Machine Elements & Mechanisms

Laboratory

-1-

EXPERIMENTS ON PRESSURE-FED FLUID FILM JOURNAL BEARING

1. OBJECTIVES

To demonstrate of the generation of a hydrodynamic fluid film.

To measure the circumferential pressure distribution in a hydrodynamic journal bearing.
To evaluate of the effect of the supply pressure on pressure distribution.

2. TEST RIG DESCRIPTION

The tests are made on a pressure-fed hydrodynamic journal bearing. Oil is supplied to the bearing by a gear
pump driven by an a.c. electric motor. Oil pressure can be modified by means of an adjustable restrictor (which, in
fact, changes the flow rate). The horizontal shaft, supported on two ball bearings, is driven by a second constant
speed a.c. electric motor (the main electric motor) with constant speed using a V-belt transmission. Several sets
puleys can be used to change the transmission ratio of the V-belt in order to modify the rotational speed of the shaft
(see Fig. 1).
Tested
bearing

Ball
bearings
Shaft

V-Belt

Loading
system

Oil tank

Fig. 1 Test Rig Schematic

Load is applied through a simple lever system by putting known weights on a pan. Note that the load acts on the
bushing, via the bearing housing.
The following parameters can be measured during the tests.
1. Supply pressure by means of a manometer mounted at the pump outlet;
2. Film pressure in five points on the loaded part of the bearing (see Fig. 2), by means of pressure gauges,
mounted in the bearing midplan;
3. Side leakage of the bearing by means of a graduated glass cylinder in which oil is collected during a
measured period of time.
The main dimensions and operating characteristics of the bearing are: D=40mm, B/D=1, =1o/oo, n=400rev/min.

3. OPERATION PROCEDURE
start the electric motor of the pump;
after oil reaches the bearing, start the main electric motor
(of the shaft);
adjust the supply
(pin=0.5MPa);

pressure at a constant

value

successively, put known weights on the pan and after a

few seconds (necessary for stabilization), read the
pressures in the film, p1p5;
adjust the supply pressure at the second value (e.g. pin=0.2
MPa) and read again the pressures in the film;
Fig. 2 Detail of the tested bearing
Student:

unload the bearing, stop the main electric motor, and then
the pumps motor.

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Machine Elements & Mechanisms

Laboratory

-2-

4. PROCESSING OF EXPERIMENTAL DATA

Fill in the table bellow with the obtained results. The load on the bearing, F, can be calculated as

F = k G + Go

(1)

where:
Go=200 N - the weight of the loading system
G - the weight put on the pan
k= 42.8 - the amplification factor of the levers.
The conventional mean pressure can be calculated from:

pm =

F
B 2
D
D

(2)

Finally, one can plot the pressure distribution in the midplan of the bearing on the graph presented in Fig. 3.

5. CONCLUSIONS
(i) The pressures generated in the film are much greater than the supply pressure
(ii) The pressure distribution is asymmetrical with respect to the direction of the load, and the film extent is greater
than 150o.
(iii) The pressure distribution is almost insensitive at supply pressure variations.
Compare the film pressures to the mean pressure on the bearing.
No.

Weight on
pan G [N]

Load on
Mean pressure Supply pressure
bearing F [N]
pm [MPa]
pin [MPa]

p1

Film pressures [MPa]

p2
p3
p4

p5

Fig. 3

Student:

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