Open Access

ARTICLE

Mixed Lubrication of Coupled Journal-Thrust Bearing Systems

Yansong Wang¹, Q. Jane Wang¹, Chih Lin²

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, U.S.A.
2 Baker Hughes, Inc., Houston, TX 77252

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2002, 3(4), 517-530. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2002.003.517

Abstract

Many mechanisms, such as computer hard drives, gear trains, and machine tool spindle systems, operate under both axial and radial loads, which should be respectively supported by a thrust and a journal bearing. By utilizing the end face of the shaft of a journal bearing as a thrust bearing, a coupled journal-thrust bearing system can be formed. This paper presents a mixed lubrication model developed to investigate the lubrication of this coupled bearing system. A conformal-mapping method is used in the model formulation to facilitate a universal flow description. The performance of typical coupled bearing systems is numerically investigated.

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Keywords

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