture height ratio etc. The author believes that such detail analysis on different texture profile on thrust pad hydrodynamic to study different tribological behavior under different condition will help researchers around the world.