CFD Evaluation of Steady and Fluctuating Depth Dimpled Textures Impacting the Efficiency of Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings

Abstract

In this study, the impact of surface texturing on the performance of hydrodynamic journal bearings is analyzed. The theoretical evaluation arefocused on various parameters including maximum pressure, load-bearing capacity, frictional force, and the coefficient of friction. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) platform is used to design the model where the relationship between maximum pressure and the rotational angle of the shaft periphery is analyzed. Dimples are found to significantly affect the maximum pressure profile. ANSYS Fluent is utilized to simulate the journal bearing, with the shaft diameter set at  and the dimple width kept constant at . The application of dimples resulted in an increase in lubrication film thickness. The study examined the impact of varying dimple depth profiles as well as varying dimple depthson the bearing surface. Strategically placing dimples in areas of minimum lubricant film thickness enhances the film thickness and reduces frictional losses.Overall, the results emphasize the crucial role of dimple dimensions and placement in the performance of journal bearing surfaces. The outcome revealed that applying dimples with specific depths in the region of minimum film thickness can be beneficial, suggesting potential applications of this technique in various industrial machinery.