An Experimental Study of Cavitation in Hydrodynamically Lubricated Journal Bearings - Part II: Bearing Behaviour

The present experimental work investigates journal bearing performance and its correlation to the oil film extent. The performance characteristics; namely: journal eccentricity and attitude angle together with the frictional traction have been measured under different oil feeding designs to include single oil inlet hole and axial groove. With the oil being introduced from different positions relative to the load vector, the bearing behaviour could also be recorded and analysed. Bearing behaviour has shown to be governed by the oil film behaviour and an optimum position of the oil inlet port should be assigned within the divergent bearing clearance to attain the the best performance. In comparison with boundary conditions used in theories, the observed and recorded oil film bounaries are in favour of recent theoretical approach.