Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of a Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Considering the Effect of a Rotating or Stationary Herringbone Groove

This research investigates the dynamic characteristics of a herringbone grooved journal bearing with plain sleeve (GJPS) and a plain journal bearing with herringbone grooved sleeve (PJGS) under static and dynamic load. FEM is used to solve the Reynolds equation in order to calculate the pressure distribution in a fluid film. Reaction forces and friction torque are obtained by integrating the pressure and shear stress along the fluid film, respectively. Dynamic behaviors of a journal, such as orbit or rotational speed, are determined by solving its nonlinear equations of motion with the Runge-Kutta method. Numerical results are validated by the experimental results of prior researchers. A GJPS produces less friction torque than a PJGS so that the GJPS consumes less input power than the PJGS. Under static load, the PJGS converges to the fixed equilibrium position, but the GJPS has a whirling motion due to the rotating groove even at the steady state, which produces the excitation frequencies corresponding to the integer multiple of the rotor speed multiplied by the number of grooves. The variation of rotational speed of a GJPS is always less than that of a PJGS due to less friction torque. Under the effect of mass unbalance, the excitation frequencies of the reaction force in a GJPS and a PJGS are the rotational frequency due to mass unbalance and its harmonics due to the nonlinear effect of fluid film. However, the GJPS has relatively big amplitude corresponding to the multiples of the number of grooves, in comparison with the amplitudes at the adjacent harmonics.