INFLUENCE OF LUBRICANT RECIRCULATION ON THE THERMO-HYDRODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF FINITE JOURNAL BEARINGSPages 138-152
Abstract
Lubricant recirculation influences the thermo-hydrodynamic performance of journal bearings by modifying the inlet temperature and lubricant viscosity within the film. In this study, a thermo-hydrodynamic (THD) numerical model incorporating thermal recirculation effects was developed for a finite plain journal bearing. The generalized Reynolds equation and energy equation were solved simultaneously using a finite-difference approach while accounting for temperature-dependent viscosity and load equilibrium. The recirculation coefficient was varied from λ = 0 to 0.50 to investigate its effect on pressure generation, temperature distribution, film thickness, friction force, and lubricant leakage. The results show that lubricant recirculation primarily affects bearing performance through thermo-viscous interactions. Increasing the recirculation coefficient from 0 to 0.50 increased the maximum lubricant temperature by 18.13%, while the maximum hydrodynamic pressure increased by only 3.11%. The minimum film thickness decreased by 10.66%, friction force was reduced by 20.49%, and side leakage flow increased by 10.56%. The elevated temperature reduced lubricant viscosity, resulting in lower frictional losses but also thinner lubricant films and higher leakage rates. The findings demonstrate that thermal carry-over effects should be considered for accurate prediction, design, and thermal management of hydrodynamic journal bearings.
Keywords:
Journal bearing,
Thermo-hydrodynamic lubrication,
Lubricant recirculation,
Thermal carry-over,
Finite difference method,
Thermo-viscous coupling.
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Sudhir Chaudhary, 
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