Stability Analysis of the Rotor-Journal Bearing System Considering Shear and Gaseous Cavitation

Abstract

Part of the gas phase within the bearing emanates from the gaseous lubricating medium generated by the phase transition of the liquid lubricant under low pressure, while the remaining portion originates from the expansion of gases, such as air, present in the lubricant. This study delves into the impact of vapor and gas cavitation on the stability of the rotor-journal bearing system. Utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a 3D transient lubrication model is developed for the rotor-journal bearing system. This model integrates a combined cavitation approach, encompassing both vaporous and gaseous cavitation phenomena. Based on a new structured dynamic mesh method, the journal orbits are obtained when the journal moves in the rotor-journal bearing system. In vaporous and gaseous cavitation, shear stress and non-condensable gases (NCG) are incorporated successively. Compared with the combined cavitation model, the basic cavitation model journal orbit amplitude is significantly larger than the combined cavitation model. The carrying capacity of journal bearings under the basic cavitation model is overestimated, leading to a more conservative prediction for system stability.

Keywords

• journal bearing
• CFD
• stability
• cavitation model
• a 3D transient lubrication model