Thermal and inertia effects in externally pressurized conical thrust oil bearings

This paper presents theoretical and experimental investigations of thermal and inertia effects on the performance of externally pressurized conical thrust bearings. The analysis, as well as the experimental results, revealed that the increase in oil temperature due to pad rotation has a detrimental effect on the load carrying capacity, while it increases the flow rate. Increasing the speed of rotation, will increase or decrease the bearing load carrying capacity depending on the recess dimensions.Nomenclature c lubricant specific heat - F frictional torque - h film thickness - L load carrying capacity - P pressure - P pressure ratio (P/P ₁) - P ₁ inlet pressure - Q volume flow rate - r radius measured on cone surface - r radius ratio (R/R ₃) - R ₁ supply hole radius - R ₂ recess radius - R ₃ outside radius of bearing - S inertia parameter (0.15 ² R ₃ ² /P ₁) - T temperature - u, v, w velocity components (see Fig. 2) - z coordinate normal to cone surface - lubricant density - lubricant viscosity - 2 cone apex angle - rotational speed - recess depth