Simulation of Flexible Rotating Crankshaft with Flexible Engine Block and Hydrodynamic Bearings for a V6 Engine

This paper discusses how the multi-body dynamics approach combined with flexible body effects is being applied to predict the bearing loads, the vibrations of crankshaft, the orbit plots of individual journal, and the performance of bearing (such as minimum film thickness and maximum film pressure) due to structural flexibility. The oil film effects in the journal bearing are implemented using both impedance method and hydrodynamic fluid film with finite element method. An application example of a V6 engine was given in this paper to show this sophisticated simulation model and to predict the dynamic response of the flexible system and loads in the journal bearings.